Lawnmower
New Member
Having joined this site only yesterday, I posted a brief introduction in the "Newbie" forum, and a resume of my start in fishkeeping. So now I'll continue the short story...
The 90-litre tank in which I did my first rockscape creation in 2009 (see photo on the newbie thread) was successful for a few years, but, being a second-hand tank and filter when I got it, it soon started showing its age, so it was time to move on. The tank had been set on a heavy-duty tv stand which matched my hi-fi component stand, and I wanted to keep the stand. Therefore, after browsing the web for ideas, suggestions and advice, I decided that it would be a good project for me to design and build my own tank from scratch. That way I could make it exactly the right size to fit on the stand.
As is my way, I mulled it over for some time, working out solutions to possible problems with construction, filter, lighting, etc, etc, before finally starting work in 2014.
The result was an all-glass creation, including the lid, a couple of inches bigger each way than the standard 30-inch 90-litre tank it replaced. Again, I made a rockscape for the rear wall, but in this one the wall was made with randomly-shaped small pieces of polystyrene built up in layers to hide the filter inlet and outlet pipes and forming an arch shape across the rear face of the tank, and coated with cement.
Pictures show the tank shortly after set up, before fish were added. As an alternative to regular brown gravel, in order to match the grey cement I floored the tank with small grey slate chippings left over from a garden project. The filter was still an external canister (Fluval 205, later replaced with a 206 when a fault developed in the 205) which sat on the shelf below the tank. Lighting was a single led strip light, which therefore only shines down into the tank, whereas a traditional fluorescent tube would shine out aswell, not good in a tank with a glass lid!
I was very satisfied and proud of my work, and it's the tank which currently still sits in my living room. However, over the past year I have become a little fed up with a couple of unforeseen design flaws and other problems, and also just a desire to have another project to work on, so for the past couple of months I have been building a replacement tank!
I'll give more details on the problems and the new tank in my next post. Meanwhile, again, thanks for reading
Colin
"Me? I'm just a lawnmower. You can tell me by the way I walk."
The 90-litre tank in which I did my first rockscape creation in 2009 (see photo on the newbie thread) was successful for a few years, but, being a second-hand tank and filter when I got it, it soon started showing its age, so it was time to move on. The tank had been set on a heavy-duty tv stand which matched my hi-fi component stand, and I wanted to keep the stand. Therefore, after browsing the web for ideas, suggestions and advice, I decided that it would be a good project for me to design and build my own tank from scratch. That way I could make it exactly the right size to fit on the stand.
As is my way, I mulled it over for some time, working out solutions to possible problems with construction, filter, lighting, etc, etc, before finally starting work in 2014.
The result was an all-glass creation, including the lid, a couple of inches bigger each way than the standard 30-inch 90-litre tank it replaced. Again, I made a rockscape for the rear wall, but in this one the wall was made with randomly-shaped small pieces of polystyrene built up in layers to hide the filter inlet and outlet pipes and forming an arch shape across the rear face of the tank, and coated with cement.
Pictures show the tank shortly after set up, before fish were added. As an alternative to regular brown gravel, in order to match the grey cement I floored the tank with small grey slate chippings left over from a garden project. The filter was still an external canister (Fluval 205, later replaced with a 206 when a fault developed in the 205) which sat on the shelf below the tank. Lighting was a single led strip light, which therefore only shines down into the tank, whereas a traditional fluorescent tube would shine out aswell, not good in a tank with a glass lid!
I was very satisfied and proud of my work, and it's the tank which currently still sits in my living room. However, over the past year I have become a little fed up with a couple of unforeseen design flaws and other problems, and also just a desire to have another project to work on, so for the past couple of months I have been building a replacement tank!
I'll give more details on the problems and the new tank in my next post. Meanwhile, again, thanks for reading
Colin
"Me? I'm just a lawnmower. You can tell me by the way I walk."
