Chuckie Posted May 10, 2005 Report Share Posted May 10, 2005 Has anyone ever done a novelty tank? I have been toying for a while with the idea of a "zen" type tank - eg black gravel and a big monolithic chunk of rose quartz or similar, and a single tank inhabitant. I have the rose quartz (we picked up a boxful from the side of the road after some roadworks in Bathurst!). Maybe the single occupant could be a betta - copper, perhaps? I'm quite keen on this idea actually. Or even a little formal garden - a fake castle or something at the back (you know, the 'frontage' ones? Very skinny so make a good backdrop?)with a "lawn" of green gravel, an avenue/path of white or brown gravel, with those fontinalis balls making a row of standard plants lining the path? There would be no such thing as gravel vacuuming of course, but it could look funky! What sort of fish though? Just some cories rummaging around like a flock of ducks? some danios at the top to represent a flock of birds? Kind of tacky but also sort of fun. Or a space-age tank, using floating glass balls like Abbey has used, weighed down, so it's almost reminiscent of one of those novelty barometers (with ... the little floating glass balls, LOL). Anyone else had novelty tank ideas? I have always gone for natural/biotope type tanks rather than a novelty tank but the idea is sort of fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Figure_8 Posted May 10, 2005 Report Share Posted May 10, 2005 my 4ft is aiming towards a fantasy/fairy grotto type look.. hopefully one day maybe when I work out how to get the look I'm after :oops: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callatya Posted May 10, 2005 Report Share Posted May 10, 2005 I have done a few... more 'themed' than novelty though. No, I lie, I have had one tak that can only be described as novelty Scary huh. I ended up buying way too many fluro silk plants to flesh it out a bit. It really got that goldfish kitsch out of my system. Yes, the pirate ship bubbled, and there wa a full length bubblewand at the back ) Incarnation #2 Here are the glass balls you were talking about. To save you the trouble, buy the balls with loops, no matter how hard you try, superglue just will not stand up to the pressure, neither will silicone. SPROING! My fave so far is my Japanese themed tank for B Girl the axolotl. Its a bit minimalist, but still somewhat rich in colour and texture. FYI, slate is harder to find than you imagine! Hey, Lisa, your idea is TOTALLY workable AND easily cleanable Ponds can be made with pieces of mirrored glass, paths are created outside the tank on strips of glass or perspex, sticking the gravel down with silicone so you just lay it in, and you dont have to worry about the colours mixing. Grass, well, yeah, i'd just go with gravel BUT you could use astroturf ! Tiny pots to have the topiary trees in, having them on little twisted grape twigs? Maybe have the castle partially printed on the background and only have a small part of it being 3D? Depends on the size of the tank though, could have the whole thing ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckie Posted May 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2005 They are great photos Abbey, thanks! Great ideas too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callatya Posted May 11, 2005 Report Share Posted May 11, 2005 I actually saw one the other day at Parklea Markets... It was full of those fake mobile phones, the display ones (and 7 or 8 goldfish, but thats a whole other thread ) and it actually looked kinda cool Maybe paired with a pair of clear strappy high heels and some make-up cases and maybe a string of crystals...? small hand mirror at the back and maybe one some underwater LED lights set into the phone... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckie Posted May 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2005 Mmmm. heels .... Sorry. I turned 32 and grew a shoe fetish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckie Posted November 27, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 27, 2005 hey Abs, do you know where your pictures went? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bren MacFish Posted December 5, 2005 Report Share Posted December 5, 2005 I like the idea of a little Japanese garden, raked gravel, paths, bamboo fencing, pagoda etc. I also like the idea of having a wider shallower tank and having a waterfall etc above it cascading down into pool, with maybe a little beach and lawn and planting to one edges. Have a look at the Tokyo Fair pickies for some ideas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mishy Posted December 5, 2005 Report Share Posted December 5, 2005 Starwing has one that's all egyptian ruins. It's a beautiful tank with only 2 seahorses as it's inhabitants, but it's a gorgeous tank with yellow sand, column ruins, a sphinx... Umm.. I got a jungle one going at the moment, all plants and can't see the fish. Planning to re-do this one soon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbies Betta Posted December 6, 2005 Report Share Posted December 6, 2005 I LOVE jungle ones. they just seem to "form" without much thought Mishy, any chance of getting Starwing to post a pic of his Egyptian tank? It sounds really interesting. I was thinking of something similar, like a ship wreck or something, with old bottles half imbedded into the sand etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Figure_8 Posted December 6, 2005 Report Share Posted December 6, 2005 I'd love to see an egyptian themed tank! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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