10G Brackish Crab Tank: Build Log with Pics.

[Pittylova]

Your tanks beautiful! I have a couple of Red Claw Crabs my daughter's Uncle just happened to get her. They're in a make shift set up now, but I'm thinking about making something nice and fancy for them. We haven't had any luck with fish staying alive with them...they knocked of 7 guppies in a week. Then we got 3 bigger mollies figuring they won't bother the bigger fish. I just happened to walk into the room when SNAP! A crab grabbed one of the mollies and devoured the whole darn thing! It looked like he was full out stalking that fish!

[harrywitmore]

Great setup! I have a question. You mixed silicone colors to get the look you wanted which turned out great. I don't seem to detect any gloss on the silicone which I would expect to see. Is it glossy or did you do something to prevent that?

[Pufferfan]

Originally Posted by Pittylova

Your tanks beautiful! I have a couple of Red Claw Crabs my daughter's Uncle just happened to get her. They're in a make shift set up now, but I'm thinking about making something nice and fancy for them. We haven't had any luck with fish staying alive with them...they knocked of 7 guppies in a week. Then we got 3 bigger mollies figuring they won't bother the bigger fish. I just happened to walk into the room when SNAP! A crab grabbed one of the mollies and devoured the whole darn thing! It looked like he was full out stalking that fish!

Thank you! Haha yeah if they figure out that they can get food that way then they will practice it continually. Dwarf pufferfish are the same with ghost shrimp. Cant wait to see what you build make sure to take lots of pictures

Originally Posted by harrywitmore

Great setup! I have a question. You mixed silicone colors to get the look you wanted which turned out great. I don't seem to detect any gloss on the silicone which I would expect to see. Is it glossy or did you do something to prevent that?

I half expected it to be glossy too but its not at all really untill you put water on it. It looks really good and close to what the pictures make it look like. The videos are even closer.

Dont whipe it on, dab it on. I would wear rubber gloves and just use your fingers.

[Pittylova]

Yep so you inspired me. Considering it looks like probably another "week" until my father gets around to helping me finish up the cutting and putting together the basis of the tank I'm working on (he won't let me touch his tools )...maybe Wii won't be as important next weekend...I started working on a 10gal to put the newt in and then I'll be able to redo the crab (the newts with the crab right now...due to not expecting to get either. I really like your mixing of silicone colors and think I'll do some of that when I get to the crabitat. Thank you for sharing your build, it was very helpful and inspirational!

[Gold3nku5h]

im pretty sure i've seen it, or just havn't looked to well this morning, but what did you use as your mortar mix, or concrete stuff. im building a rockwall and submerged rock cliff and was wondering what you used, and how well its held up, because i have i think found the kind of paint i used, but a quick PM of the materials you used, like GS foam, and mortar mix and kinds of paint would be great, or a link to another construction build of this thing.

[froggsong]

Gold, that is just silicone, three colors mixed together, no mortar mix, no concrete. Looks just like stone, doesn't it?

[Pufferfan]

Originally Posted by Gold3nku5h

im pretty sure i've seen it, or just havn't looked to well this morning, but what did you use as your mortar mix, or concrete stuff. im building a rockwall and submerged rock cliff and was wondering what you used, and how well its held up, because i have i think found the kind of paint i used, but a quick PM of the materials you used, like GS foam, and mortar mix and kinds of paint would be great, or a link to another construction build of this thing.

Its a concoction of different colored silicones It turned out beautifully. And is allot easier to work with than concrete.

[Pufferfan]

Originally Posted by Allyn

Hi how did you make the rocks in the 10 gal crab tank you made? I couldn't find anything describing it on the site. Could you tell me the process to make the rock formation if it's not too much trouble?

I got this PM and i figured there may be a few people out there still confused on the entire proses of this build.

I will make a big post tonight describing it in better detail.

[Gold3nku5h]

thats crazy, i wish i would have kept my reciept from lowes getting 20 dollars worth of thinset and mortar mix

[froggsong]

I can assure you that you would have spent at least that much on silicone as well.