slowburn22
Member
Where did you get your tank? I like the square idea in a corner... Are you painting two of the sides black?
Oyster Reef Ecosystem Tank Plan
- Thread starter Chasmodes
- Start date
Chasmodes
Member
There's a guy locally that builds custom tanks kind of out of his basement. I'm going to use foam on the back wall and have it viewed from three sides...
Latest update:
Things are much slower getting this project together than I had planned. Hopefully I'll have everthing up and running and the tank stocked by October.
Major progress made on the stand. It helps when you have friends with the right tools and knowledge. I have to give my buddy Bob credit, although I was there he did most of the handywork. I had designed a stand, roughly 3X3 and a sump stand using Google SketchUp 6, brought my plans to his place and immediately went out and purchased materials. The basic design is still there but we've modified it somewhat, so I'm posting some pics to let you know the progress.
Cutting the 4X4 legs to accept the top and bottom frames:
Attaching the top and bottom segments to the legs:
More pics to come in a minute. My plan was to use treated wood, but we had trouble finding any that weren't soaking water logged wet and/or near straight. So, we found some straight lumber and decided to waterproof the frame after assembly.
Latest update:
Things are much slower getting this project together than I had planned. Hopefully I'll have everthing up and running and the tank stocked by October.
Major progress made on the stand. It helps when you have friends with the right tools and knowledge. I have to give my buddy Bob credit, although I was there he did most of the handywork. I had designed a stand, roughly 3X3 and a sump stand using Google SketchUp 6, brought my plans to his place and immediately went out and purchased materials. The basic design is still there but we've modified it somewhat, so I'm posting some pics to let you know the progress.
Cutting the 4X4 legs to accept the top and bottom frames:
Attaching the top and bottom segments to the legs:
More pics to come in a minute. My plan was to use treated wood, but we had trouble finding any that weren't soaking water logged wet and/or near straight. So, we found some straight lumber and decided to waterproof the frame after assembly.
Chasmodes
Member
Here's the frame upright after adding supports:
Another angle showing supports:
Here's after we've added the two sides and the top. It's laying on the back, front is up. We've removed the bottom front brace so that we can get this thing out of his place and into my house. Actually, later, we're going to install that front bottom brace and remove the back unfinished one so that we don't ding any of the finished areas:
The sides and front door will be finished using formica then trimmed with dark wood molding, here's what I've picked:
Here's the stand as it sits today, upright, front facing:
Next weekend (got a family reunion this weekend) we'll treat the wood frame and plywood in an attempt to waterproof it (we'll have to remove the plywood and replace it, of course). Also, we need to cut the back; cut, fit and install the door; cut, trim and glue the formica; and the cut and fit the molding. More info to come in the next post.
Another angle showing supports:
Here's after we've added the two sides and the top. It's laying on the back, front is up. We've removed the bottom front brace so that we can get this thing out of his place and into my house. Actually, later, we're going to install that front bottom brace and remove the back unfinished one so that we don't ding any of the finished areas:
The sides and front door will be finished using formica then trimmed with dark wood molding, here's what I've picked:
Here's the stand as it sits today, upright, front facing:
Next weekend (got a family reunion this weekend) we'll treat the wood frame and plywood in an attempt to waterproof it (we'll have to remove the plywood and replace it, of course). Also, we need to cut the back; cut, fit and install the door; cut, trim and glue the formica; and the cut and fit the molding. More info to come in the next post.
Chasmodes
Member
After the "cube" stand has been completed, then we'll build the sump stand. Here are some facts related to the stand:
Legs = 4X4
Top and bottom frames and the bracing = 2X4
Top = 3/4" plywood
Sides = 1/2" plywood
Finish = stone laminate and wood trim
Here's a pic of my original plan:
At first, I had a 4" lip around the front and sides, but later decided to eliminate that and keep it flush with the tank. The door will be a bit different too, but the basic idea will be the same. The top frame in the plan used 4X4, but we used 2X4 instead.
Here is the plan for the sump stand:
The sump will be supported by the 4 legs furthest apart, made of 2X4s and the top will be 3/4" plywood. The rest will support my return pumps and any other purpose that I may come up with.
Basically, the display tank will be in my recreation room downstairs and the sump will be plumbed on the other side of the wall adjoining my basement, in the basement.
Legs = 4X4
Top and bottom frames and the bracing = 2X4
Top = 3/4" plywood
Sides = 1/2" plywood
Finish = stone laminate and wood trim
Here's a pic of my original plan:
At first, I had a 4" lip around the front and sides, but later decided to eliminate that and keep it flush with the tank. The door will be a bit different too, but the basic idea will be the same. The top frame in the plan used 4X4, but we used 2X4 instead.
Here is the plan for the sump stand:
The sump will be supported by the 4 legs furthest apart, made of 2X4s and the top will be 3/4" plywood. The rest will support my return pumps and any other purpose that I may come up with.
Basically, the display tank will be in my recreation room downstairs and the sump will be plumbed on the other side of the wall adjoining my basement, in the basement.
Chasmodes
Member
Originally Posted by EmeralCrab
I just got a tail spot blennie, he is really shy, know anything about them? Are you the blennie expert....
he is really cute when he sticks his head out.
Good luck with your oyster reef.
Sorry, I missed this post or I would have responded sooner (DUH, not sure how I missed it...). Howz he doin'?
I know a little bit about them, but you're questions are probably answered by now! They are one cool blenny, those tailspots! Just remember that they are more omnivorous than others in it's genus (who are herbivores), some of them actually prefer to eat plankton in the water column over food off the substrate. They enjoy meaty foods as well as veggies, as long as the food is small enough to swallow. For veggies, you can rotate clean rock into your tank, let algae form and he'll eat some of that, or just leave some on the glass for him. They eat micro algae, but should also enjoy meaty foods too.
I just got a tail spot blennie, he is really shy, know anything about them? Are you the blennie expert....
Good luck with your oyster reef.
Sorry, I missed this post or I would have responded sooner (DUH, not sure how I missed it...). Howz he doin'?
I know a little bit about them, but you're questions are probably answered by now! They are one cool blenny, those tailspots! Just remember that they are more omnivorous than others in it's genus (who are herbivores), some of them actually prefer to eat plankton in the water column over food off the substrate. They enjoy meaty foods as well as veggies, as long as the food is small enough to swallow. For veggies, you can rotate clean rock into your tank, let algae form and he'll eat some of that, or just leave some on the glass for him. They eat micro algae, but should also enjoy meaty foods too.