john.m.cole3
cyclOps
Is it possible?
DIY screen top for a bowfront tank???
- Thread starter john.m.cole3
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dewboy1127
Well-Known Member
I have a bowfront and just ended up making a rectangular top overhangs a lil bit not as aesthetically pleasing but does trick and saved lives many of times...you can get the radius of your tank and have a custom piece aliminum screen framing made i have been told ...actually just met a window guy and may have that done
Here is a link to these nice screen tops.
http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/364554-custom-acrylic-tops-new-im-10-pricing-nice-and-cheap/
http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/364554-custom-acrylic-tops-new-im-10-pricing-nice-and-cheap/
ngvu1
Valuable Member
If they have clear/see through egg crate, or it will block the light....
I prefer to use egg crate though.
Don't you hate short answers?
my .02
ReeferBob
Valuable Member
FYI: You can also make the front curved section out of acrylic and attach it to the aluminum screen frame with an aquarium top hinge. You don't need the entire top opened up to a screen.
Fin
Professional Procrastinator
I have one of Smiz's custom made tops for one of my nano tanks and it is very nice. I like that he can put a separate opening for feeding and dropping in your cleaning magnet. My light fixture has side mount brackets and sits on the side of the tank, so conventional screens don't work too well.
I will say one thing on the eggcrate suggestion. If you have small fish like wrasses and blennys, the 1/2" openings are large enough to allow them to still jump. I have lost several fish trying to use it. One Lawnmower blenny was dried up on the floor the first morning after I installed the top. It is not a reliable cover for fish that will fit through the 1/2" openings.
I will share what I did on the covers that I currently have on my 140. I have over the top returns at each corner for my closed loop system and two more returns from the sump, so a regular rectangular cover would not work very well. What I ended up doing was to make two rectangular tops to fit inside of the area that it would fit. That left a strip of a couple of inches at the front and back of the cover. So, I attached eggcrate to the front and rear edges of the tops, to fit around the returns. Since the holes in the eggcrate are too large, I then attached gutter guard to the underside of the eggcrate. These tops have worked out really well.
If you has a bow front tank, you could make a cover similar to the pics below, but attach gutter guard or the 1/4" mesh to the bottom side of the eggcrate.
The gutter guard attached to the underside of the eggcrate panels. This really doesn't block light, since my LEDs are mounted down the center of
of my canopy. These strips are also at the very front and rear of the tank, so nothing really underneath these panels anyway. The rest of the covers
are made with the screen kit rails and the 1/4" mesh from BRS. Just another idea to consider.
My Smiz top on my DIY nano...
I will say one thing on the eggcrate suggestion. If you have small fish like wrasses and blennys, the 1/2" openings are large enough to allow them to still jump. I have lost several fish trying to use it. One Lawnmower blenny was dried up on the floor the first morning after I installed the top. It is not a reliable cover for fish that will fit through the 1/2" openings.
I will share what I did on the covers that I currently have on my 140. I have over the top returns at each corner for my closed loop system and two more returns from the sump, so a regular rectangular cover would not work very well. What I ended up doing was to make two rectangular tops to fit inside of the area that it would fit. That left a strip of a couple of inches at the front and back of the cover. So, I attached eggcrate to the front and rear edges of the tops, to fit around the returns. Since the holes in the eggcrate are too large, I then attached gutter guard to the underside of the eggcrate. These tops have worked out really well.
If you has a bow front tank, you could make a cover similar to the pics below, but attach gutter guard or the 1/4" mesh to the bottom side of the eggcrate.
The gutter guard attached to the underside of the eggcrate panels. This really doesn't block light, since my LEDs are mounted down the center of
of my canopy. These strips are also at the very front and rear of the tank, so nothing really underneath these panels anyway. The rest of the covers
are made with the screen kit rails and the 1/4" mesh from BRS. Just another idea to consider.
My Smiz top on my DIY nano...
Smiz
Active Member
Yeah I hope to one day. It's expensive to be a sponsor here! NR is a bit more lax about it. But if things take off someday I really want to support my r2r peeps!
Awesome write up phin very helpful stuff! I like the job you did on your big tanks looks good!
Awesome write up phin very helpful stuff! I like the job you did on your big tanks looks good!
very clean and using existing BRS kit -
DIYs:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/top-screen-73-gallon-bowfront.24559/
http://wamas.org/forums/topic/65049-bowfront-screen-top-success/
DIYs:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/top-screen-73-gallon-bowfront.24559/
http://wamas.org/forums/topic/65049-bowfront-screen-top-success/
Funny I ran across this. Thanks for all the nice wordsWe've done several for bow fronts pm if interested!
Hi Smiz, new here, not sure how to send a message. Interested in a lid for my bowfront. Can you please message me. Thanks!
ChronicReefH2o
Active Member
With a little elbow grease, bend the aluminum frame a bit to fit. Get some plywood and make a mold to bend the frame around which would give you a perfect matching shape.
MichaelClark55
Active Member
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Here's the one I just made. Notched the frame with a grinder for power head cords. I have acrylic hinges ordered that I am going to glue to the back so I dont have to completly remove for feeding.
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