What sort of cover should I use?

[Kryos]

Originally Posted by mrhasan

That's something that concerns me too. I haven't read anywhere about mesh getting salt creep but egg crate accumulating salt creep. This is causing a pain in my head

From my observations, Salt creep comes mostly from bubbles popping at the water surface, if you have lots of that, you're going to get salt creep regardless of what you put on top of your tank. For my 20g with all hang on skimmer + aquaclear, I get bubbles from when the water falls back into the tank, I see tiny drops of water fly around from the popping bubbles when I take my glass cover off and the salt creep on my glass cover for that tank is a huge pain.

However, for my 5g zoa/ric tank with egg crate on top, I have no bubbles popping near the surface (as there is no equipment other than a powerhead) and there is no salt creep at all.

Now from my personal experience with Eggcrate, it does reduce the light somewhat but what bothers me the most is the grid shadow I get on my sandbed as my 5g is only 10" tall.

[mrhasan]

Originally Posted by Kryos

From my observations, Salt creep comes mostly from bubbles popping at the water surface, if you have lots of that, you're going to get salt creep regardless of what you put on top of your tank. For my 20g with all hang on skimmer + aquaclear, I get bubbles from when the water falls back into the tank, I see tiny drops of water fly around from the popping bubbles when I take my glass cover off and the salt creep on my glass cover for that tank is a huge pain.

However, for my 5g zoa/ric tank with egg crate on top, I have no bubbles popping near the surface (as there is no equipment other than a powerhead) and there is no salt creep at all.

Now from my personal experience with Eggcrate, it does reduce the light somewhat but what bothers me the most is the grid shadow I get on my sandbed as my 5g is only 10" tall.

Yap I can see bubbles popping all the time.

[gregzz4]

Why don't you just go out and spend the few bucks on a sheet of eggcrate and try it before you take all the time, money, and effort you'll spend on making a mesh cover ?

With your small tank, one sheet of eggcrate/light diffusor will cover it for, what, >$20 ?

And you'll have a bunch left over for other stuff

Give it a try
I love mine

[mrhasan]

Originally Posted by gregzz4

Why don't you just go out and spend the few bucks on a sheet of eggcrate and try it before you take all the time, money, and effort you'll spend on making a mesh cover ?

With your small tank, one sheet of eggcrate/light diffusor will cover it for, what, >$20 ?

Give it a try
I love mine

I don't have any problem using that but people say that fishes can still jump through the holes. So many schools of thoughts just for one top

[gregzz4]

Originally Posted by mrhasan

I don't have any problem using that but people say that fishes can still jump through the holes. So many schools of thoughts just for one top

1/4" eggcrate is no different than 1/4" mesh ................... as far as hole size goes

[mrhasan]

Originally Posted by gregzz4

1/4" eggcrate is no different than 1/4" mesh ...................

Is there 1/4" egg crate??????? I thought all are like 1/2" or something that we use to put frag plus in.

[gregzz4]

Originally Posted by mrhasan

Is there 1/4" egg crate??????? I thought all are like 1/2" or something that we use to put frag plus in.

1/4" is the common stuff you find @ places such as Rona or Home Depot
It's lighting diffusing material, sold in the ceiling tile area, not near the lights in my local store, but close to the bulk wood stuffs

[gregzz4]

You will get all kinds of arguements about lighting blockage etc, but pound for pound, I'll choose eggcrate
It's so easy to work with, no frames needed, can be trimmed as required, cheap to replace, etc etc, ....

[mrhasan]

Originally Posted by gregzz4

You will get all kinds of arguements about lighting blockage etc, but pound for pound, I'll choose eggcrate
It's so easy to work with, no frames needed, can be trimmed as required, cheap to replace, etc etc, ....

+1 for that. But is there really 1/4" egg crate?

[Kryos]

Originally Posted by gregzz4

You will get all kinds of arguements about lighting blockage etc, but pound for pound, I'll choose eggcrate
It's so easy to work with, no frames needed, can be trimmed as required, cheap to replace, etc etc, ....

this, I agree with, which is why I still use it with my 5g despite the grid shadow. (which you won't see on a tank with T5s)

What you could do is put egg crate on top of your tank as the rigid frame, then place something else on top of the egg crate to stop jumpers in their path. Of course, that's more money in it and will probably block even more light.