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09/06/2014, 09:56 PM | #76 |
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Well, thank you again, sandyland. I will! Once the fake wall is done, things should move along a bit faster.
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As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018 |
09/07/2014, 09:48 PM | #77 |
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Looking really good tagging along
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09/08/2014, 09:44 AM | #78 |
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fgshttr, I didn't see a previous comment from you, so I don't know what you are referring to. Can you repeat? I don't mind criticism if it's not too vicious. Now I'm curious!
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As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018 |
09/08/2014, 09:51 AM | #79 |
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Incredible build!
I can't wait to see it all done. I like the 2 part epoxy clay. I will have to look that up |
09/08/2014, 10:29 AM | #80 |
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Thanks for following, erictorres0311 and BlueFyre! I appreciate the encouragement. It's a little early to say, but I think I made a good choice with the Magic Sculpt. It feels very sturdy, even though I used it very 'thinly'.
fgshttr, now your comment from today has disappeared! Why is this happening? Anybody know?
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As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018 |
09/09/2014, 09:39 AM | #81 |
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Just found this thread. Check out Polygem Zoopoxies. Tank decorations can be painted with acrylic paints and then painted with a clear epoxy paint. Check out their gallery.
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09/09/2014, 10:47 AM | #82 |
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Thanks and welcome Pacu Mom! I checked it out. Their E-Z Sculpt appears to the same as the Magic Sculpt that I used. Good stuff. Loved the Gallery too!
Have you done any tank decorations you'd like to show? I'd love to see!
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As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018 |
09/09/2014, 02:44 PM | #83 |
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Ours is going to be an undecorated tank, as the fish need all the room for swimming. Our mechanical filtration consists of eleven pipes in the tank.....our only "decoration". Background panels and pipes are at the artist's house for painting, but she is critically ill right now.
Here are two unpainted uptake/return pipes. We used wire mesh and Pond Foam for the initial shapes of our "trees" before applying the Polygem. jrt on MFK has some Polygem stuff that reminds me of your project. If you scroll through his thread you will see tree stumps and reef stuff they made using Polygem. http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/fo...=1#post6598680 |
09/09/2014, 03:30 PM | #84 |
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Very nice! Hiding your filtration in beautiful DIY sculptures is very cool, don't you think?
I see you're in process as well. What kind of fish are you keeping?
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As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018 |
09/09/2014, 04:14 PM | #85 |
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cool idea
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09/09/2014, 04:20 PM | #86 |
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Two pacu, so they need all the space. With painted backgrounds and the pipes, we are going with an underwater forest in an endless lake theme. In real life real tank it remains to be seen if we can pull it off. It looked great in the diorama the artist made.
I got the Polygem tip from a big player in the tank world...big enough to have a TV show... |
09/09/2014, 04:47 PM | #87 |
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So you're having an artist paint a background of an under lake perspective? Sounds beautiful! Hope your artist is okay.
I know what you mean about wondering if you'll "pull it off". I have my doubts at times too! But I'm committed!
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As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018 |
09/09/2014, 10:10 PM | #88 |
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have your artist highlight your root the way you want then just seal it with resin like clear coat..
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09/20/2014, 08:41 PM | #89 |
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The root's in. A lot of hard work, but this thing is coming together!
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As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018 |
09/20/2014, 08:43 PM | #90 |
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Here's a whole tank view. Supreme satisfaction…
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As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018 |
10/03/2016, 11:43 AM | #91 |
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After following your build thread, the ends justify the means in your tank because it looks awesome. Are you happy with how hiding the powerhead turned out? Also, with the performance of the powerhead?
I've been playing around with a foam rock background on my native FW tank, and just can't get what I want. I may use the foam as a base and then try the Magic Sculpt to try and get that touch of realism. There are a lot of foam backgrounds out there, but imho, and not to demean the artists of those builds, look man made. I want mine to look like the real thing, not a stack of rip rap or a slate flower garden wall. Thanks for the ideas! I may also construct some roots too for that tank. I'm toying with hiding powerheads in my oyster reef tank too with something like this, maybe a mussel cluster or a piling.
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Blennies Rock! --Kevin Wilson Current Tank Info: 101g 3'X3'X18" Cubish Oyster Reef Blenny tank, 36"X17"X18" sump |
10/03/2016, 12:49 PM | #92 |
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Thanks Chasmodes. I am happy with how the fake root turned out, as well as the powerhead's performance.
If I were to critique it, I would say it would have been nice to do the root all in one piece, so you don't see the joints/attachment points. I wish I had painted it darker, like a brown-black. Lastly, I wish now that it was smaller. It's a little hard to clean the side glass panel because of it, even though I tried to make sure I would have plenty of room. And visually, it turned out a little bigger than the one third of the tank space I had planned. There are some great foam walls and there are some butt-ugly ones. Sam.basye's succeeded because he applied the foam in dollops, rather than rows, like I did. I hated mine so much I sanded it way down to get the look I wanted. One other thing to look out for is seams. If you can't do your wall all in one piece, don't make the seam a straight line. It's a dead giveaway, and ugly. Obviously, I love the idea of hiding powerheads, so I think you should do it. You certainly have the skills!
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As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018 |
10/03/2016, 12:56 PM | #93 |
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Maybe you mentioned it but are you able to do routine maintenance on the power heads? Don't recall if you can lift out, etc. I think that would be the only thing that would stop me from doing it.
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10/03/2016, 01:17 PM | #94 |
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Good question saf1. I think so, but I haven't tried in two years! Basically, the mounting hardware for the powerhead has two screws holding it all together. Those screws run through the back of the root trunk, sandwiched in the mounting hardware. So, some fairly simple (I hope!) disassembly should allow me to do routine (ha!) maintenance.
There are lots of creative ways to hide powerheads. Figure out what's appropriate for the look of your tank and hide that man-made object!
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As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018 |
10/03/2016, 02:01 PM | #95 | |
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Quote:
I am also looking at sea swirls. But again still have something protruding into the tank that is visible. Still, I like what you did. Great job.
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-saf1 Current Tank Info: 210 gallon mixed reef |
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10/03/2016, 10:59 PM | #96 |
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Thanks saf1!
Just factor in that you have to remove them for maintenance frequently into your design. Make it super easy to remove. Sea Swirls are tricky, since they move. Maybe an arching, overhanging rock to hide it in shadow.
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As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018 |
10/04/2016, 06:42 AM | #97 |
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Michael, what company did you purchase your Magic-Sculpt from?
thanks
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Blennies Rock! --Kevin Wilson Current Tank Info: 101g 3'X3'X18" Cubish Oyster Reef Blenny tank, 36"X17"X18" sump |
10/04/2016, 01:09 PM | #98 | |
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Quote:
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Blennies Rock! --Kevin Wilson Current Tank Info: 101g 3'X3'X18" Cubish Oyster Reef Blenny tank, 36"X17"X18" sump |
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10/04/2016, 01:57 PM | #99 |
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Weird. I thought I replied to your question.
You won't be disappointed. I was amazed how hard and durable my roots turned out, despite my thin application. My (cheapskate) advice is to work in small batches, so you don't have any leftovers. Once you combine both parts, you're committed. Good luck!
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As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018 |
12/13/2017, 12:30 PM | #100 |
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Looks great Michael,
If you ever had to do this project again what would you do differently besides making them darker and smaller?
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but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord Current Tank Info: 75 Gallon mixed reef. Fish are a powder blue tang and a lightning filefish. Smokeless with some macros growing in the sump. |
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diy decorations, fake mangrove, mangrove |
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