Screen top question

[LCDRDATA]

I got the materials from BRS and I'm just about ready to build my screen top, but I am not sure what to do about the penetrations I need - HOB overflow, HOB 'fuge, return inlet, and power cords. The options seem to be to either build them so there is a "slot" behind them for the accessories or poke holes through the mesh. I think the best option might be to leave the slot - for simplicity and structural integrity - and use eggcrate with penetrations to cover that area. What do you think? Thanks.

[Incredible Corals]

Leave a slot and use egg crate like you said to fill in the rest.

[RubberFrog]

ditto

[Hoi Toider]

I cut a piece of acrylic and drilled holes for everything that entered the tank.

[schudini]

I cut a piece of acrylic and drilled holes for everything that entered the tank.

 

That's a great idea.

 

But for people without the proper tools, eggcrate is the way to go. That's what I did, just left a slot in the screen top.

 

Poking a hole in the screen makes complications whenever you want to remove the top.

[sachabballi reef]

That's a great idea.

 

But for people without the proper tools, eggcrate is the way to go. That's what I did, just left a slot in the screen top.

 

Poking a hole in the screen makes complications whenever you want to remove the top.

 

I have to make one of these this week....does anyone have a picture of what you did with the egg crate etc?

I am a visual person lol....

I have 2 cords I have to compensate for....and a center overflow so not quite sure how the egg crate rests on anything on the sides of the overflow?

[Integral9]

I made 3 of them for my tank. If you get / have some extra corner peices, you can make the frame go around the openings. It doesn't make a perfect hole, about the smallest you can do is 3" x 3" sq. as you are limited by the size of the corner peices. If you choose to cut them down (which is fine) you can make smaller holes.

 

To go around overflows, over the top return lines, etc, you have to flip the corner pieces over so they will make an "inside corner", as opposed to the outside corner they are intended to be. This presents 3 problems.

 

First, the pieces are keyed, so you will have to cut off the part that is the key so it will fit into the frame w/out using a hammer and deforming the frame slightly.

 

Second, the bottom side of the corner that has a little notch for the spline to go through, is now on the top. No solution for that. Just leave the spline the way it is. I don't recommend cutting it as it weakens the grip the spline will have on the screen. You could super glue it in place though.

 

Last, the additional sides on the frame make it difficult to stretch the screen across and keep it taught while you insert the spline into the groove to secure the screen. My advice is to start with the long straight side that will be the front. Get that on the frame straight then go to the opposite side and work from the middle to the edges doing a little at a time. hint: Use the squares to make sure the screen is on straight on the first edge you do, that will help you line up all the other sides. Leave the screen material intact until you finish pushing all the spline in. Then use a razor to cut away the excess.

 

If you are uncomfortable with the size of the openings because of the corner pieces (3" x 3" is kinda large), you can super glue some egg crate to the screen frame to close the gaps a bit.

 

Alternatively, you can just make the screen a little short so it doesn't quite reach the back (so it won't interfere w/ your overflow and you don't have to modify anything) and then just super glue some egg crate to the frame to extend it to the back wall and cut away the pieces that interfere w/ your overflows.

[howaboutme]

I have to make one of these this week....does anyone have a picture of what you did with the egg crate etc?

I am a visual person lol....

I have 2 cords I have to compensate for....and a center overflow so not quite sure how the egg crate rests on anything on the sides of the overflow?

 

Look a few posts back in my build thread. Smorf took a picture of his tank top and he has the same set up (except he has bird netting). The last 1/4 of his tank is egg crate. I think it works nice.