Tank Concept

[Binge]

So I have fallen absolutely in love with my aquariums in the couple moths I have had them and I am also a bit of a lego nut. So I was thinking of combining the two Like useing loose blocks as a substrate and building the center piece castle or a boat in say a 10 gallong tank out of legos with lego pirates running everywhere in it. Would the lack of stone or sand be an issue? I have tons of lego palm trees and bushes to make plants I even have like a lego equivelent to sea weed it just is not flexable

Any feedback would be appreciated

 

[KittyKat]

It would work, but remember that the corners are sharp, so you would need to file all of them down.

You would be restricted pretty much to mid-water schoolers. Shrimp may be an option, but only if you have live plants, such as Java moss. Corys, plecos and loaches are not an option.

I would avoid the fake plants because the edges would be too sharp, so fish could hurt themselves. On the other hand, do consider Lego "pots" for live plants.

 

[Binge]

eww about filing I can use rounded ones though.

 

[golfzzin]

Theres a lego tank on you tube, its in a fluval edge.

I imagine a lego substrate would be difficult to clean.
What about black sand, then build a lego background inside the tank, and do your lego center piece?

 

[CrazyAirborne]

legos cant be any sharper than some of the rocks people use in their tanks can they? i dont remember them being very sharp.... tho i havent played with legos for a very long time.

 

[KittyKat]

legos cant be any sharper than some of the rocks people use in their tanks can they? i dont remember them being very sharp.... tho i havent played with legos for a very long time.

They can and can't, we do usually recommend that all decor is checked for sharp edges, that includes rock. You may have noticed that quite often, if someone is asking about slate (which is often sharp), they do get told to file it down a bit somehow.

 

[lots_to_learn]

Just found this thread a couple of days ago. If you haven't already tried I thought I'd let you know my experience with legos and water. They are kick butt in aquariums but are dificult to make sink!! When building something it must be built under water with all the air pockets shaken out of them so each peice sinks. Then they can be assembled, but if you didn't put them together in the tank, you must keep it in water while you place it in the tank. For larger structures it will be a little tricky but if you can manage to keep everything under water it works great. Even small pieces like the little "men." But they still like to move with current in the water, but only slightly and mostly just with taller/narrow based structures.

Good luck!

 

[Binge]

I was actually considering doing two large 2 masted ships fighting (imperials and pirates) if I try to do it. I was way into the mid 90's pirate sets and have 4-5 of the big ships. This concpt is gonna be on hold for a little bit though.
I fell in love with bichir and had to have them so I have 3 tanks now and cant drop money on a fourth at this time. I am however getting at least the glass free on a potential 4th this weekend. I have not seen it yet but I am told it is a 4ft tank a buddy at work needs someone to get it out of his kids basement so he doesnt loose his security deposit to haul it away. Dunno if it has a filter or anything yet so I will hafto wait and see.

 

[lots_to_learn]

Sounds really cool. Would the ships be floating or placed at the bottom? If placed at the bottom each piece would need to be free of air since there is enough air pockets in legos to make it float or not sink all the way no matter how big it is. If you manage to get it together I'd love to see pictures! Good luck.

 

[jkilby]

I wouldn't consider Lego to be that sharp, at the end of the day it is a toy designed for children's fingers, they wouldn't be allowed for it to be sharp enough to actually cut anything, even fishes fins. Although it is far from my cup of tea, I think the biggest issue that you would face is making it sink, as it is a light plastic that is full of air pockets as you clip it together, you would have to build voids into whatever you were making where you could place heavy weights for any chance of it staying on the bottom.

 

[Lufbramatt]

I saw in the paper this week that Legoland in windsor has just opened a massive million litre marine display tank with all the decoration made of lego with sharks etc swimming around, you can go down into the tank in a submarine type capsule that houses about 10 people at a time. Quite impressive stuff! Lego obviously think that the bricks are "tank safe"!

http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFtxGMDJCEA

 

[Binge]

Weights would be easy with the boat bases realy.
As for the lego ride I have eyeballed the lego land theme parks since the first one over seas went under construction in the early 90's dont think there was one before that.

 

[lots_to_learn]

II think the biggest issue that you would face is making it sink, as it is a light plastic that is full of air pockets as you clip it together, you would have to build voids into whatever you were making where you could place heavy weights for any chance of it staying on the bottom.

I found if you submerge each peice under water and shake the air out of them so they float and assembling them under water really works.

I saw in the paper this week that Legoland in windsor has just opened a massive million litre marine display tank with all the decoration made of lego with sharks etc swimming around, you can go down into the tank in a submarine type capsule that houses about 10 people at a time. Quite impressive stuff! Lego obviously think that the bricks are "tank safe"!

Sooo Cool!!

Weights would be easy with the boat bases realy.

Weights would work too if you can find places to attatch them. Another idea I haven't tried is to use aquarium safe silicone to fill in the voids in the peices as you assemble them and wait for it to dry. Of course doing this without leaving air pockets in the silicone would be dificult.

Here is one I assembled under water and transfered into the tank without exposing it to the air.. All it took was placing the bucket of water into the tank to submerge it and remove the lego structure and it sunk right away. No weights required.

 

[dafrnhm]

If you do it, please take a photo and upload it.. lol.

 

[Binge]

If it gets built I will one of the things holding me back is my son will inherit my legos in two years. Don't wanna give him fish scented blocks ;/... That and most kids use thier mouths on legos could be kinda bad lol