CA11WLK
New Member
The beginning...
20th May, i had just been and bought additional Rosy Barbs for my small 35L freshwater. Unfortunately no more fish could be added as i was now fully stocked. Whilst sat watching them get used to there new home, i thought i know - i'll browse Facebook marketplace for a larger aquarium. Sure enough,5 minutes from me a Juwel RIO 125 LED - Excellent condition had just been advertised, i had to have it! Off i went straight away to buy it.
The Juwel 125 RIO LED
Came back, and started looking at tropical tanks on YouTube, but they wearn't quite to my taste. My little ones love Finding Nemo so in good old marine beginner style, that is where the story begins. Hours of YouTube and Reading about marine tanks, and Lockdown upon us (so extra time on my hands), i thought why not give it a DIY go!
Step 1 - Repainting the Tank/Stand
The other half wasn't happy at all with the colour of the tank as it didn't fit in with any of the decor? So, as the boss demands, i started repainting - and even painted the wall behind the tank to match. Win win!
Painting wasn't too bad, simple took everything apart (doors off etc) and then sanded every panel down completely before giving it a primer, then two coats of paint and finalised with a load of clear finish coat.
Step 2 - Planning/Drilling The Tank
The scary part begins. I started planning the pipework. From watching the YouTube video i new i wanted a Durso? style drain system so that is how i set out. i planned 3 evenly space holes at the bottom of the tank and designed the size of the overflow box which i wanted to go around it.
Using a battery powered hand-drill, a diamond hole cutter and a LOT of cold water, i carefully started cutting the holes in the tank. The drill piece started scratching all over the place and i could keep it straight. TIP: I made a polystyrene template and it worked a gem!
Everything was going nicely, tank connectors where in, Pipework was planned how i wanted it for a Durso? and initial leak test passed!
UH OH! - DISASTER... CRACK!
When moving the tank back to the stand, i had tightened one of the tank connectors too tight and it had cracked. So now i spent additional hours and searching forums looking for advice on how to repair it, Do i just scrap it? Replace the bottom? Patch it? **I'm in know place to advise, i took the risk of patching**
Step 3 - Repairing the damage!
I went with taking the risk on a patch repair. I cut a section of plate glass and covered the entire section of the tank and used an unreal amount of marine safe silicone to seal the patch to the bottom of the tank. As i had also covered up the hole, i had to then redrill the glass and reconnect the tank connector.
After leaving the patch to seal for at least 48 hours, i then ran another leak test and to my surprise it passed!
Step 4 - The Overflow Box
As i had my tank connectors in place, i knew exactly where i wanted my overflow box - more or less central. So i measured the dimensions around the piepwork making sure to leave room to get my hand it for any maintenance and then again used plate glass to build the box. I siliconed the edges into place before installing it into place and sealing all the edges. This was by no means a professional job and i think i used quadrouple the amount of silicone, but - it doesn't leak!
Error! - Overflow box is too short...
After installing the overflow box i released i had cut the glass to short and too much water would still drain down defeating the object of the box, therefore i had to do a further DIY bodge job to make the overflow box higher... and sawed off the central brace because it was in the way...
Note: At this point i was planning on giving up because it looked awful.
Step 5 - Pipework/Sump Setup
With my patch repair, Overflow box and inside tank pipework all sealed and the excess silicone now scraped off, it was time to focus on the sump.
I managed to get a cheap 35 litre tank off Gumtree which was a great start. I designed where i wanted my baffles to ensure it would fit a Skimmer, Bubble Trap, Heater and return section.. (i forgot about ATO). Cutting glass baffles and adding more silicone to seal them into place was relatively straight forward.
Then i proceeded to purchase various ABS/PVC pipework and fittings so i could solvent weld them into place.
With the basics in order, everything was looking good and ready to progress to the next stage, where i finalised the pipework and solvent welded into place.
Step 6 - The Hardware / Hunt
Now i was ready to go, i started hunting around on Social Media, Gumtree and eBay for lights, heaters Skimmer etc. Managed to get a Bubble Magus Curve 5 Skimmer, Fluval Marine LED 3, various heaters, Wavemaker etc all for resonable prices.
Step 7 - LETS GET WET!
Now everything was up and running and tested for leaks, it was time to go get a load of 25 litre containers and a salt mixing tub. eBay to my saviour again.
I found a Spotless Water Centre next to me where i went and stocked up on a lot of RO/DI water, and ordered Instant Ocean Salt so i was ready to mix.
Mixing the the saltwater in the tank was simple enough following manufacturers instructions.
And under the marine LED everything was starting to come together.
Step 8 - Sand/Rock and Extras
Now my tank was up and running, i ordered 20LB of CaribSea Life Shapes which i am absolutely over the moon with. The shapes which were delivered were brilliant for my aquascape, and also 20kg of CaribSea natural reef sand, again which settled nicely after a day or so.
Once i was happy with the aquascape, i decided to add a layer of tint film to the back of the aqaurium to give it a more dark marine tank feel which in my opinion made the tank look so much better already.
Once everything had settled, i went to my LFS to collect ATM colony and 2 little clowns so i could go down the "Quick Cycle" route. (This is currently ongoing). the clownfish seem to love there new home and its brilliant watching them explore. Even better? MY KIDS LOVE NEMO!
Today, i managed to get my hands on some glass perspex where, i was able to create a nice black gloss cover for the glass overflow box, which has completely transformed the final finish of my DIY marine tank.
It's difficult with the reflection, but as you can see, with the black backbox and the black vynl it looks like the background of the tank is a clear black section of glass, hiding the wavemaker and cable too..
I am now extremely happy with the transformation, and all the "mess" and time and mistakes have all been worth it - best of all, it almost looks like a professional reef tank!
Good luck to everyone and anyone who reads this!
20th May, i had just been and bought additional Rosy Barbs for my small 35L freshwater. Unfortunately no more fish could be added as i was now fully stocked. Whilst sat watching them get used to there new home, i thought i know - i'll browse Facebook marketplace for a larger aquarium. Sure enough,5 minutes from me a Juwel RIO 125 LED - Excellent condition had just been advertised, i had to have it! Off i went straight away to buy it.
The Juwel 125 RIO LED
Came back, and started looking at tropical tanks on YouTube, but they wearn't quite to my taste. My little ones love Finding Nemo so in good old marine beginner style, that is where the story begins. Hours of YouTube and Reading about marine tanks, and Lockdown upon us (so extra time on my hands), i thought why not give it a DIY go!
Step 1 - Repainting the Tank/Stand
The other half wasn't happy at all with the colour of the tank as it didn't fit in with any of the decor? So, as the boss demands, i started repainting - and even painted the wall behind the tank to match. Win win!
Painting wasn't too bad, simple took everything apart (doors off etc) and then sanded every panel down completely before giving it a primer, then two coats of paint and finalised with a load of clear finish coat.
Step 2 - Planning/Drilling The Tank
The scary part begins. I started planning the pipework. From watching the YouTube video i new i wanted a Durso? style drain system so that is how i set out. i planned 3 evenly space holes at the bottom of the tank and designed the size of the overflow box which i wanted to go around it.
Using a battery powered hand-drill, a diamond hole cutter and a LOT of cold water, i carefully started cutting the holes in the tank. The drill piece started scratching all over the place and i could keep it straight. TIP: I made a polystyrene template and it worked a gem!
Everything was going nicely, tank connectors where in, Pipework was planned how i wanted it for a Durso? and initial leak test passed!
UH OH! - DISASTER... CRACK!
When moving the tank back to the stand, i had tightened one of the tank connectors too tight and it had cracked. So now i spent additional hours and searching forums looking for advice on how to repair it, Do i just scrap it? Replace the bottom? Patch it? **I'm in know place to advise, i took the risk of patching**
Step 3 - Repairing the damage!
I went with taking the risk on a patch repair. I cut a section of plate glass and covered the entire section of the tank and used an unreal amount of marine safe silicone to seal the patch to the bottom of the tank. As i had also covered up the hole, i had to then redrill the glass and reconnect the tank connector.
After leaving the patch to seal for at least 48 hours, i then ran another leak test and to my surprise it passed!
Step 4 - The Overflow Box
As i had my tank connectors in place, i knew exactly where i wanted my overflow box - more or less central. So i measured the dimensions around the piepwork making sure to leave room to get my hand it for any maintenance and then again used plate glass to build the box. I siliconed the edges into place before installing it into place and sealing all the edges. This was by no means a professional job and i think i used quadrouple the amount of silicone, but - it doesn't leak!
Error! - Overflow box is too short...
After installing the overflow box i released i had cut the glass to short and too much water would still drain down defeating the object of the box, therefore i had to do a further DIY bodge job to make the overflow box higher... and sawed off the central brace because it was in the way...
Note: At this point i was planning on giving up because it looked awful.
Step 5 - Pipework/Sump Setup
With my patch repair, Overflow box and inside tank pipework all sealed and the excess silicone now scraped off, it was time to focus on the sump.
I managed to get a cheap 35 litre tank off Gumtree which was a great start. I designed where i wanted my baffles to ensure it would fit a Skimmer, Bubble Trap, Heater and return section.. (i forgot about ATO). Cutting glass baffles and adding more silicone to seal them into place was relatively straight forward.
Then i proceeded to purchase various ABS/PVC pipework and fittings so i could solvent weld them into place.
With the basics in order, everything was looking good and ready to progress to the next stage, where i finalised the pipework and solvent welded into place.
Step 6 - The Hardware / Hunt
Now i was ready to go, i started hunting around on Social Media, Gumtree and eBay for lights, heaters Skimmer etc. Managed to get a Bubble Magus Curve 5 Skimmer, Fluval Marine LED 3, various heaters, Wavemaker etc all for resonable prices.
Step 7 - LETS GET WET!
Now everything was up and running and tested for leaks, it was time to go get a load of 25 litre containers and a salt mixing tub. eBay to my saviour again.
I found a Spotless Water Centre next to me where i went and stocked up on a lot of RO/DI water, and ordered Instant Ocean Salt so i was ready to mix.
Mixing the the saltwater in the tank was simple enough following manufacturers instructions.
And under the marine LED everything was starting to come together.
Step 8 - Sand/Rock and Extras
Now my tank was up and running, i ordered 20LB of CaribSea Life Shapes which i am absolutely over the moon with. The shapes which were delivered were brilliant for my aquascape, and also 20kg of CaribSea natural reef sand, again which settled nicely after a day or so.
Once i was happy with the aquascape, i decided to add a layer of tint film to the back of the aqaurium to give it a more dark marine tank feel which in my opinion made the tank look so much better already.
Once everything had settled, i went to my LFS to collect ATM colony and 2 little clowns so i could go down the "Quick Cycle" route. (This is currently ongoing). the clownfish seem to love there new home and its brilliant watching them explore. Even better? MY KIDS LOVE NEMO!
Today, i managed to get my hands on some glass perspex where, i was able to create a nice black gloss cover for the glass overflow box, which has completely transformed the final finish of my DIY marine tank.
It's difficult with the reflection, but as you can see, with the black backbox and the black vynl it looks like the background of the tank is a clear black section of glass, hiding the wavemaker and cable too..
I am now extremely happy with the transformation, and all the "mess" and time and mistakes have all been worth it - best of all, it almost looks like a professional reef tank!
Good luck to everyone and anyone who reads this!
