Open Top Tank?

[MizTanks]

Hi everyone!

I need to know what everyone does with their open top tanks. I'm concerned about mine being open. 2 most important being, dust and cat fur~cats getting into it. Any ideas and suggestions please?

[jimsflies]

I'd say most important is keeping fish in.

[demonclownfish]

Hi everyone!

I need to know what everyone does with their open top tanks. I'm concerned about mine being open. 2 most important being, dust and cat fur~cats getting into it. Any ideas and suggestions please?

get jim to make you a custom mesh top for it :)

[MizTanks]

Miz *slapped JimsFlies* thanks Jim ahdah! Sooo for a bowfront what would you suggest?

[MizTanks]

get jim to make you a custom mesh top for it :)

I asked him already and he hasn't given me an answer yet! Hellooooo Jimmmmm, whaddya doooooing?

[jimsflies]

Well...we can try to make a screen top to fit perfectly (harder) or make a rectangular mesh top and cut some plexi or acrylic to fit in front of the mesh top and fill in the "bow" shape.

Do you have cords and equipment hanging on the back of the tank?

[MizTanks]

I just found another problem~my HOB fuge~looks like I may need to use a custom piece of plexy glass~geeeeeeez. I may have to try and do this myself. I would have to make a temp plate and then find someone to cut it out.

Another reason why SW is so hard to keep up here~If I sent you the temp plate and the funds to get it done, could you or someone you know do it for me?

[jimsflies]

:pics:

[MizTanks]

Plexi or acrylic? If ya haven't noticed I had to get a new tank today~while getting the other out of storage the bottom cracked~which was actually fine by me cause I didn't like the wood look anyways :shifty:

[rmalone]

Yeah the condensation is going to lower light for sure. Why not do a small piece of plexi on the back where the fuge is and the same in the front to account for the bow in the tank, and have Jim do mesh between them?

[MizTanks]

You all who have done this type of DIY before~my tank is in your hands. I'm willing to pay for parts and labor + shipping. As long as it's reasonable :)

[jimsflies]

To save costs, I recommend going with a rectangular shaped frame for the mesh, then use another material to fill in the bow and deal with the hang on stuff in the back. Potential materials to consider to use include corrugated plastic sign board material or the plastic splash edging that fish stores sell to go across the back. Both of these materials are fairly easy to cut with scissors.

If you wanted to go that route, the rectangular mesh frame would cost $20, plus shipping. I'm guessing your looking at about $30 total. I would just need you to pm me with the dimensions of the rectangular area you want covered. Don't forget to exclude the area along the back that you will make a piece for to go around the equipment. The measurements should be taken inside of of the tank's rimstock so the cover will fit inside of the rimstock.

[MizTanks]

Jim

I've been wondering just how much this mesh top is going to interfere with the tank lighting. Especially after I find something to compensate for the bow and around the fuge plumbing.

[jimsflies]

Not much. All the light is coming down through the middle where the mesh is.

[jolson10450]

since you have t5's which is an ambient light source you should be fine using white egg crate as a top, that should keep cats paws out, still makes good heat transfer and prevents some bigger sized fish from getting out of the tank. you can just by a sheet bigger than you need and just use some clippers (i use bone cutters to cut mine) and cut it into the shape of the tank including the bow.

putting a full piece of plexiglass on it will cause it to heat it a lot more in the summer and you said that is already a concern for you.