Iceturf

Don't fish typically find themselves up against rocks in nature?

What did you do for the pond to winterize it?

Looks cool

Even if I don't have room for it, I can sleep on/in it until I do. haha. It was worth checking the ad out though, thanks gBoysc2 for pointing it out to me. I saw how many people had already visited the ad and I didn't bother sending in a message/calling. I remember a few years back I randomly saw some guy had a sailing boat drastically under priced in the bargain finder. I called the same day at lunch that edition of the bargain finder had come out, it was already sold 2 hours before. I think there exist those people who are just always watching for these things. Nothing new to anyone I guess. What's a tank like that worth normally any-ways?

Over 900 viewers on that one I think though, so the poster may have been overwhelmed?

Looks neat

What about Dap 100% window and Door sealant? I thought I read it is a good choice for aquarium safe silicone. About 5$ from Totem, there are 2 similar types so steer clear of the mould resistant stuff.

The green eggs are more festive than yellow :thumbs:

Did you coat the surface with something to resist spilled water?

PS, don't go to crystal glass, I don't know where your going but most glass places like crystal glass charge a fortune for nothing

Also, there is very little your can practically do about the 'back reflection'. Most coatings may make the surface more permeable towards a certain wavelength range, but are not something you or I could easily get ahold of. Source - I am an engineering student, first year we had to do a big thing on light. Not that I remember the exact formulas, but that is how it works.

I wouldn't worry about it. The reason fish tanks 'work' is because the index of refraction between glass and water does not cause a large amount of refraction. Thus the light comes through without the same 'skew' that looking down at a pond has.

Most of the light loss will actually be from the index of refraction, which will not change based upon the thickness of the glass. Usually for most surfaces like glass, the light that makes it in often makes it out (no loss of energy unless the glass has scratches, why they do it for fibre optics, unique characteristics under 'average' conditions.) I would go for the thicker glass, limiting thickness only out of cost and weight. Your going to have similar 'back' reflection in either case and most glass applications don't loose noticeable amounts of light to slight pigmentation of the glass itself. Light literately 'weaves' between the glass molecules, its really neat. What you should be most worried about is if the type of glass you use blocks certain near UV rays that plants get a lot of energy out of (close to the 400nm range). From what I understand tempered glass and certain plexi glass materials block this waverange, but I'm not 100% sure about tempered. I still get sunburned by a tempered glass window.

Sad but true

The light mount is awesome.

Anyone know where to go for a cheap source of bio - media, all I see is litre cartons highly overpriced at the petstores.

Yea i've heard of Krazy glue being toxic, not sure how it is when dry; some things though toxic are inert in certain forms. I've never had long term krazy glue luck but then again most plants don't seem to like my tank, java fern included.

Yes I would have the same fear of accidentally knocking into it - so far as water I have no doubt it is strong enough. On that same note - my 3/8" 18 gallon tall, I worry about accidentally knocking into it and having water everywhere so I think I'm just jittery about glass under a certain thickness. I'm giving you a hard time, but i'm just kidding around. Keep posting pictures, its gonna look sharp when you put something in there.

Glass seems a bit thin. Its not the minimum 10x overthick that one might expect from an AlbertaAquatica DIY project! I hope it works for you, looks neat with the built in false wall.

Actually it was still on my camera, maybe I'll see about reuploading something tomorrow.

I'm not sure where these pictures are now, I took down my photobucket account and I think I may have accidentally deleted them off my computer. I'll have to dig out the camera and check if their in there still, maybe.

Sorry about that.

Slanted or stepped bottom anyone?

Sounds like you've thought it through. You should consider ( if you haven't already) a line of defence encase the wall power spikes - the biggest deterioration factor for typical electrical components are surges of too much power. But I'm sure that won't be a big deal.

I think this is interesting - solar to electrical to solar again. Why not sit your tank down below a skylight maybe?