I think Foam Covers Should be a sticky Topic

[Daniel62]

What say you Mods. I constantly see "My nem got shredded". Almost always posted by a newbie.

The nem you save, maybe someone else's:)

[Daniel62]

So does anyone Agree?

[JxP]

Probably a good idea honestly.

[ThRoewer]

I wonder why these pumps come without foam covers in the first place...
Maybe everyone here should complain at the manufacturers (or distributors and stores) so they start putting a foam cover into the box. Can't be that hard or costly.
At least they should offer it as accessory.

[bundybear1981]

@ThRoewer - I think it is because only a small number of the overall pumps sold need it. Even if it is a small cost its still a cost they can get away without. They are trying to keep costs to a minimum.
I think many pumps can get them as an extra however.

[m0nkie]

I wonder why these pumps come without foam covers in the first place...
Maybe everyone here should complain at the manufacturers (or distributors and stores) so they start putting a foam cover into the box. Can't be that hard or costly.
At least they should offer it as accessory.

imo the foam covers are not 100% safe. so manufactures can't add them and advertise them as anemone safe. If they could make an anemone safe pump, I bet they will be extremely pricey. besides anemone, not much else get caught in powerheads.

i use the Gyre along with MP40. The MP40 has its own foam cover. The Gyre I feel is safe enough..

[ca1ore]

...... and the vortech pumps do come with a foam cover in the box. It's a mixed blessing though, as the cover quickly and significantly cuts down the flow form the pump. I have a mag in my tank and I do not use the foam covers.

My own experience has been that if your tank is of adequate size for a mg, and you design a spot purposefully for it, the risk of purée is low.

[Daniel62]

Yes, the foam does cut down on flow, but I think every little bit helps, esp with BTAs, at least the foam buys you a little time to notice. Everytime I have caught mine, they were attached to the foam first.

[addictedreefer]

Personally I am a gambler. As ca1ore mentioned, foam covers gunk up so quickly that you're really looking at 35% normal flow after a day. It would drive me crazy to have to clean off the covers so frequently.

To date I have escaped disaster.

[SNAKEMANVET]

I use to use the foam cover for my vortech,but my mag pulled it off when it crawled across the pump and got sucked in the pump,so covers are not anemone proof.Like others have stated they gunk up quickly and restrict flow,which I figured is what caused my mag to wonder.No foam cover and it hasn't moved in two years.

[ThRoewer]

The power reduction shouldn't be a problem as you should clean the covers often.

Since I started to control my pumps with my APEX, I started over dimension new ones and run them only at 50% or less. I started doing this because a pump I bought with my new tank in mind turned out way too strong for my tank.
But I discovered an additional benefit from this - larva and other small critters have a much higher survival rate when passing through a slow running pump than going through one that runs on 100%. And since I don't want to filter out the larva foam covers probably wouldn't work for me anyway.
On the other hand an anemone that gets too close may not get sucked through a pump that only runs at 50% or less.

[m0nkie]

The power reduction shouldn't be a problem as you should clean the covers often.

easier said than done.. every time I remove the Gyre to clean, my carpet moves a little.. I seem to never get the Gyre to the original position. so I guess flow changed..

[Toddrtrex]

Personally I am a gambler. As ca1ore mentioned, foam covers gunk up so quickly that you're really looking at 35% normal flow after a day. It would drive me crazy to have to clean off the covers so frequently.

To date I have escaped disaster.

35% in one day?! I find that hard to believe, or your tank has other issues.

I just cleaned mine last night, and will clean them again tonight -- just too see how much, if any detritus comes out. Normally I clean mine once a week -- during the weekly water change.

Been keeping anemones for 20 years now, the only time I have had an issue is when I didn't have the foam covers on, happened twice. Even with sand bed dwelling anemones (( which is what I prefer )), I will not run a tank without the covers. My tanks have Vortech pumps.

[Daniel62]

I agree, my covers don't get that dirty.

[addictedreefer]

They don't necessarily look dirty but if you watch your tank, the flow dramatically reduces quickly. I keep many mags so you can easily tell by how much they sway in the (usually very turbulent) current. I only use covers for the first day or so post introduction.

[Toddrtrex]

Was just wondering where you got "35%" in one day. I haven't noticed that loss of flow with my MP40 or MP10s (( depending on the tank )). Knowing how much damage a powerhead can do to an anemone, and the other fish in the tank if an anemone is shredded I will take any (( albeit limited )) loss of flow.

[addictedreefer]

I think we all know 35% was a rough estimate. I'm obviously not standing there with a flow meter. But I can tell you the flow drops off dramatically. If you are keeping sand dwellers like you suggest, no big deal, but if you are keeping flow loving mags and gigs, the drop off in flow can do more harm than good and as some have already suggested, can actually cause an anemone to move.

[primo21]

i went to the arts and crafts store and bought a cross stitch kit, its that grid where you pull the yarn through to make a picture when you were a kid. Paid a couple bucks for a 9x9 square of it and was enough to wrap my 2 jebao pumps and still have at least half left. Been running for a month and still not clogged. Just tied it on with some fishing line.

[M Woodhill]

the gyre comes with mesh foam?

[cthetoy]

I used Enkamat and wrapped around my MP40 and Jaebo a few time. Use rubber bands to hold the shape. In a few weeks the shape still hold without the rubber band. Less clogging than foam. I can go a few weeks before clogging.
Sorry I dont have pics of pumps but below is what Enkamat looks like.

http://www.marineaquariumsa.com/imagehosting/17284a7e7d68d3d28.jpg

[Neebles]

the gyre comes with mesh foam?

Unfortunately it doesn't. My friend just had his ghost ribbon eel swim up into his. Wasn't pretty :bigeyes:

[M Woodhill]

Unfortunately it doesn't. My friend just had his ghost ribbon eel swim up into his. Wasn't pretty :bigeyes:

my ritteri anemone was smashed into a puree havin killed all my fish :deadhorse1:

[Jrsdaddy]

I made this one for my RW-4 out of a piece of foam filter block. I just traced around it with a razor blade then once the pump fit in the center I trimmed the rest with a pair of scissors.

[D-Nak]

I run two MP40s in my DT and Jebao WP10s on my smaller tanks. I no longer use the foam covers on my MP40s and never had them on my WPs. However, I do recommend that all anemone owners -- especially those who have new anemones -- use covers when possible.

That said, for those who are familiar with their anemones, covers (or any sort of protection) are not needed or won't help much. Here are the reasons:

1. Most anemones are not free floaters. BTAs are the exception, and since many anemone owners are BTA owners, then covers are typically recommended. My focus is on carpet anemones and H. magnifica, and these species do not inflate like a balloon and float around the tank.

2. I have found that when conditions are right, all anemones rarely move. More important than covers is keeping conditions consistent (flow, lighting, water parameters) as this prevents wandering. In short, keeping an anemone "happy" is the key.

3. Once you know your anemone, you can predict their behavior. My H. magnifica moves only an inch or so in each direction. It likes high flow and high light, so it's towards the middle of the tank and directly in front of a powerhead. Mags will walk up tank walls if they can "feel" them, so I keep mine away from any walls.

4. Anemones are slow and if you see the signs you can react quickly. Once an anemone is on the go, all powerheads should be turned off until the nem has found a new location, in an area that it actually likes. For example, BTAs like to have their foot buried deep in a crevice. If it's attached to a flat surface, the likelihood of it moving is fairly high. Once the nem appears to be in it's final position, the powerheads can be turned on. I've found that they rarely move due to flow, unless the flow is completely wrong for the species of nem.

5. Current designs for foam covers won't guarantee safely and are more trouble than the protection they provide. As others have previously mentioned, they tend to clog quickly. When I had covers on my MP40s, I had 4 sets of covers and rotated sets; the dirty ones cleaned in a vinegar bath overnight. Even with the covers, one of my large gigs got caught in it.

6. A good design for a cover is one that doesn't hug the powerhead. Current designs only help to prevent the nem from physically entering the powerhead, but if left on too long, the nem will still die, especially if it's a strong powerhead. It only takes literally one tentacle to get stuck in a powerhead to pull in the entire anemone. I know that there are a few hobbyists developing powerhead covers but I have yet to see one that I like. The best design IMO is one that leaves at least a 1" gap between the powerhead and the cover. This allows the nem to get stuck on the cover, but not pulled into the powerhead. Unfortunately, all of the designs I've considered I envision to be rather unsightly in the tank, even clear acrylic ones, as they will eventually get covered with algae. The other issue is maintaining flow to and from the powerhead. Holes that are too big will allow minimal protection, and holes that are too small will clog. A good design may be one that incorporates both a large acrylic cover and a foam surround that can be quickly cleaned and replaced.

I am seriously considering getting a Gyre for my DT. I don't think it will need a cover, merely something to block a nem from getting near it. Even simply placing a frag rack underneath it may prevent a nem from getting too close.

[Bristle_Worm]

:-)

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f236/JaredJHarms/DIY/5664023C-C6FD-4EB0-9088-D64775C636A8_zpslcxngmaz.jpg (http://s48.photobucket.com/user/JaredJHarms/media/DIY/5664023C-C6FD-4EB0-9088-D64775C636A8_zpslcxngmaz.jpg.html)

[Bristle_Worm]

D-Nak is right. Mags love high flow. They will gravitate to your wave makers if not happy. If you have enough flow and light on them, they will stay put as long as your water parameters don't swing crazy.

[MarlinHooker]

i have 2 MP40s on my 150g tank, both with foan covers that I change each week when I do my PWC. my vortechs don't run close to 100% and aren't that dirty by the end of the week. with 9 Nems in the tank there's no way I'm not using the foam.....

[Amoo]

Any foam cover that blocks restricts the flow of the pump is also putting more stress on the pump itself which will lead to a shorter pump life. Shorter pump life could mean more sales, but could also mean a bad reputation.