**Clear** Mesh Top

Just finished my tops this weekend with 1/4" pond netting. Love the clean look and additional light. Lost a lot of light with teh egg crate. Hoping it lasts a little while at least.

laverda & gbsteve:
How long before your mesh turned brittle?
 
Nothing overly scientific here, but the original 1/4 inch mesh wasn't made to be exposed to any light at all. So I'm not surprised that it becomes brittle in some cases. The pond netting is most likely treated with UV inhibitors simply because of its' intended use.
 
Don't think it was light. I had the same 1/4" mesh on my 120 under 250DE halides for 2 years with no issues. The issues I had on my 50 was I think caused by heat from the T5's (not over driven) Being only 3-4 inches from the mesh, this seems like a more reasonable cause.
 
I have some of the "original" 1/4" mesh. It is still in perfect condition at well over a year's use (maybe 2 years at this point). MH are 12-15" away.
 
Do you think this would work for the cover project?

Dewitt Pond Netting
Manufacturer: DEWITT COMPANY
DeWitt Pond Netting is a sturdy, safe material to install over ponds to prevent leaves and other debris from entering the pond environment, while protecting fish and other pond life from predators. DeWitt Pond Netting is constructed of 3/4 inch polypropylene strands bonded together, and UV-treated for longer life. Use of DeWitt Pond Netting allows sunlight, air/ventilation and moisture to help maintain the proper biological balance for all pond life. Dewitt Pond Netting is easy to use and installs in minutes.
 
Jimsflies and you are my heroes. I lost two fish last week that jumped out of my 120G with an eggcrate top. I doubled up on the eggcrate and absolutely hated how the tank looked. I went through this thread again and after seeing your post I went to Petsmart and Lowes and got all I needed to make a top. Luckily, my tank has black eurobracing around the top so I only needed to make a rectangular frame. The brown frame actually looks black to me and with the black pond mesh the top of my tank looks great. I really think I'm getting a lot more light in the tank as well. Thanks!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14090331#post14090331 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by shuguley
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)
Click to expand...
 
I thought that's all I wanted as well, but after losing two fish I went with the black and now I am really glad I did. It really looks good on the tank.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14473746#post14473746 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Reefer08
anyone know where to buy clear plastic mesh? I dont want the black mesh...thanks
Click to expand...
 
To those that have built these already, does the mesh change in tension any after use? If so, tighter or looser? I only ask because the first try I had my frame twisting on me from the tension of the mesh. I put it on looser the second time and the twisting action is gone but it is still tight. If it will get tighter overtime I better redo.
 
I had a couple that were slightly tweaked due to tension. Since they went inside the trim, after a month or so they were pretty square. No signs of drooping or anything like that though.

I would suggest trying one, and if it's off of square too much, just try again before cutting/trimming the material.
 
Wanted to see what experience everyone has with lighting a tank that has a DIY clear mesh top (or equivalent pond netting) to keep jumping fish in the tank for open top tanks.

Has anyone measured PAR levels for 400W MH (let's say on good reflectors - lumenarcs, SE, and good bulbs - radiums) with and without the mesh top? I'm just thinking that there's got to be some amount of reduction in light reaching the corals. I'm just not sure how significant it is.

Want to grow SPS. Any pics would be great!

Thanks!
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14483084#post14483084 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by not_sponsored
No significant decrease on a 250W + 2x54W t5 setup. This is measured with an apogee PAR meter.
Click to expand...

hey, thanks for the info. Do you remember what the difference in PAR was?

thanks again,
 
MeshTop001.jpg


Top on the right still needs trimmed. I'm counting on being able to feed the power cord to my Tunze through this mesh.
 
Couple questions:

1--Would using the window screen idea keep a four inch mantis shrimp in the tank? Perhaps a couple of layer?

2--I currently have low watt flourescent and t5 sitting on glass tops over my tank--could I do this with the netting, or would this be too much heat? I only have minimal lighting for live rock and sponges.
Thanks for your thoughts
 
I would think that the screen would keep a mantis shrimp contained. Probably just one layer of 1/4 inch would work.

It's hard to say about the light being directly on the screen. Heat could be an issue. it would be best to raise it up a couple inches at least.
 
I am planning on a screen over my 34 gallon rimless Solana. What I was going use is a 2'x2' square piece of mono philament netting.

I would machine a 1/4" slot into a 3/8" diameter acrylic rod lengthwise, and somehow affix the netting to the rod. Then just slip the top of the tank into the slot all the way around. The key is having the netting just below the waterline to hide the netting all together.
 
I know this is an old thread but I just read the whole thread and it is just so funny how this guy comes on a diy and post about how to help people out then claims he can’t remember where to buy some of the materials. lol Just too funny. Let’s see make a project one week forget where I got the stuff to do it the next week lol. If he had to order it online how about look up your credit card and see where the charge came from call your card company and they can give you the address of where the company is located that charged you. WOW all this nonsense about the mesh and the guy could have told all of you in about 15 minn if he really wanted to help you out. I just don’t understand how such a simple thing went on and on forever and if he truly forgot then why ignore all the post when someone would first ask. You had no reply when someone would ask about the mesh then something other than the mesh would come up and bam he hops on and answers right away. Then finaly people start calling him out about the issue and only then does he give his first reply about the mesh. How about tell everyone right up front your bipolar has kicked in and you dont want to tell them aobut the mesh, and the only people you will reply to about it are the ones PMing you and buying your left overs lol. Does anyone actually believe this guy?
 
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