Jump to content

Re-silicone my wild tank...


shadoh

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 99
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Yes, doing the ends as well. Getting pretty frustrated with it. Every coat I apply, I end up with pinprick size holes in the paint. Hoping coat #4 will fill them in. Paint is touch dry between coats (thin coats) approx 30 min between coats.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

get those holes sometimes ..... just from impurities on the surface (oil or something) .. I lay the tank so its painted surface is horizontal and fill the holes with paint - won't see the extra from the front but will cover the holes ....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

lol.... I usually don't do the painting 'by the book' .... when it says light coats I give it one really heavy coat and then touch up the bits and pieces - too impatient to give it 4 or more coats....... get the spray can as close as possible (about 8cm) and don't get much spray drift that way either..... the part of the paint job you're going to see is the bottom coat - unlike if you're painting something else where you see the final coat....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm using the cheap stuff. Think I'll try matt paint next time. I was using gloss.

I gave it a wipe down with windex before I started, but must have missed a bit. Could have been a little residue from the turps from when I cleaned up the silicone originally.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Scraped off all the old paint. Rubbed the tank down with metho 3 times to be on the safe side. Have sprayed 2 coats of blue matt paint and looks better than 4 coats of gloss ever did. Nice even coverage. I'll give it one more coat to be on the safe side, then will start scaling late this afternoon :)

Scaping, not scaling... Damn autocorrect *lol*

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This will have to tide you over mate... 3 coats of paint. Very happy with the colour. Only downside is the paint got under the horizontal aluminum strips. Oh well... To impatient to be picky :) you'll hardly notice once it is planted up. (that's what I am telling myself anyway

)

421005c0.jpg

Edited by shadoh
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just finished setting up the tank. I've left the right side bare, as I am getting a lotus off Matt at the next Betta Australis meet that will look amazing there if I keep it trimmed. Love the blue background. It makes the tank look much brighter and should make viewing the mahachai much easier. Last time, they got lost against the black background.

Some photos (to keep Busman off my back...)

41c7aeb0.jpg

36e1c343.jpg

0da00363.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fish are in the tub still. I will add them tomorrow.

This is the first time I've done one of these setups and the water has been a little cloudy. Guess I didn't wash the sand as thoughly as I did last time. Also used new Val runners from main tank and accidentally introduced the hair algae... Grr... Think I got it all out... Don't want that taking hold before the tank establishes itself.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh, I see how it is... You two now are a tag team of photo harrassment *lol*

Put the pair in this morning. I've been outside mowing (halfway done...YAY!!!) and in that time the male has coloured up. As per typical mahachai, this pair have picked out a hidy hole and are being secretive and covert, poking their heads out to look to see if I am finally out of site. I'll try feeding them some juicy blood worms at the front of the tank this afternoon when I am finished the mowing. Hopefully I will be able to snap a photo or two. If this fails, I will set up the video camera in front of the tank and dissapear for an hour. Hopefully, they will swim into view with me not being around.

Not all of us have friendly photoshopped looking hornbags... :rofl:

J - Out!!!

*lol*

Edited by shadoh
Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...