Seachem Nets - Long Handled Net Edition

[nabokovfan87]

There has been some discussion of nets, preferences, and trying to find nets for a taller tank.   I was ordering some food online, grabbed a few new nets to try out and I wanted to share some details.  Ultimately, I haven't been able to find "good nets" locally and I tend to be perfectly fine with the "junk ones" that we are all familiar with.

I have a black one that is imagitarium branded with a long handle and has been my go-to net ever since I purchased it.

First, I want to mention that I paid under $3 for the smaller and under $4 for the larger size of these nets.  They are both longer handled versions, fine mesh.  As mentioned, I generally only will use the smaller of the two, but I do have one larger fish that would require the larger size.  I do not understand why these things aren't available easily or why seachem has such an issue with pricing and availability in general.  These are "new to the market" but released just under a year ago.



I do have high hopes.  I generally enjoy their products, but visually I do like this net design for my needs.  I do like that the handle is thin, I like the idea of a long handle, and I need a net with fine mesh for the sake of some more sensitive creatures I have to catch like the otos and fry.

Let's jump into it.....



This is a 29G aquarium and this is how long the handle is.  Very nice size and generally easy to use in terms of the shape.  I also was happy to see that as the net gets bigger, the handle is a larger diameter and the end piece is a little longer.  The hook loop is a good size and it will be easy to hang.  The weight of the net itself is actually really nice. 



The blue rod is likely a plastic coated (probably powder coated) steel rod with a plastic (I think it could be an elastomer) end.   I can try to bend it and see if it's similar to other nets where it can be bent, but I really don't wish to break it in the instance that it isn't meant to.

Here is the side by side of the old standard compared to the new nets. 



Length, overall design is very similar in size and shape.  The handle is slightly longer. but not enough to really say that variance could cause it to be better or worse.  The twisted nature of the older net's handle does give it some rigidity and this does mean that the all black net is very sturdy and doesn't bend unless you want it to.  This is good! It means when you're trying to catch a fish, the net is where you think it is and the end of the net does respond well to fine movements.

I literally just used this net to capture out a black corydoras fry.  No fuss, not hassle, I had the fish located and removed from the tank within 30 seconds.  The fry had no issues getting out of the net and overall it was very easy to get this fry and to use this net amongst any obstacles or siblings.   The fish is potentially blind (white eyes) and so that plays in my favor, but I just wanted to express that it wasn't a big deal to use this net first time.  It felt just fine, natural, easy to use.

This mesh is a bit more course on the classic net.  You can see that it isn't a square bottomed net, but it is pretty nice to get fish into and hold them into the glass.  Longer nets to have a bit of a hard time because of hitting the rim and causing parts of the net to lift up slightly as opposed to sitting flat on the glass.  That being said, I do notice that the older/classic net is a slightly deeper basket.  This is slightly annoying, but within tolerance of manufacturing and I'd expect some to be smaller and some to be larger baskets than the one I have.  I do wish that seachem had a bit more depth, sure.... Dealbreaker, not at all.


Here is the seachem net.



The mesh is fine, as intended.  It will scoop sand really easily.  I imagine the course one could strain through some sand.  My QT tank currently has the finest sand that Caribsea offers and it did not fall through the mesh.  Think of the purigen bags, thats how fine the mesh is.  Overall it's a soft material, which I do enjoy. I do want the net to be soft and to be a material where the mesh itself has a very difficult time catching on fish with rough skin or small barbs on their skin (otos, plecos, etc.).

I do like the interface of the rod with the frame, I don't think it will ever have any issues. As mentioned above, I do think this is a molded part and that means it's permanently connected and the black elastomer, if that is the material here, is very likely molded over the blue rod.

Now.... let's get into it.  Am I ready to ditch all of my old nets and move on to these?  Yeah, probably.  I am not one to just throw nets away, but I am pretty happy to get rid of nets I just won't ever use.  Ultimately, this means less contamination, I can always pull a fresh net, and it does mean I have a net I enjoy in my hand a lot more than the massive blue "basking shark" one I use on my panda tank.

If these nets were $10 per, I'd probably be happy with the purchase and thing it is worth the added price for quality.  There are some products from seachem that have been a miss for me, but this one... it's a keeper.

If you do happen to see these in the shop, and you do happen to need a net, I would recommend it. Beyond that, hopefully the look at these is helpful for someone who happens to be interested in hearing about them.

Sidenote: I don't recommend using a 5" net to catch a clown loach.  Had to giggle at the artwork choice there Seachem. 😂

[Odd Duck]

On 1/26/2023 at 12:49 AM, nabokovfan87 said:

Sidenote: I don't recommend using a 5" net to catch a clown loach.  Had to giggle at the artwork choice there Seachem. 😂

Maybe it’s a wee, wittle baby clown loach.  😆  

Thanks for this review.  I do often like a finer mesh net, for sure.  I have an older net that’s my go to.  It was super cheap, but it’s fine mesh, but starting to wear on the corners.  The handle is too thin, but I bend it to fit over my “shipping water dumping bucket” so I can grip it well.  I clip the net to the bucket on the net side with a bulldog clip and just lay the bent handle over the other side of the bucket (it’s bent to just the right length to span this bucket).  It’s a square, white, well-cleaned, unscented kitty litter bucket that’s been used only for fish since about 1998 or ‘99.  It’s going to crush me when it finally gives out at the corners.  I’ve somehow accumulated nearly enough nets to come close to having one per tank like we should do, but the rest just don’t work the same.  Sigh.

[Theplatymaster]

in my expereinces with these nets, they are so fine, sometimes they can hold water too. I just use mine for very little things, like fry and worms.

On 1/26/2023 at 1:49 AM, nabokovfan87 said:

I generally enjoy their products

except for the tidals, you have a whole thread about fixing those

[nabokovfan87]

I can confirm the handle doesn't bend and it's a ridiculously strong steel rod. I do think powdercoated is the finish on there, so overall nice stuff.

 

On 1/26/2023 at 3:26 PM, Theplatymaster said:

except for the tidals, you have a whole thread about fixing those

The tidals are frustrating.  Results and details on there will be summarized and finished.  I do like the product, but it does have some engineering issues.  WHY it has those is a pretty clear reason.  Yes, I do have a thread on them, but on the same side of the coin they are the only HoB I actually prefer right now because they work well, despite the issues.

On 1/26/2023 at 3:17 PM, Odd Duck said:

I’ve somehow accumulated nearly enough nets to come close to having one per tank like we should do, but the rest just don’t work the same.  Sigh.

Yeah, that is just how it is.  Hopefully you find what you need or how to get things to work for you.  I wonder if they have a mesh thing you can just replace it with something...

[Theplatymaster]

On 1/26/2023 at 6:53 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

but on the same side of the coin they are the only HoB I actually prefer right now because they work well, despite the issues.

i do like the submersible pump on them, so in a power outage, once the water drains, when the filter starts again its not running dry.  i dislike the surface skimmer, without a intake tube on the 35 though, and thats the model i have

[EVoyager31]

I also recently discovered the seachem nets.. rather than length and durability I was most focused on SIZE. I got the 12” version and I am super confident no small critter can run from me… at least for very long! 😜

[nabokovfan87]

Removed for clarity. Handles are not plastic rod material.

Edited May 29, 2023 by nabokovfan87

[nabokovfan87]

Follow up, considering I have had much more time with these nets now.

Mesh:  Works so well and the fine mesh is great quality.  Very soft on the fish and works well with delicate species.    It does collapse on itself very easy, so it's not the best for shrimp catching.  Everything else, it works just fine for.  I still wish it was slightly deeper, even box shaped would be nice.  There is room for improvement with the design / shape, but generally speaking I have enjoyed that aspect of the net.

Handle:  The injection molded piece on the end is perfect.  It's a high quality handle and the spacing for the hook to hang the nets is perfect.  I much prefer it over the cheap-o nets with the plastic + metal wire type of material because it's smaller and easier to hide.  Because the handle is one piece, you cannot simply put it into a bucket and cover it with a lid easily.  The ones I have are all long size, so they demand hooks for storage.  Having to dry them first, nuisance, but not an extraordinary one.  Honestly, someone takes this net design and replaces the plastic with steel rod, powder coated, it would be one of the nicer products in the industry.  The shape / function of the handle is great.  Just note it's plastic, so be aware.

Ease of use / overall design ergonomics:  Using this net to catch fish is nice because the net itself is slim and sleek.  It moves easily, feels soft, feels nice in the hand, and it just works.  For some, I can see an argument that the handle would be difficult to grasp with poor dexterity, but for me I haven't had any issues catching fish.  The net is comprised of the mesh wrapped around the tube area.  That fitment is small enough to get very small species into the net.  Heck, I caught baby shrimp in the net easily yesterday multiple time and I attribute that ease to the way that mesh and the tube interact.  It's easy to get against a surface and work with.

Keep in mind.... all of these nets were under $3-4 at time of purchase.  Probably worth a lot more than that, even adding an extra $1 or so in materials to up the quality for a "deluxe" model would be perfectly fine.  The color is good, the mesh is nice, the handle is great, and the price is fantastic. 

If you need a long handle / fine net.... I wouldn't overlook this one as an option.

I do plan to get the smallest size for use in a specimen container, but I think these will do nicely for the a long time in my tanks!

[nabokovfan87]

So a funny thing happened today.....

On 5/20/2023 at 12:30 AM, nabokovfan87 said:

Honestly, someone takes this net design and replaces the plastic with steel rod, powder coated, it would be one of the nicer products in the industry.  The shape / function of the handle is great.  Just note it's plastic, so be aware.

It's magnetic. So I was right way back when on my first use.  It is powder coated steel!!

I had to laugh when the magfloat stuck to it.

I apologize for all of the confusion and the back and forth. Can confirm, 10000000% sure, it's metal and steel rod.

Edited May 29, 2023 by nabokovfan87