diy screen covers

[seascape]

well i finally got tired of my wrasses jumping and decided to build a set of covers,the cost was a lot less than the prices of a nice fish,less then 50.00 bucks and really wasnt that difficult.the only problems i had was i thought that all the openings were the same size and let me tell you they are'nt.screen was a little bit of a pain but i got it here are some pics

well thx for looking.RJ

 

[stunreefer Verified Sponsor]

Well done! You just saved lives...

 

[ahvrivera]

Question on the material used. Does it sag or show any melting or anything else from the heat of the lights? I just lost a trio of Barlett anthias and was doing reaserch to prevent it from happening again.. Thanks

 

[seascape]

im using t5"s so no problem if you have halides you could use the metal meshing instead of the platic like i did

 

[Brad Syphus]

I have had a screen top with bird netting on my tank for almost 3 years now. No melting whatsoever. The netting is UV rated for the outdoors.
One comment on yours seascape, you might want to double up the netting, those 1/2 inch holes are still big enough for a smaller fish to get thru. I doubled mine up and has worked great ever since.

 

[FateX8]

people used to make these with the indoor netting and put halides over them
they never melted but they got really brittle and when fish jumped, they just broke through it

 

[seascape]

none of my fish are small enough to go through the wholes and im really not planning on buying any smaller fish ,fish yes not small enough,but thx alot for the advise

 

[Acezwild]

Where can I find these materials to make this cover?

 

[seascape]

lowes

 

[Sikryd]

none of my fish are small enough to go through the wholes and im really not planning on buying any smaller fish ,fish yes not small enough,but thx alot for the advise

Thats what I thought.

I double up my netting like Brad, and still had a wrasse slip though somehow.
A buddy was over when he did it before and we just flopped him back in.
Neither one of us could believe that he made it though the mesh, we actually pulled it off and looked for rips or something in it. Somehow he made it.
He wanted out REAL bad, I found him on the floor yesterday
He was the smallest of my Flame troupe. Now I have a nice little trio
The mystery wrasse was chasing him since the higherachy changed once I had to get my purple tang and foxface out.

Nice job RJ - I like the look of the netting. I would have it even if I didn't have jumpers.

 

[Sikryd]

I have had a screen top with bird netting on my tank for almost 3 years now. No melting whatsoever. The netting is UV rated for the outdoors.
One comment on yours seascape, you might want to double up the netting, those 1/2 inch holes are still big enough for a smaller fish to get thru. I doubled mine up and has worked great ever since.

Brad - he got the smaller stuff that I am putting in next
I guess I should have got to it sooner. I have all new framing and the net downstairs.

Its like 3/8 or something. It is really thin, and smaller, compared to the 1/2 stuff.

 

[seascape]

this is the 3/8th its small,thx for the input

 

[Brad Syphus]

Did you find the 3/8th netting at Lowes also? I think I would double it up also. But I have a few flasher wrasses and those guys can slip thru a pinhole. LOL

 

[seascape]

got the screen from a frind but lowes where im at had it

 

[AHDOnline]

I did the same thing, and its great. I got it all from lowes in the garden section outside next to the chain link fence. The deer guard is a bit too big, so make sure you get the 1/4 inch

 

[bluebeltreefer]

looks good. i like the idea of the little handles. nice!

 

[seascape]

thx guys for the comments