Gnaw

If I were to do mine again, I would leave out the sliders completely. It's too hard to move the sump unless it's completely empty. I wouldn't bother. Just make sure you have some head room to get into it and don't worry about moving it.

Boom :boom:

Ah thanks!

I kept looking at yours and than at the size of the sump and I was asking myself how effective that is and what would happen if I pulled it out too far!

Because I decided to lay the frame for the base flat I gained a few more inches for head clearance. I also want to put a light in there. :shifty:

The ones at Aquagiant aren't Kyoga flamebacks. They are Pundamilia nyererei. Different fish. I have 4 of them and they are beautiful.

Although yours look an aweful lot like Pundamilia nyererei as well tydus.

Pundamilia nyererei

Boom :boom:

The more you know...

Question for you now:

I need to start considering how to install the sump tank in the bottom. Are the sliders you installed with your router necessary? (I don't have a router).

Maybe I could get away with heavy duty drawer sliders?.

What do you think? do I need them at all?

Looks excellent Nick. Very familiar looking!

Ha! Well I needed to base-it-off something I know that works. But really, how many ways are their to build a wooden frame for a tank? Wait don't answer that...

I see that you "toe-nailed" the top beams to the vertical supports, with screws. Back the screws out, spread some wood glue on both sides of a shim, and shove it into that gap. Once the glue is dry in a few hours, screw it back together, then just break the shims off where they stick out.

If you don't, you will get some creaking and settling in the stand as the weight of the tank try's to compress those gaps, making the whole thing slightly lopsided. Not what you want.

That's going to be a lot of screws to back-out! I could only toe-nail the ones on the top because I didn't have any screws long enough to go though the top!

I can't tell how you attached the vertical supports to the bottom base. Did you toe'nail it as well or crew up from the bottom? Did you glue all the parts as well?

The bottom half was screwed in from the other side of the bottom. No toe-nailing there. (Thank god!)

Looks great so far. Can't wait to see how your gonna finish the outside of it!

Boom :boom:

Thanks bud. I'll give you a hint of what I'm thinking about doing for the outside...

This is what I've finished so far:

After I fixed the motor for the heater in the garage I got carried away with this stand and before I knew it, it was already 4am!

Alright, I made the effort to get the ball rolling on the construction of the stand.

Here are some picture of what I've accomplished so far...

O yea, also don't be an idiot like me and cut something this big with a little table-saw, its dangerous!

Bottom frame:

The supports:

Top assembly:

Close-up of support, etc. I decided not to laminate the plywood on both side of the 2x4 I just didn't have enough material.

Plywood top installed and screwed down:

I spend about an hour a month checking back at some of these entries. I can't image the work and time these people invested!

So cool, saw some at Aquagiant. Was told the ones that are really that bright are the dominate males.

Malawi Mbuna, I just love watching them dig tunnels!

Fanta...Fanta...don't you wanna.... Ahum, sorry!

I've been busy with school as well. They always seem to want to slam your head into the walls at the begging of the semester.

Sounds like you have a plan. Looking forward to seeing your arrangement and planting skills.

Looking forward to your progress.

Now, how about those pictures of your planted we talked about? :hey:

Nice job Ryan. I can't believe you where losing that much water from the sumps while they where somewhat enclosed within the stand. I must admit I am a little intimated with the construction of a sump, seems like a lot of "fine-tuning" and not as cut and paste as I thought.

Looks good Nick. Those are the right screw to use. And nope, plywood ain't cheap!

Boom

Boom I don't understand why I need to do the laminated board thing to the top and not the bottom. I looked at your tank and you did it to the bottom.

I knew that setup looked familiar to me. I just couldn't get the jgro out of my head though. Good luck with it keep us updated. I suspect the drivers and software are going to be far more difficult than setting up the machine.

I've run across a couple of guys on cnczone that are from Alberta that have made their own machines. Let me know if you want me to get you some user names. I'm pretty sure they just built the machines and bought all the drivers and software though.

Thanks, but when you purchase the plans you get a login for CNCzone as well as access to their yahoo group as well.

Looks good. I've been wanting to build a joescnc but with all the other things I have to play with it isn't going to happen anytime soon.

What are your travels going to be? Maybe you could cut me the parts for mine. Who's plans are you using or is it a homegrown design?

What kind of work do you have for it, or is it just a cool toy?

Keep us updated I'm very interested in this project.

Ah, great. Always a pleasure to meet people with similar interests.

The physical design was purchased from Rockcliff Machine CO.

The drivers and software will be of my design, as for the max traveling distance I can't remember off the top of my head, I'll have to look it up again.

The type of work I'd like to do with it, once its completed, is etching out PCB's that I've designed in eagle-cad and cutting out foam from a cad image to be used in lost-foam metal casting.

I've been waiting for pictures of these fish since you mentioned them. The colour of that one looks text-book! Nice job.

Well this is my big project I've been working/designing for three years. My flying gantry style CNC machine.

The goal of this project is to designed my own software and driving circuits (In progress) for a computer "controller" that reads G-code and M-code commands.

Currently the mechanical construction of it is underway. Its made of MDF board (Hope Boom doesn't see those table saw cuts).

The next phase in the coming weeks will be the installation of the x-axis.

Assembly: Front Construction

Assembly: Read Construction

Well I picked up most of the materials for this next bit. However, I won't even consider starting this project until at least the stand for the 100 gallon is complete.

Got the materials. Total cost: $95.00

I think I'm in too deep now to consider just buying a new one!

I think I got the right screws. I managed to find that 3/4 sanded pine (Not cheap stuff). I sifted though the skid of 2x4's and found fifteen of the straightest ones I could find.

I love this stuff...

I have been asking alot of questions about ferts, and this link sums it up!

Comparing Fert. prices and Quick Grow Hydroponics Shop, Edmonton

Thanks a lot Vi, I'll check it out later today when I have some more time.

I need to get these last two thread up before I log.

MTS, malaysian trumpet snails, are the ones whole stir sand, but with that little fish... use your finger or a stick lol

A stick it is then...

Hey darkstar, could I use this black sand as a substrate or do I need something better? Was thinking or maybe transplanting those guy from my 20 into here.

I may have to give it a try. Any recommendations for a particular kind?

I've only had this tank up an running for a few weeks.

Originally it was a gift for my gf which I setup at her house only for it to sit there empty and running for a month. Apparently she used it as a desk light and showed no ambition or interest in stocking it with fish. So I took back her anniversary gift...

In the future I may want to have this tank up and running with some low light plants, cherry shrimp and some otto's. But I have enough things on the go.

So in the mean time this is an emergency tank.

O and should I get some snails or something so the sand wont have dead spots? I read that somewhere here?

fertilize huh? I don't use any. I figured fish poo and light would be enough.

Plants look to me like they're covered in algae...

I dunno, its not hairy or anything its just a brown leaf?

I also use this stuff called Pura PhosLock, its this really great stuff that removes phosphate in salt or fresh water aquariums.