New Project( Finished !)

[NoRp]

ok guys i just remembed i have an old tank with no hood sitting in back garden.! doing nothing

ive just come into a bit of money and i was thinking of upgrading my tank to a larger one then i saw the ideas of water bridges on here and the thought hit me!

this is just an idea im gonna try and estimate a cost but id like to do most of this for under say 200 pounds
any ideas hints or tips on what i would need would be great

for the bridge i was thinking of using an external filter from one tank to the other to ensure flow between the tanks
the tanks are both 12x24x12 inches.

problems i forsee
the main problem i can think of is with the hood like how can i have the bridge comign out from the hood,
like how could i actualy open the tank to clean and feed etc one thing i was thinking of was to have openings either side of the birdge but this wouldnt help as i still need to get the bridge there in the first place.

i was also thinking about having a higher hood with the bridge in a seperate section at the back sory of like a flap at the front.

another of my conerns is with lighting do they need any kind of protection from the water?

ive thought about wood selection also id need somthing strong and waterproof?
would i need to make the floor stonger to support. or even the stand for that matter?

alot of questions and such little answers
this is just an idea atm with a wishfullness of getting it done

what kinda storcking could i use?

atm im a fan of livebreaders because there easy to keep and produce alot of fry which i find intresting.
but ive also been looking at parots or other a semi large spawning pair ( would they got stuck in the pipes?)


any commenst would be great cheers NoRp

6th Dec UPDATE
ok people the main frame is almost fully setup it just needs a few more corner braces putting in to reduce wobble.

first off i made the Google sktechup plan to help me decide how it would look and what i was going to need.
i knew there was a wood place not far from my house, but one day on the way home from work i spotted a timber yard and thought id pop in to see what i would need, the dude there was a total a hole, i explained that i didnt have a clue what i was doing and could he give me a price i had the measurements in my head and he started talking about how i needed to know exactly what kinda wood i wanted and what size and all sorts it was almost like he didn't want my money or something. anyway next day im dreading going down to my local timber yard for fear of the same reaction but the dude there was totally cool. almost to cool he started explaining things to me and we spoke about my joints hence the revised plans. he talked me threw what kinda wood they had and sent me outside to chat to the dudes to fetch the wood. i got chatting with these guys in a friendly way looking for advice and we managed to get the price down even more. there was only one dude in the place that was a a hole but the rest were kinda cool and id defiantly shop there again. (Bulwell Timber if anyones interested).
so i brought some 3 by 2 pretty cheap for all the frame and screws it came to around $15 (GBP pound sign not working?)

i also brought

i began marking it all up

next i tried to use the 2 saws in this picture to cut the wood to size

after realizing that wasn't going to work i went down to my local b&q asked for the cheapest circular saw
the dude there was quite helpful he explain how to use it and that it would be fine for 3 by 2 wood anyway im on my way to the checkout with the saw and i think to my self im gonna need a clamp so off i got to get a clamp

anyways on the way to getting the clamp i checked out the price tag for the circular saw and it was 30 quid i carry on waling and i see the next model up for 20 quid so i asked and they said it must be a mistake. i remember my girl telling me that if its advertised at a price they gotta sell it for that. so i swop saws over go pick up the clamp and rush to the checkout anyway they ring up the saw and clamp and blam i got both for just under 20 i check out the receipt outside and it said the saw was 15!!! lol.

after a few plays around to figure it out i finally got into my grove and cut all the wood using a circular saw next to a fish tank wasn't my brightest idea but i soon put a sheet over it. later on i managed to adapt my hover to the hole on the saw and made next to no mess at all.

i completed the frame and sanded most of the edges flush with the drill bit on the drill above. i do have an actual sander power tool but i reckon i got the wrong paper on it coz it does next to nuttin.

and ive also added corner braces to reduce wobble

ive brought the 5 by 1 i need for the front just gotta plan out my sides and insides out so i can go buy enough 8 by 4 and not waste to much im thinking semi thick maybe 12 mm for sides top and back and then some 4 mm crappy stuff for inside.

DEC 8th update
added a few corner braces on the back at the bottom

began adding all the outside boards starting with the top piece as this will be set inside the others by about an inch

heres where i hit a problem when i measured the top piece i left enough room for mistakes
this turned out to be about an inch to long. it took me 2 hours with a sander a plane and a weak jigsaw. but i finally got it all flush and stopped for a break

i think my little project inspired my mother as she began to make a frame to put the sink on while we take the unit out. ( i think i already told you we doing up the kitchen.)

after about an hour of helping her out i managed to crack on with putting the rest of my boards on
side one

i had also left about an inch overly on the top and back but now i had my next door neighbors jigsaw and it got it flush within 10 mins
side two

i then added the back and after another 5 mins jigsawing i slotted it into place.

i will be starting the 5x1 front some time tomorrow

here you can see the inch that i have left on the top which the tanks will be set into ( im also trying to find some kinda carpet or something that will fit into this.

i felt it was now very strong and wouldnt need any more support so i think its time to test it out.
test one

test 2

and finaly test 3

my girl to my right (left of picture) took the pics.
ive started planning the hood but cant find the light fittings i would need
i did spot on ebay the perfect 4 foot long light setup with normal lights sunset lights and moon lights but after i spoke to him he told me its 22 inches wide.
if anyone has any ideas that would be great i could just use the light and fittings from my juwel tank but i would need another 2 foot long light setup ( then i would find some leds for moonlight or something.)


JAN 5th update
added front and painted
i got a few bits for xmas and my cousin aided the Nicky sawing straight charity with a chop saw, for xmas i also got a nice jigsaw and with time i actually manged to saw straight with that also.

its vrey hard to see the chop saw in this picture but it seems to be the only one i had of it. if u look bottom right of the pic just over the wood ( workbench) you will see it, i manged to use the chopsaw to construct my main front frame.

 

[NoRp]

after cutting the frame i had to get rid of the big 8 by 4 i had left for cladding inside this took me about an hour to work out what shape peices i needed but with some last minute fine tuning and some extra wood i managed it.

on this picure u can also see the blocks i added to attach the front frame more securely to the main frame.

next i added the front and sanded it all down

at this point i realized that even with my countersinking of the screws there would be some nasty holes in the front and side of the unit so i drilled alot of dust out of the corresponding wood mixed it with the see through drying wood clue and smoothed it into the holes. once again i sanded and smoothed.

after which i began painting i wanted it to look like old furniture to go with the style of my tanks.

unfortunately the smoothed glue and sawdust on the sides didn't get a good enough sanding and u can plainly see them but it adds a sort of style to the whole thing i also like the white on the inside so i decided not to paint it.

ok so as you all know i broke my tank i spoke to a friend who encouraged me to ring a window place heres hwo the conversattion went

Me; hi there i was wondering if you could help me.
Woman; sure whats the problem
Me; well basicly i broke my fish tank and i would like to know.....
Woman; hahahah hold on one second si.. hahahah ... HAHAHAH... let me just put u on ..hahah hold.
Me; listens to xmas carols for about 2 mins.
Me; at this point im thinking about just hanging up but i wanted to see why she found it so funny.
Woman;( still smiling i can hear it..?) hi there my boss would be back in 30 mins if you would liek to leave your num...
Me; hold on a second why was it so funny that i wanted a piece of glass for my fish tank, do people never ask you for...
Woman; CLICK

omfggg B!tch put the phone down on me..

i waited an hour rang up in a funny voice and said to a bloke who answers this time "i spoke to a women there today and i was going to buy my new double glazed windows and doors from you guys but she put me off with her nasty attitued please feel free to call me if you get rid of her i told her to right my number down and she knows who i am. CLICK

revenge is sweet thats all i can say
anyway i found a place will cost me about 15 for the sheet of glass and the silcone, alot cheaper than a new tank now i just gotta find a corner clamp or ome other way to fit it.






hopfully going to start this weekend ima build the base first out of 3" x 2" im not so clued up with wood but im guessing even the cheapest will be able to hold the wieght correct?

any problems with my main frame? plans?

joints
i was thinking of doing them with 3 inch and 4inch screws (posibly wood glue)
Blue would be 3 inch
Red would be 4 inch

 

[Lord Zogat]

this is just an idea im gonna try and estimate a cost but id like to do most of this for under say 200 pounds
any ideas hints or tips on what i would need would be great

The clear acrylic for the bridge sections you can find on Ebay at a reasonable price. Years ago it use to be killer expensive, now its reasonable. Various sellers sell the tubing on ebay now, very reasonable in price. This is just an example, there are others out there.

Acrylic Tubing

If you go with a tube that has an OD that is common to standard plumbing, then your elbows or corners can be picked up from a local hardware store for only $3 - $4 each. My bridge is 3" OD, elbows were $3.19 each in Canadian funds.

for the bridge i was thinking of using an external filter from one tank to the other to ensure flow between the tanks
the tanks are both 12x24x12 inches.

From what I understood from the example I saw before I built my bridge, there should be flow, more natural for the fish and helps to keep the water from getting stagnent.

problems i forsee
the main problem i can think of is with the hood like how can i have the bridge comign out from the hood,
like how could i actualy open the tank to clean and feed etc one thing i was thinking of was to have openings either side of the birdge but this wouldnt help as i still need to get the bridge there in the first place.

This was also my original issue. I realised that I was not going to be able to open the Hood to allow for feeding and easy cleaning. The only way to do it with a Light/Hood common to most tanks is to cut part if the hood that lifts uup so you can open one side for feeding and the part the bridge goes through remains in place. This still provides a few problems. The cut flap that opens has lost some of its support in holding the bridge. The material is very thin to begin with and may not hold the weight.

This is why I went to custom cut 1/4 inch plexi glass lids, 80% of it lifts away giving me full access to the bridge. The remaining 5" peice is stong enough to support the 3 - 4 liters of water with no worry of failure. The longer your bridge the heavier it becomes, the stronger your support system needs to be.

i was also thinking about having a higher hood with the bridge in a seperate section at the back sory of like a flap at the front.

It looks like your making a custom tank stand from your images...this would make it easy for you to design bridge supports, easy access doors at the top, and allows you to place the bridge anywhere you like. Just plan it out first and mock it up.

another of my conerns is with lighting do they need any kind of protection from the water?

I'd say the bulbs should be protected by a sheet of glass at least to keep moisture off and minerials that build up (my water has lots of calcium in it, builds up quickly).

I scraped the light and hood the tank came with because it wasn't going to work. I went with LEDS in various colors to simulate Moon light, nocturnal behaviour etc etc. Easy to protect, bright and multiple colors. less power and heat. A row of white leds would make the tank plenty bright, a few blues for moon light, red and green for other nocturnal effects. My fish swim around the blue light stream that comes into the tank at night.

ive thought about wood selection also id need somthing strong and waterproof?
would i need to make the floor stonger to support. or even the stand for that matter?

The stand and floor needs to be able to support the weight of the tanks combined. estimate 10 pounds per gallon of water for weight plus your stand. So if its not on a ground floor, make sure there is structural support for such weight especially if its an older house. Anything under 60 - 100 gallons should be ok in most homes but I am no expert.

alot of questions and such little answers
this is just an idea atm with a wishfullness of getting it done

what kinda stocking could i use?

atm im a fan of livebreaders because there easy to keep and produce alot of fry which i find intresting.
but ive also been looking at parots or other a semi large spawning pair ( would they got stuck in the pipes?)

Hope my rant helps, feel free to browse my waterbridge project progression in this forum (you have already posted there I know). Feel free to ask any questions about the bridge and its construction.

The cost of my bridge system assuming I already had all the tanks and filters would have been around $60 Canadian. The most cost going to the acrylic 3" tubing, the elbows and the plexi glass tops. I custom cut holes for the filters myself with a scroll saw.

A jig saw will work too but is a little rougher to handle and may crack the plexi glass if used to quickly and with too much force. A tip to cutting plexi glass with a jigsaw or scroll saw is this. Due to the heat of the blade the plastic will remelt to itself. Put a layer of two of masking tape on top and bottom where your cutting so the blade passes through the tape. Helps with heating and fracturing.

As far as fish go - go with what would be happy and healthy for your tanks size and contents. Your fish full grown should be able to fit the bridge comfortably.

I do have acrylic tubing in 3", 4", 5" and 6" diameters. The larger you go the more expensive per foot and the harder to find elbows.

I myself started with Platy, Danios and a few neons. The Platy one in particular was the first to use the bridge. She alone out of all my fish so far undertsands its purpose and ytravels from one tank to the other very frequently. Every day more and more of the fish explore the bridge. Some return to the tank they were released into and appear to prefer that tank over the other. The bridge was used within 10 hours of the fish being put in to the tanks (may have been sooner but I had to go to work). I came home and some of the fish were in different tanks...lol.

No sealant was used in the bridge at all. The tightness of the fit of tube to elbow is enough to keep air out. Air that collects in the bridge is from the water and is sucked out with a hose.

Your tank design looks good, nice and clean and a nice finish, little cleaner on the top than mine currently is.

I'd say go for it, its a hoot and fun to watch. A great attraction and conservation peice. A bridge like mine, can be uinstalled and assembled within a day if your ready for it and have all the materials. Its worth it.

 

[Lateral Line]

The stand, if simply a frame will be vulnerable to shearing failure. If you are going to clad the frame with panels, it will be okay, if not, you should add some diagonal bracing.

 

[NoRp]

need help the dude at my timber place told me to do it this way?
yes ive thought about it for a while and i think that with this base there would be no need for a base frame goign around the outside of it if u know what i mean, sortof like just being four legs instead of a whole cubeoid
anyways ive started the project will post feedback and pics later thanks for above help guys

 

[NoRp]

this is my design for the front i promis as soon as i find my lead ill get some pics of the work up here

in the above pic the brown stuff is 5 by 1 held togeather at the back by steel brackets
there is 2 draws and 2 doors, the gap in the doors is some kind of metel mash ( any ideas where i can get it from?) painted brown or cream to suit my badroom
the handles are white on the pic but will be same colour as the mesh.

btw i have the main 2by 3 frame built now so tomorrow im off to the timber yard to get the 5 by 1 if they got any

 

[NoRp]

edited it all so its up top instead of an extra post.

 

[Lord Zogat]

edited it all so its up top instead of an extra post.

Good job on the pics, it helps people visualize what were doing.

I can't believe you are cutting that stuff in your living room, but hey, maybe yah don't have a garage or shop or its bloody cold outside so I'll keep quiet. I see the vaccuum has made an entrance into one of the pictures...

Let me know when you get to bridge construction and ask questions if you have any.

 

[NoRp]

Good job on the pics, it helps people visualize what were doing.

I can't believe you are cutting that stuff in your living room, but hey, maybe yah don't have a garage or shop or its bloody cold outside so I'll keep quiet. I see the vaccuum has made an entrance into one of the pictures...

Let me know when you get to bridge construction and ask questions if you have any.

its like a dining area between living room and kitchen u should see the state of the kitchen thats getting re done atm
that doorway you see will soon be an arch way.
im still struggling with the plans for the hood. im thinking about setting the bridge in place filling up and using your air suction method but how often do u need to do it?
also how do u go about water changes i guess u just do it same way

 

[Lateral Line]

Those flimsy metal brackets will not prevent the stand from shearing with the weight the stand is expected to take. I say again, unless you are going to clad the stand with some kind of sheet material, (which will act as bracing), you should add some diagonal bracing.

 

[NoRp]

ive been out today and brought the 4 mm ply for insides and the 9mm mdf for back and sides
the whole thing is actually very strong ive stood on it and tried to wobble about already and there is now next to no movement
the brackets are just extra support
i also have a few strips of 3 b 2 left laying around and plan on adding a few diagonal corner pieces for the bottom thats for the concerns
NoRp

 

[Lord Zogat]

I only used the hose on the top of the tower to suck air out. Someone mentioned concern about sucking out air that may have gases from the tank water. But when ever I am sucking air out of the tower or the bridge, its fresh air as the tower or bridge were just cleaned/replaced.

With the bridge I stick my hand into the tank and force the tube up inside to the top as best as I can and pull the air out. Getting the last few bubbles is tough some times. But it goes fairly quickly. I wouldn't drill a hole in the plastic acrylic clear tubing for the bridge as acrylic tubing like that fractures over time from use around a hole. I build bubble towers with holes drilled into the acrylic at the base for air hose and over time it starts to split.

I did drill the hole in the more stable PVC Cap placed on the tower, again not in the acrylic itself. Last thing you need is a fracture or a leak to let air in.

As far as water changes go, I can do about a 20% water change without the level of water dropping below the bidge ends, they are about 4 inches deep. If I am doing major changes or cleaning the bridge, you can stick in a hose and blow air, the bridge will empty quickly as air is drawn into the bridge by the gravity of the water pulling down into the tank. This occurs since the hose provides a unrestricted path for air to enter.

Oh yah who took the pics for yah? Do they think yer Crazy?

 

[NoRp]

updated with a few extra pics
anyone made hoods before? what wood and lighting fixtures did you use?

 

[SkiFletch]

I just finished making my hood, the last coat of varnish is drying on it as we speak. Real PITA to do, but I love the result. I totally cheated during the construction since I had no method to rip boards at a 45 degree angle down a long length. Therefore I just used 3/4" oak ply for the sides, and screwed them together on the inside with a little 1" square rod. Then I covered up the corners with some 1 1/4" right angled wrapping trim so that you cant see the end boards Hell, I didnt even cut the pieces identically, didnt matter cause the whole thing was covered with trim

For lighting I run a reef tank so I used a 175watt halide and two PC actinics for the side for supplimentation. Pretty much bought a retrofit and screwed it in. Have two 120mm AC fans on the sides for air flow, and I sealed the entire interior with an epoxy resin to prevent warping. A piano hinge was used as well

 

[Lateral Line]

The cladding and little diagonals make all the difference.

I'm sure you know already, but seal, seal and then seal again that MDF. If it gets wet, (and around a tank read when it gets wet), it absorbs water and has the strength of a wet digestive biscuit.