# 100%-CUSTOM COLUMN w/ Cascading Waterfall



## tedthefrog (Aug 22, 2007)

Ok,
So I just posted my own personal Tank that I recently finished.
At the time that I started that one I also started another project.
This one was a lot more in depth and built 100% from scratch.
I am a big believer in aestheic of a tank, the overall look.
I think it should look as great with nothing in it, as it does when planted.

So I went into brainstorming.
And looking around the room.
This tank was orginally being built for my friends office.
Now he's decided hat he doesnt feel like taking up the responsibility of 
maintaining it 3/4s of the way through the build.
And Im stuck with this monster, with no real use or spot for it at the moment.
I'm probably looking to sell it once it's completed.
As of right now I'm working on the sliding front door, the custom light hood that will match and open like a fish canopy to expose bulbs, along with a ventilation/fan system
So I didn't know if I should post this in the classifieds but i figured it would get more views here.
Again, Ive tried to document most of the steps.
I think it came out so awesome and its not even complete/fully planted yet.
Let me know what you guys/gals think.
The dimensions of the tank are 21x19x37 [wxdxh]
and its built into the [bookshelf] but I'm pretty sure It could be removed if you needed.

*PM me* if you might be interested.
It's not completely done, so I don't have a price, but no labor would be included in the price, 
[I actually really enjoy the building process]
I just want to get back what I put into it, which would mean materials.
I also kept all of my recpiets for everything I used in the build.


so, in looking around the room I had an idea.

















everything has more than one use right?
So, with some convincing, I was allowed to tear it apart.
























I just built and stained a hinged canopy that will sit up here, about six inches high.
































I bent up some conduit, and ran a piece of half inch tubing through the background.
that way if the tube ever gets clogged or anything along those line, you can just pull it out and replace it, that and the greatstuff couldn't collapse of pinch the tubing.
























First piece of ghost wood.








i had an idea to do cork bark tiers of subtrate, that way the inhabitants, could climb, and rest, and have a bunch of levels to explore.
Also, I wanted to come up with a way to do a "teacup" type of waterfall.
Where water would spill from one pool to the next into a bigger pool at the bottom.
It's working so well now, but heres a ROUGH ROUGH ROUGH [ i stress the roughness] illutstration of how the water flows.
















cave area, so i dont lose as much land mass.








silicone the waterfalls 3 to 4 times so they wouldnt leak.








background finished[lit by a desk lamp]








I stuck planter baskets everywhere so along with the corkbark "planters/tiers"
There were more than enough places to put plants.








pump access
















Before filling it with subtrate and water, I covered the water entrance to the pump with a bag of activated carbon, to help the water stay nice and clear.
As for the drainage,
I did the 'faked' LECA bottom which i did in my last post, again to save weight.

As of right now that's about it.
It is planted right now, and had substrate and pond set up 
and the waterfall run just how i wanted it.
but it's not quite finished.
Again, I'm all about feedback, whether neg or pos.
Just let me know what ya think.
I'll be at the white plains expo on Sunday,
so if you're there and interested in the tank let me know if you'd like to talk.

-Adam


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## tedthefrog (Aug 22, 2007)

I mean to say that *I WOULD NOT* charge *anything* for the time i put into it.
Just the cost of materials!


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## asch803 (Nov 10, 2007)

Looks incredible!!! I want it! You obviously are very talented!

Andy


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## froglet (May 18, 2005)

I have never seen so much silicone when putting glass together =P ... good job so far


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## tedthefrog (Aug 22, 2007)

froglet said:


> I have never seen so much silicone when putting glass together =P ... good job so far


the top half and sides are done nice and clean and taped off.
the bottom all got it nice and thick.
I was working around the "better safe than sorry" idea.
hahaha.
thanks for noticing


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## AlexRible (Oct 16, 2007)

Very nice!! I really like the waterfall design. Its good to see other jersey frogers out there too. I got a question tho, once you have your substrate down are how you going to be able to access your pump incase it gets clogged or to clean the carbon?


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## Dane (Aug 19, 2004)

You see the world through the eyes of a frogger. Good job.


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## chesney (Jan 18, 2007)

Can't wait to see more! What are you putting in there?


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## clwatkins10 (Nov 15, 2008)

really cool project. The little planting holes are great.


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## rjmarchisi (Feb 16, 2004)

chesney said:


> Can't wait to see more! What are you putting in there?


He was building it for a friend who doesnt want it anymore and is looking to sell it.

rob


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## kyle1745 (Feb 15, 2004)

Neat, and just a word of caution... check the structure that it can hold the weight. I have seen more than a couple of people do things like this to come home one day and see their masterpiece all over the floor. Water, glass and soaked wood can get very heavy and many times much heavier than home furniture can take.


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## tedthefrog (Aug 22, 2007)

It should be more than structurally sound. 
I have stood on the thing before for a boost am I am nearly 220 pounds.
The legs that it is on are steel and they are bolted through the main bottom bored.
I can still lift the whole thing by myself so it's not too heavy.


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## edwing206 (Apr 9, 2008)

Wow, looks really great so far.


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## bobberly1 (Jul 16, 2008)

Great. I love the little pump compartment.


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## loogielv (Nov 28, 2008)

how are you gonna be able to access the pump compartment w/ substrate in?


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## tedthefrog (Aug 22, 2007)

the underlying egg crate false bottom has two sections.
In the off chance that the pump is clogged:
just brush back 3 or so inches of substrate, lift egg-crate, open door.

i put it in for worst case scenarios.


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## loogielv (Nov 28, 2008)

tedthefrog said:


> the underlying egg crate false bottom has two sections.
> In the off chance that the pump is clogged:
> just brush back 3 or so inches of substrate, lift egg-crate, open door.
> 
> i put it in for worst case scenarios.


ah ok. i gotcha. thanks for the reply


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