# Here is my first build journal (PIC Heavy)



## m4dc4t (Jun 28, 2008)

After all of my research, today I finally started working on my first dart tank. I still have plenty of work ahead of me, but it has begun!

Some Basic plans in MS Paint









Another view of the Plans









I read a lot about HX and his fake rocks, this is the initial attempt at foam carving!









More carving and gluing foam board together! Also, the nails were temporary. Once gluing began they were pulled.









Here is the waterfall terrace all put together with the 2 hides/ caves. After this pic I cut some drainage for the 2 caves.









Wala, here is a two tier waterfall. I have not decided on a pump yet, but it will deffinately be an external canister pump.

















Here is the stream bed!









Also, I was had to figure out how to transfer water from one side of the water feature to the other. I really did not want the water to have to go through the pond. I came up with these little tunnels for this reason.

















Will post some more in a little bit!


----------



## tkromer (Dec 20, 2007)

I take it you have done carving for other tanks in the past? That is really looking nice, and I love the paint drawings


----------



## jdart16 (Jun 5, 2008)

Looking good! When carving and shaping though avoid any harsh angles or flat parts. If you add more foam to make it smoother it will end up more natural.

Justin


----------



## MELLOWROO421 (Feb 21, 2007)

Looks great so far. Keep this thread updated, I really wanna see how it turns out. What are you gonna use to cover the foam?


----------



## m4dc4t (Jun 28, 2008)

tkromer said:


> I take it you have done carving for other tanks in the past? That is really looking nice, and I love the paint drawings


Nope, it is the first one! The paint drawings are cheesy (I Know), but I needed to put it on paper though... or on screen. Which ever.


----------



## m4dc4t (Jun 28, 2008)

jdart,
Yeah, I got a little more work to do in it! Thanks for the info though! HX even sent me a PM and told me the same!

Mellow,
The entire thing will be covered with grout, like tile grout. Check out this thread. Pretty sweet stuff.

phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=22606


----------



## m4dc4t (Jun 28, 2008)

I work weekends so today I will finally be able to work some more on my viv! Already started the grouting process. Pics will be up tonight!


----------



## m4dc4t (Jun 28, 2008)

Okay, I am a couple of days late, but I got a little more work done now than on Monday. 










here is a close up of the backside!









Tested ponds holding water!









This is a pic of the creek and the waterfalls... bad image though!









Another note. I coated the foam with a lot of grout. I found that after doing so it winds up looking more natural if you lightly spray it with water. 

Here is the tank after two tubes of caulk. I figure that I am going to need at least 10 more to finish the job. $$$$$$










Hopefully next week I will get my drill bits do drill the bulk heads!

More next week!


----------



## m4dc4t (Jun 28, 2008)

I got a nasty letter that had me a little aggravated. Anyway I stayed up a couple of hours more than I should have this morning and finished the water feature! Tomorrow I will be headed to Home Depot to get some more supplies. Hopefully I will be testing the water feature in a week or so. More pics this week though!


----------



## m4dc4t (Jun 28, 2008)

Well I got a little more work done.

This is the water feature test! I did run water trough it from the water hose. I figured it would handle about 115GPH. In the process of testing and curing it I cracked a couple of spots that need to be fixed now!


















This tank was originally a bearded dragon tank with Sliding screen tops. Here is my solution to sealing it. I found some extruded PVC latice that is held in place with screen spline!










This is a piece of 1/4" Lexan (Polycarbonate) that I had to cut down a little. 










There is plenty of work to be done, but it is coming along nicely! Next I am working on the false bottom then next week I will be doing the background.


----------



## Carinya (Apr 26, 2008)

Great work so far.


----------



## m4dc4t (Jun 28, 2008)

Carinya said:


> Great work so far.


Thank you!


----------



## m4dc4t (Jun 28, 2008)

I have been a little busy lately, but I started working on the viv again. Here are a few more pics. The wood is from vivariumconcepts.com, the Manzanita is the red and grey branches, and it is super awesome. The Flat piece in the pone is Mopane, and of coarse you all know cork tube when you see it. 

This is a shot from the top!









This is a shot I took from inside the tank from the water feature just to show the depth of the design.









Besides the glare, this is just to show off some of the stone I will be incorporating into the back ground, it is slate tiles. Just cut... not treated.









Next week I have to pay for school so this will probably be it for another week or two.


----------



## keekalmatter (Aug 9, 2008)

Wow!
That's beautiful. Is the foam easier to work with than using egg crate as the frame? Or what are they advantages to it?


----------



## m4dc4t (Jun 28, 2008)

keekalmatter said:


> Wow!
> That's beautiful. Is the foam easier to work with than using egg crate as the frame? Or what are they advantages to it?


I never tried to use egg crate, but I would assume that the styrofoam is much easier. With the styrofoam I just used a "hot knife" that I got at a hobby shop, and a regular kitchen knife. Here is a link to the post I learned from... but I did not thin the grout nearly as much as HX does.

phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=22606

Thank you for the compliment. Figuring out what I wanted to do has just about driven me crazy!


----------



## m4dc4t (Jun 28, 2008)

So it has been a while since I did an update... and with any luck I will have another one tomorrow, because the great stuff starts tomorrow. Here are the pics of and after tapping the tank.

I used a drill guide to drill the holes, I was told that you do not have to, but I was being safe since this was my first time drilling glass. Turns out it was a piece of cake!  









Here are the left overs, kind of like a donut hole. But don't eat it. :lol: 









Finally the intake bulkhead is installed.









Here is the inside of the intake bulkhead.









This is both of the bulkheads installed.









This is a shot of the waterfall after I finally figured out what I was going to use from the outlet bulkhead to the waterfall/ stream! I likes it! 8) 









And Finally this is the the slate that will be covering up the outlet tubing.









For any other noobs that are thinking about drilling their tank, take it from me, it is scary at first, but after the first hole you will be wondering why you were scared. Just do your self a favor and make sure you are drilling plate glass and not tempered. Check with the tank Manufacturer. Plus I talked to an aquarium shop and the guy told me that almost every tank before 2001 area are Plate except for the bottom. Supposedly Every tank after 2001 is 100% Plate. But still do your self a favor and just check, because if this was tempered it would not have just cost 15 dollars for the drill bit, but also another piece of glass to be cut.


----------



## m4dc4t (Jun 28, 2008)

Just got finished with the GS... I think!  It only took me a little over one can. Guess it has to do with all of the slate on the back ground. No pics yet. But there will be later tonight.


----------



## m4dc4t (Jun 28, 2008)

Okay, so the new software is sweet, but I have been trying to figure it all out! So here is my first attempt to update since the upgrade!

I figure I can save y'all the pain of looking at foaming pics so here is the wall completed. There are two wall planters and several pieces of slate in it. The slate def. added to the weight of the tank, but it was totally worth it! I will let you decide!




























I still need to clean the slate though!


----------



## m4dc4t (Jun 28, 2008)

Lights lights lights!

Here the pics are, before and after painting!


----------

