Looking for alternatives to egg crate to cover tank...

llebcire

New member
I need to find a different means of covering/protecting my tank.  I'm dealing with some coloration issues, and while the chemical issues will be a different thread, I need to address some lighting concerns.<br><br>I need the tank to be covered to prevent jumpers, lost 3 fish in the last year, and to prevent my 3 year old toddler from floating toys/chew bones/etc. in the tank.<br><br>I would prefer to not use a glass cover and I'm not ready to build a canopy yet.  I'm using egg crate, chose black for the aesthetics, but I feel that it's preventing too much of the light from entering the tank.  <br><br>Unfortunately I have not been able to find a supplier of clear egg crate that isn't a solid sheet - I would certainly try clear egg crate if it exists!<br><br>Pics below - difference is more noticeable in person.  Left side is open and right side covered.<br><br>Thanks!<br><br>Eric<br><br><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y130/llebcire/72%20Bowfront/Supplies/IMG_0268a.jpg"><br><br><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y130/llebcire/72%20Bowfront/Supplies/IMG_0271a.jpg"><br>
 
I am using glass, and it gets so fogged that it is almost as bad as your egg crate.. I am looking for an alternative as well as I don't want to build a canopy.
 
A bowfront presents a real problem for the mesh/netting thread you were referred to. It just can't deal with the curve in the front glass. I'm not sure anyone's come up with an aesthetically appealing alternative to eggcrate for bowfronts. I stress aesthetics here because it looks like you run it open-top. A solution would be make a pair of screen tops in the thread noted, and attach a section of the thickest acrylic you can find that will occupy the void between the bow radius and the creen top, drilling the acrylic and fastening it to the screen top with several zip ties.
 
I can get white egg crate in my area. If you can find it I am thinking that it would be beneficial.

Not quite the properties of clear, but certainly should pass more light than black.

Just my $0.02. :wavehand:
 
I had not thought about that problem. I also thought they came up with a solution. Never done a screen, but could you cut one side longer than the other - don't know if the connectors have that much play. If the front was diagonal would it look aesthetic enough (don't have a bow front either to measure the gap :))
 
I just remembered that some egg crate is designed to focus the light. IIRC the narrow side should be down. Try flipping it over (probably side for side also) and see if you can tell a difference.
 
I just remembered that some egg crate is designed to focus the light. IIRC the narrow side should be down. Try flipping it over (probably side for side also) and see if you can tell a difference.

Before the mesh top came along, the focus was on which side of the eggcrate should be positioned up. It is made to reflect light downward, and their is a difference to be had, though I can't remember which side should face up. The real issue with eggcrate, black or white is that it in effect limits the lateral spread of your lighting to the sdges of the the eggcrate, and the downward reflective properties, while better than nothing are far from perfect. If you're experiencing color issues, it may improve somewhat with white eggcrate, but an open top or screen top would be your best solution to that problem.
 
If you go with the clear mesh and the aluminum frame, there is a thread that you will have to search for that shows how to make small cuts in the aluminum window screen material and bend it to conform with the front bow in the tank. The end results look great.

I use the aluminum window frams and clear mesh on all my tanks.
 
Here is an idea but it depends on how badly you want it.

If you're handy with a router you could easily make an acrylic frame with the radius needed to cover the front.

Just buy a whole sheet of acrylic (thickness up to you) to cover the entire top. Make a cardboard template of the top. Then jigsaw a plywood template. Then router the final acrylic frame.

Attach mesh/screening by what ever means seems proper (bonding two acrylic frame together for example).
 
Thanks for all of the replies!

What I've decided to do is cut openings in the existing egg crate directly under the lighting then I'll cover the openings with bird netting from Lowe's that has a 1/2" opening.

Cut the egg crate last night - looking to finish tonight.

Pics soon!

-Eric
 
Pics soon (for me) can mean several months...just realized I never updated this thread.

I kept the black eggcrate as I prefer the black look against the black tank/lights/etc. I cut out sections for the light to pass through:

IMG_0274a.jpg


IMG_0275a.jpg


And covered with black bird netting and zip ties

IMG_0272a.jpg


End result is fairly clean and doesn't seem to affect light penetration

IMG_0407a.jpg


Left side is open, right side is covered...I can't tell a difference:
IMG_0409a.jpg


Thanks!

-Eric
 
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For what it's worth, they do sell chrome eggcrate at lowes and home depot. Very reflective. Just don't use that one as a frag rack in the tank bc I think it's painted on.
 
A friend of mine has a 72 oceanic bow front and he made a frame out of plexiglass much like you did with the egg crate, and then adhered the mesh screening to that.
 
I like that idea alot, I was looking for something to cover my 120... my naso tried to jump ship last night while I was working on the tank.
 
During normal use, I think the eggcrate is going to break in that narrow center section unless you reinforce it somehow.
 
I used an industrial clear mesh that is pretty stiff and built a frame from clear acrylic for my rimless. Since it is stiff it does not need to be stretched and can be shaped to fit. Hardly notice it. I did not want to use eggcrate due to light defusion and appearance. Unfortunately I cannot remember where I purchased the mesh because it was quite some time ago.
 
During normal use, I think the eggcrate is going to break in that narrow center section unless you reinforce it somehow.

Possibly.

The middle support & edges are as thin as I was comfortable in order to maintain as much structural stability as possible. Actually the middle is there to prevent sagging more than anything.

The setup has been in place for 3 months with no issues as of yet.

Granted, I'm fairly careful when handling, but the cover is held up multiple times daily for feeding & dosing, the left cover in particular is removed daily to add nori, and both covers are removed at least every 3 weeks for water changes and frequently for other reasons. I sold quite a few frags in the last couple of weeks and both covers have been removed repeatedly without issue.

-Eric
 
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