a 2ft naturally lighted vivarium

[eddy planer]

David ah, u getting Vampire crab ah? Can I get together with you? I want 2 pairs too (sorry for being off topic)

I also want !!!!

[David Moses Heng]

Eddy also shown me the spray foam can which I can use to decorate the overhead filter

By the way, Altum_lover76, where are you in Hougang ave 8/serangoon ave 3 every tuesday until 4pm.

I actually stay in Hougang Ave 5 and work in Ave 8.

I thought that can of spray was mine?

I have workshops running at both location.

[David Moses Heng]

David ah, u getting Vampire crab ah? Can I get together with you? I want 2 pairs too (sorry for being off topic)

In fact, I have gotten them way before the trip that we just had. Was told by my source that C328 had a batch of red vampires. Might be getting a few myself once i set up my 1 feet cube vivarium. you may want to pm lucasjiang. He has got real good crabs. I am also getting 8 spider crabs from him. Placed order already.

[David Moses Heng]

Thanks, this forum is good!!

Suddenly i cannot focus on what i want to do....... too many ideas and only 1 tank!!

you want any more tanks?

I might be able to spare you 1. otherwise ask CO for budget.

[David Moses Heng]

Yes, I finally found the website again and has the picture. It is like this!

I am in the midst of planning for one. Occupants will be archer fish with horned eye crab. Tank size is 4 by 1.5 by 1.5.

[eddy planer]

Hi David!

Can we Desmond,cdckjn, whoever so keen and I go to your home to view your midst construction project?

If ok, serve us hospitality like some kopi,teh and cakes for this gathering at your home to view your projects.

Boleh?

[fotoudavid]

you want any more tanks?

I might be able to spare you 1. otherwise ask CO for budget.

My CO will shake head............... cannot cannot....... do one first, hope that in CNY the 4 days can do as not working.

[eddy planer]

My CO will shake head............... cannot cannot....... do one first, hope that in CNY the 4 days can do as not working.

How do you want for this project? Maybe we can help you.? just let us know, perhaps if david keen of hospitality us for kopi,teh and cakes at his home. We'll share this even more!
agree?

hey! still waiting for David nod his head!

[fotoudavid]

How do you want for this project? Maybe we can help you.? just let us know, perhaps if david keen of hospitality us for kopi,teh and cakes at his home. We'll share this even more!
agree?

hey! still waiting for David nod his head!

Can can if time permits, now what i want is also unsure, as too many ideas already, now want to focus, but do not really have time to pipe down.

[David Moses Heng]

Hi David!

Can we Desmond,cdckjn, whoever so keen and I go to your home to view your midst construction project?

If ok, serve us hospitality like some kopi,teh and cakes for this gathering at your home to view your projects.

Boleh?

this marine paludarium is not at home. I will need permission to bring you guys in. No promises.

[dkk08]

this marine paludarium is not at home. I will need permission to bring you guys in. No promises.

tell the owner we're your "workers"

[limz_777]

In fact, I have gotten them way before the trip that we just had. Was told by my source that C328 had a batch of red vampires. Might be getting a few myself once i set up my 1 feet cube vivarium. you may want to pm lucasjiang. He has got real good crabs. I am also getting 8 spider crabs from him. Placed order already.

marine spider crabs ? any pics ?

[cdckjn]

I think I finally found the pictures that inspires me. These pictures are taken from 2004 AGA Aquascaping Contest http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.or...3&vol=-1&id=71

This tank really speaks to me as I want the plant in the 1st picture (some sort of "lily" right?) and then the driftwood is sort of what I want it to be except that this tank the driftwood goes down into the water.

[cdckjn]

pictures as attached.

[cdckjn]

I visited Seaview yestersday and I found the following type of driftwood, can you tell me what's the difference between Picture 1 and Picture 2. Question: if I buy the type in picture 2, how can I stack or attach them properly so thatI can get something as nice as Picture 3 (as they are a lot more expensive)

Can I drill then use cable-tie to attach them together?

Is there nicer driftwood, where can I go and buy them. I stay in Hougang.

[dkk08]

I visited Seaview yestersday and I found the following type of driftwood, can you tell me what's the difference between Picture 1 and Picture 2. Question: if I buy the type in picture 2, how can I stack or attach them properly so thatI can get something as nice as Picture 3 (as they are a lot more expensive)

Can I drill then use cable-tie to attach them together?

Is there nicer driftwood, where can I go and buy them. I stay in Hougang.

personally I think its a personal choice, which do you think are more aesthetically pleasing? You need to have a vague idea of how your scape might look and there's a lot of trial and error on stacking the look you want... trust me, you can only use Picture 1 and 2 as a guide, you'll never obtain the same scape... that's the fun part, every scape is unique...

and yes you can use cable tie or every silicon them together...

[cdckjn]

Eh Sorry I guess I phrase the question wrongly, what is the type of driftwood in Picture 1, It is something from a tree or branch right, what tree is it?

[cdckjn]

Finally got my tank up and going. I had some initial problems with my blue foam wall.

At first, I cut several strips of blue foam and stuck them together with PVA glue, then hot glue a piece of acrylic to the base. Painted a colour on them then using PVA glue again to seal the foam. But when I put it into the water, the colour came off. I guess the PVA coating was not good enough, so I reapplied using a polyurethane coating, and this time it worked.

But when test again, the foam floated! So I use hot glue to attached some stones on the acyrlic to weigh it down but when I filled the tank with water to the required height, the foam again floated.

I got fed up by now, so I re-do the whole time and using the foam walls instead of walls, now as a support to put my clay pallets and garden soil.

Actually I asked eddy_planer and he advised me to go ahead with the garden soil on the top of the clay pallets. So now I planted my mosses and plants and I am happy now, waiting for the plants to settle in and observe what happens.



Tank with the clay pellets after the re-setting up.


the Left side of tank with the floating foam wall - now a floating platform, I used cable tie to secure the mounted-foam-wall-with-hotglue to another piece of acrylic at the bottom. The bottom piece of acrylic is weighed down with rocks and the whole top part with covered with clay pellets. The left side base is covered with white small chips. I got this FOC from my workplace. There is two small stones which I have place java moss - tied with cotton strings.


with eddy_planer's advise, I covered the clay pellets with a layer of garden soil, then placed my mosses on them. The mosses are collected from Singapore and Kota Tinggi.


The left side driftwood also has some mosses from Kota Tinggi. I just placed them there and wedged them into the gaps of the driftwood.


Right side full tank shot. I am thinking of trimming the floating foam platform smaller and narrower so that the natural sun light can shine in near the floating platform. And inthe 1st picture, the area below is a bit too dark and I cannot really have much space for plants. The current duckweed will overgrow rather quickly.

So far, I have only spent about $10, $2 for the fishes (I forgot the price of the clay pellets - bougt from Giant). the rest of the items flora (from Singapore and Kota Tinggi - FOC) and pump, driftwood from previous de-com tank. The gravel, garden soil, stones, acrylic and blue foam from workplace.

Any comments are welcome.

[eddy planer]

Hi Jack

This is nice set-up.

Actually i already strongly advised many members here against using hot glue for any palu/viva project . Its has very poor bond and isnt water proof and buoy, another big minus is real toxic to fauna. The best to bond any foam or whatever project material is always the silicon.

Anyway, since you had done it..please be prepare for another nasty setback in due time..reason is hot glue.

Another thing to improve..
Try to lower the water level down just below the compost soil or even alittle lower than the peat stone by 1 cm to allow proper water drainage and reduce flooded to the compost soil. This going to be very unhealthy if this compost soil leach into the water and turn murky in due time.

Look like i have to come to your home to help to reset the whole thing again if any abnormally occurs to your palu. Let me know, Jack. I'll be there.

so sorry my comments arent encouraging..but I believe you'll definitely learn to improve trial and error experience after tried out a hard way, right.

[cdckjn]

Over the weekend, I bought two freshwater crabs (those with the red claws) and 3 other reddish fish because my youngest son wanted it. I have also got 1 Java fern, 1 golden nana and 1 other plant. So now my set up cost is about three red notes. Resonably low budget. I also did a 30% water change as the water has turned a bit soapy (the driftwood leeching tanin?) and the colour a bit like tea. Today just check again, maybe have to do another water change to also lower the water level a bit.

So far so good as the tank is cycling.