Brentling's 125 Startup Thread - Lots o' Pics

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brentling

AC Members
Aug 1, 2008
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Lexington, Kentucky
This project is what caused me to find AC in the first place. The goal is a high light, CO2 enriched heavily planted Amazon Basin biotope that will hopefully house some Discus. I cannot afford the newest latest greatest equipment, but I believe that thinking outside the box will allow me to accomplish my goals with much less expense than buying everything from the LFS. So far, the glass top is the only thing I have purchased from the LFS! Many ideas, techniques, etc. were found on AC. Folks have asked me to share some pics and progress so here we go.

The Tank
This poor old tank is old style AGA with no center brace, which caused problems finding a glass top for it. I originally traded some work for the whole setup back in the late 80s. The stand has been re manufactured and painted.
Tank1.jpg
Tank3.jpg

DIY Cork Bark Background
I found some old articles about DIY backgrounds here and there on the web. Rather than standard black, blue or some other thing, I decided to find some virgin cork bark. It should not rot, looks extremely natural, and will allow me to grow epiphytic plants directly on it. I plan to grow ferns, anubias, etc. and create a living background. As it sits, it looks a lot like tree roots and looks a lot like some river banks I have seen.

Bark1.jpg

I found the cork bark flats on eBay, but there are other sources like the Cork Store http://www.corkstore.com/compass/servlet/WBServlet?webfunctionid=web.prod.list&action=product-details&time=23%3A55%3A52&quicksearch=&num-selected=1&myqty1=1&myqty2=1&myqty3=1&recid=45423&qty=&unit=&functionid=x.

First I had to measure:
Bark2.jpg

Then cut. Straight cuts were easiest from the back of the cork bark using a jigsaw.
barkcut2.jpg

Angled cuts and odd shaped pieces were best with a drywall knife:
barkcuttools.jpg

It is best to cut the edges on the back of the bark to create flat areas on which to place silicon sealant. The flat areas provide more surface for the silicon to adhere to. I used a curved serrated knife for this part.
Barktrim.jpg
Barkglue.jpg

I started on each end with a fairly flat. straight piece. I used a heavy application of silicone sealant (without additives!)
Barktank.jpg

Then worked my way to the middle.
Barktank2.jpg

It was a giant jigsaw puzzle.
barkdepth.jpg

My helper got tired:
helper.jpg

Then quit on me entirely!
helpersleep.jpg

I used duct tape to attach the top of each piece to the back of the tank while the silicon dried. I ended up stapling the tape to the bark because he tape would wouldn't stick to it. I used a bag of gravel to press the bottom of each piece against the back of the tank while it dried.
Barkhold.jpg
Barkglue2.jpg

Once I got all the big pieces in place, I had to shape some smaller ones to fill in gaps. I did not worry about small gaps, as the plants will easily cover any imperfections.

DIY Braces
This aquarium is quite old, made from very thick glass that did not use center braces. The pieces used for the top were lost long ago and are no longer available. A new friend on AC helped me design braces that
will work with current three piece AGA Versa Tops.
Tanklip.jpg

I had 2 pieces left from the old top. A local glass company cut them for me for free! I had them cut 2 pieces 2 1/2 inches wide and exactly the width of the tank (17 inches). I had 2 pieces cut 2 1/2 inches wide and the measurement to just inside the tank frame's lip (16 5/8 inches???).
bracesclean.jpg
bracescut.jpg

I used epoxy-5 minute drying variety-to attach the shorter pieces to the longer pieces, halfway across the width to make a "shelf" or ledge.
bracesglue.jpg
Glasstop.jpg

Once these were dry, I siliconed each one to a pre-measured spot on the lip of the tank's frame. I let that dry overnight.
braces3.jpg

The glass tops on the left and right now rest on the frame's lip and the glass brace. The center section of the top rests completely on the braces. I slightly trimmed the hinges of the tops so that each top fits very snugly against the glass braces.
bracestop.jpg

Driftwood
My mother in law has a large creek flowing through her farm. I went wood hunting up and down the creek and found
several interesting stumps and pieces that were suitable.
stump2.jpg
stump1.jpg

I trimmed them up to fit, and siliconed them to the bottom of the tank. I tried to make them appear to be flowing/growing out from the bark on the background, as if they were roots in a stream.

druiftwoodplaced.jpg
tankscape.jpg

Substrate
It would have cost close to $300 to use ADA Aquasoil, Eco Complete or Flourite, which would have delayed this project and been opposed to its purpose (cheapness/DIY). I researched and researched and decided to use Turface MVP Gray. I have posted links elsewhere as to where to find this. It absorbed nutrients, is iron-rich, looks great and only cost $36 for 100 lbs!
Further research indicated that I use an organic substance underneath the Turface. I bought a 4 cu. ft. bale of peat moss at Lowe's for about $6 and placed a thin layer on the bottom of the tank.
peat.jpg

I then siphoned some mulm out of the gravel of another tank and mixed this in with the peat.

Then I added the Turface. I did not rinse it beforehand!! This is important. I followed instructions from a friend on Aquatic Plant Central:

Next, fill up a 5g bucket with water and mix in 1.5 tsp of KNO3 and 0.25tsp of KH2PO4 into the water in the bucket. You can add some K2SO4 if you have it but our water supply here in Dayton (and probably in KY) is already pretty high in K so it probably isn't needed. This is a highly concentrated amount of fertilizers considering the volume of the 5g bucket and should give you about 10ppm of NO3, 2ppm of PO4 and 7ppm of K based on the total water volume of your tank. Since Turface products are made to adsorb water, they will probably adsorb the nutrients in this water as well. You should be able to hear the Turface "hiss" when the water hits it and I would assume this is the Turface adsorbing the water. Adding the fertilizers to the initial fill water should give you some nutrients in the substrate until the bacteria can start converting the fish waste. If you rinse the Turface prior to adding it to the tank, it probably will not adsorb the KNO3 and KH2PO4.
Turface.jpg

It did indeed hiss, like Rice Krispies!

Plants
I want a nice carpet of Dwarf baby Tears (HC) and Glosso, so decided to grow it emersed per Tom Barr. This solves several problems:

1. I can't afford my filter for another month or so. This will keep me from rushing
things
2. No algae problems
3. Roots can establish before water can wash the plants away
4. Tank can cycle for a while before adding additional plants and fish
5. Unlimited CO2 while HC and Glosso establishes

The plants arrived shortly after I had dosed the substrate.
plants1.jpg

I unwrapped them and carefully pulled the rock wool from their roots. I planted them carefully in small groups with tweezers, making sure the roots were deep in the substrate:
HC2.jpg
HC3.jpg

Now I have the glass lids closed tight, a shop light on about 18 hours a day and am monitoring the level of water in the substrate. I want to keep the water level just below the surface of the substrate.


My lights arrive this week, so I will switch away from the temporary shop light and will have 312 watts (8 x 39 Watts + LEDs) of T5HO!! I will continue this thread once the lights get here. I am picking up a used CO2 setup this weekend as well. Now to decide on filtration!

Tank1.jpg Bark1.jpg Bark2.jpg barkcut2.jpg barkcuttools.jpg Barktrim.jpg Barkglue.jpg Barktank.jpg Barkhold.jpg Barktank2.jpg Barkglue2.jpg helper.jpg helpersleep.jpg barkdepth.jpg Tank3.jpg bracescut.jpg bracesclean.jpg bracesglue.jpg Glasstop.jpg bracesgluetank.jpg braces3.jpg bracestop.jpg stump1.jpg stump2.jpg druiftwoodplaced.jpg tankscape.jpg peat.jpg Turface.jpg plants1.jpg HC2.jpg HC3.jpg Tanklip.jpg
 
Last edited:

bkw1982

I'M GOING TO ZOMBIELAND
Aug 6, 2006
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San Antonio, TX
:worthy:-wow

Great diy project, look forward to the rest of the progression.

There isn't any space between the cork and the glass is there? wouldn't want anything getting stuck behind the background.
 

FishyAmor

AC Members
Jan 19, 2007
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Melbourne, Australia
Wow what a GREAT start, I will no doubt be watching this space with bated excitement. I only wish I had the same patience and attention to detail as you Brentling.

GOOD LUCK! :thm:
 

Corax

Temporarily risen from the dead..
Nov 14, 2001
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Looks cool, but you need to back the wood away from the front glass a bit.. It's so close, you won't be able to clean the glass.
 

Star_Rider

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Dec 21, 2005
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:thm::thm:very nice.
 

Sploke

resident boozehound
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Oct 20, 2005
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Looks great so far, but I think you will have a few issues. I have had problems siliconing driftwood to glass. After it gets waterlogged, the water seems to work the silicone loose from the driftwood and it came unattached from my tank. Also, I have two 6' tanks like that with no center brace. They bow a good .25-.5" in the middle when filled to the top. There's probably a good chance that one end of those glass pieces will come unsiliconed when it does. They are long enough that they'll still reach once the tank bows.
 

brentling

AC Members
Aug 1, 2008
177
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Lexington, Kentucky
Looks great so far, but I think you will have a few issues. I have had problems siliconing driftwood to glass. After it gets waterlogged, the water seems to work the silicone loose from the driftwood and it came unattached from my tank. Also, I have two 6' tanks like that with no center brace. They bow a good .25-.5" in the middle when filled to the top. There's probably a good chance that one end of those glass pieces will come unsiliconed when it does. They are long enough that they'll still reach once the tank bows.
This tank has lass that is super thick and was designed not to have a center brace. When it was set up previously it did not bow at all. Thanks for your reply.

There isn't any space between the cork and the glass is there? wouldn't want anything getting stuck behind the background.
If they get behind the cork bark, they will have raised the top, climbed out of the tank and rappelled back there! I think it will be OK. Thanks!
 
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