FIsh Jumping out

[zackish]

Today I am receiving my corallife 65 watt light but all it is is the strip light and the mounting brackets, there is nothing to cover the water or anything. No hood or anything of that sort. I have gouramis and soon to have cardinal tetras. I know these aren't usually jumpers but should I really try and find something to cover the top of my aquarium just from other stuff falling in there as well? If so does anyone have any suggestions?

[Drumachine09]

Hmm, you could get a glass hood, cut a peice of plexiglass/acrylic to fit the top of the tank, or just risk it and go open top.

[coachfraley]

Here is a thread on one of your options. Basically, it is a window screen with clear mesh over the tank. The mesh is a lot of work, but you lose very little light. Another option is to use the "egg crate" that is available at Home Depot in the lighting department. This is very easy to use, but you lose more light.

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Good Luck!

[Incredulous_Ed]

You can get a glass cover at Petsmart for maybe 15$. That's probably your best option.

[Lady Hobbs]

Mounting brackets will not work with a covered tank. You need either a glass top to lay the light on or leave top off and use the brackets.

[Incredulous_Ed]

oh, sorry, my bad.

[zackish]

Mounting brackets will not work with a covered tank. You need either a glass top to lay the light on or leave top off and use the brackets.

well since I just have gouramis now maybe i will go with the mounting brackets

[coachfraley]

I think topless looks really nice. As long as you don't have cats, you should be fine. You will also have to top off a little more.

[A340]

Mounting brackets will not work with a covered tank. You need either a glass top to lay the light on or leave top off and use the brackets.
You can buy mounting brackets for the Coralife series that fit on glass covers, or you can buy a hanging kit as well.

[Nick_Pavlovski]

Why not use some netting?
The hardware shops up here in Australia sell netting to cover fruit trees, but you can fairly easily get finer netting if you look around.

I'm sure over there there would be shops where you could get finer netting. Then just drape it or fix it over the holes.

[zackish]

Can plexi-glass be easily cut?
Or could I just perhaps put the corallife right on top of my old hood on the glass part where the old strip light used to go over?

[coachfraley]

I would bet they include the mounting clips because that light would get hot resting right on top of glass. If there is no fan in the "hood", I would not rest it right on the glass. you could always check the heat and go from there.

[zackish]

I would bet they include the mounting clips because that light would get hot resting right on top of glass. If there is no fan in the "hood", I would not rest it right on the glass. you could always check the heat and go from there.

You are right and my father brought that up as well. The only thing is that there is a plastic piece that slides right into the fixture in front of the bulb to prevent splashing...with this there I imagine it gets pretty hot as well.
I purchased that mounting clips seperately as well.
However, the way the clips attach to the light they also look like table legs and could easily hold up the light off of the glass.

[coachfraley]

If it were me, I would just go topless. The only real down side is that it will limit your stocking choices. You will have to stay away from fish like clown loaches that are jumpers.

[A340]

Most of the Coralifes I have seen come with metal brackets that allow it to sit on a glass cover. If not, or if you don't want to go that route, for an extra few bucks you can get these ....

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They are from Coralife, fit most (if not all) their systems, and allow you to place any type of covering over the aquarium and the mounting legs rest on the edge of your aquarium.

Or, put on a nice glass top and buy the Coralife hanging kit ...

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[zackish]

I might try and just put the brackets on and put it over where my light sits now. I will see if it illuminates the whole tank and enough light gets through.
However, I need to get my Co2 workin first.