looking for a quick idea for tank divider

Skydvr

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This is freshwater related, but figured someone would still have an idea.
I just picked up a 6 gallon bookshelf tank from Petco to set up for my nephews' Bettas. My sister's boyfriend trusted the pet store's advice and have them in something way too tiny.

I haven't had a chance to scout around for ideas yet, so I'm looking to you guys for some help. I have some ideas, but they are all overly complex and complete overkill. I'm looking for something to divide the tank that will allow water flow between both sides (only one filter on the tank and want to keep it that way), will look nice, won't be a pain to clean, and can be permanently/semi-permanently fixed in place. The tank will be planted, so the divider is clear, they won't have a straight view into their neighbor's side and be flaring at each other all the time. The tank is "acrylic"; one piece, low grade plastic. Sufficient for a four and seven year old's bedroom, but not too cheap looking. Bonus if it can allow neocaridinia shrimp, and possibly sparrow rasboras (3/8" max size), to travel between the two sides.
 

racin2438

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They do sell a white - ish, plastic divider that has hanger clips to in keep place.

It's perforated for water circulation.
Check your local Petsmart/Petco...or many online site.
 

redfishbluefish

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When I had freshwater tanks, I picked up a couple puffer fish. They are small little cute fish that turned out to be the terror of the tank. This was a 75 gallon tank. I glued up a frame using CPVC pipe and attached artists plastic canvas to it. Here you can see the edge of the pipe dividing the tank:






The artist's plastic canvas looks like this. I've included my thumb so that you could see scale.







And here's the label for this stuff....which I purchased at Walmart.


 

beaslbob

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egg crate.
1/4" square plastic grid light diffusers used in dropped ceilings 4'x2' section is like $12 or so. If not in the lighting department look for it in the ceiling department.
 
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Skydvr

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Thanks for those ideas, I had considered and dismissed both though.
The eggcrate is too wide and a bit hokey in my opinion. I know a lot of people use it, but I just don't care for the look. I considered making an acrylic frame for the plastic canvas, but it would be too much work for what it was. I am looking for a clean installation that doesn't detract from the rest of the tank, especially with it being such a small tank.

I think I'm just going to grab a piece of lexan and cut slots with the Bridgeport. I was hoping to just grab something cheap to put in there, but I'll take a couple hours and fab something up. School isn't too crazy yet, so I have the time.

Oh, and I had some pea puffers before. Puffers are extremely engaging fish. Very curious and interactive, but aggressive towards tank mates for sure.
 
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KorD

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do you have an acrylic company by you? We have one here that sells all different colors of acrylic. a small 1/4 thick section would work... if not just sand a piece of acrylic on one side to give it a frosted look.
 
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Skydvr

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Spent way too long working on it, but I got to play around with the Bridgeport, which now has a digital readout.

A few of the slots aren't as clean as they could be because I hadn't realized that the person that used it last had the Bridgeport set up for max speed, so it was melting the plastic a bit. It will work well though. The bottom slots are bigger to allow the shrimp to move between both sides, and the top two are bigger to allow the Sparrow Rasboras to move between both sides. I may scuff up one side to make it opaque so the Betas can only see each other through the slots instead of always having a clear view of the other side. Black Krylon may be an option as well.

http://s23.photobucket.com/user/Skyjeeper/media/Mobile Uploads/image_zpsa6540796.jpg.html?o=0
 

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afamousjohnson

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So I have been considering using epdm weather sealing to put my new baffles in. Might be something to look at for putting your divider in? Would make it adjustable and removable. I have only seen it in black tho - so would show a distinct cut off in the tank. If you worked the growth and scape though to compliment could keep it removable and adjustable while still complimenting the overall look and direction
 

redfishbluefish

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Well you didn't tell us you had access to a CNC milling machine.

Looks good.....nice job.
 
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Skydvr

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Not CNC unfortunately. All manually controlled.

I was hoping to not spend so much time on it, which is why I was looking for a pre are solution. Between setup, building something to mount the Lexan to allow me to fix it to the bed as well as machine it without it flexing and distorting, and recalculating all the measurements into decimal and accounting for tool width to still get the proper dimensions. I cut the piece out of the center of the Lexan using the Bridgeport so I didn't have to worry about trying to center everything up along the x and y axes of the machine. This is where I had to account for the tool width an offset the measurements from that zero point. Not bad to do, but when you are doing this for the first time, it takes a little longer to make sure you are thinking about everything the correct way to account for lost material. The Lexan was oversized by a little over an inch in each direction, so there wasn't much waste. This was the first time I used the Bridgeport for something more than a drill press to align holes or to just smooth the surface of a piece.

I do need to learn some 3D modeling though. I have access to a 3D printer in the same workspace (the plastic used is not ideal for much of anything other than proof of concept prototyping and the pieces come out a bit too rough, but it is a nice machine and can do some really nice work).

One of my professors got a million dollar grant last spring and spent a good portion of that setting up a lab. He has a laser 3D printer that can do different densities on the same piece, uses no support material, and can do all kinds of materials, including nylon. He also has a laser cutting table. I need to see if I can get some time on the equipment in that lab. I have about a dozen projects that I would love to use that laser bench for.

The benefits of going back to school.

The ECE department is set up way better than the MechE (mechanical engineering) department is. From what I hear, the psychology department has a better shop that what the MechEs have access to.
 
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