Reef Central Online Community

Go Back   Reef Central Online Community > General Interest Forums > Lighting, Filtration & Other Equipment
Blogs FAQ Calendar

Notices

User Tag List

Reply
Thread Tools
Unread 11/25/2010, 09:50 AM   #1
spieszak
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,877
Preventing carpet surfing..

sometimes it's really hard to know which forum to post in...
Could be reef fishes/could be equipment.. could be lots of things.. anyway

I'm looking into stocking options now, and a few of the fish I've looked at are known jumpers. I don't run a cover on my tank now since I don't have jumpers and I love the top down look.. and because I don't want to diffuse my lighting.

I've seen suggestions on screening material and the like.. what I'm wondering is if I can get away with something that just covers the edges of the tank for a few inches, rather than a full top? Can you tame jumpers with something like euro-bracing rather than a full cover?

Since I know lots of folks are going to ask what fish.. I don't know, I'm just researching for things that will do well in my tank.... so while a purple firefish sure looks awesome, I don't think I'll sacrifice my whole top down view for one..

So is anyone keeping "jumpers" with less than a full screen?


spieszak is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 11/25/2010, 10:04 AM   #2
LCDRDATA
Registered Member
 
LCDRDATA's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 225
Quote:
Originally Posted by spieszak View Post
...

I've seen suggestions on screening material and the like.. what I'm wondering is if I can get away with something that just covers the edges of the tank for a few inches, rather than a full top? Can you tame jumpers with something like euro-bracing rather than a full cover? ...

So is anyone keeping "jumpers" with less than a full screen?
I hate to disappoint - and perhaps there are others with more/different experience - but I have an almost-complete cover on my tank and have still lost a chalk bass and two scissortail dartfish jumping through the roughly 1" x 2" gap by my overflow box. That small gap is next to an edge, but I really wouldn't count on an extended rim to keep jumpers in your tank. Sorry I don't have better advice.


__________________
"If we knew what we were doing, it wouldn't be called 'research'" - Albert Einstein

Current Tank Info: 75 gal reef (zoas/palys/discoma/xenia/GSP; monti (cap & digi)/acan/favia/hammer/frogspawn/candy cane; derasa clam, Leopard Wrasse, Randal Goby, Kole Tang, Clown pair, 2xYT Blue Damsel, Engineer Goby, Skunk Cleaner/Coral Banded Shrimp,asst scavengers)
LCDRDATA is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 11/25/2010, 10:27 AM   #3
spieszak
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,877
I had a feeling that I wasn't going to be able to get away with it.. I've seen posts where people say they never have carpet surfing, and some that say its a big problem.. I know its going to come down to stocking and conditions, but if something says "jumper" and I don't cover I don't want to risk it.. I was just hoping less than full cover would be enough..


spieszak is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 11/25/2010, 01:53 PM   #4
milkman55
Registered Member
 
milkman55's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Parkville, MO
Posts: 832
I have made a total of 11 screens from the window frame aluminum and the 1/4" clear mesh you can get from BRS. They work great and are easy to fabricate. I lost two jumpers before I started using the screens.

On my 120 gal with euro bracing, I made the screen in two pieces covering each side with the euro brace in the middle. On larger tanks, I have seen them made in three pieces to make it easier to manage.

I made one solid screen for my 40 gal breeder and i think I will re work them to split into two pieces because a 3 ft wide screen flexes and is not easy to handle.


milkman55 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 11/25/2010, 02:27 PM   #5
Sk8r
RC Mod
 
Sk8r's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Spokane WA
Posts: 34,628
Blog Entries: 55
Materials options: Gutter-guard, from Lowes, large-gauge mesh; plastic needlepoint canvas (ask, it's never stored where you'd think) from a hobby or yarn store.) Both cut with scissors, can be stitched with fishing line, and can be formed into all sorts of very effective guards from which I have never yet had a fish escape.

Several things play into 'jumping'. Most important: fear---some fish jump when scared by a larger tankmate. If you do not mix aggressives in with these flighty sorts you will have fewer go airborne. Second: play, or the quest for a better environment. Fish ride currents. Make sure you have particularly shielded the surface area above any upwelling, because they love to ride it.

HTH.


__________________
Sk8r

Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low.

Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.
Sk8r is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
netting material over tank to prevent carpet surfing schrun209 Marine Aquarists Roundtable of Sacramento (MARS) 17 01/19/2009 11:38 AM
Preventing Carpet Surfing 101 HaleMoana New to the Hobby 38 10/03/2008 04:33 AM
what to use to prevent jumping fish who carpet surf? mesh, netting?? mindytoy New to the Hobby 7 08/10/2008 01:50 PM
Anyone seen a DIY mesh top to prevent carpet surfing ace1204 Do It Yourself 3 07/27/2008 01:21 AM
carpet surfing prevented, or Ha, we got you, Junior Barnes! Sk8r Reef Discussion 4 05/08/2007 08:09 PM


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 12:46 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2025, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Powered by Searchlight © 2025 Axivo Inc.
Use of this web site is subject to the terms and conditions described in the user agreement.
Reef CentralTM Reef Central, LLC. Copyright ©1999-2022
User Alert System provided by Advanced User Tagging v3.3.0 (Pro) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2025 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.