classicshooter

Here is My project . The hurricane last week slowed down some of my progress, but I am hoping to do an update later this week. After some advice from others I am also going to tweak my over all hardscape layout. As for the hight, I can see how yours is intimidating as mine is a little overwhelming with a small stool. I would love to have mine taller, but at its current hight it is perfect for my kids to look at.

I'm currently doing the same thing with a used tank I found of FaceBook, just a little smaller. I love the hight of that stand you have, it will really put everything at eye level.

As AtomCatMatt said, shadows can stress fish out. Most any background will eliminate the shadow issue, but I painted so I could get a specific glare for a deep and rippling effect.

Appreciate the input. I am planning on some Amazon Swords, Vallisneria, and some Hygrophila Angustifolia to name a few plants I am eyeing, so those will help with the hight. I know I am driving my wife nuts with this tank, but I think taking my time, playing with hard scape, looking at it for a few days, make adjustments, and then looking at it for another couple days until its just right is what will really make it something great.

So to hit on a couple things that you mention (which is all great stuff, and I fully embrace a little outside opinions, so thank you), this tank will be full viewed from three different sides because it is in the walking path between the main entrance and walking by the kitchen to get to the living room, so I struggled to make it eye catching from all angles. I found that if it was in the middle it seemed to be a good balance. Also I am using the tank cross brace to help hold that wood down. So that is why I did what I did yesterday, but today is a new day and after I have stopped and looked at it hundreds of times today (its a blessing and a curse to work from home sometimes) I feel that the rocks and hard scape need to be raised a on the left side. If I move that big piece left as you suggested I could also increase the hight of the rocks on the left, and then possibly transition something a little lower on the far right with either another small piece of wood or another medium sized rock. It would give a gradual "visual slope" going from left to right. Thoughts? Thanks again for the input.

Thank you

Here is Part 2 of my latest 60 gallon project. For anyone who is interested take a look at Part 1 for everything before this. Part 1 So I really wanted to do a 3D background, but there were several things that I was just not going to be able to overcome without spending a bunch of money. So I decided to paint the back of the tank a gloss black. One thing I learned is that I should have followed the directions and waited 24 hours between coats, otherwise the paint does orange peel. Oh well, I'll be able to hide those problem areas. Next was the hardscape. I am going with a river/steam theme. Finding the rocks I wanted was difficult despite searching several different "free" places, so I had to go to the local landscape supply and select some river rock. I picked out a few hundred pounds, but in the end only used about 1/4 of that. I knew that would be the case but I wanted a variety to work with once I got home and could see it with the lighting. Then today I went to find some driftwood. I ended up finding some really great pieces, but there was no way to fit it all into the tank. Again, I like having more than I need so I can play around to find the right piece. After I got everything in its place with the help of a good friend (it took several hours of moving, debating, arguing, and moving again), I had to soak the driftwood. So I took a ton of pictures, pulled the wood out and have it soaking. So now I am at a work stoppage until the wood soaks long enough not to float, plus we have this new storm coming into the Gulf, and currently my house is in its crosshairs, plus my job keeps me busy during these storms. On a side note, I have a bunch of left over stones and driftwood if anyone is nearby and interested in buying/trading any.

This is what I got done to day (along with several other things). I painted the back of my new project with glossy black paint. I also learned that if I did not let it dry for a full 24 hours (like the dictions said to) it will orange peel. Luckily the parts that orange peeled will be hidden by plants and other goodies.

The best I can tell you is it is a Mobile Bay, Alabama, post-storm finds. My buddy and I go hunting around the banks around the bay. I have access to a few places that are not open to the general public, and the owner of the property has to pay someone to clean all this up each year (several trucks worth), so me coming and taking what I want is no problem. Once I get it home I clean and inspect each piece a little closer. I'd say almost half of everything I normal find goes to the burn pile after I look at it closer for one reason or another. Here is a picture of some of the wood we were able to get a few months ago. We had a request from a friends mother in Texas for some large pieces for yard decor, otherwise I would not have chosen so many large pieces.

So... Because I am trying to stay with in a budget, I have abandoned the idea of a 3D scape... for now. The tank I am working with is 24in tall, the Universal Rock path (which I may come back to later), was going to be almost $200. So for the short term I am paint the back black.

Thank you for the reply. Yeah I have done the 2D ones before, I was just looking to step up my game a little on this next tank since it really is going to be a center piece of area its going, and everyone that comes to the house will see it.

Does anyone have recommendations for thin 3D backgrounds that are not going to cost an arm & leg? I've considered making my own but I am not sure of my abilities at this point on such a large tank, and most of the DIY backgrounds are not very thin. Thanks for any recommendations.

I think you are referring to the tall plant starting in the back ground and going all the way to the top. If so that is a Madagascar Lace Bulb. That one is actually going to go into my new tank that I am setting up, and replacing it with a slight smaller one from another tank. Also my shrimp love this plant.

Deals are out there, I have been waiting for the right one for several months now, and several times a great deal would pop up, but I was out of town for work and could not jump on it.

Yes, wood and plants, but I have design hurdles. The tank it actually narrow, like 12.75in, so that brings a few challenges, and then this tank is actually located in a walk-way-type area next to the kitchen so you can see the tank from both sides all the way through in addition to the front. What ever I do I want it to be captivating from all those views, but I don't want it to look cluttered. This is what is going to make this tank fun though.

Here are some pictures of my latest project. It is a 60 gallon tank that I got off Facebook Market Place for $20, plus a the cost of food at Buckee's for my buddy who drove his truck to pick it up. It came with a Fluval heater, air pump, AquaClear 110, the lights, and a whole bunch of other mics. stuff. Out of all that I only plan on using the tank, stand, and lights for this project, but everything else useful will be used for other projects. This is a screen shot of what the tank looked like when it was listed. After I got it home I leak checked everything and once that was done I drained it down some and started to clean it up. This is a picture of it after I did the first good scrub on it. Here is a picture of the tank as I was just checking to see how it would look along this wall. There used to be a small table here, so I think its going to fit perfect. This is where I am going to leave off for this post. As I get further along I'll continue with updates. I am going to go hunting for some driftwood and rocks tomorrow, but I think I am going to go for a stream-is look with a bunch (50+) of a community fish as well as everything else. Maybe a White Fin Minnow, but who knows.

Here are a couple of our smaller tanks. The first is a 5 gallon tank that my son has done. It currently has some Barbs, a few blue velvet shrimp, & snails. We had some neons, but they have recently left for the other side. He is just 8, so I think it has been a fun tank for him to get started with. Next is a 13(?) gallon cylinder tank. It has some Danios, Rasboras, Hillstream Loaches, snails, and a bunch of Firered Cherry shrimp. It is still a pretty young tank, so I am still trying to get the plant the way I would like them. I really like this tank, but I don't think I will ever do a cylinder tank like this again.

I use ghost shrimp when starting a tank. After a tank has been cycling for a little bit I introduce a few snails and ghost shrimp for a bit before adding fish and other creatures. They usually last for a couple months, but I do still have one hanging out in my cylinder tank from almost 4 months ago.

Wow what a setup. This has certainly given me some inspiration for my 60 gallon tank that I am thinking of doing a a river type theme.

HI everyone! New guy here from Alabama. I never knew this forum existed until the yesterday when I was listening to Cory's live stream from the other day. I have always had tanks in my life ever since I was a young kid. As an adult I have always had tanks until a few years ago when we had to give up our 55 gallon because of a move. We purchased a new home last year and now we can fit tanks again, but we have been busy with the home. Then earlier this year my son really wanted a small tank for his birthday, and then I put together a slightly larger tank for the corner in our living room. Then the other day I was able to score a 60 gallon, so I have been tackling that project.