- Joined
- Feb 11, 2005
- Messages
- 270
I don't know about you, but I just didn't like the idea of having a number of up-ended aquariums around. So, before I ordered my babies, I decided that I was going to do it up right (for once!)
I found a 5 gal. betta tank (taller and thinner, with the glass sections) that was on clearance, found some nice cork and went to Home depot. First, I coated the side and back walls with black silicone, let dry for 24 hrs. I then positioned the cork in the corners and filled in the cork interior with 'great stuff' insulating foam (not a ton, it expands quite a bit). Let that stuff cure for a few hours and went back in with a razor and trimed the excess as well as cleaned the excess silicone off the glass. Now, that foam is extremely sticky and before it completely hardened, I coated the cork (especially the top) with my surface strata, and later shook the loose stuff off.
For the floor of the tank, I used that expandable ground coconut fiber that you can buy in a brick. It expands like 5 x and retains water for humidity. For a top layer, I used a thin layer of that 'naturebark' which is clean and heat treated for parasites and helps hold and slowly release the humidity from the first layer.
I've got to tell you - I looked all over and compiled a lot of information from many different sources. I'm really not trying to beat my own drum, rather share my design with those of you who have been meaning to work on the same project for your Avic's. I would love to see your interesting housing - shoot a pic and post it in this thread!
- Tom
I found a 5 gal. betta tank (taller and thinner, with the glass sections) that was on clearance, found some nice cork and went to Home depot. First, I coated the side and back walls with black silicone, let dry for 24 hrs. I then positioned the cork in the corners and filled in the cork interior with 'great stuff' insulating foam (not a ton, it expands quite a bit). Let that stuff cure for a few hours and went back in with a razor and trimed the excess as well as cleaned the excess silicone off the glass. Now, that foam is extremely sticky and before it completely hardened, I coated the cork (especially the top) with my surface strata, and later shook the loose stuff off.
For the floor of the tank, I used that expandable ground coconut fiber that you can buy in a brick. It expands like 5 x and retains water for humidity. For a top layer, I used a thin layer of that 'naturebark' which is clean and heat treated for parasites and helps hold and slowly release the humidity from the first layer.
I've got to tell you - I looked all over and compiled a lot of information from many different sources. I'm really not trying to beat my own drum, rather share my design with those of you who have been meaning to work on the same project for your Avic's. I would love to see your interesting housing - shoot a pic and post it in this thread!
- Tom
