Dividing Aquariums ?????

[Nerri1029]

I have a 20 gallon long style aquarium

I have almost got it divided into three equal sections..
each about the same as a large Critter Keeper..

Has anyone done this????

what do you use for the divider?
- I was thinking of using glass or plexy
?? cross ventilation??
how about extra sturdy screening?? or is that a possible hazard to the T??

I was planning on arranging multiple hatches for the top so I open only one enclusure at a time..


Anyone tried doing this with the tank on its side.. and the doors hanging from the top??

ADVICE PLEASE.....

 

[Sheri]

My advice would to be invest in less expensive plastic Critter Keepers.
Dividing tanks inevitably leads to accidents.

Really.

This can be a difficult fact to accept because it just seems like such an efficient idea. But it's not. One will find a way to break on through eventually. Even without the psychedelics.

 

[David_F]

Like Sheri, I'd advise against it. There's just too much risk involved for me to ever think of trying it. But, if you're really interested in doing it and nothing will sway you, try a search. I know there have been at least a few threads on this subject and I believe one of the members sells custom divided enclosures.

 

[Washout]

I was also considering doing this. But almost every thread about it contains many stories of the T's involved eventually eating each other.

Put some geckos in the 20g.

 

[Pheonixx]

I did it with a 20 gallon tall aquarium. works fine. I have a screen top on it and
getting the "gap" at the top filled was tricky but i did it. i used plexxiglass and made a few holes with a wood burning tool at the top of plexi for cross nentilation. i used rubber fuel line on top of the plexi to fill some of the gap. I cut the rubber line down the center lengthwise and slipped it on the edge of the plexiglass. i then hot glued some rubber weatherstripping to the screen lid to fit with the plexi filling the gaps completely. so long as i dont put a T smaller than 3 inches in there it will be fine.
heres some pics...

Enclosure

Top view showing seperation and rubber line on top of plexiglass edges

Screen top with rubber weatherstripping

How screen lid fits on the enclosure

be very sure there are NO GAPS between the edges of the plexi in the tank and the weatherstripping on the screen top. this is how you "seal" it off i have had T's in here and none of them could get into the other compartments.

 

[jeffh_x]

looks secure...but i would send it to a local glass maker or something to do it for you...it'll probably come with a secure top too..just to make sure its really sturdy..

 

[Joanie]

I have a 10 gallon tank divided into 3 sections, and I've been using it for almost 2 years with no problems at all.

My partitions are made of plexiglass, and at the top of each partition I attached another horizontal piece of plexiglass, so that each partition is shaped like a T. This "roof" piece is flush against the screen top of the tank. I also keep a kritter keeper on top of this tank, to make sure the screen lid is weighted down. I have an immature P. regalis on one side, a C. brachycephalus with about 9" of substrate in the middle, and an A. avic on the other side.

Joanie

 

[RaZeDaHeLL666]

go to http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=34924

its a thread about a cool 8 tank set up!

 

[cichlidsman]

I did it with a 20 gallon tall aquarium. works fine. I have a screen top on it and
getting the "gap" at the top filled was tricky but i did it.

<Give a hoot, don't pollute.... we already saw the whole post, no need to quote the entire thing -MrI>

That is a good job you have done there, but if i were you i would take that wood(alder) out of there. Even if you keep your tanks dry, the moisture inside the wood will cause mold/fungus. I had that problem before. If you want to put wood in your tanks, you should just put the wood in a dry place for a few weeks to a month, so it could dry out. I will bet that at the buts were it was cut, you will see mold/fungus growing within a week.

 

[Pheonixx]

well childs man i doubt that wood will grow anything, it has been in there for over 3 months and before that i baked it in the oven at 500 degrees for about an hour. i'd say it's pretty dry and anything growing inside it is quite dead.

 

[usumbaraboy]

i would highly say not to do that cause iv been told that the t will find a way to get the the other one. so i wouldnt do it cause i dont want to lose a t or something and it could cause them to go crazy cause they see another tarantula and cant get to it so u should just put a few pokies in it that would be a good idea even if its the log style.

 

[Bearskin10]

Just has to be done right and you will have no problem with T's getting into each others enclosures and eating each other. http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showpost.php?p=232720&postcount=1
Greg

 

[Tony]

My advice would to be invest in less expensive plastic Critter Keepers.
Dividing tanks inevitably leads to accidents.

Really.

This can be a difficult fact to accept because it just seems like such an efficient idea. But it's not. One will find a way to break on through eventually. Even without the psychedelics.

WRONG AND FALSE, for Sheri and anyone else who thinks it is dangerous. This topic is starting to get to me....There is nothing like a nice tall glass tank for exhibition, and if split properly you can showcase several closely related spiders in the same genus !!!! I shall post pics later of how it can be done with ZERO danger other than someone's own stupidity or carelessness, but in that instance you can have T's get each other from across the room...

T (pics to follow soon)

 

[cocopuff]

With a 20 gallon I would house many a.avic together!

 

[Smulkin]

I had considered doing this but discounted it when I realized I would not be able to securely open one section at a time - the whole lid would have to come off or at best be slid to the side. How do you get around that?

(Waiting for that eventual avic commune as well

 

[Tony]

Here are the pics, you can see how the all glass partition is made. I slotted the plastic lip that supports the lids, to accept the glass divider. It is completely siliconed on both sides (aquarium silicone) so well that it is now two water tight tanks....Now I know some wiseguy will note that there is danger in working with BOTH lids open, but cmon be serious....10 gallon tanks cost $10 or less, the glass divider was like $2 and I have a great glass tank at a max of $6 per T....Ah but the lids..True I did get the polycarbonate for free and I made them myself, but I like to think lids are within the scope of everyone here...On some of my tanks I got the divider tall enough so that it rises above the plastic lip so that the lids cannont even slide over to the other side....
I consider this the definitive answer to dividing tanks. You can a good look at the dangers and create something that minimizes them. And please dont tell me 'a tiny bit of danger' negates the whole split tank concept....There is always some danger somewhere, you can just as easily leave a lid or two open in the T room and have an accident when the tanks are 8 feet apart...
T

Currently housing a fasciata pair and a 3:1 ruffilata breeding group

 

[Dreaddinit]

Ill tell ya. I have a 10 gallon that was for my Versicolor but I seen an under nourished Rosie at a pet shop for $13 so I had to buy it. In an emergency case I bought some regular fish aquarium divider with the seafoam green plastic sides. Its a trim to fit kind of deal but it works for now. I wouldnt really recommend doing this but all is well sofar and they have been in the same tank for well over 2 months now (Saving cash to make a really nice tank for versi.)

 

[Brian S]

Monatony, Your divided tank looks great!!!! There is no reason why that won't work

 

[David_F]

Monatony, Your divided tank looks great!!!! There is no reason why that won't work

I gotta agree. I might have to rethink this divided tank thing. Still, there might be just the tiniest bit of risk involved.... ;P

 

[Wade]

Certain topics always get a knee-jerk reaction, and this is one of them. This is because of many ufortunate accidents resulting from poorly-concieved dividers. Some hobbyists made the mistake of assuming that the tank dividers sold for fish tanks will work (they don't) or else they glued in a divider but failed to take into account the gap at the top or the flexiblity of the lid.

If done correctly, as demonstrated by Tony and Phoenix, it can work just fine. There is no more risk than in having two tanks sitting side by side. It should not be considered as a shortcut, however, since there is considerably more work involved in getting it right than just getting two tanks. It does, however, make for a very nice display.

Wade