Chromis Posted September 2, 2002 Share Posted September 2, 2002 Everyone is always saying open-top and then some say that certain fish jump out. Why not use the ever versitile eggcrate on top? Do you see any flaws with this? Link to comment
Kapelakin Posted September 2, 2002 Share Posted September 2, 2002 That's what I use. It keeps cats out as well as fish in. Link to comment
printerdown01 Posted September 2, 2002 Share Posted September 2, 2002 It is used all the time on larger tanks... I would assume that people would use it on smaller ones! Link to comment
tinyreef Posted September 2, 2002 Share Posted September 2, 2002 i've always thought it was the evaporation issue for everyone else like it was for me for not opting for eggcrate. for me maintaining salinity is the hardest part about nanos. at my office nano i lose 1-quart of h2o everyday and i have a top on. volume-wise that's 1/16 of the whole system (i.e. hypersalinity). touching upon brandon429's solution of completely sealing the nano (or in is case pico) system is one way of handling the evaporation problem. eggcrate's a great application if you can handle the evaporation. Link to comment
Chromis Posted September 2, 2002 Author Share Posted September 2, 2002 Where I live heat is a real issue so I need evaporation to help cool the system (of course I am building an automatic top off system to keep salinity balanced). So like I said before I have to have an open top ... just thought of egg crate to help keep fire fish from turning into carpet jerky... Link to comment
NaNO ReeFiN Posted September 2, 2002 Share Posted September 2, 2002 I've seen it done at my LFS's yet I've never thought about doing it myself... I think I'll try it on my 10gal. Link to comment
Dave ESPI Posted September 3, 2002 Share Posted September 3, 2002 welll... egg crate does actualy serve a purpose U know..... its REAL use is in the focusing the intensity of celing lights.... look in offices and elevaters.. it is used a LOT under floro lighting. it has a slight / shape to the individual combs.... each cube narrovs and focuses the light. If U use it over a tank correctly, you can increase your tank intensity of light by 20-35 % depending..... just a FYI..... ALSO I cover nearly all my tanks with top glass OR eggcrate..... there is a lot of airborne particles I DONT want in my reefs, not to mention I dont like to find dried fish stuck to the carpet..... Link to comment
spoondigity Posted September 3, 2002 Share Posted September 3, 2002 I use egg crate covered by a strip of flat heavy rubber material I picked up from Home Depot. The rubber stuff cuts easily and I was able to shape it to fit around everything hanging on the tank in a perfect outline. This seems to do a great good job of keeping particles in the air from getting into my tank and is an extra security effort against something exiting my tank stage left. It helps seal the tank as well. Link to comment
tinyreef Posted September 3, 2002 Share Posted September 3, 2002 dave, i think you're thinking of the parabolic eggcrates. they're plated after being molded. they were originally developed by phillips about 25 years back and offered to everyone on a free license patent (or whatever the legal term is). not out of generosity mind you, they figured it would help capture the market, which it did! but you're right, if you can get some they do concentrate the light very well (hmmm...good idea : ). the regular white ones are usually just drafted (angled) for actual production sake. *(i actually make these eggcrates for a client, one of the original distributors. they call them polycubes ??? eggcrate sounds better imo) Link to comment
spoondigity Posted September 3, 2002 Share Posted September 3, 2002 Are those the shinny silver ones at Home Depot? I just picked up the white ones since i wasn't sure what the coating was and if it could do any harm if some chipped off and fell in the tank. Link to comment
tinyreef Posted September 3, 2002 Share Posted September 3, 2002 y'know, i'm not sure if they're (the shiny ones) resistant to salt. my client chrome plates the raw plastic molded parts. it's a pita process that he doesn't like to do and i will never do because of environmental reasons. :x i'm not a plating expert so i'm not sure how the plating will stand up to a salt environment. ??? anyone have experience with chromium and salt? Link to comment
Dave ESPI Posted September 4, 2002 Share Posted September 4, 2002 I went to home chepo tonight...... they said the coating is safe. ALSO the reflective silver coating is NOT that gives it the parabolic enhancement, it it the actual hieght and thickness of the louvers. there are 1/4 inch and 5 /8 ths inch louver. The 5/8ths will cause the increase and focus of light. I SNERTed on the Lighting "espert" at HD...LOL I Schooled on him.... Link to comment
The Unit Posted September 4, 2002 Share Posted September 4, 2002 where in HD is eggcrate? Link to comment
tinyreef Posted September 4, 2002 Share Posted September 4, 2002 sorry if i was confusing there. i didn't mean the parabolic quality comes from the plating. it's formed into the shape of the structure. it would still be parabolic in shape and curvature w/ or w/o the plating. my thoughts sometimes don't make the translation into words. sometimes i talk this way too. people sometimes think i'm psychotic (if they only knew : , I AM! ) Link to comment
Dave ESPI Posted September 4, 2002 Share Posted September 4, 2002 tinyreef was released from the mental ward to say: my thoughts sometimes don't make the translation into words. sometimes i talk this way too. people sometimes think i'm psychotic (if they only knew : , I AM! ) my reply: a big fat.... DITTO Link to comment
tinyreef Posted September 4, 2002 Share Posted September 4, 2002 i'm still on work release but as long as you dose me i'm fine! i need an iv drip. it's for my reef tank, really! Link to comment
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