Vinyl coated mesh overflow cover

[Anonymous]

Thoughts? It says "galvanized". So if I wash it off good, the tiny amount of metal ions that get into the water won't be fatal will they? I have to do something. I have lost too many fish into the overflow.

 

[bfessler]

What about making a comb out of a piece of acrylic. If you know someone with a table saw you can simply cut part way through the acrylic to create a comb then simply super glue it to the overflow. Super Glue Gel should work even on the wet overflow as it is used to glue frags to rock all the time.

 

[Anonymous]

That might work, but is doing what I am doing a bad idea? Its essentially plastic coated wire. Can't remember whether galvanizing is super toxic. Its a thin powder I feel like will wipe off fairly easy.

 

[Anonymous]

What about making a comb out of a piece of acrylic. If you know someone with a table saw you can simply cut part way through the acrylic to create a comb then simply super glue it to the overflow. Super Glue Gel should work even on the wet overflow as it is used to glue frags to rock all the time.

IME, superglue doesn't work on acrylic...

 

[Anonymous]

zinc is the galvanizing powder....hmmm

 

[bfessler]

Don't know about the vinyl coated wire but you could use nylon window screen. This product is recommended for making a plenum under DSB. Should be fine on the overflow.

 

[Anonymous]

Don't know about the vinyl coated wire but you could use nylon window screen. This product is recommended for making a plenum under DSB. Should be fine on the overflow.

I started to get that, but if I just lay something on top, the fish will just flop over on it and die. I need something that will hold its shape, so I can bend it up and have it hold its shape. I run carbon, and its a 130 gal.

 

[bfessler]

Does any part of the screen need to be submerged? If not then the only thing you would need to worry about is the exposed metal where you cut the wire. I believe you can get a viny coating at Home Depot that is used to dip items in and create a vinyl coating (like the vinyl on the handle of a pair of pliers). You could simply dip the end of the mesh in this product and it would seal the raw metal nubs where you cut the mesh.

 

[Anonymous]

Good thoughts. Yes this is just a barrier to fish going over. Not much contact with the water, but some.

 

[bfessler]

I was just checking out a site regarding plumbing a sump and they mentioned a solution to your porblem. You can use the screening material that isused to keep leaves out of the roof gutters. These screens are made of a rigid plastic or vinyl and can be cut to the size of your overflow without exposing any metal.

 

[bfessler]

I was just checking out a site regarding plumbing a sump and they mentioned a solution to your porblem. You can use the screening material that isused to keep leaves out of the roof gutters. These screens are made of a rigid plastic or vinyl and can be cut to the size of your overflow without exposing any metal.

 

[Anonymous]

 

[Anonymous]

I think I could make that stuff work, even though its not rigid. But the vinyl coated wire makes a great jump barrier, lets nearly all light through, won't melt, bends into appropriate shapes. I will just cut the gutter guard about 1.5 inches oversize to keep fish from just flopping on top. The things I will do to save my wrasse.

 

[Anonymous]

What about making a comb out of a piece of acrylic. If you know someone with a table saw you can simply cut part way through the acrylic to create a comb then simply super glue it to the overflow. Super Glue Gel should work even on the wet overflow as it is used to glue frags to rock all the time.

IME, superglue doesn't work on acrylic...

In my experience it works beautifully IF you use the catalyst from acrylic nails to set it. It's a pretty fast and hot reaction, so you need to be FAST, and don't touch it. It also happens to be how I repaired my motorcycle fender (ABS plastic, that stuff happens to smoke when you use my recipe). It's how I repaired a bunch of split acrylic tanks years ago, made them sea-worthy an' ever'thang.

Kev, I see no reason why what you're proposing shouldn't work. Seal the ends of the exposed metal with clear nail polish, perhaps.

 

[Anonymous]

If it is vinyl-coated, they don't need to be galvanized. Interesting... probably the vinyl was so poorly applied that they need to galvanize it just in case. You can get one of the dips to coat any metal part you want, from home depot. The important thing is to cover it completely, other wise it will rust, galvanized or not.

 

[Anonymous]

Wound up using cobra ridge vent. Its a poly mesh that is able to retain its shape while the water goes into the overflow.

http://www.icc-es.org/reports/pdf_files ... R-1265.pdf

Now I have a layer of crud on the surface of the water though. :roll: