How to make a tight cover?

Indytraveler83 · May 28, 2019

I’m thinking ahead to when I start adding fish to my tank, and a lot of the fish I’m looking at (wrasses, gobies, etc) are prolific jumpers. I’m reading a lot about how they can find holes in even the smallest parts of your lid and go carpet surfing. (And I’m already fighting suicidal nerite snails that insist on leaving the tank and finding the cat...)

I’ve got a 54 corner, and it has a glass lid that covers about 2/3 of the top. Right now the back 1/3 is open to the air, and this is also where the HOB skimmer is.

What material and methods are best used to tightly fit against the irregular shaped skimmer intake and things like that?

If possible, I’d like to go with something that still permits air exchange in this part of the tank, as the glass inhibits this in the other 2/3.

brian.badge · May 28, 2019

I cut out egg crate then wrapped clear screen and zip tied. It's not pretty, but it works.

Waters · May 28, 2019

You can always have one custom made.....they are expensive but well worth it in my opinion. I got mine from artfullyacrylic.com

Bob Weigant · May 28, 2019

Custom can be very expensive. Im not a big do it yourself guy but I made mine. Small investment to make if you wanna keep wrasses

roberthu526 · May 28, 2019

Buy the screen frame kit from homedepot and search for clean mesh on amazon. It’s $10 for 4’x6’. Overall you are looking at about $30 for the entire project.

Indytraveler83 · May 28, 2019

I’m definitely going DIY, especially since you never know when you may change equipment, and I don’t wanna spend a bunch of money on a lid, then need to change if I buy a new skimmer or something.

I guess the biggest part of the question is what is the best way to get really tight around equipment, so that a wrasse doesn’t slip between the lid and the intake for the skimmer for instance?

brian.badge · May 28, 2019

That is exactly why I did egg crate wrapped
In the clear screen in the back of my tank. I slit the screen were the skimmer pipes are so it wrapped around them. The rest of my top is DIY screen just like suggested above.

Indytraveler83 · May 28, 2019

brian.badge said:
That is exactly why I did egg crate wrapped
In the clear screen in the back of my tank. I slit the screen were the skimmer pipes are so it wrapped around them. The rest of my top is DIY screen just like suggested above.

I had to look at your picture again, I see now how the pipes poke through the screen!

Thank you. That seems like both a budget friendly and extremely secure approach!

roberthu526 · May 29, 2019

Indytraveler83 said:
I’m definitely going DIY, especially since you never know when you may change equipment, and I don’t wanna spend a bunch of money on a lid, then need to change if I buy a new skimmer or something.

I guess the biggest part of the question is what is the best way to get really tight around equipment, so that a wrasse doesn’t slip between the lid and the intake for the skimmer for instance?

I just made these the past weekend with help of my kids.

Mariette · May 29, 2019

roberthu526 said:
Buy the screen frame kit from homedepot and search for clean mesh on amazon. It’s $10 for 4’x6’. Overall you are looking at about $30 for the entire project.

Brilliant!!! Can’t find the kit on Home Depot site. Do you remember what it’s called?

MRB · May 29, 2019

roberthu526 said:
Buy the screen frame kit from homedepot and search for clean mesh on amazon. It’s $10 for 4’x6’. Overall you are looking at about $30 for the entire project.

I just did this last weekend!

brian.badge · May 29, 2019

Mariette said:
Brilliant!!! Can’t find the kit on Home Depot site. Do you remember what it’s called?

If you cant find a kit you can just by corners and lengths of frame.

MRB · May 29, 2019

Mariette said:
Brilliant!!! Can’t find the kit on Home Depot site. Do you remember what it’s called?

Screen tight, comes in various sizes. Also grab a hacksaw, got one for 10 bucks, and a spline roller, they should be near the screen tight frame for 5 bucks.