Egg Crate Cover - Just around the edges?

[kentwo]

I was looking into putting some type of cover on my tank, especially since I may get a small snowflake eel soon. I was probably going with egg crate since its cheap and easy to shape. I saw a couple of the videos on how to use window framing, but many commented on how difficult it is to shape it around the pipes and other things that I have going in/out of the tank.

To try and maximize light, while reducing the potential suicides from jumpers, I was wondering if I could just use the egg crate around the edges of my tank. Maybe 3-4" on each side. I've seen people with acrylic covers that just rim around the top of the tank, so I figure this would be something similar.

Do fishes jump out in the middle of the tank? Or will having an cover around the border be enough to keep everyone safe?

[billdogg]

I would not bother with the eggcrate if I were you, especially if you are even thinking about a snowflake eel. It will go right through it like it's not even there.

Here's how I managed the powerhead cords on my 120 using a DIY window screen frame and 1/4" mesh from BRS.

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll227/billdogg_photos/120g%20build/img_0458.jpg (http://s289.photobucket.com/user/billdogg_photos/media/120g%20build/img_0458.jpg.html)

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll227/billdogg_photos/120g%20build/img_0459.jpg (http://s289.photobucket.com/user/billdogg_photos/media/120g%20build/img_0459.jpg.html)

More a picture of my lights, but you can see how I just made the smallest possible rear sections. I just run my wires right through them and leave the sections in place, leaving the front sections easily removable.

hth!

[snorvich]

I would not bother with the eggcrate if I were you, especially if you are even thinking about a snowflake eel. It will go right through it like it's not even there.

Here's how I managed the powerhead cords on my 120 using a DIY window screen frame and 1/4" mesh from BRS.

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll227/billdogg_photos/120g%20build/img_0458.jpg (http://s289.photobucket.com/user/billdogg_photos/media/120g%20build/img_0458.jpg.html)

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll227/billdogg_photos/120g%20build/img_0459.jpg (http://s289.photobucket.com/user/billdogg_photos/media/120g%20build/img_0459.jpg.html)

More a picture of my lights, but you can see how I just made the smallest possible rear sections. I just run my wires right through them and leave the sections in place, leaving the front sections easily removable.

hth!

Exactly. All fish can jump and egg crate will not keep them in especially just around the edges. Eels don't jump but egg crate will have no effect on them whatsoever.

[icebrg5]

I've had the egg crate cover before and now am using the window frame kit and screen and it is so much much better. The egg crate will block a lot of the light from going into the tank.

[Sk8r]

I have a tank with another sort of precaution that doesn't limit light reaching the tank: it's my older one, now freshwater, but here's the deal. Most fish we keep can't jump above 9 inches. You make a 9" tall wooden frame out of extremely light wood,---balsa is an option. Arrange it so the 'legs' sit on the corners of the tank.

Now 'skin' the frame in a 10" run of laminate plastic, countertop stuff --- mine is black, matching the tank trim---and reinforce the top edge with a bar of wood along the edge, glued in. This becomes a 'shelf' to support your light kit above the water.

For the rest, when you look at the thing, it just looks like a canopy. But the top is open, just too high a jump for most fishes. This, in its current incarnation: ignore the bouquet atop: optional. http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f269/Sk8r10/new-fw-tank-08.jpg

[3dees]

I have egg crate on my 120 gal. with 3 wrasses and 3 dartfish. haven't lost a fish yet. I think the key is aggression. fish are less likely to jump in a peaceful tank. I did have a yellow coris jump out a while back while I was doing a water change and the crate was off. I've never had an eel, but they may cause smaller fish to jump. I have read that they can escape out of the smallest opening.

[kentwo]

I would not bother with the eggcrate if I were you, especially if you are even thinking about a snowflake eel. It will go right through it like it's not even there.

Here's how I managed the powerhead cords on my 120 using a DIY window screen frame and 1/4" mesh from BRS.

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll227/billdogg_photos/120g%20build/img_0458.jpg (http://s289.photobucket.com/user/billdogg_photos/media/120g%20build/img_0458.jpg.html)

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll227/billdogg_photos/120g%20build/img_0459.jpg (http://s289.photobucket.com/user/billdogg_photos/media/120g%20build/img_0459.jpg.html)

More a picture of my lights, but you can see how I just made the smallest possible rear sections. I just run my wires right through them and leave the sections in place, leaving the front sections easily removable.

hth!


Looks great.

I'm having difficulties with going around the plumbing more than the cords. I have a set of pipes for the HOB protein skimmer. I read someone who tried to frame around the pipes but said that they would suggest against the pieces were so small that it was difficult to attach the mesh into the frame.

[kentwo]

I have a tank with another sort of precaution that doesn't limit light reaching the tank: it's my older one, now freshwater, but here's the deal. Most fish we keep can't jump above 9 inches. You make a 9" tall wooden frame out of extremely light wood,---balsa is an option. Arrange it so the 'legs' sit on the corners of the tank.

Now 'skin' the frame in a 10" run of laminate plastic, countertop stuff --- mine is black, matching the tank trim---and reinforce the top edge with a bar of wood along the edge, glued in. This becomes a 'shelf' to support your light kit above the water.

For the rest, when you look at the thing, it just looks like a canopy. But the top is open, just too high a jump for most fishes. This, in its current incarnation: ignore the bouquet atop: optional. http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f269/Sk8r10/new-fw-tank-08.jpg

I thought the bouquet was key to the entire set up :lolspin: looks good but my lighting would allow me to build upwards.

[Indymann99]

Egg crate didnt stop my Diamond Goby on my QT... I now have 2 layers of egg crate offset so the squares are 1/4 as open.

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn10/Indymann99/2010-11-14_08-08-46_276.jpg (http://s300.photobucket.com/user/Indymann99/media/2010-11-14_08-08-46_276.jpg.html)

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn10/Indymann99/2010-11-14_08-08-23_246.jpg (http://s300.photobucket.com/user/Indymann99/media/2010-11-14_08-08-23_246.jpg.html)

[kentwo]

Egg crate didnt stop my Diamond Goby on my QT... I now have 2 layers of egg crate offset so the squares are 1/4 as open.

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn10/Indymann99/2010-11-14_08-08-46_276.jpg (http://s300.photobucket.com/user/Indymann99/media/2010-11-14_08-08-46_276.jpg.html)

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn10/Indymann99/2010-11-14_08-08-23_246.jpg (http://s300.photobucket.com/user/Indymann99/media/2010-11-14_08-08-23_246.jpg.html)

Too bad.

How about egg crate with some of the bird mesh tied on?

[kentwo]

To clarify, my skimmer looks like this:

http://reefoctopus.com.au/v2/images/store/Module_350_combo_FS.jpg

So the two pipes are the main concerns with the window frame option. I'd be trying to cut like inch long pieces to try and go around the pipes. Then it would be difficult to get the screen and spine into the small pieces of frame.

[Sk8r]

That's LED on that freshwater tank. Much more compact than MH, which used to sit atop that rim.

[billdogg]

To clarify, my skimmer looks like this:

http://reefoctopus.com.au/v2/images/store/Module_350_combo_FS.jpg

So the two pipes are the main concerns with the window frame option. I'd be trying to cut like inch long pieces to try and go around the pipes. Then it would be difficult to get the screen and spine into the small pieces of frame.

You could probably still do it like I have mine. I didn't remove any of the mesh - just cut an "X" in it where cords needed to go through.

[billdogg]

Egg crate didnt stop my Diamond Goby on my QT... I now have 2 layers of egg crate offset so the squares are 1/4 as open.

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn10/Indymann99/2010-11-14_08-08-46_276.jpg (http://s300.photobucket.com/user/Indymann99/media/2010-11-14_08-08-46_276.jpg.html)

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn10/Indymann99/2010-11-14_08-08-23_246.jpg (http://s300.photobucket.com/user/Indymann99/media/2010-11-14_08-08-23_246.jpg.html)


FWIW - I'm almost positive that diamond gobies use the grid lines on eggcrate as targets to aim for:frog::sad1::bigeyes:

[kentwo]

Right now, I'm thinking maybe using egg crate as the frame, then use zip ties to attach the 1/4" mesh to the bottom of the egg crate to stop animals from crawling out. That would allow me to shape the cover around the two in/out flow pipes while keeping things in. The loss of light is still a concern, but unless I can figure out an easy way to make the window frame go around the pipe I don't know what else to do. I guess I could glue the window frame and mesh together in the small corners around the pipe.

[tmz]

I've seen fish gill net themselves on egg crate; head goes through;fall back ; hung by the gills.

[MorganAtlanta]

I cut a 22" x 2.5" strip of plywood to go along the back. You can cut out notches in that for cords and pipes to run through, and then you can make mesh screens like normal. The 2.5" strip makes a good place to set your autofeeder, and doesn't really block useful light if your light source is toward the center of the tank. I tried acrylic instead of plywood, but it warped too badly. You could use glass if you got a glass shop to cut it and notch it.

[kentwo]

I cut a 22" x 2.5" strip of plywood to go along the back. You can cut out notches in that for cords and pipes to run through, and then you can make mesh screens like normal. The 2.5" strip makes a good place to set your autofeeder, and doesn't really block useful light if your light source is toward the center of the tank. I tried acrylic instead of plywood, but it warped too badly. You could use glass if you got a glass shop to cut it and notch it.

Thanks! I was thinking of trying acrylic just for the back and the mesh for the rest of the tank. I was hoping that a small piece that is braced by the back and side lips of the tank wouldn't warp too much. Shucks.