The Accidental Aquascaper
Member
Hi All
First scape and first journal, so all advice and guidance is welcome.
This started a couple of years ago, when my daughter decided she wanted to keep fish. I obliged and bought her this 12 litre tank with a few guppies.
I think she forgot she even had fish by the 3rd day, so very soon we had some dead fish. After watching a few videos on fish keeping advice, I stumbled upon aquascaping. I was totally blown away and knew this was something I had to do….hence my moniker…and the fish are fine by the way.
We're gonna need a bigger boat.
With my appetite whetted, I wanted to put a large tank in the lounge, since this is where it will be viewed the most and there’s a sturdy sideboard just where the tank should go. The tank size would be 100cm wide, 40cm high, but only 35cm deep, as the sideboard is only 40cm deep. Low iron, clear silicone, rimless and braceless.
The sideboard wasn’t as ideal as I thought, so after some levelling off of the top and strengthening of the structure, my need to over-engineer things is satisfied.
Tank in situ and leak test passed, it’s time to add the lighting. I made the stand from 28mm galvanised tube and used gold leaf on the connectors, with the aim to tie it in to the rest of the light unit and the rooms decor.
The light itself is made from floor boards, metal wire and RGB LED strip that came with controller etc… Had to buy a few connectors, but it’s surprisingly easy working with LED strip.
The filter is an Oase Biomaster 250 thermo, modified as per Pondguru on YouTube. I’ve added Purigen to the top compartment instead of carbon. Outflow is a standard lily pipe and the intake is a surface skimmer. Co2 cylinder with Co2art Pro-SE regulator and inline inline diffuser. I’ve had to use an inline bubble counter to get it to fit. This sideboard is proving to be more hassle than it’s worth.
…and that is where I’ll end my first post.
Next update will be what’s going in the tank
First scape and first journal, so all advice and guidance is welcome.
This started a couple of years ago, when my daughter decided she wanted to keep fish. I obliged and bought her this 12 litre tank with a few guppies.
I think she forgot she even had fish by the 3rd day, so very soon we had some dead fish. After watching a few videos on fish keeping advice, I stumbled upon aquascaping. I was totally blown away and knew this was something I had to do….hence my moniker…and the fish are fine by the way.
We're gonna need a bigger boat.
With my appetite whetted, I wanted to put a large tank in the lounge, since this is where it will be viewed the most and there’s a sturdy sideboard just where the tank should go. The tank size would be 100cm wide, 40cm high, but only 35cm deep, as the sideboard is only 40cm deep. Low iron, clear silicone, rimless and braceless.
The sideboard wasn’t as ideal as I thought, so after some levelling off of the top and strengthening of the structure, my need to over-engineer things is satisfied.
Tank in situ and leak test passed, it’s time to add the lighting. I made the stand from 28mm galvanised tube and used gold leaf on the connectors, with the aim to tie it in to the rest of the light unit and the rooms decor.
The light itself is made from floor boards, metal wire and RGB LED strip that came with controller etc… Had to buy a few connectors, but it’s surprisingly easy working with LED strip.
The filter is an Oase Biomaster 250 thermo, modified as per Pondguru on YouTube. I’ve added Purigen to the top compartment instead of carbon. Outflow is a standard lily pipe and the intake is a surface skimmer. Co2 cylinder with Co2art Pro-SE regulator and inline inline diffuser. I’ve had to use an inline bubble counter to get it to fit. This sideboard is proving to be more hassle than it’s worth.
…and that is where I’ll end my first post.
Next update will be what’s going in the tank
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