Building another new tank....

[SRC]

I dunno if you guys go in the DIY section (I have a thread on this there as well) but I thought I'd update this thread a bit.


I got the background painted, and the caves painted and sanded (although my batteries died before I got pics of the final sanding coats..I'll post those later).

This is what the back of the background looks like...

The holes are so the water can flow in and out to the filter that is in the back section.

Here's what it looks like painted..still gotta sand it..the epoxy is drying right now so I can start that once I get home today...

Here are some of the caves I've got made...some are just painted and some have been sanded for the first time. I've got them resanded and drying right now...so unless I don't like the shading they should be ready to go as far as that aspect is concerned...they'll still have to cure for 2 weeks before I can use them.

It's amazing how the sanding changes the styrofoam. It doesn't even feel like foam anymore...it's very hard, heavy, and stiff...no flex at all...it almost feels like real rock. I'm very curious at how it will affect the "flotation" of it. I'm sure I'll still have to attatch it to the floor of the tank..so it won't float at all..since styrofoam is so boyant..but we'll see.

 

[Naughtygirlrlw]

Once again...You are so FREAKING talented girl!!!
I am anxious to see what the final tank will look like.

 

[JackDemp528]

Beautiful work, you deffinately are talented!

 

[Allix]

I never post on here, but for the past week or so i have been on here every day checking this thread ... so get more pics up! Im dying to see your progress!!

 

[Elise]

I wish I was even a tiny bit mechanically inclined so I could do something similar, but alas, I even burn myself on the low-watt kiddie glue-gun we have

Wow, SRC, that is awesome talent!!! Great job!!! I can't wait to see more!

 

[Allix]

 

[SRC]

lol

I've had to stop the project for a little bit.

I'm still waiting on my plexiglass to be cut and sent to me, plus my son's B'day is coming up...so I had to get the kitchen cleaned up (there is green dust EVERYWHERE lmao). My mom was flipping out because it looked so horrendous (actaully it did..and I hadn't noticed..it was a big ole mess ) so I figured I better nix it for now and pick it back up after our company leaves next Sunday lol.

I did decide to carve some new rocks last nite (had to do that on the front porch though lol..good thing I have a good floor fan lmao or I would have raosted out there )..for tank "decoration only" and I need to paint and sand them now. I can't sand the background until I get the plexigalss and make sure everything fits in there snug tite..I dont' want any fish getting stuck in a gap and drowning (I thought about that one night as I was putting some epoxy on the right side of the background...so I stopped.

Now if I can find some of that natural colored gravel (like Kelly has in her Krib tank) and get my plexiglass in...I'll be set and ready to pick it back up again lol.

Once I get the new rocks painted I'll snap some pics of them and post. I will probably paint them sometime this week. I have so many projects going on right now. I have my tank project, a birthday party (I'm having to make a Dale Jr. #8 car Pinata since we were unable to locate one lol, I am having to get the pool back in shape since it's rained so much..it's green again *eww*, plus get the deck finished and the lawn furniture cleaned up **gah**), and then my aunt begged me into painting a piece of furniture for her (she wants a garden scene painted on it...and might I mention..it was bare wood..so I've had to prime it as well..gah)...then I work 40-60 hours a week, and clean fishtanks and feed dogs and cats and walk dogs and play video games with a 8 yr old who feels like I've been ignoring him lately lol *wonder why *, and Cub Scouts just started back up last nite... ...I need another me to help me .

 

[Andie]

By 'natural' coloured, do you mean a sort of dusty brown? Or do you mean grey? I'm asking because when I went shopping for substrate yesterday I found some of the most gorgeous fine-grain gravels, a few different tones, all nicely understated. I got the white one because I had a sort of pattern in mind already, but they also had some browny-beige multi-tonal gravel that really would have looked better with my girls anyway, since they're coppers themselves )

If that's the sort of colour you mean I can check the brand name on the bag at home, and pp you could order some in locally.

 

[SRC]

Hopefully Kelly won't mind me nabbin her picture to show you the type I saw that I thought would look good in this new tank...

But what you mentioned sounds neat too..if you can post a pic I'd appreciate it..and the brand name. I want this tank to look alot "prettier" then the one I built first.

Then I'm gonna work on "prettying" up the boy tank as well lol...it's kinda....not so "grand" looking as it is right now..just a tank with a few silk plants in it . Not that I think "they" care though...I just want it to look nicer.

I'm going to invest in one of those self start vaccums too..there is a bathroom directly across from my office..so I can hook it up in there .

 

[Angel Lady]

You are one gifted person.Have you ever thought of going in business. I know stuff like that would sell like hotcakes here. I love them very good work.

 

[Andie]

Jennie,

imagine those same colours shrunk to a grain so fine it's just a step up from sand, and you'll know what I'm talking about. The substrate is sold under the brand name GeoSystem, which I believe is a subsidiary of Hagen (at least, the bag has the Hagen website listed on the back). I did check the site but they don't list their substrates there; still, Hagen shouldn't be impossible for any lfs to order in

 

[SRC]

I thought about making some..but #1 it takes some time to carve it out, paint it, epoxy it, let it dry, then epoxy it again and sand it (sometimes 2-3 times to get it looking "right" and natural, then you have to let it "cure" for 2 weeks before you can put it in your tank. I'm not sure how many people would want to order and pay for something they wouldn't get for atleast a month later.

Personally I didn't find it hard or that expensive, just time consuming and tedious (although, I am a tad artisticly inclined..so others might not think it as easy..you know).

**Angel Lady**
After I get this project complete and I am certain that it is water and fish safe (this has yet to be determined..as I've never made one before lol) I would certainly be willing to make some for the people here if they wanted..but that'll have to wait until I am certain it will #1. hold up and #2. that it isn't dangerous for the fish. I hate to say this...but I am going to eventually have to buy a "test" fish to try this on ...and I'm not real excited about it. I've done extensive research on all the other backgrounds made like this that say it is safe as can be..but until I am sure...I won't be sure lol.



**Andie**
I will go to one of the higher end fish stores and see if they have anything like that..most of the ones around here only have that bright, not-so-natural gravel lol...and after doing so much work on the background..I don't want hot pink and purple gravel..you know lol.

I did find a few I liked at this one online place, it's very similar to Kelly's...they have some that is larger and some that is smaller. I think for this tank the smaller grain will work better..since it's going to be divided up.

check it out.

Smaller grain gravel

http/www.aquariumguys.com/creekgravel.html
This one states the gravel ranges in size from 3-4mm

Larger grain (more like kelly's)

http/www.aquariumguys.com/nutmeggravel.html
This one states the gravel ranges in size from 1-10mm


I'm torn...what do you think?

 

[Andie]

I think they're both lovely; they'd probably be easier to keep clean than a finer grain, too (that's the one reason I'm not looking forward to cleaning my own tank! It's barely more than sand) and it would show off your fish that much better.

ETA: actually until yesterday I hadn't ever seen anything besides those bright purple/turquoise colours for gravel myself, and I was so thrilled to find that even WalMart carries a beautiful, fairly small polished gravel that comes in both white and dusky blue options. So many colours, so little space for tanks )

 

[SRC]

I have that white (or maybe it's more a oatmeal color..I dunno) that walmart has in my community tank, and the back section of my boy tank (for bacteria growth) and I'll have to say I HATE it.

It is forever letting little particles of it float up to the surface. It's been in both tanks for over 6 months and still does it. Drives me CRAZY lol.


I think I am gonna go witht he smaller grain I posted...@ $4 a 5lb. bag..that's not too bad..of course I dunno what shipping is gonna do to me ..since I'll need 4 bags .

 

[Andie]

Gah, I'm glad I didn't get it, then. I mean, I've seen white gravel before, but it's always been white; this was sort of a muted off white, which made it look more like stone, and it was polished beautifully, so I just fell in love. I'm so glad I didn't make that mistake, then!