Sounds awesome. Please post the pics as it starts to come together.
Shane, I forgot! (Re: autorotate)
Sorry boss!
Meanwhile, I've had to cut out all silicone to re-do it. Someone didn't know how before me so I'm still removing silicone since I know it's pointless to re-do until 100% clean.
Going to start stealing old pallets to use for the woodwork. I love the spray foam idea and might line with wax paper... actually, maybe luan in case foam eats wax paper.
-Elliot
Sounds awesome. Please post the pics as it starts to come together.
-Shane
Discus do it bare bottom.
Will do, Shane! I just re-sealed the tank. Stupidly I did a first attempt at resealing with not enough sealant on hand and I knew it wouldn't work.
Did a leak test and the 55gal still leaks. So then I took the time to stripped all silicone out of the bottom and each of the four corner joints of side panes. 36 hours ago, re-sealed it the way I should've done the first time.
Planning to re-leak test Friday afternoon (through Sunday). From there, I'll borrow someone else's vehicle when I "snatch&grab" pallets from the nearby Food Lion that's what I will use for the wood.
-Elliot
I just skimmed this old thread so maybe you covered it already, but as far the tank itself, have you seen this old thread? I still insulate my tanks with Reflectix and I'm still sold on it. As long at you only care about viewing the front it's gret. I even have it only on the back side of bow front and it helps a lot to retain heat.
http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showth...ight=reflectix
It comes in several lengths and sizes. A 2'x25' roll at Lowes is $25, way more than needed for a 55G. All anyone had in stock when that post was created was 16" wide so I had to splice it. I still use pretty low powered heaters on my tanks, 50w in my 20g's, 75w in my 30g's and 150-200w in my 55's.
Brian, THAT'S info I definitely need! Hell yeah! I was thinking of only having one END viewable. Planning on framing out a "window" on the exposed end of it.
-Elliot
Alright... time to slap some *** and knock the dust off of an almost year old thread. Franken-high-top-pond is under construction. I was going to wait until the contest but, I randomly started going at it since I had all sorts of different with boards that I needed to get rid of or do something with.20230813_200932.jpg
20230813_201530.jpg
20230813_201545.jpg
20230813_201603.jpg
My helpers... (... so you know this is going to be awesome... )
20230809_212521.jpg
-Elliot
And I will not get offended with any questions or comments on my choices. My wife is already laughing at me and not happy that I will not have either one of the long sides of the tank open for viewing. Only the very top and one little cut out on one end (as depicted... well, hopefully understandably depicted).
The other longside will have 2 hinged doors and the other short side will be butted up against a wall (so It'll probably be 1-solid scrap piece in my pile of crap).
I'll be adding a rim, staining it, clear coating it, possibly wet sanding... hell, who knows. I just couldn't get rid of the 55 gallon and I had planned on building a high top in my garage (...why not make the wooden SOB a "pond" as well? LOL)
-Elliot
Started on the other side (which will have doors)20230813_214618.jpg
-Elliot
Looks fun Elliot.. interesting ! Maybe compromise with your wife.. put a porthole in the front. I've visited your neck of the woods.. with all the pirate lore theres got to be some portholes laying around.
On the heating bit.. with your wood insulated tank.. a regular electric heater will be fine... however if you want fancy. You are in perfect Solar areas.. theres tons of diy solar water heater plans out there. I would think even a passive one would work for you... theres also thermostat controlled solar 12v heaters but thats going be costly.. the passive one I made up here in CT as a hot tube warmer cost me $35 in parts and used a few 2x4s , scrap plywood , a discarded clear glass shower door and a small dc circulating pump (optional).
This is pretty close to.what I used..
https://practicalsurvivalist.com/diy...-water-heater/
You'd just need to run the heated water to an insulated holding tank and . Connect that to your fishtank with a thermostat control of some sort.
Then you truly would have a unique grow out tank.
AquaticSuppliers.comFoods your Discus will Love!!!
>>>>>I am a science guy.. show me the science minus the BS
Al Sabetta
Simplydiscus LLC Owner
Aquaticsuppliers.com
I take Pics.. click here for my Flickr images
OMG... I'm soooo sorry, Al,... but you
you're thinking similar thoughts as me (and Al screams, "NOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!...."). I'm starting to get more and more into solar
As for the porthole, I thought about that and was even going to use all pallet wood but then it got to the point where I realized that once I build this, a pile of centralized crap in my garage will then disappear due to motivation to put an awesome piece in there. So right now my garage is in the phase of going to make it worse before it gets better (...and I'm ready to get it back in order so I can break on woodwork, pick back up on painting since I'm behind on paintings, and have it ready by week 2 or 3 of college football! ... go 'Eers!... Take me Home, Country Roads!)
Poor man's panoramic below
20230814_001335.jpg
20230814_001339.jpg
20230814_001343.jpg
20230814_001352.jpg
20230814_001355.jpg
20230814_001634.jpg
-Elliot
Two words come to mind..
" ordered chaos"
An old friend described my basement fishroom as such...when I had one. I hereby bestow it on you.
Al
AquaticSuppliers.comFoods your Discus will Love!!!
>>>>>I am a science guy.. show me the science minus the BS
Al Sabetta
Simplydiscus LLC Owner
Aquaticsuppliers.com
I take Pics.. click here for my Flickr images
-Elliot