DIY tank covers

[benihana]

I am thining of ordering a chunk of this netting to make a cover for my tank, and was wondering if anyone else would be interested in some of it.

http://www.watergarden.org/s.nl/it.A/id.152/.f?sc=2&category=43357

The smallest piece that you can order is 6'x14' and is only ~$16-$17, plus $10 shipping. I would only need a small section of it for my 75 gallon, anyone else interested???

[clownnut]

i take 2'X2'

[benihana]

Or....does anyone have access to a laser?? There is a guy in FL that has made these with 1/4" acrylic and a computer/laser....I would MUCH rather have something like this...

http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee272/ben_hanson/TANKLIDS.jpg

[Goldpony75]

Looks nice but I think it would sag pretty bad.
Do you know what it is made of?
I will be looking for something to go over the top of the new tank.

[benihana]

the first one is obviously plastic netting, and the second one is 1/4" acrylic...I got this idea from a guy in SD that had one made for his 125, he said it cost about $60 for the acrylic version....I would rather go that way. If there is any interest maybe we can do a group buy of some sorts

[Goldpony75]

The 1/4" acrylic will sag too. especially under the lighting we have on our reef tanks. I made a 1/4" acrylic top for my 29 I had a few years ago and it sag in the first week. I even had a stiffener on it and it still sagged.

[Goldpony75]

lol I just noticed the link in the first post. yes that is obviously pond netting.
I like the idea of pond netting, it would be pretty to mount it in a screen frame and lay them in the spots for glass tops.

[benihana]

The guy in SD has MH's and swears it works....maybe we can get these made out of 3/8" acrylic instead??

[clownnut]

you dont want acrylic. more cleaning, also as sean said it will sag.
we use 3/8 at the store as cover, they are sag... unless you go 1/2, then the price will be higher than you wanted

[Goldpony75]

I can have custom screens frames made reasonably cheap. I may do that and then add the pond netting to that.

[Goldpony75]

I may be able to find the netting local too and buy it through work.

[clownnut]

I made a 14" acrylic top for my 29 I had a few years ago and it sag in the first week.

you know you cant sit on it, right?:gay1:

[Goldpony75]

and I would also think it would block a lot of light. you dont want acrylic. more cleaning, also as sean said it will sag.
we use 3/8 at the store as cover, they are sag... unless you go 1/2, then the price will be higher than you wanted

[Goldpony75]

What are you saying??you know you cant sit on it, right?:gay1:

[clownnut]

I can have custom screens frames made reasonably cheap. I may do that and then add the pond netting to that.

aluminum frames?

[clownnut]

What are you saying??

nothing.:gay1::cool:

[Goldpony75]

Yes Aluminumaluminum frames?

[clownnut]

Yes Aluminum

i am interested in 1 or 2 of them depend on price, i want to use that to cover the canopy doors, so summer time i can open the canopy to cool down the tank.

[Goldpony75]

Get me the dimensions and I can get a price. I will also see if he can give me a ruff estimate of how much for certain size ranges. I know it will vary a little due to amount of material used but we could get a close idea. i am interested in 1 or 2 of them depend on price, i want to use that to cover the canopy doors, so summer time i can open the canopy to cool down the tank.

[clownnut]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1382521&perpage=25&pagenumber=15
ben, here is the net i was thinking about, just found a pic.

[clownnut]

Get me the dimensions and I can get a price. I will also see if he can give me a ruff estimate of how much for certain size ranges. I know it will vary a little due to amount of material used but we could get a close idea.

15.5X21

[benihana]

Li- what type of screening is that??

[hamdogg08]

You could just use a strip of egg crate as a center brace for where it sags. I'm thinking that a strip of about 3 squares of egg crate (about 2") would support the acrylic without blocking much light at all.

[clownnut]

Li- what type of screening is that??

i have to ask him, look like just like the one you posted but clear.

[Adam G]

After losing a couple of wrasses I recently made an egg crate cover for my 155 bowfront. I made a door for feeding access and hinged it with zip ties. It works really well.

[Chad Vossen]

the mesh linked in the first post can be found at petsmart for 20$ in the pond section at most stores. it is black, but the size of the squares is perfect. ideally you would want clear mesh, but it doesnt matter that much.

the frame materials can be found at home depot, and is not too expensive.

i painted the aluminum on my frame with black rustolium to reduce corrosion. the frame held up well for the time that i used it.

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g291/armagedon48/102_6257.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g291/armagedon48/100_2277.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g291/armagedon48/100_2276.jpg

here is my 20 long build thread, the above photos can be found on the first page. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1193674&perpage=25&pagenumber=1

[benihana]

Chad, that looks great!!

[Fish'InMN]

Or you can get an 8' by 100' roll of the exact same netting at Menards for $7 or so. And pick up the window frames. I think we still have around 98' left in our roll...

[morty]

I've seen Fish'InMN's cover, it works great. (I can't remember what the frame is made of.) Another low-cost frame solution could be to use 1/2" CPVC pipe and elbows. The screen could be secured to it with a bead of hot melt.

I have found that acrylic will always sag when placed over water. I think the reason is because in that situation it isn't really sagging, it is warping due to the higher humidity on one side. The acrylic absorbs some water and expands on the water side, sort of like wood.

[gruntmon]

Chad, I knew I had seen that thread somewhere but didn't have a clue how to find it, I plan on doing that when I get back in to prevent surfing. I was lucky to only have lost 1 fish to carpet surfing, but I did have my 6 line live in the sump for 3 months because he escaped to the overflow. He was a super lucky fish not to get sucked in by the pump or skimmer.