Coast to Coast Critter Guard

[sleepydoc]

When I had to move my tank, I took out the corner flow, added a coast to coast overflow and drilled it for a bean animal plumbing system. I couldn't be happier with the overflow - quiet, reliable, safe. All anyone could ask for. Except the stupid snails kept getting into siphon channel.

I didn't want to put teeth on the overflow and disrupt the nice quiet flow over the edge. It also cuts the surface skimming and isn't too practical on a glass overflow anyway.

First I tried rigging a guard made of some small screen frames with the BRS ¼" clear netting, kind of like the tank cover. That worked until the snails pushed them over. I tried using zip ties to anchor them in place but it was never that good.

Then I tried covering the opening with a piece of the netting and using zip ties to hold it in place. Much better, but it looked kind of ghetto, and the snails would still crawl underneath it and get stuck.

Then I was at Home Depot the other day and found an atrium grate.

With some slight modifications I could slip it around the elbow to protect it from any not-so-smart snails that might get to close. It's stable and easily removable if I should need to clean it.

Hope this helps people!

Atrium Grate with flange removed and a notch cut out.

 

[bhbell]

Nice.

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[uncleof6]

Why don't you start a new project called getting the snails out of your system. I don't care for them, and run snail free. (was not always that way however.) There are other critters that can be used (no I am not going to make a list of them, that would be too much like work) that are not so much a nuisance. I have to come to view snails much as many view micro-algae, cyano, and aptasia... an infestation...

 

[sleepydoc]

I had an algae bloom and the snails were really the best way I found to take care of it. Ive been letting them die off, but they actually do a nice job of cleaning the algae off the overflow glass.

I also have a clown that's fond of hopping over the weir, and at leas this way I'm less concerned that he'll get sucked into the siphon.


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