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}{@z3's Australian Cp VIv build (The Grotto)

Hey guys now that i have enough pics to begin a thread i figured today would be a good day.:banana2:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/72383991@N03/6735626231/" title="Untitled by }{@z3, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7149/6735626231_e3e776e21e.jpg" width="282" height="500" alt=""></a> sorry i never took a pic of the aquarium before i took the front off. this is a pic of after i got it off... lol obv. Gotta love a dremil. Ive used it in almost every step so far and will still probly use it.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/72383991@N03/6735616313/" title="Untitled by }{@z3, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7150/6735616313_96f05f9d0e.jpg" width="500" height="282" alt=""></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/72383991@N03/6735632377/" title="Untitled by }{@z3, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7146/6735632377_9e9dca05b4.jpg" width="500" height="282" alt=""></a>
inorder to get the front piece of glass of there was alot of cutting of silicone and also had to cut the top trim off as well. it was either take the top trim off in a section or take the whole thing off and it probly would have gotten broken.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/72383991@N03/6735638815/" title="Untitled by }{@z3, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7155/6735638815_920209d5d3.jpg" width="500" height="282" alt=""></a> wanted to make a waterfall. thought it would go nicely. with all the pieces that had to be taken out i could have made sometyhing else.... lol

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/72383991@N03/6735722613/" title="Untitled by }{@z3, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7005/6735722613_4deb52c341.jpg" width="500" height="282" alt=""></a> made some pillars as well. as you can tell from the pink layer on my table carving takes alot off. NOTE the table was cleaned several times before carving the pillars.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/72383991@N03/6735719749/" title="Untitled by }{@z3, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7026/6735719749_6bbe46f6af.jpg" width="500" height="282" alt=""></a> more evidence of the destruction of a dremil :devil:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/72383991@N03/6735644061/" title="Untitled by }{@z3, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7003/6735644061_ff77833ca3.jpg" width="500" height="282" alt=""></a> here all my carvings with the second coat of cement. 7 coats all together. lol people have said 3 or 4 is plenty but since the waterfall will obv have moving water i wanted to make sure it wasnt going to flake off.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/72383991@N03/6765519421/" title="Untitled by }{@z3, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7168/6765519421_942960e97f.jpg" width="500" height="282" alt=""></a> all painted up with a coat of epoxy. now waiting for it to dry.

will keep everyone updated on how its going. hope everyone enjoys.
 
Very nice project Haze. I'm anxious to see how it looks when its finished. Good luck!
 
Good start!! Cant wait to see it finished :)
 
That looks super awesome!
 
Dremel carnage! This is going to look awesome when it's done!
 
cool project,wanna see more
 
Great work so far, Haze!
 
Thanks everyone! Ill be posting more picks either 2nite or 2moro. Been busy busy.... also my brand new R.O filter came today. Can't wait to get it hooked up. Still looking for a few more australian cps and some ideas on fish..
 
For fish I'd go with Pseudomugil gertrudae. They're gorgeous little school rainbowfish with blue eyes, yellow bodies (typically), and huge fins for their size. I'd get a group of at least 6 of them.
 
  • #10
Yeh I was thinkin some kind of rainbow or killie. I know killies arnt native to australia tho so that y I wanted to go with the rainbows. I know they need some what fast moving water but I will have to do some more research on them b4 anything... and I have plenty of time for that. Lol
 
  • #11
HEY EVERYONE! more pics for all of you to enjoy.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/72383991@N03/6767073807/" title="Untitled by }{@z3, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7023/6767073807_26d585d695.jpg" width="500" height="282" alt=""></a> siliconed the base of the waterfall at desired height and angle. and while i wait to dry i made the false bottom
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/72383991@N03/6767030231/" title="Untitled by }{@z3, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7144/6767030231_409fe7cac3.jpg" width="500" height="282" alt=""></a> applying a weedbarrier onto the fale bottom. started with one end and started to pull snuggly tight to the egg crate
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/72383991@N03/6767070585/" title="Untitled by }{@z3, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7009/6767070585_0aeefa48ea.jpg" width="282" height="500" alt=""></a> final result. not 100 percent snug but the excess weedbarrier will allow great stuff to stick better.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/72383991@N03/6767077405/" title="Untitled by }{@z3, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7029/6767077405_d68a8d484d.jpg" width="500" height="282" alt=""></a> while still waiting for the base to harden up i added some great stuff to the false bottom.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/72383991@N03/6767080739/" title="Untitled by }{@z3, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7174/6767080739_959904cec7.jpg" width="500" height="282" alt=""></a> siliconed the entire waterfall together and added some pillars underneath.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/72383991@N03/6776492405/" title="Untitled by }{@z3, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7032/6776492405_99d7148ea0.jpg" width="500" height="282" alt=""></a> okay i forgot to take some pics of adding the false bottom and the pillars for supporting it. its siliconed in on the sides and the base and top of the pillars are siliconed in to secure. this pic is the great stuff after it dried. a few small pot added to the walls for adding more plants.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/72383991@N03/6772775637/" title="Untitled by }{@z3, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7173/6772775637_9f02897621.jpg" width="500" height="282" alt=""></a> added the peat background. i used black silicone and thinned it with toluene allowing it to speard easier. where the gs is still showing its where im putting a fake rock planter.

well this is all the poics i have for now. will post more in the coming days.

}{@z3
 
  • #12
I cannot wait to see this further along!!!! Looking great
 
  • #13
Wow, dude, this is going to look amazing when you're finished. Definitely keep us posted.
 
  • #14
Yeh I was thinkin some kind of rainbow or killie. I know killies arnt native to australia tho so that y I wanted to go with the rainbows. I know they need some what fast moving water but I will have to do some more research on them b4 anything... and I have plenty of time for that. Lol

Pseudomugils actually don't need fast moving water. They're found everywhere from swamps to streams. You could also stock a pair of peacock or purple spot gudgeons. Those are lively, active, and really pretty. A desert goby would be another possibility. I'm trying to think of other small Aussie fish, but nothing is coming to mind right now.
 
  • #15
I've thought of desert gobies but they are a brackish water fish I thought. There aren't to many aussie fish that stay small in the aquarium fish hobby lol. Would the rainbows and gudeons get along? I know that a lot of rainbow species are aggresive but if they were raised together then they may get along with each other? I know my oscar was aggresive to my poly pamas until I cleaned the tank. After such a tramatic experience I guess they both realized they are now friends.
 
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  • #16
Oh yeah, the gudgeons and Pseudomugils are very peaceful. The blue eyes will add a lot of activity, especially in a large-ish group. Males are constantly showing off. They live in different levels of the tank, too. I know, almost every fish in Australia is huge.
 
  • #17
Oh yeah, the gudgeons and Pseudomugils are very peaceful. The blue eyes will add a lot of activity, especially in a large-ish group. Males are constantly showing off. They live in different levels of the tank, too. I know, almost every fish in Australia is huge.

I couldn't agree more with this suggestion!
 
  • #18
Okay well I will def keep them both in my mind. Ill be have about 12 gallons or so to work with. I put the front piece on today and the sliding glass door so Ill be adding water here in the next few days to see if my seal worked or not. I will be letting the water run and balance itself for about a mpnth or more if needed before I put plants or fish in there. If the water is fed to the carnivorous plants but it has traces of fish poop and fish food in it is this considered mutrients? I will have plants and a filter so it should be minimum trace amounts but don't want to risk it.
 
  • #19
We keep Gambusia in our seedling plant beds at Meadowview and the plants have been thriving, so I don't think it'll have much of an impact. I would use some aquatic plants to absorb as many nutrients as possible, just to be safe.
 
  • #20
Yeh that's what I was planning. Kind of delayed right now due to the freexing temps in getting anything since I fear most of them might die in transit. So I figure let the water stabilize for a month and hopefully we get some warmer weather so I can get some fish and plants shipped
 
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