New Cabinet And Fake Rock Background

[TheConstantGrower]

That looks FANTASTIC, im already planning my own now

 

[noop]

i added an old HOB filter to increase the circulation in the tank

i tested the water today, about 24 hours after putting it in, and the pH was off the chart at 8.8+

i drained the water (takes quite a bit longer than filling it) and refilled. i tested the water immediately and was surprised to see it was already off the chart. clearly the alkaliness (?) leaches out pretty quick, so i think at the weekend i might take the tank outside, put it on its side and get the hose on it. should speed things up a bit. i hope

 

[SJ2K]

How about you just fill it and leave it, doing a partial water change once a day after a while it should settle then you can do your 100% water change and get going with the cycle.

 

[chesterscot]

stuning cabinet cants wait to see how it turns out

 

[kj23502]

Wow!! You do a hell of a job I'd buy one from you

I'm considering building a new stand for my 60" tank. You're an inspiration for sure

 

[pastabake]

The cabinets so over engineered that it looks like it will survive almost anything, not like the flimsy shop bought ones.

The rocks look fantastic, here's hoping you solve the alkaline problem.

 

[schooly20]

Nice job!!!! Im planning on building one for my 65 gal, thanks for the inspiration!!! The rocks look great as well!!

 

[wendywc]

Gorgeous cabinet and hood. Great work. I've seen a lot of people makes stands but only so many make a matching hood too.

 

[newfishy]

came across this and just have to say that is one beautifull stand....hey I am good at staining and painting....want to make me a few stands some day? hehe.

how is the rock wall coming with the water testing? and would warm or hot water help leach the chemicals out faster for ya?

 

[BINKSY]

As every one else has said a great cabinet and hood.

Also love that rock work, have you tested the PH of your tap water? Then you would be able to see how uch your PH in your tank is being raised.

Cheers Gordon

 

[noop]

my tap water is 7.8 pH. when i tested last night it was still 8.8+ (5 days after first filling), and i've changed the water twice. i'll change it again today and probably monday. i think i'll also have to check water hardness before adding any fish

i hadn't given much thought to water temperature, do you think it might help? a lot of people advise adding salt to speed up the curing, but i did read one article (which i can't find right now) by someone who sounded like he really knew what he was talking about, and he said salt doesn't make any difference

 

[BigC]

The reason for the high pH could have something to do with the lime in the cement mix you were using. The cement needs to be sealed properly to stop this leaching into the water column, or not only will you have a very high pH but lots of dead fish due to the other chemicals leaching also.
Sorry to put such a dampner on what is essentially an excellent thread and DIY job, but if you address the above matter of sealing the cement then I think you'll find that the pH will remain the same as your tap. I would coat the whole thing in a clear pond paint.
Such as the product below
http/www.clearpond.com.au/go/our-product...=productDetails
Regards
BigC

 

[noop]

The reason for the high pH could have something to do with the lime in the cement mix you were using. The cement needs to be sealed properly to stop this leaching into the water column, or not only will you have a very high pH but lots of dead fish due to the other chemicals leaching also.
Sorry to put such a dampner on what is essentially an excellent thread and DIY job, but if you address the above matter of sealing the cement then I think you'll find that the pH will remain the same as your tap. I would coat the whole thing in a clear pond paint.
Such as the product below
[URL="http/www.clearpond.com.au/go/our-product...=productDetails"]http/www.clearpond.com.au/go/our-product...=productDetails[/URL]
Regards
BigC

the high pH was expected due indeed to the portland cement. don't worry, i did a lot of research before embarking on this project. there's a whole heap of articles on diy backgrounds over at cichlid-forums.com. generally it seems to take maybe a couple of weeks for the cement to cure, and the alkalinity to die down, after which fish can be slowly added. if for some reason this doesn't happen in my case, i will be applying some clear pond sealant. naturally i will not be rushing my fish into the new tank, and i will be testing the waters regularly

i did another water change today. my post-change pH test indicated 7.8, same as my tapwater. this will likely rise when i test tomorrow, but it's definitely improving (my first post-change test was 8.8+, my second was 8.2)

seriously, if you need anything for a project like this, it's patience

 

[BigC]

OK noop, best of luck, just trying to help.
Interesting to see this setup when fully matured with fish etc, will follow the thread.
Regards
BigC

 

[noop]

you're right though, a few coats of pond sealant would be safer and would probably finish the job quicker

i did consider using it from the start but wasn't sure what it would look like. it says it's "clear" but can anyone tell me, would it be completely invisible after applying it? obviously i'm wanting as natural a look as possible, and what may look fine in a pond may look like crap in an aquarium