jumping fish barrier

Rae C. · 08/19/2007, 04:41 PM

Assuming my tank continues staying stable, I'd like to add one or two more fish. Some of the "beginner"fish seem to be jumpers and it's recommended to have a tight fitting hood.

My setup includes a wooden hood that fits tightly around the top of the tank, to which lights are attached on a hinged lid. The lights are suspended above the open water. Is this the typical set up?

Do I need to put a glass lid over the water to prevent the fish from jumping and frying themselves?

Thanx for any help.

Sassifrass7 · 08/19/2007, 04:46 PM

Hi,
I'm new too, but I think the main reason to have glass over the water is to keep your lights from getting all covered in salt and corroding. (not sure how that's spelled?) I have a light that's up on little feet and I'm not useing my big wooden top, I like a lighter look, so I have put light diffuser panels, cut to fit, on top. Then the light shines down on them. I found however that the light was much harsher with them on there, so I removed one of my bulbs of each color. One blue and one daylight. That helped a lot with how harsh the lighting is. Of course, I don't have any corals yet either, so I don't really need the extra light any way. And my fish seem much happier with a little less glare.

schoch79 · 08/19/2007, 05:14 PM

I would say not to cover with glass as it impedes with the air exchange at the tanks surface. The light diffuser panels/eggcrate works great for keeping the fish in.

mltmtascp · 08/19/2007, 06:28 PM

How do you prevent evaporation with eggcrate on top of your tank? Do you run a top off system?

NUBIANTANGLOVER · 08/19/2007, 06:39 PM

Yes, you want to use eggcrates. I do not have a photo of this, however, you can do a search on this. You can easily purchase this at Home Depot or Lowe's in the lighting section for kitchen light panels. They come in different sizes. I checked a couple of weeks ago and you get a big sheet (about 2- 2(1/2) feet for about $13.00.
The eggcrate does not stop evaporation. Evaporation will occur pretty much in all tanks. Especially with high intensity lighting. Evaporation haapens in nature all the time. This is why it is very important to top-off you tank and to monitor water levels and do water changes too. I do know that most people stay away from the glass covers to prevent gas buildup as well as to control the heat (increase in temps) within the tank.

chris31 · 08/19/2007, 08:26 PM

are egg crates something you can cut to fit?

rbtwo4 · 08/19/2007, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by chris31
are egg crates something you can cut to fit?

yes u can

mltmtascp · 08/19/2007, 08:53 PM

Egg crate is the a must need when you have a saltwater aquarium. It is very easy to clip into any size you need.

schoch79 · 08/19/2007, 11:56 PM

Yes you can cut it to fit and the evaporation is actually a good thing. Evaporation means that the tank is being cooled by the air around it. Kinda like sweating. We sweat so that we can cool down. Same with aquariums. In fact a lot of people incourage evaporative cooling of their tanks by running clip on fans blowing across the surface of the water.

Rae C. · 08/20/2007, 03:34 PM

Thanks for all the advice. i'm off to Home Depot for an eggcrate panel.

rustybucket145 · 08/20/2007, 03:43 PM

Eggcrate is not 100%. I've lost two fish that jumped through the eggcrate holes and once through got stranded on top of the eggcrate. Sat there and cooked under the MH's all day. Had the eggcrate not been in place they would have simply re-entered the water after the jump......

Oh, the two fish were a Green Mandarin and a Firefish.

Sweetp · 08/20/2007, 03:46 PM

We actually made custom screens for each side of our tank.. the glass we originally bought heated up our tank wayyyy too much, and AC is wayyyy to expensive.. LOL :-)

Thinslis · 08/20/2007, 03:48 PM

My two young cousins came over (I think they are like 3 and 5) and they smacked the glass of my 65g tank... didn't see a couple of my fish for awhile.... checked behind the tank... crispy.... =(

rustybucket145 · 08/20/2007, 03:52 PM

what did you use for the screen material?

Sweetp · 08/20/2007, 03:57 PM

window screen.. it's been working great for the last 2 weeks.

08/19/2007, 04:41 PM	#1
Rae C. Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Colorado Posts: 916	jumping fish barrier Assuming my tank continues staying stable, I'd like to add one or two more fish. Some of the "beginner"fish seem to be jumpers and it's recommended to have a tight fitting hood. My setup includes a wooden hood that fits tightly around the top of the tank, to which lights are attached on a hinged lid. The lights are suspended above the open water. Is this the typical set up? Do I need to put a glass lid over the water to prevent the fish from jumping and frying themselves? Thanx for any help. __________________ Rae C It's 8:30, kids. Turn off the tank and go to bed! Current Tank Info: 65 gal, softies, 1 mandarine, 1 clown

08/19/2007, 05:14 PM	#3
schoch79 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: hegins,pa Posts: 1,071	I would say not to cover with glass as it impedes with the air exchange at the tanks surface. The light diffuser panels/eggcrate works great for keeping the fish in. __________________ We'd better get back, 'cause it'll be dark soon, and they mostly come at night... mostly.

08/19/2007, 06:28 PM	#4
mltmtascp Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Guntersville, AL Posts: 754	How do you prevent evaporation with eggcrate on top of your tank? Do you run a top off system? __________________ If at first you don't succeed buy, buy again. Go Tigers! Current Tank Info: salt water 120 gal, 90 gal, 70 gal, 37 gal, 29 gal & 2-10 gal

08/19/2007, 08:53 PM	#8
mltmtascp Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Guntersville, AL Posts: 754	Egg crate is the a must need when you have a saltwater aquarium. It is very easy to clip into any size you need. __________________ If at first you don't succeed buy, buy again. Go Tigers! Current Tank Info: salt water 120 gal, 90 gal, 70 gal, 37 gal, 29 gal & 2-10 gal

08/19/2007, 11:56 PM	#9
schoch79 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: hegins,pa Posts: 1,071	Yes you can cut it to fit and the evaporation is actually a good thing. Evaporation means that the tank is being cooled by the air around it. Kinda like sweating. We sweat so that we can cool down. Same with aquariums. In fact a lot of people incourage evaporative cooling of their tanks by running clip on fans blowing across the surface of the water. __________________ We'd better get back, 'cause it'll be dark soon, and they mostly come at night... mostly.

08/19/2007, 04:46 PM	#2
Sassifrass7 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: NJ Posts: 5	Hi, I'm new too, but I think the main reason to have glass over the water is to keep your lights from getting all covered in salt and corroding. (not sure how that's spelled?) I have a light that's up on little feet and I'm not useing my big wooden top, I like a lighter look, so I have put light diffuser panels, cut to fit, on top. Then the light shines down on them. I found however that the light was much harsher with them on there, so I removed one of my bulbs of each color. One blue and one daylight. That helped a lot with how harsh the lighting is. Of course, I don't have any corals yet either, so I don't really need the extra light any way. And my fish seem much happier with a little less glare.

08/19/2007, 06:39 PM	#5
NUBIANTANGLOVER Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: NORTH CAROLINA Posts: 517	Yes, you want to use eggcrates. I do not have a photo of this, however, you can do a search on this. You can easily purchase this at Home Depot or Lowe's in the lighting section for kitchen light panels. They come in different sizes. I checked a couple of weeks ago and you get a big sheet (about 2- 2(1/2) feet for about $13.00. The eggcrate does not stop evaporation. Evaporation will occur pretty much in all tanks. Especially with high intensity lighting. Evaporation haapens in nature all the time. This is why it is very important to top-off you tank and to monitor water levels and do water changes too. I do know that most people stay away from the glass covers to prevent gas buildup as well as to control the heat (increase in temps) within the tank.

08/19/2007, 08:26 PM	#6
chris31 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: long island NY Posts: 928	are egg crates something you can cut to fit?

08/20/2007, 03:34 PM	#10
Rae C. Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Colorado Posts: 916	Thanks for all the advice. i'm off to Home Depot for an eggcrate panel. __________________ Rae C It's 8:30, kids. Turn off the tank and go to bed! Current Tank Info: 65 gal, softies, 1 mandarine, 1 clown

08/20/2007, 03:43 PM	#11
rustybucket145 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: valdosta, ga Posts: 3,707	Eggcrate is not 100%. I've lost two fish that jumped through the eggcrate holes and once through got stranded on top of the eggcrate. Sat there and cooked under the MH's all day. Had the eggcrate not been in place they would have simply re-entered the water after the jump...... Oh, the two fish were a Green Mandarin and a Firefish. __________________ 400gals of various tanks in the same system. Current Tank Info: 2 175w MH, 2 VH0 Actinics, Lots of Live Rock, tons of copepods, a Fat Mandarin Goby, Niger Trigger, Yellow Tang, Falco Hawkfish, Bi-Color Pseudo, numerous soft, SPS and LPS Corals

08/20/2007, 03:46 PM	#12
Sweetp Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Chicagoland Area Posts: 47	We actually made custom screens for each side of our tank.. the glass we originally bought heated up our tank wayyyy too much, and AC is wayyyy to expensive.. LOL :-) __________________ Muahh!! Sweetp 55 Gallon ~ 70lbs LR ~ Remora C Protein Skimmer ~ Eheim Filter ~ 2 Maxijet 1200 Powerheads ~ 48" LunaAqua Compact 260W Blue/White Current Tank Info: 2 Clowns, 1 Neon Goby, 1 Domino Damsel, 1 Purple Firefish, 3 Chromis, 1 Royal Gamma The Clean-up Crew: 2 Emerald Crabs, 6 Hermits, 20 Snails, 2 Peppermint Shrimps, Purple Reef Lobster The Decoration: Hammerhead, Frog Spawn, Torch, Zoas, Etc.

08/20/2007, 03:48 PM	#13
Thinslis Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Madison, Ohio Posts: 1,658	My two young cousins came over (I think they are like 3 and 5) and they smacked the glass of my 65g tank... didn't see a couple of my fish for awhile.... checked behind the tank... crispy.... =( __________________ -B Current Tank Info: 40g breeder, ER-RS80, MP40w, 250w + 2xT5

08/20/2007, 03:52 PM	#14
rustybucket145 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: valdosta, ga Posts: 3,707	what did you use for the screen material? __________________ 400gals of various tanks in the same system. Current Tank Info: 2 175w MH, 2 VH0 Actinics, Lots of Live Rock, tons of copepods, a Fat Mandarin Goby, Niger Trigger, Yellow Tang, Falco Hawkfish, Bi-Color Pseudo, numerous soft, SPS and LPS Corals

08/20/2007, 03:57 PM	#15
Sweetp Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Chicagoland Area Posts: 47	window screen.. it's been working great for the last 2 weeks. __________________ Muahh!! Sweetp 55 Gallon ~ 70lbs LR ~ Remora C Protein Skimmer ~ Eheim Filter ~ 2 Maxijet 1200 Powerheads ~ 48" LunaAqua Compact 260W Blue/White Current Tank Info: 2 Clowns, 1 Neon Goby, 1 Domino Damsel, 1 Purple Firefish, 3 Chromis, 1 Royal Gamma The Clean-up Crew: 2 Emerald Crabs, 6 Hermits, 20 Snails, 2 Peppermint Shrimps, Purple Reef Lobster The Decoration: Hammerhead, Frog Spawn, Torch, Zoas, Etc.