melbournebetta Posted November 26, 2011 Report Share Posted November 26, 2011 (edited) BORED Got that 3 foot tank in the back of the car from the last VB meet.... what to do with it? I had big plans to use it as a grow-out, but looks like I'll have more spawns than just the one... and smaller numbers. hmm. Got that plastic coated fly wire under my bed.. I wonder if they'd fit through - maybe, yeah, ahh I'll just try GOD IM BORED. Wait, I still have some of that poster hanging edging, maybe... hmm... I wonder if that fish safe silicone will stick to the plastic? one way to find out.... I'm feelin another D.I.Y Slap-dash production!!!! step a.) find somewhere to put the tank... yeah - that sort of fits. step b.) find all your junk, fishsafe silicone from the LFS, tape (couldn't find masking tape - found present wrapping metallic LAZER tape, that'll do) scissors, other scissors, netting, poster hangers, pot plants Plastic poster hangers from K mart for $5 for 92 cms step c.) chop netting lightly and simmer over a.. no, wait... measure carefully the interior of the tank, and slide the poster hanger stuff over the netting stuff and make sure it's square. (this took longer than you might imagine) step d.) cut to sizzzzzzzze - with scissors! Step: next) aknowledge that you haven't really thought this through, and that the corners don't really meet up, but, neither do the corners on the interior of the tank, so.. actually, this might work. Leave corners, what isn't fixed to the walls of the tank can be filled in and siliconed, why? because silicone is AWESOME <cont> Edited May 23, 2012 by melbournebetta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola Posted November 26, 2011 Report Share Posted November 26, 2011 Looking Good so far ^.^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melbournebetta Posted November 26, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 26, 2011 Right... next (forget the steps because I can't keep up and I doubt you're writing this down) This bit is a bit harder, I didn't measure or nothin, cos thats not what slap dashers do..... I wanted to make 2 partitions so that I could have 3 spawns growing out, and I only have to do one big water change daily. With my crappy not very sticky blue LAZER tape, I masked the edges, and then used gaffa to keep the screen up. it's not really straight, but I'm SO excited about getting out the silicone gun I don't care. THASWHATIMTALKING'BOUT: (Happiness is a loaded gun) Note, this is where you pause, enjoy the gun moment, think about how lovely and viscose silicone is, have a quiet fantasy about all the things you could fix and DO with this gunk... and then pull the trigger. ...nothing scoop it out, still..... nothing.... whats..... going on? oh - it's dried all through the nozzle, and despite the excited-ness, you're going to have to spend the next 20 mins building up the anxiety of the JOY of silicone just because... ugh.. ok [20 mins later and quite a bit more mess accrued = clear nozzel] TIME TO SILLY-CONE! Note iphone is playing Dolly Parton, you are working 9 to 5 on this thing, and because that sunroom isn't really ventilated you're probably off your face on fumes. Go outside, breathe, come back, remove LAZER tape.... admire dodgy job, don't care. (slap dash) - let it cure. Think about lighting and all the other considerations such as filtration and heat... oh.. dunno. Actually I don't even have a heater for this bad-boy.... ugh... more monies to spend... and I'll probably get a little internal aquaone filter - just for kicks... but this'll be getting daily or every second daily water changes of anywhere from 10 - 50% hmm.... Off to bunnings to see what's there: is this any good? I bought two: http://www.arlec.com.au/viewProduct.aspx?productcode=UC643&catalogueID=13&parentCatalogueID=5 Cost like $36 or somethin. UC643 FLUORESCENT CAB LIGHT-21W SWIVEL HEAD Product code: UC643 ( Current Product ) Anyhoo - gotta make a hood cos it's 90 cms and the tank is 91 - mmmmm wet electricals = bad. The tank has cured for 24 hours..... its got a good grip of the poster hangers, and has dried where I have inch thick beads in the corders so naughty fry can't play with cousins. Hmmm... silicone still looks dodge, ELECTRICAL TAPE! Finished for now, till I get my act together and get down to Subscape for a filter and a heater.... oh, and until the turquouse kids are old enough not to fit through the screens! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
somchai2500 Posted November 26, 2011 Report Share Posted November 26, 2011 You should do this DIY gig more often. Well done. Great result. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bettarazzi Posted November 26, 2011 Report Share Posted November 26, 2011 Where do you the poster hanging things? I was looking for some recently (funnily enough to hang up a poster) and no one knew what I was talking about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melbournebetta Posted November 26, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 26, 2011 Kmarrrrrrrrrt in stationary seckshun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zhong89 Posted November 26, 2011 Report Share Posted November 26, 2011 lol... depending how many fry you have in that tank you need a REALLY good filter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melbournebetta Posted November 26, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 26, 2011 are you being funny Joan? daily WC not enough? I think you're being funny I could put a sponge in, yes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zhong89 Posted November 26, 2011 Report Share Posted November 26, 2011 I wasn't trying to...lol. What I mean is some of the spawns have up to 400 fry and 3 x that in a 3ft tank will mean you need a freaking good filtration to keep them alive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DenningA.Rajit Posted November 26, 2011 Report Share Posted November 26, 2011 Thanks for sharing. I like it! I like it! I like it alot! More DIYs ideas for me to play around and get myself down and dirty. Where did you get the sealant from? Bunnings? I will go to kmart and check out this poster hanging thingos and add them into my own future DIY plan. Let me know how it will all turn out when the fish and all are in happily. I am planning to divide my 3 footer too. according to species type but never got around doing it. I have about 6 type of fishes swimming around at the moment in my 3 foot (guppies, Apistos, Rams, Fighters, platys, suckers) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumofthehoarde Posted November 26, 2011 Report Share Posted November 26, 2011 (edited) I have a 4' screaming for this kind of makeover..got to get this move over with first Edited November 26, 2011 by mumofthehorde Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melbournebetta Posted November 27, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 27, 2011 Let me just suggest that y'all go to your LFS and get an approved silicone - there's plenty out there with scary antibacterial crazy junk that will kill yo phish.... infact there's a thread on here somewhere with tanksafe silicones (I bought mine from coburg) Joan - none of my spawns have been over 40, and the failed spawn I had growing out (the stunted ones you grew out beautifully) were only 80 in number. I have a happy number of 20-40 per section of that tank, and keep in mind it's all for the first 2-3 months, then they're jarred usually! Just scored a 2.5 footer with a nice heto light on ebay for $30, that might be the next grow out, so there's going to be 9 juvi fish in this one till the turqs grow up enough!!! x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zhong89 Posted November 27, 2011 Report Share Posted November 27, 2011 U can get aquarium safe silicone from bunnings for about $8 a tube. Just make sure it's the one that says "aquarium safe" it's more expensive that all the other ones. I'm up to my second tube now, I make my own fry saver, breeding caves and my CO2 lid to tube connection bit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiameseFightingFist Posted November 27, 2011 Report Share Posted November 27, 2011 I was at Bunnings a couple of weeks ago but I didn't see one that said it was aquarium safe. Was there a particular brand name? Let me just suggest that y'all go to your LFS and get an approved silicone I haven't seen this at my LFS (it's a well known one too). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt_95 Posted November 27, 2011 Report Share Posted November 27, 2011 Great Idea Ness, woudl eb perfect for me! I've used the glass silicone, on the back it say suitable for fish tanks or aquariums of something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola Posted December 3, 2011 Report Share Posted December 3, 2011 I was at Bunnings a couple of weeks ago but I didn't see one that said it was aquarium safe. Was there a particular brand name? I haven't seen this at my LFS (it's a well known one too). Selly's glass silicone is aquarium safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
somchai2500 Posted December 5, 2011 Report Share Posted December 5, 2011 http://www.selleys.com.au/sealants/silicone/glass this is what it looks like Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiameseFightingFist Posted December 5, 2011 Report Share Posted December 5, 2011 Thanks Nicola and Roy, I was at Bunnings on the weekend and actually didn't see this one. I saw the 'Shelley's Clear' one though and for a moment I wondered whether that was it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiameseFightingFist Posted December 6, 2011 Report Share Posted December 6, 2011 That looks like a toothpaste tube, not the cylindrical hard tube. Does that mean I don't need one of those 'guns' to dispense the silicone? Is it a matter of using it like toothpaste, basically? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadoh Posted December 6, 2011 Report Share Posted December 6, 2011 Yeah, pretty much. That's what I used to re-silicone my tank. Next time though, I think I will go the way of a tube and gun. My fingers cramped up squeezing out the silicone to get a good flow *lol* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melbournebetta Posted December 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 6, 2011 Actually it'd be quite handy in a tube, but I really like the consistant pressure you get off a gun, but horses for courses eh? There isnt' yet a good pic of it - but it's working really quite well - I'm growing out 7 little something-month-old-noodles, while I wait for my miniature turq fry to get big enough to transport and not fit between the mesh walls. It's working quite well, the filter is working quite well with only 7 bodies to clean up after. I'd recommend this for anyone looking to do just one big water change and perhaps keep all the fry in one place. Just don't forget that if you subscribe to the growth inhibiting hormone or not - there need to be lots of water changes in this arrangement, you still have lots of bodies crammed into one tank. Not the most flattering pic - and totally NOT scaped! just threw in all the duckweed and wassitcalled, with some java and misc plants held down by rocks - i just want them to condition the water (I should put more energy into it, but there's so much disturbance with water changes!!! That wooden backdrop isn't doing the colour of the water any favours!! Happy noodle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CNgo2006 Posted May 23, 2012 Report Share Posted May 23, 2012 I just bought a 310g cylindrical hard tube of selleys glass [aquarium safe (needs caulking gun)] at bunnings for 8 bucks something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melbournebetta Posted May 23, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2012 Yes, they're very handy - good to know Actually I was thinking about this thread, the success of this idea was absolute zero epic fail, after several water changes the poster edges came away from the walls and the tank was a mess for ages with bits of silicone everywhere. Just wasn't worth the effort... but ten points for trying. New DIY thread incoming! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumofthehoarde Posted June 15, 2012 Report Share Posted June 15, 2012 back to the drawing board....Better luck next time....waiting for your next production Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rainbowfish Posted June 29, 2012 Report Share Posted June 29, 2012 I made some dividers using a combo of poster hangers, stiff embroidery mesh and plastic picture frames, they were a few dollars a frame fro, go lo used the glass for the lids... the plastic frame when pulled apart were just the right size I used those for the sides for more support and the picture hangers cut so they fitted really tight using pressure to hold in place with just a few dabs of silicone, worked perfect. I should get some pictures up... I am going to try thick sponge next time and rig up a filter through it at end of tank... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts