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DIY Cover


Newlinj

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what is the material consist of?

Here is the material list.

 

5/16" screen frame, plastic screen corners, 0.140" screening spline, spline installation tool, the clear mesh netting

 

You can get everything at Lowes or Home Depot except for the mesh netting. I got the mesh from Acroholic on Reef2Reef. He bought a large roll and sells it at cost to anyone that wants some. He also posted directions on how to assemble it. Just PM him if anyone wants some.

Aquarium Cover Directions

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Jim,

That looks amazing, your tank is going to look even that much better (didn't know that was possible)!!! Anyone that hasn't had a chance to see his tank in person is missing out on one of the best tanks I have seen, and I have seen a lot of amazing tanks, and he is right up there!

 

Great job!!!

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Jim,

That looks amazing, your tank is going to look even that much better (didn't know that was possible)!!! Anyone that hasn't had a chance to see his tank in person is missing out on one of the best tanks I have seen, and I have seen a lot of amazing tanks, and he is right up there!

 

Great job!!!

 

Thanks Scott. I really appreciate you telling me about the screen cover. It's a great improvement!

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Jim,

That looks amazing, your tank is going to look even that much better (didn't know that was possible)!!! Anyone that hasn't had a chance to see his tank in person is missing out on one of the best tanks I have seen, and I have seen a lot of amazing tanks, and he is right up there!

 

Great job!!!

 

 

 

 

Can we get a full tank shot?

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

Nice tank Newlinj. I did the same DIY cover a few of months ago so that I could add a few 'jumpers' including a school of Bartlett's Anthias and a Temminicki Fairy Wrasse. I had the same material list except I got Dupont Wildlife netting at Lowes, it looks like it may be the same thing that you have. It is 1/4" plastic mesh grid, UV resistant and located 4" below a 400w MH has shown no signs of degradation. I put two layers, one rotated at 45 degrees because I was afraid the bartlets would fit through the 1/4" holes.

I borrowed a light metter from work to see how much light the mesh would block. It is a fc/lux meter not a par meter. I did readings on multiple lamps in several spots and got readings of 4%, 11%, and 11%, for an average of 8% less light with the mesh in place. I wonder if a coral however would notice the same drop in light. Since MH point source rays of light are hitting the mesh which blocks a certain percentage, approximately 8% based on my very unscientific study, I wonder if the coral really notices that or if the 92% of the flesh of the coral that does get the full light is really what matters?

The lamps that were tested were new 400w SPS 14K's, only a few hours of burn in. without the cover they averaged 75,000 lux at 1" above the water surface, which was as close as I wanted to place the borrowed sensor. Brief research said that sun intensity on reefs reaches a maximum of 120,000 lux at the water surface but the average due to clouds etc. is interestingly also 75,000 lux.

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