Lennon’s new bioactive tank build

[Jennifer Wood]

I have been gathering supplies for the past couple months for a new bioactive tank for Lennon. I have enough stuff to get started now. Still need lights, plants, substrate, etc.

I have already built the stand for the tank. View attachment 283370View attachment 283371View attachment 283372View attachment 283373View attachment 283374

I just started on the tank today. Just have some cork bark pieces siliconed into place so far.

View attachment 283375View attachment 283376View attachment 283377

I so want the table/stand right now. Can you give the measurements. I am literally trying to get someone to build it at this very moment.
Are you going to add doors to the front?

 

[Lennoncham]

I so want the table/stand right now. Can you give the measurements. I am literally trying to get someone to build it at this very moment.
Are you going to add doors to the front?

it is 36” high total. The frame is 20dx30hx36w”. Then the plywood is half inch on the sides and front making it 37 wide total. The wheels are about 5 1/4 “ and the top is a 3/4” piece of ply wood that is 22 1/2” x 41”. Then just a thin piece of backing plywood. If that makes sense. If not I can take pics with the measurements for you.

I was going to put doors on the front but I decided to leave it open and I will eventually put a 24x18x24 tank inside of it.

 

[Lennoncham]

The stand is made so that the top of the stand can be the bottom of a moving crate for when I move houses. I screwed it in from the bottom with some angle brackets. When I go to move I will build a 2x2 frame around the tank and cover it with plywood. Then the screws come out and it can come off onto a moving dolly.

 

[tarrynh011]

This is lovely, can't wait to see it finished ?

 

[Jennifer Wood]

The stand is made so that the top of the stand can be the bottom of a moving crate for when I move houses. I screwed it in from the bottom with some angle brackets. When I go to move I will build a 2x2 frame around the tank and cover it with plywood. Then the screws come out and it can come off onto a moving dolly.

Wow! You’ve planned this out even more than I thought. This just just brilliant.

 

[Lennoncham]

Wow! You’ve planned this out even more than I thought. This just just brilliant.

Yupe I’m always thinking 5 steps ahead

 

[Lennoncham]

While I’m waiting for my order of cork branches to come in I started to trim and seal some of the spray foam around the branches I already put into the tank. To seal the foam I am using drylok masonry paint.

I used some acrylic paint to add some colour to the drylok so I could tell what has been painted.

trimmed foam

foam with drylok painted on. I did 5 layers of drylok to make sure it got a really good seal.

I then went back with the acrylic paints and tried to make it blend in. I used a couple different colours to try and make it look more natural. Most of it will be covered in plants eventually anyways

 

[Beman]

While I’m waiting for my order of cork branches to come in I started to trim and seal some of the spray foam around the branches I already put into the tank. To seal the foam I am using drylok masonry paint. View attachment 284098

I used some acrylic paint to add some colour to the drylok so I could tell what has been painted. View attachment 284106

trimmed foam
View attachment 284099

foam with drylok painted on. I did 5 layers of drylok to make sure it got a really good seal.
View attachment 284100View attachment 284101

I then went back with the acrylic paints and tried to make it blend in. I used a couple different colours to try and make it look more natural. Most of it will be covered in plants eventually anyways View attachment 284102View attachment 284103View attachment 284104View attachment 284105

great job! can barely tell the difference!

 

[Lennoncham]

great job! can barely tell the difference!

thanks. Came out better then I expected considering I’m not an artist lol.

 

[Lennoncham]

Well I have made some progress but it’s slow going. I have added and removed branches a couple times because I didn’t like where they were ( I’ll figure the rest out later). I have spray foamed the whole background and have started to carve it out. The carving is going slow, I’m making it have a rock wall look. I keep having to go back and re foam and touch up spots to get it to the look I want.

I was being so careful working around the tank with the doors open then my knee just barely hit the door and it came off and broke on the floor. Guess I have to spend a bunch of money ordering a new one or getting glass cut

 

[AmandaS]

Well I have made some progress but it’s slow going. I have added and removed branches a couple times because I didn’t like where they were ( I’ll figure the rest out later). I have spray foamed the whole background and have started to carve it out. The carving is going slow, I’m making it have a rock wall look. I keep having to go back and re foam and touch up spots to get it to the look I want. View attachment 285145View attachment 285146View attachment 285147View attachment 285148View attachment 285149View attachment 285150View attachment 285154View attachment 285152View attachment 285153

I was being so careful working around the tank with the doors open then my knee just barely hit the door and it came off and broke on the floor. Guess I have to spend a bunch of money ordering a new one or getting glass cut

View attachment 285151

Great job!!!...but poooor door!!!

 

[Lennoncham]

Great job!!!...but poooor door!!!

thanks. Ya it sucks about the door. I’m gunna see how much it will cost to get glass cut. I have only found 1 place to order a replacement door and with shipping and import fees it will be like $145 so that’s a bit much.

 

[Shanar808]

thanks. Came out better then I expected considering I’m not an artist lol.

I beg to differ, you are quite the artist! It really takes talent to create something like that! Talent and skills and perseverance (regardless of the bumps along the way). Great job and I can’t wait to see the finished product!

 

[Lennoncham]

I beg to differ, you are quite the artist! It really takes talent to create something like that! Talent and skills and perseverance (regardless of the bumps along the way). Great job and I can’t wait to see the finished product!

Ya I guess your right. I just needed to find the right art form I guess .It really is fairly annoying and hard work to trim all the foam. But also kinda therapeutic lol.

 

[Beman]

Well I have made some progress but it’s slow going. I have added and removed branches a couple times because I didn’t like where they were ( I’ll figure the rest out later). I have spray foamed the whole background and have started to carve it out. The carving is going slow, I’m making it have a rock wall look. I keep having to go back and re foam and touch up spots to get it to the look I want. View attachment 285145View attachment 285146View attachment 285147View attachment 285148View attachment 285149View attachment 285150View attachment 285154View attachment 285152View attachment 285153

I was being so careful working around the tank with the doors open then my knee just barely hit the door and it came off and broke on the floor. Guess I have to spend a bunch of money ordering a new one or getting glass cut

View attachment 285151

UGGGGG this happened to another friend of mine too! Maybe glass doors should be removed prior to projects like this. I did not realize they were this fragile. Will the top and bottom piece come off so you can just get another piece of glass for it?

But your doing an awesome job!

 

[Lennoncham]

UGGGGG this happened to another friend of mine too! Maybe glass doors should be removed prior to projects like this. I did not realize they were this fragile. Will the top and bottom piece come off so you can just get another piece of glass for it?

But your doing an awesome job!

ya I have heard of this happening to a few people. I think these big Exo terras are cursed lol. I thought about taking them off but I didn’t want to break them in the process. Well that didn’t work out.

the frame is silicone’d to the glass so I will probably have to break the glass more and pull it out in chunks.

 

[Shanar808]

Well I have made some progress but it’s slow going. I have added and removed branches a couple times because I didn’t like where they were ( I’ll figure the rest out later). I have spray foamed the whole background and have started to carve it out. The carving is going slow, I’m making it have a rock wall look. I keep having to go back and re foam and touch up spots to get it to the look I want. View attachment 285145View attachment 285146View attachment 285147View attachment 285148View attachment 285149View attachment 285150View attachment 285154View attachment 285152View attachment 285153

I was being so careful working around the tank with the doors open then my knee just barely hit the door and it came off and broke on the floor. Guess I have to spend a bunch of money ordering a new one or getting glass cut

View attachment 285151

The price of fixing that is wayyy more than I would’ve expected for such a small and thin piece of glass. Have you considered making your own? I’ve binge watched the YouTube channel SerpaDesigns and in a few episodes he shows how he creates new tanks out of old tanks. Maybe if you can find an inexpensive/used aquarium on Craigslist that can be deconstructed and repurposed?

 

[Beman]

ya I have heard of this happening to a few people. I think these big Exo terras are cursed lol. I thought about taking them off but I didn’t want to break them in the process. Well that didn’t work out.

the frame is silicone’d to the glass so I will probably have to break the glass more and pull it out in chunks.

I know you can order replacement doors for them. I want to say it is through exo terra but I am not sure.

 

[Lennoncham]

The price of fixing that is wayyy more than I would’ve expected for such a small and thin piece of glass. Have you considered making your own? I’ve binge watched the YouTube channel SerpaDesigns and in a few episodes he shows how he creates new tanks out of old tanks. Maybe if you can find an inexpensive/used aquarium on Craigslist that can be deconstructed and repurposed?

ya it might be hard finding the right thickness of glass though. I’m going to call some glass places today and see how much they would charge

I know you can order replacement doors for them. I want to say it is through exo terra but I am not sure.

The only place I have found with them in stock is amazon global and it would be coming from the uk so with shipping and imports it would cost about $145

 

[Beman]

ya it might be hard finding the right thickness of glass though. I’m going to call some glass places today and see how much they would charge



The only place I have found with them in stock is amazon global and it would be coming from the uk so with shipping and imports it would cost about $145

Can you try to go through exo terra site? http://www.exo-terra.com/en/index.php