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While I´m waiting for the two 720 liter tanks from Denmark I spend my afternoons planning and making mockups with rocks. The following tank setup was initially going to be a Tanganyika setup, but somehow I changed my plans and decided it would be a species tank for my nine Hemiancistrus subviridis and two Baryancistrus demantoides. The Baryancistrus will get their own tank some time in the future if I manage to get more of them.
The tank I am going to use is the same size and dimensions as the Rio Zingu tank. The measurements are 160x75x60. The rocks for the background have already been cut. Now I am planning the sides that will hide the tecnical stuff. I am also making caves in different sizes and shapes for the fish.
The foundation for the rocks in the background are three concrete slabs. These are cast so that the three large rocks on top of them fits perfectly. I filled large plastic fishbags with wet concrete and put the rocks on top of them to make an impression of the underside of the rocks. This makes a steady foundation for the rest of the rocks. The concrete will eventually be covered in grey epoxy paint. I didn´t plan to make caves in the concrete foundations because the tank was going to be a species tank for Tropheus sp.
Note the three concrete slabs beneath the rocks. The two elongated rocks on the very top are made from the largest rock that leans against the wall on the picture above.
Making the cave in the concrete foundation to the left was a pain. As I was using hammer and chisel it broke in two. I glued the two pieces together again with epoxy. The cave wasn´t a part of the original plan.
The cave on the right side concrete foundation was easier to make, since it was thicker. I made both of the background caves rather large. Hemiancistrus can get quite big.
[img:1000:671]http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa23 ... 6_1691.jpg[/img]
I made a third cave yesterday. the cave was made before the concrete had fully set. Much easier This cave can be placed anywhere on the bottom since it is not part of the background. I will make a couple more later.
[img:1000:828]http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa23 ... 6_1695.jpg[/img]
I will build an overhang on both sides to partially hide the technical stuff. Both overhangs will be built on a foundation of thick glass. The finished overhangs can then be spot glued to the side walls.
Looks amazing! My only concerns will be the affect of the rocks and concrete on the water chemistry...I'm wondering how high your pH will go while that concrete "cures". Also, do you have a carbide tipped masonry bit for a drill? It looks like the rocks are limestone, is that correct?
The rocks are granite and other metamorph rocks and won´t have any effect on the water chemistry. The concrete will be coated with epoxy paint. I could have used rocks for the foundation instead of concrete, but the rocks are quite an effort to collect and I don´t want to bury any of them in sand. They are simply to valuable. Concrete is cheap and relatively easy to work with.
It is moving along ever so slowly. This morning I´ve been playing with a few rocks. Balancing a large flat rock on top of a smaller one is interesting. It ceates a slightly darkened space. Not a breeding cave, but a kind of sheltered space for several fish.
Now I have to go to work. Later I will start planning the overhangs.
Starting to take shape, looking good!!!! Can I ask (I know what you're going say, but I'm not very knowledgeable on foreign names! ) Looking forward to seeing the completed tank!
Anyway it is going along nicely. I am messing about with my rocks without getting any real work done. Visible progress is not always a good thing. Everybody wants to see a finished tank, and if you show someone a finished tank they wish to see how it was made. We are always itching for what we can´t see
On the overhang on the left side I will only use two rocks on top of each other. These rocks are rather rotten, so I have cut a slit in the center of each, and insertad a piece og glass.
Hi there, I'd be the same way about cutting bits of rock! But it will be worth it in the long run! I know I asked this question before, but could I ask what kind of fish you're thinking of having
I am wondering if you will be able to coat ALL the concrete surfaces that will be exposed to the water? It will not take very much uncoated concrete to drive the pH and hardness up and these plecos are soft acid water fish. If you have this issue resolved then this should be an excellent plan.
apistomaster wrote:I am wondering if you will be able to coat ALL the concrete surfaces that will be exposed to the water? It will not take very much uncoated concrete to drive the pH and hardness up and these pl*cos are soft acid water fish. If you have this issue resolved then this should be an excellent plan.
I have bought 3 liters of epoxy paint. This will be applied in several layers. The concrete will be completely sealed. The epoxy is specially made to seal concrete floors in garages, hospitals, stables, pig pens, etc. It actually sinks into the top layer of the concrete as well as sealing it.
DAWN wrote:Hi there, I'd be the same way about cutting bits of rock! But it will be worth it in the long run! I know I asked this question before, but could I ask what kind of fish you're thinking of having
Nine Hemiancistrus subviridis and two Baryancistrus demantoides. The Baryancistrus will get their own tank some time in the future if I manage to get more of them.
Today I made a cave from a large solid rock. First I split the rock along a foultline with a chisel and hammer. Then I cut the inside walls of the cave with my grinder. Finally I used a chisel and hammer again to remove the material between the walls. The two pieces will be glued together. Just have to buy some more silicon first.
Hi Haavard,
It seems you are going to set up another wonderfull tank!!! Well done,thats how i like tanks to be,very detailed and as natural looking as possible...
Personally i would not use cement blocks...And would not like to have something painted in my aquarium...So i would suggest if you can,skip on them and use something else as a base...
You have all convinced me. I will collect some more large flattened rocks to build the base I don´t know for sure if the concrete/epoxy would be safe. I think it would be safe, but that´s not good enough.
Haavard. People are often building entire tanks of plywood sealed with epoxy. So as long as you use an epoxy that is safe (look for ones used for potable water)it should seal up the concrete so your pH stays low...
I'm still not convinced that you have granite rocks though...Perhaps the granite I am used to looking at (Rocky Mountains, Yosemite Valley) is different than where you are.
Granite is very variable. Some of the rocks I use are granite, and some are other metamorph rocks. There are no sedimentary rocks or limestone where I live.
In my opinion you are probably right about the concrete and epoxy. Anyway.. I made two new foundations out of solid granit from a nearby forest.
The underside of both were ground flat, and given a really thick layer of silicone to make a stable and safe foundation.
Hi Haavard, What a amazing success! Hope everything goes well with the tanks on Friday, bet it'll look grand with all those fantastic caves! [size=18][/size]Again congrats on a fab job![color=violet][/color]
But it will be worth it in the long run! I know I asked this question before, but could I ask what kind of fish you're thinking of having
Well done,thats how i like tanks to be,very detailed and as natural looking as possible... 
Very beauty! 
How can you manage to set up all these tanks together???? 
