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New project , lots of copper and glue ( 2nd attempt inc images I hope)

jayp

Member
Joined
20 Mar 2010
Messages
59
Location
Cheshire
My new project is underway ...im excited as been planning for ages

I wanted a new tank that fit with the room , its an old 1930,s cottage type semi ive renovated over 30 years , lots and lots of paint stripping
Finally getting it how ive always imagined with all the original stuff kept but with modern bits , the accents in the room are copper ...ive always loved copper , so the fireplace stuff, lights, accents are copper

The tank is finally in place and ready …
75cmx21cmx21cm
light is Chihrios A series with dimmer ….ive modified with copper offcuts off Ebay , glued
Heater will be 2 small under substrate plastic heaters that keep 7 degrees above room temp (constant 60 ish )
Ive used these in my shrimp tanks for 12 months or more
Filter ..very small Evo just to move the water about

substrate will be sand ...plants will be planted in cut-off plant pot bottoms filled with soil and sand capped

Im waiting for the copper brackets to hang the light , with copper picture frame wire

Brackets not arriving for a week or so , so thought I would post the bits ive done and see what you guys think
new tank 4(4).JPG
new tank 2 (3).JPG
new tank 4(4).JPG
new tank 2 (3).JPG
 
Love the light fitting!

I’ve also gone with the modern vs old with an old style pendant light with a copper fitting and fabric wire!

be19885f20afa5bd7ae8ea59e2ac22c3.jpg


Will be keeping an eye out for this one!

I’ve renovated my 1752 listed cottage over the last 4 years and just setting up my “old vs modern” tank set up! So I expect to be poaching ideas from this one!




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I’ve also gone with the modern vs old with an old style pendant light with a copper fitting and fabric wire!

Love the light, and impressed with 1752 cottage reno ….hope your walls are better than mine !
 
Brackets have arrived ...oh the joy.
brackets.jpg

quickly turned to pain in my fixing up attempts. Why is nowt ever simple ? Marked , measured (twice) and drilled . Well what a F up that was , no matter how small the drill bit the holes end up like craters and the bodge begins. Could I find a rawlplug the size of a toilet roll tube ? No . Next step ...look in the "drawer of shame" for bits of packing wood or matchsticks ...Nope. Look in "drawer of shame 2 " ...nope . Hike down to shed and get every sodding box out ...hooray found wood bits, let bodge commence.
drawwer of shame.jpg


Drawer of shame 2
2nd drawer of shame.jpg
2nd drawer of shame.jpg


Back from shed with bodge items ...
brackets up.jpg


Bodge completed , the light won't fall in the tank … hope not it was a decent bodge and batter job

Just waiting for copper picture wire now , hope that doesn't involve any skill Haha
 
Light is up ….now need to think of a way to hide the light wire … its black and is annoying me already . The other wiring will be hidden once its finished
tank light.jpg
 
Are you going to lacquer the bare copper to stop it tarnishing and/or getting green if splashed with water ?
 
I’ve also gone with the modern vs old with an old style pendant light with a copper fitting and fabric wire!

Love the light, and impressed with 1752 cottage reno ….hope your walls are better than mine !

My walls are a bloody nightmare! Not a single straight one in the house, nor is there any 90° corners! All rounded! And I wouldn’t have it any other way!!

As for your brackets, I hope you didn’t pay much for them!! Seen a few things on eBay like this which cost the earth and in reality are a few bits of scrap superglued together!

For any other members, I will happily make these up at cost and post them! I’ll even pre-drill them as I know what a b******d they can be to drill!

As for your wire, I know you probably like the look of the brackets floating, but you could extend the bracket down to the tank and run the wire internally?




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Oh thanks everyone, some great ideas there

Ian M ….Yes am going to laquer the Copper

Tucker90 …. The brackets were only 5 quid each off Ebay , they are nicely made , there maybe Superglue involved LOL

Sparkyweasel … Love that flexible pipe , that's amazing

I sort of want the wire to disappear , rather than be seen , so I may just paint it the same colour as the walls

Ian M Yes modern electrics , all on a trip meter , nothing will get wet in theory as the light is high enough over the tank ...unless my shite DIY fails and it falls in the tank ...hope not LOL

Next stage has begun ..

Substrate added , just washed sand , stones added , wood added .
I will get some tiny round gravel just to finish it off once the water is in

The planting will be sparse and in cut off plastic plant pots filled with soil and capped with sand to hide the pots
Mainly hairgrass to give the "beach " look and possibly some Lotus in the same pots

tank with wood.jpg
 
Ian M Yes modern electrics , all on a trip meter , nothing will get wet in theory as the light is high enough over the tank ...unless my shite DIY fails and it falls in the tank ...hope not LOL
Of course if your wiring is low voltage ie other side of an isolating transformer then the requirement to earth electrics is not so necessary. Anything where mains is near metal, or cable failure ig chafing etc will allow conductors to contact human touchable metal needs to be earthed. So probably not in your case.

To hide the light transformer I see, hide it behind the unit. Get some of these 32mm pipe brackets, cut where line is, screw to back of unit and use as hooks to hang cables, transformers etc off. Also useful for rear of TV stands etc
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Thanks Ian , was wondering how to hang the transformer , that looks simple and effective
 
Nice job!.. :) Me too as an old retired plumber i love copper... The wire?.. I would go for a braided sleave in coper finish..
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Or go for vintage edison style braided electrical wire in cotton braid. Than the wire is the finnishing though instead of the eyesore..

I'm not so sure the copper will turn green very soon.. The door from my shed i did a diy copper lock plate thats 20 years ago and outdoors.
DSC_0532.JPG

Nothing green and it gets splashed every rainy day for the past 20 years, it just got darker while aged. I personaly like that more than shiny new copper. No idea when or if it ever turns green, but i guess till now it didn't because i live country side with less smog and less acidic rain.. It's acidity that turns copper green. That also why the copper water pipes turn green, it's the combination of the soldering flux used that runs off along the pipe with condensed soft water both have a degree in acidity, the flux is most agrassive. :)
 
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Thanks so much for the links , some brill ideas there, love the lighting link as well and prices are really good. Im just at odds with the wire thing so ive painted it for now to see how it looks and if upsets my OCD issues LOL

Ive lacquered the copper fittings , going for shiny and modern as the rest of the room is more rustic

Started the planting today, the potted Lotus has gone in , ive had it in my other tank for a couple of weeks and its rooted and growing . will be looking for the Hairgrass this weekend or might order online , pot is in place for the main clump. Hoping it will spread a bit in the sand

Topsoil in the pots capped with sand , hoping this will stop the soil mixing with the sand when im doing a waterchange etc

tank pot.jpg
lotus.jpg
full tank.jpg
 
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