The Chicken or the Eggcrate - How have you used eggcrate in your system?

How have you used eggcrate in or around your aquarium?

  • Aquarium lid

    Votes: 99 30.9%
  • Frag rack

    Votes: 163 50.9%
  • Skimmer stand

    Votes: 96 30.0%
  • Sump Divider

    Votes: 64 20.0%
  • Other (please describe in the discussion)

    Votes: 47 14.7%
  • I have not used eggcrate in or around my aquarium

    Votes: 80 25.0%

  • Total voters
    320
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Peace River

Peace River

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Serious question; what is the original use of egg crates. I googled it so many times and never seen it being “egg” related.
My understanding is that the wording is derived from the cardboard pattern that farmers used to keep eggs separated. This term was later applied to automobile grills and eventually to light diffusers.
 

Treefer32

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I used egg crate under my sand bed and under my rocks. Mainly because I have a dragon wrasse picks up heavy rocks and drops them. So, I wanted to protect the bottom glass. Now and then I hear a ting of a rock smacking the side glass. I've since heard that's a no no supposedly. But, my tank is 4 years old. I will say I'm battling nitrates. But, not sure if it's because of the egg crate or because of my large fish just being filthy and needing to feed a ton of food. :)

I'd love to see a scientified method applied to the effects of egg crate. A small tank with sand and rock as a control. With a few fish nitrate and phosphate tested daily for 2 -3 months. Then a same sized tank with the same rock and sand only with egg crate on the bottom. And test nitrates and phosphates over a period of 3 months. Just curious if the little holes in the egg crate actually create pockets of detritus if there's a good cleanup crew?
 

Daniel@R2R

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I've used eggcrate in the past as a tank lid, frag rack, acclimation box...and I'm sure a few other things.
 
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Peace River

Peace River

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In addition to many of the already mentioned ways to use eggcrate, I also used it on more than one occasion as a mounting point for a mechanical float valve as part of a gravity fed ATO system.
 

DeniseAndy

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I think I have used egg crate for every aspect of reefing at some point. I have had it support rock, frag rack, shelf in sump, cover on tanks, acclimation boxes, light holders, spacers, racks in my AIO nanos, I mean the use is limitless as it can be in and out of tank.
Not the prettiest thing to use, but very versatile and does not corrode, leach,etc.
 

ScubaFish802

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I have 3 squares of it stacked under my skimmer in order to raise it to a more ideal level.
I also have a larger piece with netting attached with fishing line on a 20l QT tank as a jump-cover.

IMG_8145.jpg
 

Mark Novack

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Eggcrate shelf in sump for Thieling rollermat. Kept rock underneath and directed the outflow that way. It kept all in place nicely and let the detritus flow out into the low flow area.
 

Nemo&Friends

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Used it as a divider in my tank to separate my aggressive damsel from the other new additions. Told my grand kids she was in jail. This worked well. When released aggression was gone.
 

trvrstnk4837

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I have some laying horizontally between two baffles, I lay a layer of sponge on top to stop any micro bubbles from getting into the display and usually throw some carbon bags here too

1BEC655C-E0F3-495B-A53D-8FEF8229CD85.jpeg
3DCD4B9B-7C58-4435-9B65-CB43E285E413.jpeg
 

vabben

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Frag rack, media baskets, skimmer stand. I also use it as a frag rack in a 2.5gallon bucket which I use to dip corals in. Additionally a “dry” frag rack to hold plugs while prepping and glueing.
 

BZOFIQ

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Home Depot or Lowes in the lighting section. Usually hidden all the way in the back corner of the store. LOL!

Just dont ask for it because nobody knows what it is and they'll look at your like you're retarded.

Instead ask where they have drop ceiling tiles and light diffusers. They are usually next to one another.
 
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