Egg crate and light loss

[Hatonhed]

I was wondering what peoples opinions are on egg crate as a tank topper. Will this limit the light that gets through to your corals? I will be using an led fixture and I am wondering if egg crate on top will cause any issues with light penetration ect ect.

Thanks!

 

[shields]

I would say so, 100%. I personally use BRS clear netting from their online store. It's super cheap 10$ you can grab a frame kit from Home Depot and just work it together. That's what I did


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[gone fishin]

Egg crates actual design is as a light diffuser.

 

[Hatonhed]

I am wanting this partially to keep a cat out of my tank! a light diffuser spreads light around by nature, but is this going to affect the direct light received by the corals?

 

[Radioheadx14]

True, while it is meant to be used as a diffuser, it will still block some light and redirect others. It will atleast block its surface area worth, and maybe more since it is not 2D and light will be coming at it from various angles. However, I can't think of a better option to use other than a glass top to keep a cat out, except for a canopy top. I would advise against glass tops 1) they keep heat in 2) mitigate air exchange and 3) since you use LEDs, the condenced water drops will split the diode mixing and you will get a disco effect.

 

[Greybeard]

Non scientific... but I've tried it. Put eggcrate over my 60g cube with an Aquaticlife Halo. The entire corner around the tank lit up like a sunny day. With that much reflection, the amount of light reaching the corals had to have dropped.

I did the clear BRS screen kit. Works great.

 

[Hatonhed]

I am thinking possibly the mesh screen from BRS, but I would have to epoxy the screen in so the cat would not push through it if he decided to walk on the mesh

 

[shields]

Are you rimless? Or do you have any sort of canopy? I had a canopy but huge opening in the back so I made a egg crate fence to close up the canopy, and then BRS netting to prevent the fish from jumping

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[Reef Frog]

Egg crate gets brittle after a while, probably more so with UV. Don't be surprised if your curios feline breaks It and takes a sudden dunk like the clown at a firehouse carnival. Be sure to put a video cam on the tank and you might be the proud owner of one of those 10 million view cat videos on YouTube!

Heck lots of poeple complain about the point source nature of LED...shadowing & all that. Maybe the diffusing would help spread the light & eliminate a huge LED negative? Most people have to throttle down LED so you could always turn it up to compensate fo any light loss.

 

[plecoco]

From what I've seen, they act as light diffusers.

 

[Hatonhed]

Egg crate gets brittle after a while, probably more so with UV. Don't be surprised if your curios feline breaks It and takes a sudden dunk like the clown at a firehouse carnival. Be sure to put a video cam on the tank and you might be the proud owner of one of those 10 million view cat videos on YouTube!

Heck lots of poeple complain about the point source nature of LED...shadowing & all that. Maybe the diffusing would help spread the light & eliminate a huge LED negative? Most people have to throttle down LED so you could always turn it up to compensate fo any light loss.

You know, that's not a bad point. I guess it will be worth a shot to see how it does!

 

[billdogg]

I would leave it without a top until the cat takes a swim, then put on the clear mesh screen as others have suggested. Eggcrate diffuses the light and WILL NOT stop most jumpers, so it really does not make much sense to use it. (not that I haven't in the past, just that there is a much better option now available)