Im soooo stuck. help please

[gio28]

hi everyone, so i have a 36 bowfront and i cannot think of how to keep fish from jumping. i dont want a glass lid for the usual reasons and the way spanko did his that i was shown wont work for me cause i have a bow that is pretty big. i bought some pond netting and i need a frame that will work around the return pipe and overflow that hang on my tank. any ideas are welcome...thanks!

 

[jackri]

A lot of people use egg crate.

 

[gio28]

i have considered that...i have heard that it diffuses some light though esp if it is painted black since black absorbs light (i think). does it really affect anything IYO?

 

[meowzer]

https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/365652/im-soooo-stuck-help-please
See post 409
Spanko has better diagrams I just can't find them right now

 

[gio28]

thanks meowzer, i checked that out...the bowed part of my tank wont work with the frame he is using. also idk if spanko has anything over the back of his tank...hence making it easier to take the screen off. i tried so hard to try his idea but it wont work for me.
eggcrate will cause i can cut it around the overflow and pipe, but it diffuses light, right?

 

[meowzer]

I have eggcrate on 2 out of 3 tanks.....it really doesn't make that much of a difference...IMO
BUT use WHITE.....do not use painted
Spanko has a pic somewhere of a bowfront design netting lid...I just have not found it yet

 

[gio28]

i saw the pic of how he modified the frame for his bow, i cant do that with mine unless they sell a 5" thick frame i can trim...if thats the pic you are talking about. dont go looking around for it, its fine, thanks tho

i might try eggcrate...where can i get it and how much do you think it will cost?

 

[meowzer]

You can get a sheet at a home depot...and I am thinking it was around $10 give or take a dollar....LOL

 

[gio28]

sweet...so just to be clear on fish jumping through it
-wrasse, yes
-clown gobies, no
-hawkfish, maybe
-clownfish, no
-angel, maybe
do i need to do something else to prevent escape or is the eggcrate good the way it comes? the wrasse is my main concern.

 

[fraggle rock]

if your concered about the egg crate, add netting to it, the egg crate works but I did have a blenny get out anyway, once your egg crate is cut to fit just attach pond netting to it. Ass far as egg crate and lights, technically its a light diffuser so yes will will have a small effect, MINIMAL for this application however do not paint it black,( voice of expirience) it will have a noticable drop in light.

 

[meowzer]

YES..I also lost the McCosker Flasher Wrasse, and a Firefish with egg crate...it is chancey.....they have to be pretty deermined to get out though....LOL

 

[gio28]

so the netting with eggcrate will be the best option. so the light diffusion is minimal IYOs?
just to check
i have a 150watt MH and also (about to add) 2 24 watt T5HOS that have real good PAR. would this be ok for a 36 gallon with all types of corals...accounting for the light diffusion. sorry for being so obsessive about it lol...

 

[jetskiking]

Originally Posted by gio28
http:///forum/post/3137400
so the netting with eggcrate will be the best option. so the light diffusion is minimal IYOs?
just to check
i have a 150watt MH and also (about to add) 2 24 watt T5HOS that have real good PAR. would this be ok for a 36 gallon with all types of corals...accounting for the light diffusion. sorry for being so obsessive about it lol...
IMO I have tried with and without egg crate. Yes it does make a significant difference. I have never taken PAR numbers to compare but I know I can see the difference. Also even without the egg crate that is not enough light to keep everything. I ran 4x39w T5ho's on my 40 breeder and still had some of my higher light SPS brown out

 

[gio28]

really? i cant keep SPS with a MH a T5s? thats like 200 watts of light with both putting out alot of PAR

 

[flower]

Originally Posted by gio28
http:///forum/post/3137466
really? i cant keep SPS with a MH a T5s? thats like 200 watts of light with both putting out alot of PAR

JMO...I think you have enough light for anything you want. It is a 36g tank and not that deep.

 

[gio28]

cool. i think its 21" deep not accounting for sand. and i'll put SPS and LPS on top so they get the most light possible.

 

[jetskiking]

Originally Posted by gio28
http:///forum/post/3137494
cool. i think its 21" deep not accounting for sand. and i'll put SPS and LPS on top so they get the most light possible.
Sorry, I didn't see the halide LOL. You are good to go, For some reason I only saw the 2- t5HO's which would not be enough

 

[gio28]

oh lol

sweet.
the only major problem i can see from having the eggcrate is that my MH is already above the center brace of my tank (shadow in center) + the diffusion of the light not in the shadow (eggcrate) might take too much away from it. i guess when with the 2 T5s it will be ok though. opinions?

 

[jetskiking]

Originally Posted by gio28
http:///forum/post/3137534
oh lol

sweet.
the only major problem i can see from having the eggcrate is that my MH is already above the center brace of my tank (shadow in center) + the diffusion of the light not in the shadow (eggcrate) might take too much away from it. i guess when with the 2 T5s it will be ok though. opinions?
I don't like egg crate with a halide especially. Since the halide is a point of source light I can see the PAR sropping off on the edges where its hitting the egg crate sideways. I would give the screen tube/pond net another shot. I'm sure you can figure out how to put a radius on the front tube if you think hard enough.

 

[gio28]

yeah..the sideways thing to me was my main concern...
hmm...i will have quite the project on my hands...
hmmm i made a wood frame from balsa wood from the craft store to get an idea. but i like the frame and most of the wood will not be over the water except the cut outs for the overflow and pump i will work around...would the wood be ok for those tiny sections?