46G Water Stream Bowfront Tank: Build Log with Pics.

[MustacheMatt]

Got a lot of work done today. After buying 4 bottles of GS I was sure I could finish coating the eggcrate. Of course that didnt work out, ha. Back to the store tomorrow for more goodies!

Anyways, I did get a lot done, so check out the pics and let me know what you think. Any ideas or criticisms are welcome. Also I'm still having trouble on picking out a herp. I am wondering what kind of toad/frog likes to climb and swim, or can swim. Also I wonder if anoles could live in a tank with fbt; the fbt would stay around the water more, leaving the climbing room for the anoles.

[froggsong]

Wow, that's just great. Keep going like this and you might get a sticky!!! I think newts or toads would be great in there. I wouldn't suggest mixing an anole with a FBT unless you have kept both of them before. I have kept a FBT and anole together with no problems, but I don't recommend mixing if you don't have the experience. That said, I don't think you have enough land area for an anole. They need lots of climbing space and ground space to hunt for food. Maybe someone else will have more suggestions for what to put in the tank.

[MustacheMatt]

Using a mixture of 3 colors of reptilite and some aquarium rocks, i have begun the process of covering the GS. I also found a nice little filter/pump that will work nicely for the water fall. Here are some pictures:

[Tiamat]

What did you used to fix the sand substrate on the GS? If it is silicon, take note that people have been having bad experiences with this in the long run. The sand will go away with time showing of the silicon under it.

[MustacheMatt]

I used brown silicon so that if sand did come off it would sort of blend in. I can always go back and fix it if it gets bad, or just redesign the tank at that point . Anyways here are more pictures:

[froggsong]

That's a great color you made with the sand. I really like it so far. Are you going to put another piece of eggcrate inside the front and back pieces to create a FB? Or are you going to put substrate in all the way to the bottom of the tank? How are you going to fix the eggcrate/GS pieces to the tank so that they don't just float away?

[MustacheMatt]

Im going to glue the pieces to the tank using silicon. I've made mesh holes in the sides of the high and low lands so water can easily run in the false bottom. I plan on filling up the lands with clay pellets to be above the water line to create the FB; rather than using egg crate. Then I'm going to cover the pellets with mesh, which the substrate will sit on.

[Tiamat]

The thing that worries me in your setup is water mouvments. the water under your smaller landpiece will probably stall.
Meaby even for the big landpiece with the pump. Meaby it would be wiser to think of more openings than just drilled holes. Or meaby a secondary pump that will boost the rotation of water?

[MustacheMatt]

I do plan on running a water test for a bit. The small land should be fine considering the 6inX4in meshed opening which sits right next to the pump/filter. The larger land might be an issue, but the water should be able to run freely through a 3X2 meshed opening on one side, and the other side having about a half in gap all the way up. With the water fall splashing on the large land end of the tank, and a small water fall on the opposite end, hopefully no water will stay stagnant

[MustacheMatt]

Tomorrow the water testing begins! here are some photos of the latest work. Also on the note of the pump, I also had worries that the filter might not be powerful enough, so I could move that else were in the tank, and upgrade to a bigger pump, if circulation is a problem.