My Rehab Hex Tank Project

janelc · #1 (**permalink**) 07-01-2008, 09:07 PM

My 55 Gallon Hex Tank Rehab Project

Materials I used:

55 gallon hex tank
plexiglass
Great Stuff foam
GE silicone II
LECA
Moss
Potting soil
Coco fiber
Hot glue/hot glue gun
Metal screening
Aquarium gravel
Plant pots (cut in half)
Egg crate fluorescent light diffuser panels
Zip ties
Scissors
Serrated knife/scalpel
Bandaids

The very first thing I did was to clean out the hex tank. It had been sitting in a back storeroom of one of the science buildings on campus. I spoke with the original owner/teacher and he told me that it leaked terribly (no matter how hard he tried to fix it) and it would make a great terrarium. I siliconed the seams and let it cure for days. I had to take razor blades and scrape the sides of the tank to get all the junk off of it.

https://www.vivariumforum.com/communi...41&ppuser=2083

After going on-line and finding the vivarium forum and doing a lot of reading, I got inspired by Waterkeeper’s set up. I decided to put my background on three panels of eggcrate. This way I could work on the panels outside of the tank without breaking my back leaning over into the tank! I had visions of myself completely tipped over into the tank desperately yelling for help!!!

https://www.vivariumforum.com/communi...43&ppuser=2083

I sprayed various layers of Great Stuff foam on the three panels. I let this cure for a while and then I added the final “tree” layer. I basically created an outline of a tree on the background. I then carved and carved and carved to achieve the “bas relief” look of the tree on the background. I used black GE silcone II and smeared it thickly all over the tree part where I applied cupfuls of the coco fiber. I let this sit for several days to cure thoroughly.

https://www.vivariumforum.com/communi...42&ppuser=2083
https://www.vivariumforum.com/communi....php?photo=781
https://www.vivariumforum.com/communi....php?photo=782
https://www.vivariumforum.com/communi...30&ppuser=2083

During this curing time, I began work on my “dry riverbed” creation. I took a whole bunch of plant pots and cut them in half and removed the bottom. I have seen people use PVC pipe cut in half to create this same general look, but the PVC does not curve like a real riverbed would. Since this riverbed is going to be “dry” (in other words, no water feature) It does not have to be water tight. I taped the plant pots together in a general curve and then sprayed GS foam in it. I let this cure for several days as well before carving it. I then covered this with brown silicone and piled it high with aquarium gravel. I let this sit for several days to cure as well. I also created a pond area in the same general way.

https://www.vivariumforum.com/communi...33&ppuser=2083
https://www.vivariumforum.com/communi...31&ppuser=2083
https://www.vivariumforum.com/communi...32&ppuser=2083

After the background was cured, I tapped off the excess coco fiber and fixed any open spots. At this time, I then applied the moss to the non-tree parts. My in-laws who live in WA sent me this gorgeous moss and lots of sticks and branches with lichen. I let the moss cure for several days and then kind of picked off the excess.

https://www.vivariumforum.com/communi...36&ppuser=2083

I did some things backwards and I hope it turns out okay anyway. I have seen a lot of people put pots in the background before they sprayed the foam (great idea!!!) so they could add plants to the background. I, of course, did not do this. (I wasn’t sure how the whole thing would turn out anyway!). What I did instead was to carve out little pockets in the tree and background so I could place the plants directly into the background. I created a little bottom for the pocket with a flat layer of wet sphagnum moss and then placed the plant’s root ball in the little pocket. I applied some damp moss around the base of the plant to help I retain moisture. I used spider plants (Chlorophytum comosum), variegated ivy (Hedera helix), variegated creeping fig (Ficus pumila), and two kinds of ferns.

During this whole time, I have been working on the lids for the tank. I really wanted something different and Waterkeeper’s idea of a canopy inspired me. My lid is in two pieces and I sprayed GS foam over most of one half and a strip of foam on the other half. I had cut three holes in the one lid where I sprayed the GS foam all over it. I carved the GS foam so that if you looked up into the lid where the lights were shining through, you could not see the fixtures. I covered all the GS foam with coco fiber and let it cure for several days. I then added pieces of hanging moss (Spanish moss-a Tillandsia I believe) and regular green moss. I kind of wanted a moss grotto look where the hanging moss diffuses the light a bit. When I spray it with water it looks really cool!

https://www.vivariumforum.com/communi...38&ppuser=2083

I placed the background into the tank in order to prepare the bottom for planting. I had left about 6” on the bottom so that I would have room for planting. I placed LECA as the first layers for drainage purposes. I covered the LECA with screen and placed damp Exo Terra moss all over the screen in about a 1-1 1/2” layer. I had a funny fetid smell so I quickly covered that with my potting soil. To make the potting soil I combined some store-bought potting soil with a generous amount of coco fiber. I added a 2-3” layer of this. At the same time, I placed my dry riverbed thing into the soil. I scooped up the soil so that it looks like the riverbed is embedded into the ground.

The plants I have available for planting are Ficus benjamina, polka dot plant, a small philodendron (Philodendron scandens), Irish moss, more ivy, croton, Lamium orchid ‘frost’, bugleweed ‘black scallop’ (Ajuga reptans), coleus, asparagus fern, and little bella palms. I chose to go with the ficus, polka dot plant, the coleus, the Irish moss and the bugleweed (the leaves allegedly turn black in the right light conditions!!!). I planted my vivarium and then covered the exposed topsoil with more Exo Terra moss.