Learning experience led to new build

[RVizzle]

Well, my first "viv" fell on it's face. It was a cpl months ago I posted a few pics for someone to see how I had set up my Vampire Crab viv. A 10 gallon tank. Sorry I fail @ img sizing.

This set up had a fatal flaw, the water used to take care of the plants had no way out. It stagnated terribly and I suspect this is what took my little female Vampire Crab's life a week ago.
This led to me scrounging up the stuff to make a proper false bottom viv for the next livestock maybe PVCs , maybe a cpl of Red Devils. Either or I would very much like to get these to breed these guys/gals as there is nobody around here to keep the LPSs
Here's the pictorial on what I did. The longest part was cleaning out the old fail stinking mess before the rebirth.
Note: I had everything I needed where i work as it turned out. So the whole rebuild was a freebie.
False bottom build with 1" pvc pipe for support (I did add the holes to the pipe for water circulation).

Test fit with repti-filter in the tank.

Cover it all in fiber window screen. This was the most frustrating part IMO.

Now is where I got too carried away with what was developing and forgot to take pics of filling in the gravel around the sides and the hydro balls. Just right on to the finished, replanted stream running the length of the tank. The plastic liner is covered completely now and I will be adding some calcium sand in to the stream bed and pond area.

Didn't bother with a background as the space was small enough already. I am pretty good with foam construction and painting though so when I do get a bigger set-up, it will get the whole nine yards.
A good friend of mine moved to Europe a few years ago and when he comes back to the states he's going to donate his old 72 gal bow front to my cause. He said he'd never use it again cause he'll go bigger. That build will take a while and will be fully documented.
If you see anything I've screwed up this time pls let me know before I kill any more livestock.

Thanks for listening, Gang.

[Merviso]

Wow... RVizzle, very good effort!

Will you be covering the tank since the crab can climb out through the plants and wire? I would really like to see a front tank view of the setup! Thanks for sharing!

[RVizzle]

I can't believe i forgot a front view. I'll take one and post up in a while.

Thanks for the kind words, Merviso. Yes, I have a screen top to cover and a vented plexiglass sheet to hold the humidity. I'll use them once more crabs come home, pics were just better without.