# DIY Lid: Need Chicken Wire!



## Kweli (Jun 2, 2010)

Does anyone know where I can find chicken wire for a Do It Yourself fish tank lid?

Im trying to do this mod:
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=212941

*BUT* home hardware only sells the chicken wire in massive bundles at $26.... I only need like 23"x23"

Anyone know where I can find something like this?


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

That isn't chicken wire, but you should be able to find something at HD or any of the home improvement store.


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## Kweli (Jun 2, 2010)

What should I be asking for?
I saw it in the 'chicken wire' area... they had the plastic ones there along with the metal ones


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## Zebrapl3co (Mar 29, 2006)

You can find similar items at the screen door section of HD, Rona or Lowes.

Alternately, you can also use egg crate as well.

http://rona.ca/shop/~panel-egg-crate-diffuser-panel-liteline-366493_!eggcrate_shop

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## bcarlos (Nov 19, 2009)

Yepp egg crate works just fine. You can buy sheets at Rona for a couple bucks.


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## BettaBeats (Jan 14, 2010)

plastic mesh screen, mesh garden screen.. they sell big rolls of it at canadian tire but it's about 8 bucks.


its usually used to fence of vegetable gardens and cover ponds from leaves and predators.


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## wildexpressions (May 3, 2010)

I have to say that completely eliminates the nice clean appearance of a rimless aquarium IMO. As the others pointed out that is not chicken wire and although I have no experience with galvanized metal and salt water I suspect the result would not be good so I wouldn't consider chicken wire as an alternative.

I know that in my store, at the advice of a wholesaler who runs 1000's of gallons of rimless saltwater tanks, I seemingly solved the issue of fish jumping out of the tank at night by leaving a light on in the shop. It has been a few months so far and not a single escapee ....so far anyway {O_O}


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## Big Ray (Dec 8, 2009)

dont use metals, it will rust, and it will get metals in your tank. 

I used Egg crates when I had an eel, he scaped in between the holes :S and found it on my bed the day after, 

moon lights didnt work for me, but they do for many ppl.


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## TBemba (Jan 11, 2010)

You can make some cool stuff out of Chicken wire


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## characinfan (Dec 24, 2008)

More lights will reduce jumping but not eliminate it. It might even be more expensive in the long run than some kind of lid, given energy prices. Plus, it can disrupt your fish's and plants' circadian rhythms.


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## Kweli (Jun 2, 2010)

My goby jumped yesterday with lights on... so that squashed that idea


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## kevincao (Feb 22, 2010)

hi, i just did this today, and saw your post, you know egg crate is $10.83 at home depot, and saves much much more time comparing to the link you provided, here is the picture of the finished product on my feeder tank so the crayfish don't craw out anymore. it actually made the tank look a bit more pretty.


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## kev416 (Aug 22, 2010)

You can buy black egg crate light diffusers. But since you have done it... You can grab some Krylon black plastic spray paint if you think white's a little hard on the eyes.


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## Kweli (Jun 2, 2010)

I didnt go with egg-crate because im using metal halide lighting, worried the light will be cut off in certain areas of the tank.


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## kev416 (Aug 22, 2010)

Kweli said:


> I didnt go with egg-crate because im using metal halide lighting, worried the light will be cut off in certain areas of the tank.


I've made many screened tops for cricket cages. The same applies to your project. Spray the top generously with Krylon plastic spray paint. Rabbit wire will rust. And it looks much better in black anyways.

Oh BTW, I am assuming you won't find black screen frames. I don't know if they are available in the home improvement stores... maybe they are but you usually see white or sometimes brown. If you know of any old Lansing stores that were changed to Rona sometimes you will find small amounts of rabbit wire there. If not you can probably find it at a feed store like Queensville or any other Farmer's Co-op.


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## kev416 (Aug 22, 2010)

Hang on, hang on... that's NOT rabbit wire. That's pigeon netting for apartment balconies or some type of fishing netting. Never bought it before so I can't help you source it. Looks like monofilament.

I saw the razor blade trimming the netting and had to do a double check. Sorry...

That's good 'cause you'd never be able to stretch rabbit wire into the channel of the screen frame now that I think about it.


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## Kweli (Jun 2, 2010)

Just to clarify.. im was not looking for "METAL" mesh.... I wasnt sure what it was called, i said plastic multiple times..

Here is an example of the exact product (which i have now ordered)

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/clear-1-4-screen-netting-7-x-3.html


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## kev416 (Aug 22, 2010)

Helps not to say chicken wire though... and to be honest I didn't see you say plastic in previous posts. Anyways, I found it. It's a thin poly netting used to hold insulation in place before drywall is put in place. A 4' roll 250' long goes for about $65 in the US.


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