EggCrate/Screen Idea

Hello All!

I have an eggcrate top currently on my tank, and it just is cutting out way too much light for my liking. My tank is maturing, and I am going to start jumping into some more coral in the semi-near future I think. So I want to try to fix my lid issues.

I am wanting to put a screen (or, I have read garden mesh that's a little bigger works good too, as it will stop less light) top on my tank.

So, my idea currently is that I will take my current eggcrate top, and cut out the inside (leaving a 2 or three "squares" rim along the edge). My lid currently is split into two pieces, resting on the center brace (btw, my tank is a 29 gallon).

Question One: I am guessing there are a lot of people with a lot of eggcrate experiance here. Do you think that this would be enough support, or would it be too flimsy?

Question Two: Any ideas on a good way to secure the screen to the egg crate?

Edit: Also, if it's "likely to work," I have enough eggcrate that I could easily just try it and see what happens. I'd just need to get more spraypaint as I'd like to keep the eggcrate black. I can't start until next week, since I will be cutting some of the lid off for a HOB fuge

Thanks!

 

Bulk Reef Supply 1/4" clear mesh, use a window screen frame. There's even instructional videos on their site.

 

I simply made a square frame out of window screen frame from lowes. I would imagine the egg crate would do the same job, just be careful when handling the frame not to twist or torque it or it may crack. Zip ties should work just fine.

 

yeah thats where I got the mesh, but you can get the frame from any hardware store. It's just the mesh that can be hard to find. I tried window screen at first but it blocked too much light. Gotta have 1/4" mesh

 

+1 this does not block much light at all.

 

Ya, I was thinking of the mesh. I think Home Depot here has it. I want to avoid the standard frame just because of the bowfront, and the sharp corners.

 

http://www.3reef.com/forums/i-made/screen-top-bowfront-108432.html

 

Ya, I've seen that thread.

Ultimately I think I might need to take that route. I'm just looking for something as easy as possible for the time being, haha.

Edit: I'd really like to build a canopy at somepoint also. but I know that's a long ways down the road!

 

make it out of glass....a glass cutter is like $4 at home depot and its pretty easy to use....then you'll need a piece of sheet glass probably less than $20 for thin glass and maybe a little extra scrap for practice....just google how to cut glass into specific shapes, its not that hard to do

 

I had one of those glass lids (came with the tank). Wasn't a fan. It constantly was getting terrible salt creep near where the HOB stuff returning. Plus I like to let my tank breath.

maybe I could just go with a rectangle of netting and take apart my glass lid and use the glass for the bowfront section.