Light Friendly Clear Mesh Screen Cover for Open Top Tanks-Standard/Rimless-w/Pictures

[lindenfish]

Thanks for the great guide dave,
Just got my mesh today and I was wondering what alternative tools can I use to notch the fram for wires to exit?

 

[Acroholic]

Thanks for the great guide dave,
Just got my mesh today and I was wondering what alternative tools can I use to notch the fram for wires to exit?

I assume you don't have a Dremel available. The one I can think of that would work would be a round or half round file. Would take a bit more elbow grease to notch this way, but it could be done. Main thing is to make sure you don't have any sharp edges in the notched area that could wear or cut into your wires.

A cutoff wheel for an electric drill would work as well.

Nice thing is that the screen frame is cheap, so you can always try again if it messes up, but seriously, try to find someone with a dremel if you can. It is by far the easiest, fastest way to notch the frame.

Anyone else with other suggestions, please feel free to post.

 

[lindenfish]

Hi Dave
Thanks for the helpful advice, one more thing I'd like to ask.
Once you notched the frame you said it was still good. Have you noticed any warping over time???

I just want to becarful you know sometimes you remove the screen and you accidently drop it, just making sure that the notch area doesn't give way.

 

[Acroholic]

Hi Dave
Thanks for the helpful advice, one more thing I'd like to ask.
Once you notched the frame you said it was still good. Have you noticed any warping over time???

I just want to becarful you know sometimes you remove the screen and you accidently drop it, just making sure that the notch area doesn't give way.

I haven't had any warping. Only thing that would hurt these screen frames is if it got bent. I suppose if you dropped it at the right angle it could happen, but it hasn't happened to me yet.

Thing to remember when you notch the frame is to only take out enough to pass the cord thru and still have the frame lay flat. And as I said, make sure you smooth out any sharp aluminum edges with a bit of fine grit sandpaper.

Oh... and if you get scratches on the frame and can see silver, a black Sharpie does wonders to cover them up.
Dave

 

[Acroholic]

If anyone has any questions pertaining to this DIY, please feel free to PM me. Glad to help.
Dave

 

[cntryboi407]

wow thanks. i plan on setting this up after being fed up with losing fish

 

[Brad Syphus]

After posting pictures in my local club, I've had numerouse inquiries on the mesh.
I have referred them to you Dave. Do you still have more available?
Here is mine finished.

 

[Eternal]

If you have more mesh available please send me a pm as well.

Interested in getting 2 1foot by 2 foot pieces.

 

[sailfintang]

ANy suggestions for bow front tanks? I was thinking to insert, attach, wrap or glue the screen to a piece ot rigid airline tubing for the front of the tank.

I did my 20 high with some bird netting from HD not the prettiest looking thing but it will do for now.

still trying to wrap my mind around doing the same for the bow front.

 

[Murfman]

What about using 3/4" PVC. Cut vertical ||||| on the back side of it and use a little heat to bend it to the shape of the tank. You could probably make a template out of cardboard.

 

[Murfman]

Got my frames made, just waiting on the mesh to arrive.

 

[Acroholic]

Got my frames made, just waiting on the mesh to arrive.

Paul,
I'd say look for the mesh on Wednesday. I mailed it out over the weekend, which for practical purposes, is like Monday anyways.
Dave

 

[Acroholic]

ANy suggestions for bow front tanks? I was thinking to insert, attach, wrap or glue the screen to a piece ot rigid airline tubing for the front of the tank.

I did my 20 high with some bird netting from HD not the prettiest looking thing but it will do for now.

still trying to wrap my mind around doing the same for the bow front.

People have bent the aluminum screen channel for bowfront tanks. I've neve made one, but what you do is make a small bend in the channel every inch or so, and the channel ends up curving for the front part. For the corners where the bow meets the sides, you can either heat up the plastic corner pieces, then bend them to a bit greater than 90 degrees, or cut them on the inside corner to extend them past 90 degrees.

The channel and corner pieces are cheap, so you can practice a bit until you get it right, but several people have made the same frames for bowfront tanks using the techniques I just described.

If you need any mesh, shoot me a PM.
Dave

 

[sailfintang]

Pm Sent about mesh. I think I will do some testing with the bending I have some scrap aluminum from the 20 gallon. Plenty of other net as well to test with too till the final build.

Will post some pics of how it comes out and any tips along the way for other bow front tanks.

 

[Murfman]

Here are the ones I built;

I put little rubber feet on each corner of the screen so that the whole frame was not sitting on the acrylic, just the corners.

 

[bmac16]

pm sent about mesh

 

[Nanoreefbro]

Thanks I'm gonna pick up my parts today...

 

[Joezreef]

I need the mesh looked around town nothing available!

 

[sailfintang]

Just finished one of the netting frames for my bow front. It came out pretty well. I need another 84" of aluminum to finish the other half of the tank. It looks really nice. I will post some photos and instructions on how I was able to bend the aluminum and cut the corner inserts to make the frame fit on top the tank later tonight hopefully. The snow storm delayed things here a bit.

 

[ca2or]

How much was the netting? Where did you find it?