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New 3D background!

10K views 113 replies 9 participants last post by  Boredomb 
#1 ·
I have been wanting something different then just a black background for awhile now. I started weeks ago looking on how to make one. After looking at pictures and researching I finally can up with something like this:
Rock Marble Aquarium Glass


Rock


Wood


Aquarium Rock Marble Glass


Its still going to be a week or so before I actually use it. Right now I have it in mock up tank. That tank has a small leak on the bottom and don't feel like fixing it. So I used it as mock up tank. Now the question is it displaces about 10 gallons of water making my 55 gallon a 45 gallon in reality. I have 5 Angelfish in my "show" tank that this background is going to go in. I have been thinking about rehoming the Angels anyways as they are getting older and starting to show aggression towards each other. So after I rehome them what type of fish would you get????
Water runs as such GH =10-12 (can't remember exact number) Ph=7.4. I want to stay with small fish. I have even gone as far as thinking of mixing my water with RO water to making it softer.
 
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#4 ·
I toyed around with the idea of making it a RCS and a Dwarf Puffer tank. I dunno though. I would like a big shoal of some type of small fish just don't what? Still trying to figure out the layout of the tank as far as plants dr in my driftwood. and/or rocks in my head. Which is a scary thought! LoL
 
#8 ·
John this is so NEAT!!! How do you go about making something like this, even? I can't wait to see it in a planted tank, it's going to be something different, that's for sure!

You know I have soft water, so I'm not really going to be much help with stocking. . . hmmm. . .

have you considered rainbow fish? Or some glass cats would be really cool in a tank like this! Barbs, Dannio, Killifish. . . and of course live-bearers are always an option for a tank with harder-water. . . but I KNOW you really want that Puffer tank - have for some time, right?

Keep us posted, please? I really am excited to see what you do with this one!!!
 
#11 ·
Well Jes with a little imagination and time its not that hard to make. I started with a piece of Plexiglas then I siliconed some foam to it to build it up some. From there I used Great Stuff foam and formed the layout. Once I got it they way I liked it I glued sand to it. When it was all dry I completely sealed the whole thing with 2 coats of epoxy.

I was talking to Izzy in chat earlier about fish option not sure what I am going to do as of yet but I know my water sucks!!! That's about all I figured out!

so THIS is what you do when you're on vacation, eh??? Fantastic!
Well I actually started on this a couple of weeks ago but with my works schedule as you know I just hadn't had much time to get it done. I did actually manage to get it done this week. I didn't really work on it that much on vacation as my daughter was glued to my hips LoL soo I spent most of my time with her since she doesn't get to see that much anymore.
 
#13 ·
Yeah, pretty much nothing! I only know what I've picked up through general reading - I've never looked into keeping them myself. . . you'd have to do a ton of research, but off the top of my head (and it's 2am, don't quote me on this!) I 'know' that. . .

There are many different species, and they're usually SUPER colorful. Most of them are tiny little things, but some are much bigger, and can even get up to the 3-4 inch range. They have a bad rep because many of them are notorious for being 'annual.' These are the ones (I think) that come from Africa (and would prefer a softer water type anyway). The annual type die off every season when the waters recede, leaving eggs to hatch when the rains come again. But there are some that come from Florida and thereabouts that are NOT annual and are fine with harder water - even brackish (kind of hang around in the same areas as mollies, which is why I came across them when I was reading, lol). Most of them are actually considered easy to breed and keep, and many of them are considered 'hearty' fish! There are several different types that are tank-bred for aquariums (from what I've read, not too long ago nearly all were wild-caught, but this isn't the case anymore). I *think* they tend to like to eat algae, so yay for THAT! You might want to look into the American Flag Fish? For some reason I *think* this ones of the ones that I've read about from Florida and harder-waters. In general they're REALLY GORGEOUS!!! Super brightly colored, and even the annual ones are very easy to breed, so even if you chose to get that type, it'd be a lot of fun (I think) to see how many generations you could keep going!
Ummmmm. . . I know Killi means ditch in. . . Dutch, I think?

Yeah, you'd need to do some research here, but it'd be REALLY NEAT to have a Killifish tank, neh? I'd be super-jealous, anyway!!!

Again with the livebearers. . . have you ever considered Endler's? Personally, I swoon for all those bright colors! You'll figure it out. . . it'll be awesome!
 
#14 · (Edited)
Thanks Jes! Though what you have just said I already knew. I looked into them some though not a lot because of their colors. They are super gorgeous fish!!! When I ran into them needing softer water I gave up and stop looking.

LoL Izzy asked me the same thing about livebearers. I do like Endlers but they would have to be a pure strain and those are not cheap! Like $50 for a N strain Class A male! I don't like mollies or guppies what other Livebearers are there???
 
#15 ·
Yeah, didn't think I'd be able to help you much with the Killi, but it may well be worth looking into again. I KNOW there are some that are okay in harder water, just not sure which ones they are!

Swordtails and Platies are live-bearers and very bright and beautiful! If you went with Endler's (jealous!) remember that while it's true that the pure strains are expensive, they'd pay you back with babies. . . livebearers WILL have little ones, so you'd end up with quite a few more than you started with if you wanted to - and with THESE fish (as opposed to many of the other livebearers) you could quite probably turn around and sell them without any trouble.

What is there not to like about Mollies! They're so SWEET!!! And some of the varieties are stunning. :p You leave my Mollies alone. . .

I'm thinking of a fish. . . and I can't remember what it's CALLED, but I think it'd be perfect. I have the image in my mind, but can't come up with the name. It's driving me nuts!!! I'll letcha know if it comes back. For now I really should be in bed!!!
 
#17 ·
You know I have never seen Scarlet Badis in person but they do look pretty in pics! I would love to have Endlers at that grade but can't see paying $75 plus for just 2 fish. So in reality that's not going to happen. No offence Jes but I have NEVER like the looks/shapes of mollies! Platies and Swordtails mmmmm... Yeah LoL ok So tons of hard water fish what are they? LoL
 
#19 ·
Yes, I KNOW! It IS hard to decide.

Um... there are enough hard-water loving cichlids out there from Rift Valley to fill every hard-water tank imaginable! But you want small shoalers.

You know what would be COOL!!! Though your tank is big. . .I've always been enamored of the idea of starting a small tank for the teeeeensy tinsy shell-dwelling cichlids. They're just so CUUUUTE!

But what's wrong with RAINBOWS??! Gah, they're LOVELY -and so many different types! Don't they like harder water?
 
#25 ·
Haha. Sorry I'm not much help with the killifish. I just know that they are pretty (just check out this beauty PFK advent calendar: Blue lyretail killifish). If you're still interested in them, I can put you in touch with someone who knows about them and breeds them (in Australia).

Halfbeaks are neat. I think Olympia was going to add some to her 20 gal tank. I'd ask her about them.
 
#26 ·
I have both Scarlet Badis and Shell Dwelling Cichlids :p


The badis are nice, but shy. Apparently picky eaters though I just got mine so I cant say for sure based on personal experience.
Its also incredibly hard to find females.


The shellies are fantastic but only occupy the bottom 6 inches of the tank which makes your tank look very empty D:
 
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#27 ·
Thanks Everyone! I think all those fish would he neat to have and will eventually figure out what to add to this tank LoL

Izzy that would he great if you could hook me up with someone who knows about Killifish! I have always liked them but have no clue about them. If this person is in Australia will they know about Killifish that I could get here?????
 
#29 ·
I was just reading over this since thekoimaiden linked me.

I am only just a sort of novice killifish owner myself, but I do have experience with breeding and keeping some of the more common species available in Australia.

Aphyosemion australe (either gold or chocolate variant), aphyosemion striatum, fundulopanchax gardneri (n'sukka, udi-berge and scheeli), epiplatys annulatus, chromaphyosemion biateniatum lagos and aphyosemion poliaki are all killifish I have owned at some point. Unfortunately, I had a bacterial infection come and wipe almost everyone out, but I am steadily trying to build my numbers back up.

If you have any specific questions I would be happy to answer them. I keep killifish in a community tank with rainbows, blue-eyes, microrasbora kubotai, celestial pearl danios, sparkling gouramis and a very peaceful male betta, and they do fine in that setting. My bigger killifish does try and fit all new tankmates in his mouth, but once he realises they are not food he leaves them be.
 
#30 ·
I love Killifish and would love to have some BUT here's my problem. I think my water is too hard! It runs about 10-12 GH (can't remember the number will have to test it tomorrow and see again). Is there any you know of that can live in that?? Oh and my PH is 7.4.
 
#31 ·
Do you have your carbonate hardness (KH) results? That is the buffering capacity of your water and will indicate how easy it is going to soften your water through means such as peat.

If you have a fairly low - moderate carbonate hardness, you would have more success with gradually lowering your pH by running a stocking full of peat moss in your filter. Things such as lots of wood and IAL are also going to help. However, if you have a high KH it is going to be a lot more difficult to bring your pH down.

With that said, you could try and just get some generic aquarium strain gardneri. They tend to be pretty tough, and will probably do fine in moderately hard water, you just might not be able to get them to breed.

Another flashy fish that does well in harder water is celebes rainbowfish. Not sure if anyone has recommended them yet, but they are quite a stunning fish in person.
 
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