**Clear** Mesh Top
- Thread starter jimsflies
- Start date
jimsflies
Member
Any fish in a open top system is a jumper that hasn't jumped yet. We should be striving to maintain a safe enviornment for the animals we keep.
I love the look of an open top system too. My tank has an open canopy as well. But you are kidding yourself if you think a fish won't jump out.
I am curious though, how does one reason with a fish not to jump? I'm picturing a cat licking it's chops next to the tank?
BeanAnimal
Premium Member
My fish psychologist/psychic tells me that my hermaphroditic clownfish is confused and struggling to come out of the closet. He/she is just not sure what to be. "it" appears to think jumping will solve the problem... I have spent considerable time and money trying to build his/her confidence and self worth as a member of my captive reef community. I have also come to find that my black cap basslet is unhappy with the decor in the home theater. The decor makes him want to jump as well.
Henry... please help
Henry... please help
Harry_Fish
In Memoriam
I’d like to think the fish won’t arbitrarily jump, but given a reason to (poor water quality, harassment from other tank mates, etc) then of course they will.
The key is to remove those reasons.
I tend keep my tanks way under stocked (helps with territory and chemistry problems).
I also don’t add chemicals to make them want to flee.
I read of someone one cleaning something (I think it was a couple of rocks) with Clorox, and then put them back in the tank the resulting irritant made them want to get away from it and they jumped.
In all the years I've had aquariums I never had a fish jump; I guess I just must just be Very lucky.
As far as my clownfish I think I'm going to get her a mate so they
can gang up on the Coral beauty who keeps challenging her.
The key is to remove those reasons.
I tend keep my tanks way under stocked (helps with territory and chemistry problems).
I also don’t add chemicals to make them want to flee.
I read of someone one cleaning something (I think it was a couple of rocks) with Clorox, and then put them back in the tank the resulting irritant made them want to get away from it and they jumped.
In all the years I've had aquariums I never had a fish jump; I guess I just must just be Very lucky.
As far as my clownfish I think I'm going to get her a mate so they
can gang up on the Coral beauty who keeps challenging her.
BeanAnimal
Premium Member
How exactly do you tell one fish not ot harass another fish?
In any case, it is rather shortsighted to think that fish need a "reason" to jump. As mentioned, many species are simply prone to it by innate behavior.
Not everybody stock the same way or the same species. What is pleasing to you may not be pleasing to another. Better said, the logic boils down to, "if you don't put ANY fish in the tank, then NO fish can jump out!". Also (again) many fish are natural jumpers.
You are reasoning that the fish are jumping out of the tank to escape chemicals? If they are smart enough to want to JUMP out, then are they not smart enough to contemplate where they are jumping to? Sorry Henry, but your reasoning here sounds good but does not adhere to any scientific facts
Yes, and many other people have had fish jump
And that brings me to the next thought. Have you not posted in 2 other threads how "funny" it would be to build a system where less equipped fish can accidently wander into predator controlled tanks and be destroyed?
coralnut99
New member
Very Lucky may be an understatement. I've had fish jump out of the water to get at the food in my fingers/tweezers before I even got it below the surface. Ever try to catch a fish in mid-air with one hand and tweezers and a small bowl of thawed food in the other hand? Not a pretty picture. Yes, I now always gently place food through the mesh with the mesh top in place.
jimsflies
Member
It doesn't sound like you are taking your own recommendations given that you have fish in your tank that are not harmoniously getting along with each other?
Your clownfish may already be contemplating jumping, just needs to work up the courage to complete the ultimate act of selfishness. And if you do another clownfish and a power shift occurs, then the coral beauty may decide to take the "jump" in order to be with the "angels".
Harry_Fish
In Memoriam
Not me.....
Please show me those threads????
PS: The name is Harry
Harry_Fish
In Memoriam
Well, I'm outta this thread.
Nothing personal folks, but I made a simple coment and wind up getting slammed.
I'm an old Navy man and somethings (and people) just are not worth the breath.
Nothing personal folks, but I made a simple coment and wind up getting slammed.
I'm an old Navy man and somethings (and people) just are not worth the breath.
BeanAnimal
Premium Member
Harry... sorry, it was HENRY100 that I confused you with. You have my apology.
While I do not agree with your premise regarding jumping fish, my intent was certainly not to "slam" you, but rather to point out (and explain) why I do not agree.
shuguley
New member
Time to bring this thread back to life! LOL
Well, My Wrasse went carpet surfing the week before christmas. I previously had eggcrate cut to fit over my aquarium, so I have no clue how he got out, he was pretty big, too big I thought to squeeze through, but he managed.
Yesterday, I decided to build myself some mesh tops like everyone else in this thread. Thought I would share what I purchased and did.
Some people are using the 1/2" bird block netting from Home depot and doubling it up. Well, I didn't like that very much, so I searched all over town for something else.
I came accross 1/4" pond netting at PetSmart. It was $23 compared to $10 for the Bird Block. I figured, in this hobby, what's $13 extra? So I bought the pond netting.
My local Home Depot does not sell the DIY screen kit that others are buying, they have another kit available, but it's only in white. So I bought everything seperate, in a dark brown, since black was also unavailable.
I was very surprised at how easy this was to do. I needed to make two tops for may aquarium and I have a HOB overflow and return line too. On the side with my return line, I made the top small, and used the black rubber/plastic thing that comes with glass versa top lids and cut it to exactly fit around my return. On the other side, where my overflow is, I made the screen top to fit around it by using extra corner connectors, I had to cut the tabs off of them to make the left turns, since the corner pieces are only made for right turns. The net matrerial doesn't fit as tight on this, so I will probably re-cut this side and use the black versa top piece like I did on the other side.
These new tops fit in very snugly, and I am shocked at how much better it looks and how much more light gets through than the eggcrate. I didn't realize before how much light the eggcrate was reflecting back up. These screen tops are the way to go. I dare any fish to try and jump out now!! Not really, please don't jump fishy! LOL
Here's a list of my supplies, all prices are approximate...
1) Black Pond netting 14'X14' 1/4" - $23 (Petsmart)
2) 3 ea brown 84" frame pieces - $2.80 each (Home Depot)
3) 3 ea bags of four corner connecters - $1.50 each (Home Depot)
4) 1 bag 25' spine (smallest size and length available) = $4.00 (Home Depot)
5) spline roller - $3.50 (Home Depot)
6) hacksaw with fine tooth blade (already had one)
7) tapemeasure (already had one)
8) beer (already had one)
Well, My Wrasse went carpet surfing the week before christmas. I previously had eggcrate cut to fit over my aquarium, so I have no clue how he got out, he was pretty big, too big I thought to squeeze through, but he managed.
Yesterday, I decided to build myself some mesh tops like everyone else in this thread. Thought I would share what I purchased and did.
Some people are using the 1/2" bird block netting from Home depot and doubling it up. Well, I didn't like that very much, so I searched all over town for something else.
I came accross 1/4" pond netting at PetSmart. It was $23 compared to $10 for the Bird Block. I figured, in this hobby, what's $13 extra? So I bought the pond netting.
My local Home Depot does not sell the DIY screen kit that others are buying, they have another kit available, but it's only in white. So I bought everything seperate, in a dark brown, since black was also unavailable.
I was very surprised at how easy this was to do. I needed to make two tops for may aquarium and I have a HOB overflow and return line too. On the side with my return line, I made the top small, and used the black rubber/plastic thing that comes with glass versa top lids and cut it to exactly fit around my return. On the other side, where my overflow is, I made the screen top to fit around it by using extra corner connectors, I had to cut the tabs off of them to make the left turns, since the corner pieces are only made for right turns. The net matrerial doesn't fit as tight on this, so I will probably re-cut this side and use the black versa top piece like I did on the other side.
These new tops fit in very snugly, and I am shocked at how much better it looks and how much more light gets through than the eggcrate. I didn't realize before how much light the eggcrate was reflecting back up. These screen tops are the way to go. I dare any fish to try and jump out now!! Not really, please don't jump fishy! LOL
Here's a list of my supplies, all prices are approximate...
1) Black Pond netting 14'X14' 1/4" - $23 (Petsmart)
2) 3 ea brown 84" frame pieces - $2.80 each (Home Depot)
3) 3 ea bags of four corner connecters - $1.50 each (Home Depot)
4) 1 bag 25' spine (smallest size and length available) = $4.00 (Home Depot)
5) spline roller - $3.50 (Home Depot)
6) hacksaw with fine tooth blade (already had one)
7) tapemeasure (already had one)
8) beer (already had one)
Last edited:
Contact people on here who have it; they had to buy in bulk and some will sell. Pricey but helpful of them. I went with black 3/8" pond netting from Drs Foster and Smith. I was scared off by the reports of at least one or two people having their clear mesh become brittle and have fish jump through. I don't see any noticeable loss of light with black, it's so thin. Just my opinions.
The screen kit aluminum channel bows in under the tension and the frame can torque and twist some (at least the ones I bought). I made mine stronger my making a base layer of L-channel aluminum that set inside the eurobrace, fastened by aluminum pop rivets, then attached the screen frame on top of that, then stretched the netting. Made a big difference, and the L-channel makes the frame not slide around since it goes inside the perimeter.
The screen kit aluminum channel bows in under the tension and the frame can torque and twist some (at least the ones I bought). I made mine stronger my making a base layer of L-channel aluminum that set inside the eurobrace, fastened by aluminum pop rivets, then attached the screen frame on top of that, then stretched the netting. Made a big difference, and the L-channel makes the frame not slide around since it goes inside the perimeter.
laverda
Well-known member
I had to replace my netting recently, as it became brittle and started falling apart. My metal halide is only about 4 inches above the netting. I made clear acrylic frames with little pegs to hold the acrylic on the first 2 I made. You can see two of them on page 4 of this thread about 3/4 of the way down. I hot glued the netting to frames on the 3rd. and 4th. ones I made. The hot glue worked better and it was easy to replace the screening.
Sadly I have had 2 fish manage to get through openings in it some how, but that is over a couple of years in a 240 with a lot of fish in it. I mad the openings a much tighter fit when I redid the netting.
I plan to make a frame up for my Cardif as soon as I figure out how I want to do it. I have the glass top on the Cardiff, which I hate. It is a pain to open to feed the fish, keeps the heat in more then without it and is constantly getting salt creap on it. Not to mention I already had a goby manage to get out with the top on.
Sadly I have had 2 fish manage to get through openings in it some how, but that is over a couple of years in a 240 with a lot of fish in it. I mad the openings a much tighter fit when I redid the netting.
I plan to make a frame up for my Cardif as soon as I figure out how I want to do it. I have the glass top on the Cardiff, which I hate. It is a pain to open to feed the fish, keeps the heat in more then without it and is constantly getting salt creap on it. Not to mention I already had a goby manage to get out with the top on.
Last edited:
