lovin all these threads we have going on backgrounds. cant wait to see updates. those are the luckiest festae and the first pic is the way to go
PART DEUX!!! - Epic Overhaul (3D Backgrounds/300g, 250g, 120g tanks)
- Thread starter JK47
- Start date
Get your butt down here Forest! I have tanks, beer and a couch, it's worth the trip!
Trust me the updates will keep on coming. Anyone who read my first overhaul thread knows I'm a update/picture whore 
Well maybe this will help you guys decide. This is my inspirational pic (somewhere in Peru wher my festae are from). I imagine my festae pair living near a rocky waterfall for some reason, so I'm going with it. When ever I design a new tank, I ALWAYS work off of an inspirational picture to keep me on track.
If you look at the inspirational pic and this pic of where I am at so far, you can see what it might look like under the fall I hope. If I had the BG the other side up I don't see the same thing I image in my head, if that makes sense?
And THIS is the reason for the build. This is my wild caught/F0 exCichlasoma festae 'Rio Tumbes' pair with their fry directly under them, they spawned this week. A cool fact for you, the background is not on the market yet and the owner of designs by nature (Matt, Shyro77 on MFK) let me name it. This model is now called the "Tumbes" after this pair!!!!!!!!! I'm actually really proud of that
Thanks for the link Dan, really appreciate it... i have an office in China, so i can get the staff over there to maybe contact them for me and see if i can work something out...
I agree with this, roots would grow downward in nature I would think. I would flip it personally.I'm curious if that is the way you are going to install the Mangrove background or if it is upside-down in the photo? I pictured it being flipped over, but it is actually cool either way.
By the way, it looks like you have some really nice workspace in the new house!
I'm sick of 3D backgrounds Justin.
Nice work. I think the buffing came out as nice as it could have without taking down some major layers of the acrylic. Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
Sick of backgroundsI agree with this, roots would grow downward in nature I would think. I would flip it personally.
I'm sick of 3D backgrounds Justin.
you just bought 5.... Roots go down in nature but they also grow up like vines on tree's. It's all in what the person with the vision will see as the final product. In this case, I am going to cut open the bottom thick part of the background for my female Parachromis dovii to get away from her male quickly when he goes on a rampage (happens often). I need the thick part of this BG on the bottom for utilitarian reasons. Thanks bro, looking forward to getting your rack built. Drop me a call, I think we can use most of the current 250 gallon stand as lumber for your new rack and save you some cash?I just got back a couple hours ago from buying most of the wood picked up for the stand. I hate how short the current stand is so I am building a new 36" tall stand (I like my stands tall) and bullet proof. I am using all 2"x6"s for this stand. This is overkill I know but it's what I want so I'm doing it.. I took the day off tomorrow to build the stand and will load pics tomorrow night.
This is the sump I picked up for this tank. It is a filter sock, 60 gallon sump. The chamber in the middle is perfect in case the male gets too rough on the female. I can pull her out of the tank quickly and put her in the middle chamber to let her heal up quickly. The bulkheads in the side were perfect for a saltwater skimmer before but I will be using them to plumb the overflow for my drip system.
This is where I am stuck/paused for the moment. I want a silent and fail proof overflow but do not have an overflow box. I need suggestions on how to plumb this part. I am thinking using a modified herbie/beananimal so that the plumbing is ran through the back of the tank (x2 1.5" ID pointed down, x1 1" ID 90 degree emergency pointed up) with a gate valve to control the flow going straight into the sock submerged. Below are pics of how the tank is drilled today. x5 holes on top, x1 hole on the side of the tank at the top. I thinking of using this as one of the returns. What do you guys think? Seriously I could use some advise on this part so fire away with what ever you guys have???
I hate you and clockwork =(! The amount of jealousy these backgrounds cause!!! I wish I was your feaste pair in short lol Cant wait to see it all done.
great start Justin !!! the buffing came out amazing.... can't wait to see a finished product, I got high expectations for this build. As far as which way to position it I'm with Dan, I like pic 2 but I see your image as well and also agree with you that you wont get the same affect as you vision if you do it that way. GL and I am staying tuned.
in my tanks on my sump i just use an upturned 90 as my overflow and it works like a dream. takes no space up and painted black i cant see it. very simple and effective for my setups and super easy to setup. mine are very quiet. the main noise is the water going into the sump.
Sent from my LS670 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
Sent from my LS670 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
I love holes on the top of the tank, and had eleven holes for 1 1/2" PVC put in the top of my big tank. But then I do have quirky ideas for mechanical filtration. I will have eight uptakes and three returns. All the pipe coming down into the tank pose a problem for a 3D background. A major player in the big tank world suggested that I drill holes in the back of the tank so all the plumbing could be hidden behind a background. I will not do that. I would rather go with the laminated black back we already have with black PVC pipes than drill the back of my tank. If we do go with a background, it will be low profile, and the eleven pipes will be turned into trees in front of the background....and it will have to be DIYSick of backgrounds
I just got back a couple hours ago from buying most of the wood picked up for the stand. I hate how short the current stand is so I am building a new 36" tall stand (I like my stands tall) and bullet proof. I am using all 2"x6"s for this stand. This is overkill I know but it's what I want so I'm doing it.. I took the day off tomorrow to build the stand and will load pics tomorrow night.
View attachment 758424
This is the sump I picked up for this tank. It is a filter sock, 60 gallon sump. The chamber in the middle is perfect in case the male gets too rough on the female. I can pull her out of the tank quickly and put her in the middle chamber to let her heal up quickly. The bulkheads in the side were perfect for a saltwater skimmer before but I will be using them to plumb the overflow for my drip system.
View attachment 758428
This is where I am stuck/paused for the moment. I want a silent and fail proof overflow but do not have an overflow box. I need suggestions on how to plumb this part. I am thinking using a modified herbie/beananimal so that the plumbing is ran through the back of the tank (x2 1.5" ID pointed down, x1 1" ID 90 degree emergency pointed up) with a gate valve to control the flow going straight into the sock submerged. Below are pics of how the tank is drilled today. x5 holes on top, x1 hole on the side of the tank at the top. I thinking of using this as one of the returns. What do you guys think? Seriously I could use some advise on this part so fire away with what ever you guys have???
View attachment 758425
View attachment 758426
View attachment 758427
In your case, though, I bet you could use a couple of the holes for returns that would still be hidden behind your background.
