How to understand Nitex Mesh

Nitex mesh can be quite confusing. The goal of this article is to define the main concepts of Nitex and how to use them to choose the proper mesh size. 

The main characteristic that most people will choose will be the mesh size in microns. This size will determine the maximum size of organisms that can go through the net. So, if you choose a Nitex mesh of 100um, anything bigger than 100 microns will be caught in the net and anything smaller than 100um will go through. Simple enough, isn't it?

Now, there is a secondary characteristic to take note of when choosing your mesh size and this is the percentage of opening. This specification defines what ratio of the mesh is actually open and is based on 100%. So a mesh that has a 55% opening means that 55% of the fabric is open mesh with the same mesh size. Thus indicating that 45% of the fabric is actual fabric.

This information is quite important when measuring the amount of water that can go through the material during your tow. For example, if you plan on making a fast tow, then you might want to choose a high % of opening to allow more water to go through the net at any given time. 

Now, not all mesh sizes have different options, but it is important to be aware of this measurement when choosing the proper mesh for your plankton net.