Fish Rescue & Overflow Screens

[dnsheavy]

About a week ago I finally had a day off so I decided to do some well needed maintenance. Not the kind you do daily, or weekly, but the real detail stuff. While working under the tank, I looked up and saw that there was something moving inside the overflow box. I saw this from under looking up as the glass bottom is not covered on my system.

Well, I suppose I didn't lose as many fish as I thought. There were 3 living inside the overflow. At least one must have been in there for 6 months, as I remember when I got him, and when I noticed he was gone.

Having another free day today, I decided to do a "fish rescue". During the week, I got some new nets, and then went to Home Depot and got some "gutter guard" material so I could prevent this from happening again. I turned the main pump off, shined the HOB refugium light over the overflow, and there they were...a percula clown and 2 anthias...all very plump and bigger than when I got them.

All are in the main system now, doing well, and eating.

Here are some pics of the overflow screen I designed:


<BR><B>Material Cut to Fit:</B>

<BR><B>

Installed:</B>

<BR><B>

Tie Wrapped:</B>

If any of you have overflows, please check them for life (I also found some snails in there) and install an Overflow Screen.


Thanks,


--Dave--



:rollface:

 

[Spracklcat]

Thanks Dave!

 

[woodworker1959]

Dave thanks thats a great idea. Acouple of weeks ago my fox face got in there and I wasn't easy getting him out. I like the Idear of the plastic gutter guard pretty inert.

 

[qy7400]

Dave, thanks for the thought to just go and look. I usually never look unless I'm missing someone but went to look just to see and found my mandarin in there. He went missing back in November and thought I looked in there.

Guess I'm heading to Home Depot tomorrow.

 

[dnsheavy]

I think I will add this to my follow up presentation for a future LIRA meeting.

The Gutter Guard I got from HD was brown, and about 3 feet long. As you may be able to see, the notching on one side of the Gutter Guard fits perfectly into the groove at the rear of the tank. I only needed tie wraps (I used the smallest black tie wraps HS sells) at the front of the overflows.

Good luck!


--Dave--

 

[eboonaman]

Super Idea Dave..
going to HD tonight. These "Gutter Guards" are plastic, correct? or are they the aluminum ones?

 

[ralphie]

I really like this idea. I need to be able to get down there at times, so, other ideas to hold the screen on?

 

[woodworker1959]

Their are releasiable wire ties. They have a little tap so they can be opened and used again.

 

[dnsheavy]

The screens are plastic, Chuck.

The truth is that I really didn't need the ties...the grooves in the back hold them in perfectly.

I wanted to eliminate most of the gaps, so I used ties...


--Dave--