Anemone lovers - how do you cover your wavemakers?

[potatocouch]

For those anemone lovers out there, what do you use to cover your wavemakers?

where did you get them and how do you attach it to your wavemakers?

[Ron Reefman]

My mini maxi and rock flower anemones don't move enough to worry about it.

Almost anything you put over the intake sides of the wavemaker will get clogged up like any filter and will need very regular cleaning. Making a cylinder of some filter media that fits snugly over the outside should work. That would at least be easy to pull off and clean once a week or so.

[RA]

My vortec pump has a foam filter that goes on the side of the pump just for that purpose. I would check with the brand that you bought to see what they offer.

[slief]

Never had an issue with my BTA's and power heads. Like Ron, my nems don't ever move and they've been in my tank for years right next to the uncovered power heads and it's never been an issue. One of them likes to wrap around one of my Tunzes and enjoy the flow. My Tunze's are in a constant pulse mode so the nems can pull back if they needed too but they do just fine.

[KSU_WILDCAT]

I have the same pumps and haven't found any thing made for these Jebao pumps. I figure I will have to make something if I want them covered. Right now I'm playing Russian Roulette with my BTA. If you find something, let us all know.

[OrionN]

I don't cover my tunzel or vortech. My anemone does not move significantly either. It take a lot of movement for my anemones to reach to 4 PH I have in the tank. (320 gal)

[ca1ore]

My vortechs are 'uncovered' as well. Foam sleeves are nice in concept, but you have to clean them frequently otherwise flow is dramatically reduced. Maybe not daily, but every other day.

[toothybugs]

You can make a DIY guard pretty easily out of a sheet of plexiglass or some similar sheet plastic. You won't need much for equipment, just a heat gun, drill and small bit, and something to cut some sheet plastic (Dremel, hacksaw, whatever).

Rule 1: The sheet of plastic HAS to be square. You'll see why.

Draw a 3x3 grid on the plexi sheet. Each square should be slightly wider than the diameter of your powerhead cage.

Cut out the corners, leaving you a + shape

Take a drill (I would suggest 1/4" or so) and drill out the outside squares ( don't touch the central one yet) to create a mesh-like pattern. If you want to make it nice and pre-plan your port locations, good idea. If you don't really care and just want it functional, have fun. Just leave enough space between the holes such that you don't greatly compromise the rigidity of the plastic.

When all the non-central squares are drilled/ ported, ask yourself if you want the magnets to contact the glass as before or trap the plexi between the magnet and tank. Feel free to use a holesaw to drill a hole in the center square to allow the magnet to pass through. For thicker glass this might be a really good idea.

Last, use your heat gun along the edges of the center square to soften the plastic enough so you can fold it upward. Then let it cool to keep its shape (you can quench it if you want to, I do). The edges of the sides don't have to come perfectly together but close enough that you won't easily suck your nem in to it. If you want to soften the sides so you can round out the shape, that's up to you. Probably will have to take the corners off the base but that shouldn't be challenging.

Then mount it and double check that your flow hasn't been affected. Done.

[shifty51008]

A happy anemone shouldnt move much. With that said ive never covered my tunze's and never had problems with my 4 bta's

[heathlindner25]

Panti hose ,easy and temperary.

[gabster73]

Create a semi-permanent housing. Attach a cleaned crate (strawberry or otherwise as long as it is big enough to surround the head...clean via vinegar bath) to a thin piece of acrylic. I like a black crate as it is less noticeable. This is very economical....so you can remake as necessary if you need to clean the head etc. To some this may be unsightly, but suck a nem in one time....and you may feel differently.

Steps:

1) Size the acrylic sheet to the slightly bigger than the dimension of the crate opening (for gluing).

2) Glue the opening side of the crate down to the acrylic with aquarium safe adhesive. IMPORTANT: You will need to have the head inside of the basket at this point.

3) Place the acrylic side toward the glass in the water and secure with the magnets.

Note: For this head you will need to cut a notch out of the basket for the cord. Also, the acrylic should be thin enough so it does not prohibit the magnet from keeping the head securely in place. The acrylic should slide with the power head as you move the magnet but to center perfectly make require the basket and head to be positioned in the tank....then attach the magnet.

Note: You can take as much time and imagination as you want figuring out a way to hinge the basket open etc. I am only suggesting this way because it is quick, easy, and cost effective.

[Kevin Guthrie]

Maybe you just need something temporary until your nem settles down. See if you can find a yogurt container or something similar of the right size, cut lots of holes in the side and use the pump's magnet to clamp the bottom of the container to the glass.

[CindyK]

Originally Posted by ca1ore

My vortechs are 'uncovered' as well. Foam sleeves are nice in concept, but you have to clean them frequently otherwise flow is dramatically reduced. Maybe not daily, but every other day.

I use the foam sleeves on my MP40s, I clean them every 2 weeks or so. Have never had flow reduction issues. With a 'nem in my tank I wouldn't go uncovered.

[ca1ore]

Wow, you quoted a 2 1/2 year old post ......

I still feel the same way though. Foam sleeves are more inconvenient than beneficial.