10G Tank Rebuild: Build Log with Pics.

[froggsong]

I went ahead and went with the GE I that I was able to find at walmart, but they didn't have black... I think next time I will go for the black like you did, even though I'll have to get the type II, because the white is VERY hard to see on the great stuff!

Looks great, btw! Keep it coming, I can't wait to see the finished product!

[alex1976]

I looked everywhere for GE Silicone I Black but couldn't find a single tube. I went to two different Wal-marts, two Home Depot, and a Lowe's with no luck. Ah well, it's done so now all that's left is to paint the rocks and plant the plants.

I think I'll have to call it a night. I'm eager to start painting but my wife and I got a big day planned for tomorrow and I should go to bed. G'Night all!!

[Waterkeeper]

Wow.. this is looking really nice!

[alex1976]

Since I've been a little under the weather my wife let me have the day all to myself to do whatever I wanted. I, of course, decided to clean my garage up a bit and work on my tank.

I'd finished painting my rock wall and waterfall rock a few days ago, then soaked them to insure they were fully cured. With them fully cured, it was time to transfer my six GTF's to a temporary home. I had a tote with window screen installed on the top that I put them in for now. It's been sitting in my garage since I gave up on (for now) breeding crickets.

Anyway, here's the pictures so far!


This is the back. I popped out a vertical line in the eggcrate to make a channel for my heater and pump cables to go through.



Here's a sideview...


Here's a front view. I'm not really all that happy with the general look of my rocks but I guess it'll just take practice.



And just for fun, here's a top view looking down into my tank.


I can smell the finish line! Tomorrow I'll be adding the LECA and bedding with plants. I think I'm going to go with Peace Lily for my main plant, Climbing Fig for the left planter, a piece of Rabbits Foot Fern, and a small piece of Maidenhair Fern. I want a Brom for my right planter but thankfully we've got a good friend who actually grows em.
Now if I could just find some Java Moss. Arg. Nobody around here seems to carry it!
Well, that's all for now. Tomorrow the tank goes back online!

[froggsong]

Looks great!!!

[janelc]

Dude! Awesome!!! I have seen lots of Java moss on sale on EBay. I think the rocks look great-they will blend even better when the plants are in.

[alex1976]

Thanks for the eBay tip! I was really hoping to get it locally but that just doesn't seem like it's going to happen. Besides, by the time I'm done driving all around town I might as well have paid shipping and handling with gas prices where there are.

*sigh*
I do miss the good ol' days when I could fill up my RX7 for .98c a gallon...

[alex1976]

The silicone was fully cured today so I began the final stages. I put my LECA down, droped some window screen on top, tucked it in all around, then placed my soil on top.
The planting went pretty easy. I did have to trim up the Climbing Fig (top right wall planter) a bit to get it in there. The Rabbit's Foot Fern (top left wall planter) was the same story but it looks great. I'll have to pay close attention to that one. I went with the Lily for my main plant and some Maidenhair Fern for the right corner. Overall, I'm happy with the outcome even if there were a few scares.

• The rock wall had to be trimmed ever so slightly to fit inside.
• I had left a slight gap at the bottom of the rock wall to allow for water flow but appearently it wasn't enough. The water pump outflow overflowed the wall and had to be slowed down to a calmer trickle.
• Funny... That's it really!!!

So here it is!!!

This first photo is after the LECA and screen was put in. I simply tucked the screen all around snuggly.



The finished product! That large snail was actually a hitchhiker we discovered after a trip to our local nursery. I'm hoping to throw stuff in there like cabbage and sliced tomatoes to distract him from my other plants. My son REALLY likes the snail and I must admit he does look cool in the tank. I'm sure I'll regret it later though...



Okay, I couldn't help it. Here's a small clip of the running water because I'm really happy with it. I was a little upset at first that I had to slow it down to keep it from flooding, but I really like the slower trickle better after seeing it.


Finished tank with running waterfall

Overall I think my rocks could have come out better but I'm very happy with the overall look. My humidity should come up some now with the waterfall. The tank normally sits around 65-70. Now it's around 80. I might have to remove the plexiglass I have over most of my screened lid. I was really thinking I might have to put a small fan over my front glass now...

Well, that's all for now until I start my 120 gallon tank!!!

[froggsong]

AWESOME!!!!! I'm so glad to finally see the finished product! I love how in the video you can see the frogs jumping around. Do they like it? I really think it looks great. I think the rocks look just fine, especially the one for the water feature.

I am finally to the planting stage myself, I really have to hurry and get this finished, my poor guys are in a plastic tub with no plants right now. I'm going to plant it tonight, and then wait a day and put them in. I finally figured out how to solve the problem I was having with how to do the door, which was holding me up alot (as well were my aching joints). All I have left now is to plant the inside and spackle and paint the outside. I just really wish I could have put in a water feature though...

[alex1976]

They do seem to love it. There's so many more hiding places for them now! They're particularly fond of the Climbing Fig. They burrow into it poking their nose out now and then. The Peace Lily is really nice too giving them lots of shade when there on the ground. I'm happy with it even if I do think the rocks could be better. Next time...

I had to redesign a few times before I was happy with the whole rock and pump setup. The waterfall was a spur of the moment redesign that came out rather well I think.

Now I get to erase my marker board plans and begin anew with my 120 gallon vertical vivarium plans.