# Keeping fry out of built in overflow chamber - CHEAP



## Steve St.Laurent (Oct 2, 2008)

Posted a question in the tank setup forum about this and have since found a solution and figured this was a better place for this. I had trouble with fry getting into my in tank overflow and it was a major pain trying to catch them to release them back into the main tank or move them to a fry tank. My Mbuna seem to be VERY fertile so I plan on leaving many of the fry in the main tank and letting nature take it's course but I don't them dying and decaying in my overflow or in the biofilter part of my sump should they make it past the overflow.

I came up with a perfect solution today. Go to any craft store - I found it at Joann Fabrics and they have plastic canvas that's used for hook rugs. I bought #7 (7 holes per inch) and #10 - the #10 was perfect for what I was looking for. The water still flows through it great and it'll keep the fry out of the overflow. I just cut it to size and bent it over the top of the overflow then just set it on there. The flow of the water keeps it against the overflow - no need to silicone or attach it in any way. Here's pics of the #10 installed and the #7 that I made first. This stuff is also available in black (found it online) but they didn't have it at Joann's. I'm going to buy some black and replace it so that it blends in better. Cost was $0.69


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## KaiserSousay (Nov 2, 2008)

Simple and easy..my kind of fix :thumb: 
Good job.


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## R-DUB (Jun 3, 2007)

This stuff could also be used for several other applications too! Cool Idea. The craftyness of aquariumers is truly amazing.
:thumb:


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## TiAgMC (Mar 12, 2009)

Sorry to bring up a dead thread but to the original poster, where were you able to find this stuff online? I'm experiencing the same exact problem and want to give this a try.


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

TiAgMC said:


> Sorry to bring up a dead thread but to the original poster, where were you able to find this stuff online? I'm experiencing the same exact problem and want to give this a try.


The original poster said he got it at JoAnn Fabrics, not online. You can hardly drive down the street without passing fabric stores or a craft store where they have this stuff. It's been used by aquarists to spawn egg scatterers and lots of other DIY's for years.

Dark colors may look better but no idea if they were thinking of us fish keepers when they selected the dyes, so the clear or plain whitish stuff may be best.

Yes it's online too. One online seller as an example:

http://www.everythingplasticcanvas.com/ ... -c260.aspx


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## Steve St.Laurent (Oct 2, 2008)

Yep, Joann fabrics. Later I was able to find some in black that my father had bought someplace for his model train hobby. I haven't been able to find it anywhere online but it must exist somewhere - the place I had found it at didn't have it any more. One thing to watch for is that it will raise your water level somewhat.


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## Aura (Oct 29, 2005)

I get mine at WalMart in the craft/fabric section. You can usually find it in a couple of different sizes and colors as well.


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## justinf67 (Jul 19, 2009)

I use the black as a divider. I found it at Michaels


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

I checked the online place I URL'ed above and they currently have the black in stock. My wife does a lot of crafts and gets a discount at the Cataan's craft store near us, so if I needed it myself, that's where I would go. If for some reason you still can't get it, plastic combs or hair curlers will work too.


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## canajunay (Dec 31, 2009)

i've experimented with that stuff but unfortunately the plastic slowed down the flow rate too much


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

canajunay said:


> i've experimented with that stuff but unfortunately the plastic slowed down the flow rate too much


 You can box it out away from the original teeth if it changes the water flow too much.


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## BenHugs (Jan 13, 2007)

That's a great idea. I went the other way and designed my sump to hold the fry that got sucked down the overflow.


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## Renthorin (Mar 17, 2009)

How do you box it out from the overflow teeth? I am interested in trying this to keep floating pellets out of the overflow.

Will


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## krfhsf (Dec 25, 2008)

Renthorin said:


> How do you box it out from the overflow teeth? I am interested in trying this to keep floating pellets out of the overflow.
> 
> Will


Put your food in a plastic cup and fill with tank water then dump. 95% of pellets will not float (unless they are floating pellets) and your fish will slowley learn to eat from the middle to bottom of the water column. If they are floating there is nothing you can do. You do not want to clog up the plastic canvas and over flow your tank.


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## FishyOne (Jan 21, 2010)

Great idea! I think I will hunt some down and use it to repair my overflow box with a couple of broken teeth.


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

Renthorin said:


> How do you box it out from the overflow teeth? I am interested in trying this to keep floating pellets out of the overflow.
> 
> Will


You bring the cloth out horizontally from a convenient point lower than the overflow teeth, then attach your vertical part on the outer edge of that wall. if some floating debris clogs your new grate, the horizontal section will be a bypass so the tank does not overflow, or at least, not overflow as much! :dancing:


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