2 Tanks Together 1300 Gallons,diy Foto Journal
- Thread starter youdoom
- Start date
Wow!
I definitely need to do something like this once I've gone through uni, got a job and can afford my own place, however long away that will be
I definitely need to do something like this once I've gone through uni, got a job and can afford my own place, however long away that will be
I recieved several emails in which people asked how I made the rock wall.
Making this kind of back walls and decorations is very simple, and it is also not to creativity or something, it goes much more to the process and the system to work.
I will list how I did it, and include a list of materials and tools.
On some pictures from the previous report I have some overhangs created by the existing back, this is only done on a few points, normally I dont do it like this, first,it's a lot harder to do, and also more expensive.
Even with the modifications of the 360cm aquarium I'm talking about large part of the walls, and the
overhangs made as described below.
Initially I cut a plate to the desired length and width (this is the maximum size of therear) ........ it should fit later.
The base plate is also just styrofoam, then I cut another plate in the size of the firstplate, then I sign it off in a pattern which I later want.
The next step is to cut out the marked parts, if you've cut out everything you can cut in the relatively
small pieces a design application and / or they are thicker so that they protrude more later, for
thicken a separate part, you can cut out the first part covers a different styrofoam plate.
The individual pieces you dont make smaller than the dimensions that you received after cutting, you
go only straight edges a little crooked crop
The cropping pattern is very easy ............ you can potentially never do much wrong ............... it does
not have to be fluent, this will come later.
For cutting out the pattern in the individual parts I use ... and this is important for those
degradable hobby knives, this can extend all the way so that you get a knife from 8 to 10 cm.
I am using a hobby knife in the ordinary size and one that is much narrower.
Then grab a hobby burner or something else with an open flame, than you go verrry gently over the Styrofoam pieces you have cut.
There were irregular is in structure or not very smooth transitions than they will
disappear when you just go with the burner over it (you really need to keep the burner on a
reasonable distance from the workpiece otherwise it can be too fast or it will get on fire)
The operation with the burner you do to the surface (side view) but also on the sides, this is an
important act to do, at the moment you work on the sides of the workpiece with the burner
you will see that the material pulls back / shrinks.
Eventually you keep a slightly lower part than you initially have cut (the circumference of the
work piece)
If you do all this and you have all the pieces trimmed and a structure created paste
all pieces to the base plate, this happens with regular aquarium silicone, the pieces will easily
back to the original place match, for they are all significantly decreased.
If the sealant between the base plate and the individual parts is sufficiently cured, you bring tile adhesive on.
The first layer should be quite thick to apply the tile adhesive should be at least as thick that you still can use a
brush, by then subsequent layers, the tile adhesive slightly thinner.
I always do tile adhesive 3 layers, more layers is not necessary and it will not make it stronger.
When i do the last layer of tile adhesive I add pigment, so the final color, I add the pigment to the adhesive
itself.
I think this has advantages compared to the later paints and pigments or add to the epoxy, if you add
pigment to the tile adhesive the result will not completely smooth opaque color, this is
because the tile adhesive is not uniformly thick and the pieces where the glue was more liquid
will have a slightly different color effect.
Finally bring the epoxy in 1 or 2 layers, more layers is unnecessary .... it will not make it stronger.
After everything is dry you can see the whole of the aquarium wall slabs, in some cases it may be easier to do this before you make the epoxy layer, in itself it is easier if you make the epoxy
when the workpiece is flat, this especially if there are came in some cracks which are hard to reach.
My youtube channel https
/www.youtube.com/channel/UCEIxtjPlpdRSVEhG5cgxvqg?view_as=public[/color]
Making this kind of back walls and decorations is very simple, and it is also not to creativity or something, it goes much more to the process and the system to work.
I will list how I did it, and include a list of materials and tools.
On some pictures from the previous report I have some overhangs created by the existing back, this is only done on a few points, normally I dont do it like this, first,it's a lot harder to do, and also more expensive.
Even with the modifications of the 360cm aquarium I'm talking about large part of the walls, and the
overhangs made as described below.
Initially I cut a plate to the desired length and width (this is the maximum size of therear) ........ it should fit later.
The base plate is also just styrofoam, then I cut another plate in the size of the firstplate, then I sign it off in a pattern which I later want.
The next step is to cut out the marked parts, if you've cut out everything you can cut in the relatively
small pieces a design application and / or they are thicker so that they protrude more later, for
thicken a separate part, you can cut out the first part covers a different styrofoam plate.
The individual pieces you dont make smaller than the dimensions that you received after cutting, you
go only straight edges a little crooked crop
The cropping pattern is very easy ............ you can potentially never do much wrong ............... it does
not have to be fluent, this will come later.
For cutting out the pattern in the individual parts I use ... and this is important for those
degradable hobby knives, this can extend all the way so that you get a knife from 8 to 10 cm.
I am using a hobby knife in the ordinary size and one that is much narrower.
Then grab a hobby burner or something else with an open flame, than you go verrry gently over the Styrofoam pieces you have cut.
There were irregular is in structure or not very smooth transitions than they will
disappear when you just go with the burner over it (you really need to keep the burner on a
reasonable distance from the workpiece otherwise it can be too fast or it will get on fire)
The operation with the burner you do to the surface (side view) but also on the sides, this is an
important act to do, at the moment you work on the sides of the workpiece with the burner
you will see that the material pulls back / shrinks.
Eventually you keep a slightly lower part than you initially have cut (the circumference of the
work piece)
If you do all this and you have all the pieces trimmed and a structure created paste
all pieces to the base plate, this happens with regular aquarium silicone, the pieces will easily
back to the original place match, for they are all significantly decreased.
If the sealant between the base plate and the individual parts is sufficiently cured, you bring tile adhesive on.
The first layer should be quite thick to apply the tile adhesive should be at least as thick that you still can use a
brush, by then subsequent layers, the tile adhesive slightly thinner.
I always do tile adhesive 3 layers, more layers is not necessary and it will not make it stronger.
When i do the last layer of tile adhesive I add pigment, so the final color, I add the pigment to the adhesive
itself.
I think this has advantages compared to the later paints and pigments or add to the epoxy, if you add
pigment to the tile adhesive the result will not completely smooth opaque color, this is
because the tile adhesive is not uniformly thick and the pieces where the glue was more liquid
will have a slightly different color effect.
Finally bring the epoxy in 1 or 2 layers, more layers is unnecessary .... it will not make it stronger.
After everything is dry you can see the whole of the aquarium wall slabs, in some cases it may be easier to do this before you make the epoxy layer, in itself it is easier if you make the epoxy
when the workpiece is flat, this especially if there are came in some cracks which are hard to reach.
My youtube channel https
/www.youtube.com/channel/UCEIxtjPlpdRSVEhG5cgxvqg?view_as=public[/color]
Oooh, that will be quite useful for a number of people
I need a new background but I don't even want to paint the back of my tank black because I'd make too much mess, this would a definite no-go!
As I said before though, maybe in the future
I need a new background but I don't even want to paint the back of my tank black because I'd make too much mess, this would a definite no-go!
As I said before though, maybe in the future
This whole thread is fantastic, the tanks look amazing!
Would love to see a video of the moonlights if it comes out ok on video.
My husband is good at DIY, we have a garage made of straw bales with lime and hemp render- if only he had an interest in aquatics I could have something like this.
Can we hire you?
Room looks amazing.
Would love to see a video of the moonlights if it comes out ok on video.
My husband is good at DIY, we have a garage made of straw bales with lime and hemp render- if only he had an interest in aquatics I could have something like this.
Can we hire you?
Room looks amazing.
Summary construction aquarium 2 part 1
I started building my 360 cm (141 inch) aquarium. This aquarium i make, just like my previous project, from multiplex and liquid pond liner. I liked working with these products with my 2200 liter Malawi aquarium. I want to link both aquariums to each other through the filtering. I got reasonable extra capacity with my Malawi aquarium, but do want to make a new filter part with that. Also for the heating i would like to link the aquariums to eachother. And also my current heating system has extra capacity.
Besides all this i want to make a solarcollector for the whole system.
I started building the substructure of the aquarium, i think it is easy to make and doesn't cost too much.
I have build aquarium stands before, but when i was working this afternoon on the one i'm making now, i got the feeling that i made it wrong the other times or to difficult. Used too much wood than while it wasn't nesecary.
I plan to finish the whole with laminate. And i think i will also do that with the already existing aquarium, because i want both aquariums to have the same look.
The existing aquarium i painted, looks ok, but i don't want to paint for weeks anymore, lol. I don't know yet what i will use to create a background.
Today i bought the wood for the aquarium and some underlayment for the construction. I connected the parts together and glued some
parts, including the underlayment. I still have to do some work at the construction, but i'm satisfied with the progress.
Getting stuff always takes a lot of time, so i hope the next few days i can work and take it easy.
I do have to buy some material to finish it, but i saw at a retail shop some laminate that i liked and can use for that and this week its for
sale too!
The costs so far are:
110 euro (145 USD) for the bars + screws
240 euro (316 USD) for all the wood of the aquarium + plate material for the substructure, glue and screws
I bought everything at a retail shop where i also could use some coupons for 20% off.
I started building my 360 cm (141 inch) aquarium. This aquarium i make, just like my previous project, from multiplex and liquid pond liner. I liked working with these products with my 2200 liter Malawi aquarium. I want to link both aquariums to each other through the filtering. I got reasonable extra capacity with my Malawi aquarium, but do want to make a new filter part with that. Also for the heating i would like to link the aquariums to eachother. And also my current heating system has extra capacity.
Besides all this i want to make a solarcollector for the whole system.
I started building the substructure of the aquarium, i think it is easy to make and doesn't cost too much.
I have build aquarium stands before, but when i was working this afternoon on the one i'm making now, i got the feeling that i made it wrong the other times or to difficult. Used too much wood than while it wasn't nesecary.
I plan to finish the whole with laminate. And i think i will also do that with the already existing aquarium, because i want both aquariums to have the same look.
The existing aquarium i painted, looks ok, but i don't want to paint for weeks anymore, lol. I don't know yet what i will use to create a background.
Today i bought the wood for the aquarium and some underlayment for the construction. I connected the parts together and glued some
parts, including the underlayment. I still have to do some work at the construction, but i'm satisfied with the progress.
Getting stuff always takes a lot of time, so i hope the next few days i can work and take it easy.
I do have to buy some material to finish it, but i saw at a retail shop some laminate that i liked and can use for that and this week its for
sale too!
The costs so far are:
110 euro (145 USD) for the bars + screws
240 euro (316 USD) for all the wood of the aquarium + plate material for the substructure, glue and screws
I bought everything at a retail shop where i also could use some coupons for 20% off.
Impressive!
You're certainly handy, I'd make a right mess of it all
I've just been looking back to try and find how you managed to end up having a glass front on your first tank with the pond liner but most of the images don't work. Was it just a long task of gluing it or do I actually not have a clue about DIY? In fact don't answer that, I don't have a clue about DIY!
I just can't get my head around it
You're certainly handy, I'd make a right mess of it all
I've just been looking back to try and find how you managed to end up having a glass front on your first tank with the pond liner but most of the images don't work. Was it just a long task of gluing it or do I actually not have a clue about DIY? In fact don't answer that, I don't have a clue about DIY!
I just can't get my head around it
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