18x18x24 AGTF Build Journal

[jarteta97]

Alright, a couple updates on the build

For fitting the cord for the aquatic heater and the tubing for the submersible water filter, I built this little do-hickky with some left over egg crate:



So I had a little bit of trouble with the spray foam background that I hadn't foreseen. The foam started to flex and warp, and large, large air bubbles started to form and the whole background began to unstick. I decided to take the whole background off of the glass.



I realized that I probably turned the tank on its side a little too early, and I won't be making that mistake again. But even when I had sprayed the left side, and left it flat for about 48 hours, it started to unstick on the sides too. Luckily, I got some silicone under the edges, so It's all good now.



As for the background I completely took off, I sprayed some contact cement on the glass and the back of the background, and that worked out really well.



All I had to do after that was spray some foam into the crack between the two background spaces.

So as of right now, this is the sort of mockup design:



Despite Bill and Paul's advice (sorry guys), I decided to go out on a limb (lol) and combine the two ghostwoods into one tree using some great stuff. It actually turned out really well, so I'm happy. It will be partway submerged, though I do plan on raising it a little with an egg crate platform I plan on building (hope it works). Then I'll great stuff it into place.

Also, while I was at Lowe's, I decided to buy a nice philodendron to fill in the right wall, and a lucky bamboo that I hope to plant in the aquatic section.




As always, any advice/critique is welcome.

-Josh

[DigitalPunk]

I love it. I am not sure about the contact cement. I will see if Bill will weigh in on that. I always use Silicone to stick the backgrounds back to the glass if they come off. One trick of the trade (so to speak) is to smear silicone all over the glass where the foam will cover and let it cure then spray foam over it.... helps it stick a lot better.

I like it. I like the ghost wood tree you made as well

[jarteta97]

Major problem: I opened up my springtail culture today and found this:



This really worries me. I'm not sure if some flies got in and laid eggs or what, but I hope my whole culture isn't "compromised". Any suggestions on what I should do besides throw these little maggots out, because that's exactly what I did.

[Dewandaru Talang]

Major problem: I opened up my springtail culture today and found this:



This really worries me. I'm not sure if some flies got in and laid eggs or what, but I hope my whole culture isn't "compromised". Any suggestions on what I should do besides throw these little maggots out, because that's exactly what I did.

wow, where did that come from ? Did you have any rotten things there.
but still a nice prject sir.

[DigitalPunk]

Josh, Email Neherp and let me know what you found in the culture. Send the picture along with it. They have a guarantee now other insect present in the culture and will send you out a new one. I would still do as Bill suggested to save as many springs from this culture as you can thought.

I love how this is turning out! I agree with the concerns about the duct tape. Hope we are wrong though.

[jarteta97]

Thanks, I'll e-mail NEherp tonight. I've already transferred many springs into a new culture, and am still keeping the other one running, just in case I need to transfer a few dozen or so more.

I'm a little concerned about the duct tape now too, and am regretting the decision of using it now . My finger's are crossed that it doesn't leak any chemicals, because I'm too far along in the build to reverse that. I certainly won't be using it in the future, and just hope my mistakes don't affect my frogs. Hopefully I've learned from this.

I finished all three sides of the tank with great stuff, and am currently waiting for the silicone under the coco fiber to cure on the back wall. I'm probably going to have to touch some spots up with titebond, lol. I also purchased some drylok paint for the foam around the base of the ghostwood, as that will be mostly underwater. I'm still debating on whether I want a grey colored stone look, or more of a brown river stone look to match the background. I also decided to mount the miniature african violet in a pot in the background, and am replacing it's spot on the ground area with a pilea cadierei that I found at Home Depot.

I can't wait to finish with the coco fiber and drylok, because I really want to get those plants in, I'm super excited

[Lija]

Josh, i really love the tank so far.... But!..... It is better to fix what is in question now then later.....
Duck tape does nasty things in high humidity environments. For one it will come out. Rather sooner then later. Vivariums with running water are unpredictable and anything can and will happen. If at least a little piece get stuck to a frog or chemicals are gonna get into water.... You will regret you didnt fix at a stage you are now.

Fix it, you can silicone that piece in.