My First Vive Build: Build Log with Pics.

[seahawksfan_74]

Work slowly and patiently. Get a really sharp blade, I used an Olfa blade, but a razor blade would probably work better. Then just work the blade through the silicone carefully. Make sure not to put too much pressure on the glass or you will do what I did and crack the side glass. I built the screen using materials I bought at the HD, to make window screens. You just have to cut the aluminum sides to the right length then add the screen using a spline tool. Once the screen was made I cut the glass and siliconed both pieces back in glass first then the screen. I hope this helps.

[ittibittirainbow]

so did you take the whole pane out then cut the glass? and did you remove the black trim and put it back on too?

[sbye]

What kind of foam did you use in these pictures? I am using egg crate also to construct my waterfall and I need to purchase the foam to cover it.

[seahawksfan_74]

I did take the whole pane out. I peeled the bottom black trim back, I didn't take it all the way off. If I were to do it again I probably would just remove it completely. It wasn't necessary to remove the top trim on my aquarium. I cut the glass myself. It was a poor cut but it didn't matter as I put the cut end at the bottom inside the black trim.

As to the foam I used, it was the black can Great Stuff. I used about two cans on the whole build. I say about because I used one can that had been used for minor household repairs first and one can must have had a propellant leak as it didn't work the second day I went to use it.

A couple things I found with expanding foam. Firstly the name is accurate, it expands a lot so start small and get a feel for it. Don't worry though if you use too much as it can be cut back. As I stated earlier in this thread I used an Olfa knife and a Dremel tool to shape most of my foam. Second it is really sticky and messy so I prefered to let it dry before trying to shape or mold it.

I am shopping for plants this week so i should have some updated pics soon. (Picking plants scares me!)

[ittibittirainbow]

ewww thats what i was afraid of lol I dont really want to remove the trim but if i have to i guess ill do what i must grrr. This means a whole lot more work. see im salvaging a tank that i had alreay modified. I siliconed a small pane of glass to the bottom of the tank and part of the side. I used it to divide the water and land porion of the tank originally. Now the side with the barrier attached to it is broken. I will have to take that out too if the whole pane needs to come out : )

[seahawksfan_74]

I see your dilema, you could try taping the broken side piece in place with packing or duct tape, plus it will still be held in place by the silicone along the bottom. The bottom trim doesn't have to come off all the way either, I stood mine on the other end and pulled the trim only as much as I needed to, to remove the top glass.

[gillenws]

hey i've got a question that i posted elsewhere but will pose here too... since the humidity will be kept pretty high will having the substrate right on the GS drain efficiently into the pond? or is there any concern about excess moisture building up in the substrate of the land mass? i'm working on my first vive too and am trying to figure out how the drainage situation works

[seahawksfan_74]

The humidity isn't a problem, the coco bark I used is staying relatively dry. However where the stream is overflowing it's bank and touching the coco bark the bark is wicking water well away from the stream. I need to either build the bank up further which I don't think will look right or find a way to turn down the pump. I am thinking of building one of the plug set-ups with a dimmer to see if that works. If anyone has tried this I would live to hear if it works well.

[beckdg]

typically messing with the power that goes to a water pump is a bad thing. it can throw off the timing between electrical pulses coming from the wall and push or pull the pump motor to one side or another. the effects are not usually noticed until it's too late and the pump is already degraded.

a better solution would be to try and find a small ball valve or gate valve that can be plumbed into your hose after the pump. you could slow the flow that way without throwing off or seriously degrading your pump over time. the trick is finding one that fits your size hose. even a cut off/disconnect could be used for this as they are usually just 2 ball valves with a disconnect between them.

do not plumb a valve in to the intake side, it can create a suction that kicks up air and degrades the pump much faster than using a dimmer/rheostat.

[seahawksfan_74]

Thanks for the info beck, I will see what I can find in the way of valves.