Alternative covering for your tank

[shmibly]

If you hate hoods and glass tops like me maybe you will like this!
I'm not sure if anyone has suggested this yet because I'm still new to this forum but anyhow, someone at my pet store told me "Egg Crate" would be a good way to keep fish from jumping and still allow gas exchange as well as more than enough light. Egg crate can be found in the fluorescent light aisle at Home Depot. Im sure that anyplace like Lowes would have it as well. Just thought this may be helpful thing to share. It can be easily cut with just about anything, and comes in big sheets. I used an old wire cutter to cut my sheet.

 

[jpellica]

If I did do Eggcrate I would try and go with the black. White is to much of an eye sore for me at least.

 

[masterswimmer]

Nice clean job, but it blocks much too much light. Here's a link to one of the best, efficient, tank covers I've ever seen:

http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum/diy-do-yourself/22953-acrylic-mesh-tank-cover.html

Hope this helps,
Russ

 

[garys reef]

I made a cover with pond netting and screen material from home depot

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk

 

[KathyC]

Egg Crate is an awful idea to cover a tank.
Yes, better than glass tops as you won't be cutting off your oxygen exchange, but still a poor idea..and there are MANY fish that can dive right through egg-crate and go carpet surfing

You are losing an enormous amount of the light (that you are paying SO much money for. The only light that is getting through that are the 'rays' that go straight down. All of those little 1/4" tall boxes that make up the egg-crate are cutting off any light that shines sidewards.

I believe Sanjay (head lighting guru of planet Earth) told me that you are losing about 30% of your lighing power when you use this stuff.

Here is a much better solution for you ..
http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum/diy-do-yourself/77035-tank-cover-building-demonstration.html

 

[KathyC]

...and for those areas in the back of your tank that are an irregular shape...make your mesh covers in a rectangle..but DO use the egg-crate back to fill in the gaps there BUT using cable ties, tie the pond netting over the eggcrate so fish cannot get through it.

..and welcome to MR !
:fish:

 

[shmibly]

Oh, alright then. Ill look into that Kathy. Thanks.