Here is my first build journal (PIC Heavy)

[Carinya]

Great work so far.

[m4dc4t]

Originally Posted by Carinya

Great work so far.

Thank you!

[m4dc4t]

I have been a little busy lately, but I started working on the viv again. Here are a few more pics. The wood is from vivariumconcepts.com, the Manzanita is the red and grey branches, and it is super awesome. The Flat piece in the pone is Mopane, and of coarse you all know cork tube when you see it.

This is a shot from the top!


This is a shot I took from inside the tank from the water feature just to show the depth of the design.


Besides the glare, this is just to show off some of the stone I will be incorporating into the back ground, it is slate tiles. Just cut... not treated.


Next week I have to pay for school so this will probably be it for another week or two.

[keekalmatter]

Wow!
That's beautiful. Is the foam easier to work with than using egg crate as the frame? Or what are they advantages to it?

[m4dc4t]

Originally Posted by keekalmatter

Wow!
That's beautiful. Is the foam easier to work with than using egg crate as the frame? Or what are they advantages to it?

I never tried to use egg crate, but I would assume that the styrofoam is much easier. With the styrofoam I just used a "hot knife" that I got at a hobby shop, and a regular kitchen knife. Here is a link to the post I learned from... but I did not thin the grout nearly as much as HX does.

phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=22606

Thank you for the compliment. Figuring out what I wanted to do has just about driven me crazy!

[m4dc4t]

So it has been a while since I did an update... and with any luck I will have another one tomorrow, because the great stuff starts tomorrow. Here are the pics of and after tapping the tank.

I used a drill guide to drill the holes, I was told that you do not have to, but I was being safe since this was my first time drilling glass. Turns out it was a piece of cake!


Here are the left overs, kind of like a donut hole. But don't eat it. :lol:


Finally the intake bulkhead is installed.


Here is the inside of the intake bulkhead.


This is both of the bulkheads installed.


This is a shot of the waterfall after I finally figured out what I was going to use from the outlet bulkhead to the waterfall/ stream! I likes it! 8)


And Finally this is the the slate that will be covering up the outlet tubing.


For any other noobs that are thinking about drilling their tank, take it from me, it is scary at first, but after the first hole you will be wondering why you were scared. Just do your self a favor and make sure you are drilling plate glass and not tempered. Check with the tank Manufacturer. Plus I talked to an aquarium shop and the guy told me that almost every tank before 2001 area are Plate except for the bottom. Supposedly Every tank after 2001 is 100% Plate. But still do your self a favor and just check, because if this was tempered it would not have just cost 15 dollars for the drill bit, but also another piece of glass to be cut.

[m4dc4t]

Just got finished with the GS... I think! It only took me a little over one can. Guess it has to do with all of the slate on the back ground. No pics yet. But there will be later tonight.

[m4dc4t]

Okay, so the new software is sweet, but I have been trying to figure it all out! So here is my first attempt to update since the upgrade!

I figure I can save y'all the pain of looking at foaming pics so here is the wall completed. There are two wall planters and several pieces of slate in it. The slate def. added to the weight of the tank, but it was totally worth it! I will let you decide!







I still need to clean the slate though!

[m4dc4t]

Lights lights lights!

Here the pics are, before and after painting!