journal Jump-proofing a shrimp tank - tips please

[Finley]

What clever ways have you come up with for jump-proofing a shrimp tank, to protect from losses of jumpy species like Darwin Red-nose Shrimp?

The tricky part is that I want a glass-free method for the Summer time, because my cooling system relies on evaporation using fans across the water surface.  It also needs to look neat, and not cost an arm and a leg.  

Easy, right?!

This is what my tank rim looks like. Usually the water level is a little higher.

[ineke]

I find the shrimp will actually use the airlines and heater cables to climb out. The easiest way to stop that is to make a collar on the lines. You can use a piece of plastic, or tape the lines so the shrimp can't climb but the easiest thing to use is a bread bag tag. They fit neatly onto the airline and heater cable, they aren't too big and unsightly but you do notice them. Also keep your water a bit lower as the shrimp can climb up the glass using the algae . I often see shrimp grazing above the water line.

i do have glass lids so I leave the back one on all year round - the fans can still cool the water - I tape the gaps all around the back glass and rarely lose shrimp that way now. My Tibees used to always go walkabout!

[neo-2FX]

I just went through this problem too with DAS who discovered suicide. I went to Bunnings and got some acrylic/Perspex sheet and cut it to size. I think it was roughly $50 which I thought was expensive but was desperate at the time because I was losing shrimp every night. I also noticed it was at night that they were jumping. I'm not sure how I'm going to go about having fans on it as well, maybe I'll just slide the acrylic forward a bit to leave a bigger gap which I'm hoping will be enough for fan air to go through but could be problem which I'm thinking through now for best approach.

Here's some photos of what it looks like.



And one of my other tanks which needed some customisation because of the light and hoses.

It's not the greatest but has worked for me. I haven't noticed anymore jumpers.

Edited August 29, 2016 by neo-2FX

[buck]

if your going to be relying on evaporation cooling you will need to go with something like fly screen over it. but as Ineke said watch the hoses and any thing else they can get a grip of, if they can climb it they will.

[Finley]

I've seen some great terrarium screen covers, but they cost $$$ and are a finer mesh than I want.  

I suppose I should get creative with some fly screen.  Any ideas for a simple frame construction, to make the thing rigid?

I will also deploy a bread tag :)

Edited August 29, 2016 by Finley

[jayc]

Maybe you can come up with a new design for open top tanks that use a fan cooler.

Rather can covering the top surface, build your perspex to sit on the rim in a vertical manner, much like the fencing around a tennis court. So you increase the height of the tank rather than covering it. Leave a cutout the shape and size of the fan cooler.  And cutouts for any tubes or airhoses. 

 

Edited August 30, 2016 by jayc

[jc12]

2 hours ago, Finley said:

I suppose I should get creative with some fly screen.  Any ideas for a simple frame construction, to make the thing rigid?

Google DIY tank dividers using mesh and poster hangers from Kmart. The same principle should give you a rigid frame. Or you can use an egg crate cut to size and cable tie/glue the mesh to it.

[zn30]

1 hour ago, jc12 said:

Google DIY tank dividers using mesh and poster hangers from Kmart. The same principle should give you a rigid frame. Or you can use an egg crate cut to size and cable tie/glue the mesh to it.

Spotlight has plastic mesh that I use for dividers with the Kmart poster hangers. To make a larger divider I cable tie two or three sheets of plastic mesh together edge to edge. Easy to cut to size with scissors.

https://www.spotlightstores.com/sewing/knitting-crochet/knitting-crochet-accessories/plastic-mesh-7-count-canvas-sheet/p/BP80128863?gclid=CIiQ8OuJ6M4CFQNxvAod0ugFUA

14 hours ago, neo-2FX said:

I just went through this problem too with DAS who discovered suicide. I went to Bunnings and got some acrylic/Perspex sheet and cut it to size.

Great idea @neo-2FX easy to cut as well I use sharp tin snips on solid polycarbonate sheet. Normal Perspex needs to be cut with a saw however need to take care that it doesn't vibrate and break. One problem with the thinner standard/normal Perspex is it will bow after a while due to heat even bows without heat depending on thickness. 

[ineke]

When I was using fans I just left the tank open -or sometimes just the front lid off and rested the fans on the light so they were angled to the water- they don't need to be straight on the water- it worked well and kept my big tank very stable for several years before getting a chiller. 

[neo-2FX]

Great idea @neo-2FX easy to cut as well I use sharp tin snips on solid polycarbonate sheet. Normal Perspex needs to be cut with a saw however need to take care that it doesn't vibrate and break. One problem with the thinner standard/normal Perspex is it will bow after a while due to heat even bows without heat depending on thickness. 

I did use a saw, special type of saw, can't remember the name now. Was recommended by my father who used to cut it all the time. I did have a few small cracks which I didn't really care about. And yes you're correct. It does bow which I thought was annoying initially but actually worked out well because it allows a little air movement [emoji3] ...for summer I'm thinking to cut a square in the corner for a fan and cover it with some kind of Mesh and that should hopefully be enough along with the bow to push air around.

I did think of using Mesh on top but was worried it would cut out too much light.