The Aquarium project

[Margaretann 0]

will you hurry up and get some fish in there so I can come try out a few new fly patterns looks great bro

 

Ditto!

[Peterjay 0]

Can't wait to see this one finished. A lot of the Rift Lake displays I've seen look hokey and manufactured, but yours is going to be magnificent.

[Toirtis 0]

Which Synodontis are you going for? If you are taking suggestions, I vote for one each S. angelicus and S. multipunctatus for contrast against each other.

[Steeldrifter 0]

Haven't completely decided exactly which Synodontis I'll be getting but I really do like the look of the angelicus. They are a very cool looking critter with the black and white.

[Steeldrifter 0]

Painted the upper inside of the canopy white to reflect light better, and the rest of the inside flat black to keep the light from peeking through any seems where the door mounts to the canopy. Also have the dual T5 lights, two LED moon lights and the 5 LED spotlights now all in place as well.

 

 

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

looks great bro

[dreamcaster4639 0]

That is going to be one of the best tanks I have ever seen. Excellent work.

[Steeldrifter 0]

Well, about 3 hours into washing sand so far....and I've got maybe 20lbs washed lol. Boooooorrrring! But I'm very happy with the color. I bought 50lbs of tan and 50lbs of white and I'm mixing about 70% white with 30% tan and it's coming out a very night light tan with some white specks in it which is what I was hoping would happen. If it quits raining soon I hope to be able to get the rest of it washed out this evening but we'll see how that pans out.

 

[Piker20 0]

No way you can run the sand in the tank and allow the bare filters (empty the medium) to clean the sand for you?

[Steeldrifter 0]

The main reason to wash the sand first to to remove the very tiny particles that would float in the water and get into the filter's drive impellers. Those tiny grits of sand that don't settle will get in the impellers and destroy them, so that's actually the main reason to wash the sand good beforehand

 

No worries though, after about 6 hours of washing it is all washed and in the tank now. Just waiting for a couple items to come in that I ordered and then I'll be filling with water and cycling. So should have some full tank pics soon. Just about done....finally after almost exactly 1 year

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

damn its taking longer to set up that tank then it is for you to get in shape

[Steeldrifter 0]

Yeah but they both are BEAUTIFUL THANGS!

[Steeldrifter 0]

Was at the fish store today and happened to see a few rocks that I liked the shape of and picked them up. Just like the other rocks I did I cleaned them and Drylok/painted them to match my DIY background I made. First picture are the rocks in the natural colors they were after washing them very well.

 

 

Then after two coats of drylok

 

 

And finally after some dry brushing work/shading & highlighting

 

 

Steve

[mikechell 0]

Okay, Steve ... you've got me hooked on this thread for several reasons. First, I think what you are doing is fascinating ... I don't put quite as much (read none) work into my aquariums as you do. But now you've got me worried. Some of the rocks you've chosen were great with the natural color. So now, you've got all this rock and background basically the same color. I can't wait to see how you are going to bring all of this together to create something ... less monochromatic in the end !

[Steeldrifter 0]

Thanks Mike, the key is to use the shading, lighting and shadows to make it have contrasts to it. The rocks that are all different colors would be good for a normal tank, but when you look up the lake that the fish I am using come from (Lake Malawi in Africa) the lake bottom is mostly a uniform color to the substrate and not a bunch of various colored rocks. So I'm going for a more natural (for Lake Malawi) look and the using all the shading and the various LED spot lighting I am setting up to give me the contrast that is needed.

 

Trust me when it's done you'll like it

 

Steve