I have a love/hate relationship with reef tank mesh lid / screen top. at this point, I have tried the three most popular DIY jump guards out there (Red Sea Customizable DIY Aquarium Net Cover Kit, BulkReefSupply DIY Aquarium Screen Top Kits, D-D Jumpguard Pro DIY Aquarium Cover); while I like the Red Sea one the most, I replaced it's standard netting with this much finer black mesh as recommended by a few folks ($8 on Amazon - amzn.to/37Ff66T). I have not done a PAR test but I do not believe it would impact the measurement much, and black mesh blends into the tank much better versus the standard transparent netting. I also installed the Neat Aquatics feeding port that I bought from BRS, pleasantly surprised by the thoughtfulness and construction of the unit. Would recommend it to anyone with a mesh top without hesitation. Timestamp: 0:00 Overview of how mesh lid killed my fish in the past 1:35 Use this mesh instead for your mesh top 3:44 Unboxing Red Sea DIY Aquarium Net Cover 6:25 #ScrubOfDIY strikes... 7:48 Installing the mesh, fun... (not) 13:07 Two things I would change in this DIY mesh lid build 14:30 Euphyllia trouble 16:28 Dino? Diatom? Cyano? Gawd 2020. 17:18 Neat Aquatics Feeding Port review 17:50 Red Sea aquarium screen top review

@closetocreamy

3 жыл бұрын

Off the aquariums for a minute your baby is so freaking cute

@orlandorivera4567

3 жыл бұрын

split the lid in half and create a double lid, much easier to handle for your big aquarium and you won't have to add guitar picks to it. You will have to purchase another center piece however managing your lid will be much easier. Just a thought. Good job regardless. Maybe someone can donate 2 clear center pieces to attach the net for non lighting interference. center pieces acrylic 3d printed vs. the aluminum?

@ellissyke2754

3 жыл бұрын

Hey, I actually designed a 3D printed extended red sea clip for people with this problem. If you need the 3D print file and know someone with a printer, I'd be happy to send you the file.

@atombomb232610

3 жыл бұрын

buy a cheap miter box. if your clamp cannot hold the piece, it is too small for the chop saw.

Don’t use work gloves when using a saw. More chance to get the glove caught in the saw.

That’s a really nice saw for someone who hates DIY.

@garrycole9187

3 жыл бұрын

Exactly, very new since does not get much use.

@carminecarlone2869

3 жыл бұрын

I was about to say that😂😂😂 I was exactly going to say...Movhi saying how much he hates DIY. *walks outside yo a 400 dollar Milwaukee chop saw*😂😂

@enzomontini758

3 жыл бұрын

All the gear n no idea 🤷‍♂️

I thought it was sketchy using that blade to cut the metal, then the exact thing I was worried about happened. Hacksaw would cut that in 5 seconds and you keep your fingers :D

@carminecarlone2869

3 жыл бұрын

Even a coping saw for that matter

I think you actually put the clips (that hold the screen lid) on backwards lol. If you turn them around they will extend alot further

That neat feeding is pretty awesome. Great job overcoming the size problem of the lid! Ive built the D-D lid for my tank and its pretty great as well.

Absolutely cover that gap near the feeder, I had a new Clownfish jump through a smaller gap then you have there and now you have said it you know what will happen it you don't! Love the videos.

I was gonna go w a Red Sea cover for my Red Sea xl 300. But went with TopLids. These guys were great the price was good was on sale for holidays in summer. Only draw back was the time. But spot on. Great guys too. Always responded to questions and mail. Good luck

Thank you for sharing your videos soon in the next couple of months I'm going to be setting up my first feet tank and your videos have helped me a lot on what to do and not to do thank you again!!!

never use gloves when you use spining things if it gets caught u are in trouble

Always great content, and from another Marylander! We run our own Daddy-Daughter pet channel, and your content has inspired us to set up a reef! I kept reefs back in the 90s, and your content has been a great help getting back up to speed. Keep it up!

Had the exact same issue with the mesh pulling the frame out of place when pulling tight, I found that by adding a second support bar either side of the cutout for the overflow helped keep it in place and allow the mesh to be nice and tight!

I bought my RSR tank used and the previous owner had trouble cutting the lid as well. I've been waiting to upgrade it but might move it up on my list of things to do! I've always wanted to get that acrylic lid but its a pretty pricey object. Something I'd save for when I buy my final tank for my home! Thanks for the great info! Hope your finger heals quickly! See you next week!

I haven't watched in a while glad to see everything going well

split the lid in half and create a double lid, much easier to handle for your big aquarium and you won't have to add guitar picks to it. You will have to purchase another center piece however managing your lid will be much easier. Just a thought. Good job regardless.

@AVspectre

3 жыл бұрын

I used the Red Reef lid but without feeding hole as I need wider access for feeding. I really like your idea though to make it more manageable. I don’t have the materials but will keep it in mind. Personally had some issues putting together the lid. Insertion of the spline resulted in some tearing of the mesh. We have had some fish that have made it out including a tilefish who was way bigger than the mesh size. It’s possible he ended up getting on top of the mesh from the back by the reservoir, though he actually ended up 2m in front if the tank. ☹️

Hey very helpful, got the Red Sea DIY. Very inspirational and going to put it together.

I have been struggling with the same thing on my sand bed and rocks but manual removal and blacking out my tank for a day helped.

finally some good entertainment while i filter water also glad to see your tank is still doing good

The first day i added a mesh lid, i found nemo in my sump - i've no idea how he got into the overflow box! Guess the movie was based on a true story.

did the black in the past, was great till i started to get salt build up on it. Switched to the clear and has been great.

I just received my Octoaquatics lid today, and I am super impressed. Worth it if you want to upgrade to a custom kit in the future.

Thanks I watched this and decided to take mine back

I've got the red sea lid and love the idea of using that black mesh deffo gonna do that. Also get some one to 3d print bigger tabs

Use your dremel to cut the small side you need for the mesh lid ;) i did it on mine and it was a lot easier for smaller parts. I like the little secret hole and also the tutu mesh is a great idea!

Thanks Mokyi. Black mesh is in the cart

I have the BRS screen top and the first one I did was to tight but the other two turned out, they include so much extra material I can redo them if needed.

rustoleum makes a silicone strip/roll that you can use to fill in the gap between the cover and tank walls. It has glue on one side as well. it will prevent cover to fall in if the guitar picks give way.

I'm not huge on DIY either but as time has gone on I'm trying to learn when I can, and as you mentioned you managed to get it done so it gives me hope 😅 I remember you getting some of those euphilyas from TSA, maybe ask them and see what they say, good luck

Yay! New video!

They make a roller that can push that rubber down in the groove, its typically used for screened doors and porches but would work for your purpose also.

Hey @inappropriatereefer I manufacture and install screens as my job. To help with the frame bowing in there’s a couple techniques we use. 1. Pre bend the frame that way while your screening, the frame won’t bow in. 2. Make a jig on a table that won’t allow the frame to move or bow in as your screening. 3. Use the spline and spline tool to control how much screen your pulling. If you roll on the inside edge it will pull the screen more because the spline will rotate while you’re rolling.

Great video 🤙🏼 I think I found which kit I’m ordering

I’m going with a Red Sea Kit as well! Pray that it works well for me.

Great video

Hi , i try it with another screen top. It fell into the reef every now and then and indicated a lot of aluminum in the reef.The coating also flaked off after a while.I hope that you will be spared such negative experiences. Nice Vlogs ✌ Greetings Pat

Hopefully that screen mesh was an affiliate link, just picked it up. You made some great points there and I love how it looks.

After using different DIY mesh lids, I have to honestly say the D-D pro kits are the way to go. They also offer precut brackets as well as feed doors. Seems to have a lot more versatility IMO

Nice One Piece ship above your tank. My daughter and I have built 5 different models. I have the larger mesh clear and love it. But it does seem to reflect a little.

I literally wait for your videos 😂

@InappropriateReefer

3 жыл бұрын

Hi

@russelmuldowney8736

3 жыл бұрын

@@InappropriateReefer same

Gotta love those DNKY aquarium covers

Octospawn hate most flow in my opinion- if you check out my tank I barely make them pulse some. Try getting all flow off of it so it recovers pretty sure that’s it as your parameters are in line👍🏼

@ZoaTankBoyz

3 жыл бұрын

Also any type of bacteria in example cyano / Dino’s etc will suffocate euphillias. So doubt it’s that I think it’s flow but worth noting 👍🏼

A wierd thing I did with my mp10s is to turn them over so they are not right side up but turned over. So the flow is set up to hit the rocks more so than a straight current.

Using hand Ax saw would done a nice job. Gave me some ideals

Can you pull the tabs out and flip them around, it looks like they reach out farther if you can do it

Had a dino outbreak a few months ago (2020!!) and it almost completely wiped out my frogspawn and hammers....my RBTAs actually didn't make it although the aggressive blackouts Dr Tim's and other treatments may have finished them off. In the end, everything helped with the dinos, but blackouts and letting my phosphates and nitrates rise is what finally got rid of them completely. Dealing with some hair algae now, but I'll take that any day..... using Vibrant tanked both parameters, but I also think something within it encourages dinos as well. Many have noted the same, do you may want to cut that out. Good Luck.

I ended up going with clear view acrylics . I have the radions mounted on the back so had to make a cut out. The gaps are tiny probably a quarter of an inch. My blue spot jumped through the gap and wiggles his way out. My very small helfrichi fire fish jumped through the mesh and landed on top of it. I managed to save him though.

Great effort. Though difficult to accomplish, a nice flat hard surface may have helped with assembly

I just battled that same Dino. I stopped water changes, increased feeding, and changed filter socks every day. It was gone in about two weeks. BRS recommended using microbacter7 and vibrant, but I didn’t have as much luck with that.

Have a great day!

Going by the underside of the other Euphylllia's having completely freshly exposed skeleton like that would make me suspect something is annoying them in the water column looking around your reef assuming parameters are In range iI would consider Allelopathy at the top of the list of potential smoking guns... Gorgonians for example are well known to be very strongly active on the Allelopathic scale, stony corals in particular being affective by it Definitely a system that would benefit from weekly use and change out of Activated Carbon I would say

Hi,please use a mini mitre box and junior hacksaw or you will lose your fingers cutting pieces that small!! Get a small g clamp then clamp the mitre box and work piece to bench, its so easy. On a positive note I love that mesh you used i think its much better than the stock netting...I have used the D-D mesh kits and mine pulled in around the cutouts just like yours did. If those brown patches are Amphidinium they will move off the gravel/glass overnight and when the lights switch on in the morning it will look like there is less of them on the gravel etc until evening time when it will look worse again! I defeated Amphidinium dino twice just by using an internal filter cannister with inbuilt UV (9 Watts of UV on 250l tank and only run at night)..I found cleaning the glass at night helped to get them into the water column.

Hook a cable in the middle of mesh Up to the light system for support

So moral of the story. Measure twice cut once.

I just recently won a fight against dinos myself. 4 day blackout, increased phosphates, some sand shifters, mechanical removal, and I stopped scraping the algae off of the glass. It took about a month but it is all but gone at this point.

Use a hand saw if you are going to shorten the section by the autofeeder. Way easier to do it that way and less dangerous than with the miter saw.

Great ideal I tried it years ago with plastic it failed due to the plastic being to thin but that was years ago. What's the measures on the support your net are sitting on and can you put a link 🔗 where you got the net support. Hey I wanna see xmas tree videos your on my top 5 watch list you guys are funny 😄

Great

Hi there, Great video. Questions: 1 are you still using it, and 2 did you ever check the PAR level to see if there was an appreciable change.

Ive always wanted a meshtop but ever since seeing your yasha goby jump have been scared of mine getting stuck

Keep an eye out on the filefish. I wouldn't be surprised if it is bothering your frogspawn.

a mitre box and a handsaw are probably the right tools for the job when you're not confident or cutting pieces 6" and under.

If that feeding port aperture diameter could fit the auto feeder in it, then you could potentially get another feeding port and instead of having a square frame go around the auto feeder, it could just go through that round feeding port. On the video it looks like it could fit. Maybe no need for the cover? Just suggesting that because it seems like a much easier solution than having to cut the small pieces of the frame, to have it go around the feeder. Maybe if the feeding port doesn't fit, you could send the measurement to Deven and ask him to print one that does, for you? Depending on the distance of the gap between the inside of the feeder tube and the bracing on the tank, one side of the feeding port might have to be flat?

When you are cutting aluminum on a miter saw you should use wood. Cut 2 pieces of wood and make them a 90 degree angle. Lay the aluminum on the wood now you have a wood fence and platform to cut on. Now cut the wood and aluminum at the same time making sure you don't cut thru the wood but slightly cutting it

Mesh nets are great the only annoyance is when mysis gets stuck so I carry a plastic spoon around when feeding my tanks for food that gets stuck.

Is the middle bar causing an issue with the middle light? Other then that looks good!

I used the smaller mesh but it started catching salt creep. You have to allow a extra cm for cutting the frame and tightening the mesh. I've found that out after a couple of mesh tops. You got a boo boo🤣

@InappropriateReefer

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the heads up on the salt creep! While mine has not caught any water and stayed clean for the 2.5 weeks I have it up, as soon as I started micro bubble scrubbing this morning, I saw water catching between the grids. I'm thinking to spray it down with RODI water every few days and flick / spray the net and see if that resolves the issue, will report back and keep everyone posted, thank you for the awareness Dee!

I'm no expert but I would guess flow and sand may take some part with the Octospawn.. My octo was doing the same thing.. I moved it out of the way of the flow.. However my situation was also a serious cause of low alk and calcium.. More to follow lol..

I could 3D print you some clips for the euro brace to hold it

Maybe they use that 1/4 mesh soit doesn't get clogged with salt creep?

How long do you usually leave yr lights on

I never used the red sea tops but can you turn the clips the other way? Looking at the video the clips seem longer on one side than the other. If you turn them 180 degree will it still work?

center pieces acrylic 3d printed vs. the aluminum?

For large tanks, I would prefer to have a couple of lids rather than one large, even with "bracing". Rare I need to take more than half of the tank top off and smaller "lids" are more manageable. Not everyone would agree but something to consider.

@InappropriateReefer

3 жыл бұрын

That's a good idea actually, much easier to "open" like you mentioned..

Hi , u should of gone straight over on the overflow , and got a piece of black plastic with a hole in it to cover the overflow box and over hang the gap in the tank , that would look much better and reduce noise from the overflow

@neilstewart9286

3 жыл бұрын

Also if u have a par reader for the lights , might b worth checking that the black mesh hasn’t affected the par rating

I have a 90 fowlr and a 29 biocube reef. My biocube is running out of space because the corals are growing so big. Thankfully I have a 75 gallon in my garage that I'm going to set up. I have hanging LED's and I'm gonna need a mesh top like this. Does anyone know the best way to setup the lights above the tank without hanging them from my ceiling, which is too high and without a canopy? Thanks

glue a piece of mesh on the auto feeder section

Help with the video I just posted I know it's a knuckle but I don't know what type it is

Paint can on the middle of the mesh so that it doesn't pull so tight

Pull the corner prices out a bit and that will give you the length you need

Its been a couple of years, how did this hold up for you?

What atomic feeder do you use?

Slide the clips out and turn them around!

Maybe you could have someone 3D print new support pieces.

@greetingsearthlingspluto6666

3 жыл бұрын

fingers?

I thought D-D looks much cleaner than the Red Sea. D-D has a quality gloss finish, sits on top the edge of the glass, so it’s a complete seal, doesn’t have the visual messiness of the ridges in the Red Sea frame, and doesn’t have those unsightly tabs.

I also have the red sea net, but i don’t like it. If you want to change something later, you can’t without destroying the net. The red sea standard net gets damaged extremely easily. And why doesn’t red sea deliver the metal frame pieces delivered cut to the correct lengths fitting to their own tanks? I really think, red sea hasn’t fully thought through their product. Sorry to say, but i really think they could have done a lot better.

Love Emily's Hands 😜

Are this mesh for sale in lowes or home depot?

You don't need gloves, you need a couple of clamps to clamp it down so that it won't kick back and you don't accidentally cut your finger too.

You really want to get some plastic and super glue it to top of lid to cover that gap by the auto feeder. I had an inch x inch gap where my lights attached to the tank and my Grade A Mocha Vinci managed to jump through it. If there is a gap a fish will find it :(

If it is Dino I killed mine literally overnight with uv. It has to go in the water column for that though so if it disappears overnight and comes back try UV

@TheCheesewalrus

3 жыл бұрын

for that specific strain of Dino uv works. I had prorocentrum which don't move to the water column when the lights are out so uv has almost no effect on them. this is why you ID first before buying expensive countermeasures.

Use epoxy on the guitar picks....super glue will get fragile and break....you need a JB weld two part epoxy sold at home depot, lowes, ace hardware type place

#REEFSQUAD

what auto-feeder is that??

You should have @telegraham 3D print you clips that are longer for the screen.

Measuring is always better🙈

Why don’t you flip the red sea plastic tab around? It looks like one side is longer than the other. This might give you a little extra length for the tab to rest on the brace

@InappropriateReefer

3 жыл бұрын

I tried it but it looks to only go in one way =(

Just cut a small piece of mesh and use fishing line and “sew” it into place over the open gap by the feeder

I made also DIY mesh cover materials from home depot. Would like to share a video or picture but I think it's not allowed here.

I just use white plastic egg crate for my tops

Hello hello brother so fantastic video...