150 gallon/6 foot palu...1st time build.

[Mink]

JermaJesty,

GE silicon can be used and is no different then ""reefgrade"" silicon sold at 4/5X the price.

just have to be smart about which one

[kitcolebay]

No pics to post or construction yet. Been busy with Easter weekend and some sick fish. I did get to browse for some new materials. Went to the local rock store and bought some landscape rock(river rock) to line my divider wall, some shale pieces to craft my waterfall, and a few mexican beach pebbles for stepping stones. I also found some tubes of GE silicone that I needed at Wal-Mart. I bought some misting nozzles and plumbing to go with it. I'm hoping to plumb up my water features together with individuals valves so I can turn on/off or adjust them all easily. I tested my pumps and they passed their tests. I hope to get started on constructing the waterfall this week and maybe sticking my rocks on my divider. In a couple weeks I'll hope to take my tank in to have it drilled for drainage.
Thanks again for all advice given and anymore to come. I'll try to keep things updated on here as I make slow progress.
-Chris

---------- Post added at 02:28 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:24 PM ----------

It's not a very good pic, but this is roughly what I hope to make my divider look like inside and out...

Whatcha think?

[kitcolebay]

I haven't siliconed the rocks to the divider yet, but I picked up a couple 12" flat pieces of slate to silicone between the glass and the divider...

I spent more time thinking than doing this morning. I did get the rough framework to my waterfall that will pool up at the bottom, then run creek like to the pond...

Once again...slow progress.

---------- Post added at 03:14 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:12 PM ----------

Can get waterfall pic to stay rotated...so you have to tilt your head! Lol. (Sorry.)

[crestiezz]

waterfall construction 's looking good have you sealed that pond bit??

[kitcolebay]

Thanks. I hope to possibly get some GS put on the waterfall today if I have time. I'm thinking I will be using layered slate for the water to follow with GS and rocks for the sides to guide it. I haven't sealed anything in yet because I still need to take it in to have a hole or two drilled in it. I need to wait until I have the help to load it up. With it being 6ft. and 1/2 glass...It's a fair chunk of weight. Also, I'm still a little cautious about doing anything that's not easy to undo yet. I'm hoping not to make too many serious mistakes and I hope to get continued advice to either reassure me I'm on the right track and go ahead or someone steps in an says "wait...you may not want to do that!". Lol.

[kitcolebay]

Well, no progress today. About to head to work. I did lay down the bigger pieces of slate(brownish) on the waterfall and didn't really care for it. I like the idea of using these grey slate chips instead. I just laid them on there to get an idea of what it'll look like...


I hope to put GS on tomorrow, then use GE silicone to adhere the rocks over the weekend. Or shall I try to gently push the slate chips into the GS as it is curing, then seal afterwards? Any advice on the best order to proceed would be greatly appreciated!

[Crimsonraptor]

I can't help but drool over this setup!

[kitcolebay]

Just popped my very first can of GS today when work called and asked me to come in early again...oh, well. Got to pay for that $2.50 can of GS somehow...lol. Hopefully, the weekend may provide some opportunity to make progress.

[kitcolebay]

Well, shoot! I loaded up the aquarium(with help) and took it into the local glass shop. Unfortunately, what the lady on the phone said they can do differs from what the guy that has to do the work thinks. They can't drill a 1 5/16" hole into an assembled aquarium of 1/2" glass. He said it is very likely that it would break. Plan B...redesign the plumbing to come up the back of the tank and out the canopy. Time to get creative on canopy/plumbing design. Wish me luck!

[kitcolebay]

I'm thinking through on how to design my canopy now. My thoughts are to bring the plumbing up the rear and into the back of the lid/canopy. I have glass pieces to fit in. I was thinking of fixing the back panel in place with silicone and having the holes pre-drilled in it for the plumbing. So, I know I've read over some of this already, but don't quite retain all the details like I'd like to...what would be the suggested amount of glass vs. screen ratio? I need mostly sealed for humidity with some screen for air circulation, right? I already have a couple larger computer-type fans that I bought and wired to cool my metal halide lights for one of my saltwater aquariums. I plan on transferring these over. If I do, can I just incorporate these into my cut glass lid and go all glass instead of having some screen? On that note, would metal halide lighting work good for a palu setup or is it too intense and too hot? I no longer use them for my saltwater tanks because it would give me too much temperature fluctuation.
Another kindergarten fingerpaint sketch for me...