Mesh Top Help

[Itchy Trigger]

Still trying to figure out the best way to close up all the holes in my tank's top so no fish can escape. I have the mesh tops from BRS, but I had to leave space for my hang on skimmer & phosban 150. I happened to have some bonsai drainage mesh on hand and have managed to cut around all the pipes and have a piece of mesh that will cover up most of the openings... Just trying to figure out the best way to attach it. I was using black duct tape (Gorilla Tape) but it sure looks ugly, not to mention that it's very difficult to get the rim completely dry, and the least little amount of salt water that touches it, the tape doesn't really stick so well anymore. I'm hoping for the cleanest looking solution possible. Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[Itchy Trigger]

If I were to have a piece of acrylic cut to those dimensions and just drill holes for the skimmer & reactor plumbing, how thick a piece would I need to avoid warping? Or could I potentially weld some braces onto the rim to hold this piece of acrylic flat?

 

[Cbsailor11]

What are the dimensions of the opening? 1/4" or 3/8" may work, could also add some extra strips on the bottom of the acrylic kinda like eurobracing for added stiffness if needed. Just a thought.

 

[Itchy Trigger]

Overall dimensions of the opening are 16 5/8" x 3 5/8". I'm looking around to see if I can find some special grade acrylic that won't warp. Some sort of marine acrylic or something? Otherwise, using strips along the bottom, attached with weld-on?

 

[Cbsailor11]

I work on boats, we use Lexan. Which I think is just a brand name for certain grades of acrylic. Based on the size you need any standard acrylic will work, just need 1'4" or thicker.

 

[Cbsailor11]

1/4". Sorry not 1'4".

 

[Itchy Trigger]

1/4". Sorry not 1'4".

Haha, yeah 1'4" thick acrylic definitely wouldn't warp.

 

[karimwassef]

how about eggcrate?

 

[Itchy Trigger]

how about eggcrate?

That was the first thing I tried... But because there were so many cuts to be made, leaving the eggcrate quite thin in spots, it kept breaking on me. Also the holes in eggcrate are a little bigger than I'd like.

 

[Hawkdl2]

I used 1/4" acrylic to solve the same problem. It's been at least 4 years and the piece has a bit of warp, but it's not really bad and has not continued to warp after the first few months. It has helped a great deal with salt creep and my framed mess screen for the top of the tank overlaps it a bit which makes the warped acrylic invisible to anyone looking at the tank.

 

[Itchy Trigger]

I used 1/4" acrylic to solve the same problem. It's been at least 4 years and the piece has a bit of warp, but it's not really bad and has not continued to warp after the first few months. It has helped a great deal with salt creep and my framed mess screen for the top of the tank overlaps it a bit which makes the warped acrylic invisible to anyone looking at the tank.

That's good to know, Larry. Thanks. Will go pick up a piece of acrylic tomorrow. :thumbsup:

 

[sleepydoc]

acrylic warping is due to it absorbing water, so pretty much anything you get will warp to some degree. Thicker stuff warps a bit less, but it shouldn't be enough to matter either way. The bigger issue is getting something strong enough to bridge whatever gap you have.

 

[Itchy Trigger]

The gap has been bridged... Picked up a piece of 3/8" thick acrylic and drilled holes in it to fit pipes and cords... Looks pretty good!