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Custom Oak Aquarium - Mount Worthington

I’d be concerned the oil would end up getting into the water
The wood is not in contact with the water anywhere.
If it was necessary to add another coat at any point, it’s done with a rag, and it’s easy to cover the open top of the tank in film.
 
The hood is going to be a good 10cm+ above the water - I've had an open tank before, and haven't had a condensation problem before - it's a big difference from a closed hood.
 
The hood is going to be a good 10cm+ above the water - I've had an open tank before, and haven't had a condensation problem before - it's a big difference from a closed hood.
If you were worried, you could always use something formulated for food worktop use, I.e a Danish oil. Once the solvent has evaporated, the oil should polymerise, forming a hard layer, that won't be affected by water.

Very nice project, like the woodwork.
 
I now have a tin of the Osmo Polyx Oil, as well as Danish Oil, and I must admit, I am not sure which one I shall use. I am nearly finished the 'construction' phase of the woodwork, (everything takes longer than you think it will) and should be in a position to start applying the finish in a couple of weeks. I have several offcuts of Oak now, so can try some test pieces and see which one looks best / hardiest.
 
So nearly completed the woodwork this weekend. Routed the hinge for the hood and cut the holes in the base for the pipework to go down through and an access hole in the back to be able to undo the connectors to remove the glasswork. Will hopefully try some test pieces for the different finishes this week, and can start coating next weekend ready to assemble for the tank's installation.

Yesterday I started plumbing in the new filter and pipework. Running the pipes inside the cabinet between the filter and sump, and they will just exit the back directly below where they go up behind the tank. Only just enough room to get the in-line CO2 diffuser into the outflow of the filter.

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Suffice to say that there are some projects you begin to wish you hadn't started. (or at least the wife certainly does!)

It's taken way longer than I wanted and there is still quite a lot of fine tuning to do - but the tank is in place and full of water and the new filter and filling system is working.

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Hopefully you can see how the design follows the style of the Fluval Edge aquarium. (The old tank on the left about to be removed!) All the pipework comes up through the back cabinet.

The hood is hinged and the false back slides out so that the glassware can be removed for cleaning.
 
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I went for the Osmo Polyx Oil in the end - 3 coats all over.

Keeping a very close eye on the hood - no sign of any condensation at all so far, so the oil, combined with the twin layer construction (with hidden metal bars inside) should prevent any warping.

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The sump plumbing using a ‘T’ junction into the filter return line - water comes in from the external water butt so it can warm up.

Then simply:

Turn filter off
Switch the taps in the sump
Sump pump pumps new water into the tank through the lily pipe.

Switch everything back and restart the filter. Seems to be working very well - very pleased so far.

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First attempt at putting the hardscaping in...

Yes I know it's a 'diorama' style which is considered uncool, but...
  • I want a really simple planting scheme
  • I'd really like to get some good moss growing
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So a fairly basic mountain scape at the moment.

Long term, I'd love to try something in the style of the epic 'Re-education', but I want to get something simpler under my belt first.

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Well the plants are ordered... All via ebay, so can't predict the quality, but there is almost nothing in stock in the usual suppliers at the moment - and not sure that will change in a hurry - I don't want the hardscape sitting unplanted for ages.

Eleocharis acicularis

Hemianthus callitrichoides 'Cuba'

Riccardia chamedryfolia pelia

Vesicularia montagnei

Will use the plants on the slope and the mosses on the 'bonsai.' Not sure about the arrangement, probably the HC on the upper slope and blending into the EA lower down.

Started with 6 pots of HC and 10 of EA and will see how dense that allows me to plant.

Will then need to decide on the lighting regime to start off. Not sure about duration or intensity, so any advice warmly received.
 
I’d missed this amazing project! until now :)

Don’t read further if you want to hold onto the WOW moment ;)

  • I’m itching to level that substrate across the front: smooth out the bumps that is, the slope is fine though it seems very shallow at the left and will be a challenge to plant in, especially if planting with tank flooded (I’d move fish to a bin and plant tank with damp soil - takes a bit of siphoning and blotting to get there from a flooded tank but worth the ease in planting)
  • the Tree is too centred and I really want to move it to more of a 1/3 “golden rule” focal point (and maybe raise it so it’s growing above stone etc - if you’ve extra stone, check out Filipe Oliveira Tree videos
  • stone doesn’t match well but I’m guessing moss will take care of that
  • those very flat shallow stones at left will soon disappear behind/under plants so if you want them to remain visible, I’d raise them or use more “craggy” stones
  • make sure you’re able to clean glass beside/behind stones ... though then you have to decide what to plant in the “between” - HC that will need trimming or hairgrass that can be left “wild” (or embrace the potential algae)

Note E acicularis is the taller version not the dwarf hairgrass and it may be unhappy if you trim it too severely or often
If this is what arrives, I’d switch the HC and EA positions
 
Will then need to decide on the lighting regime to start off. Not sure about duration or intensity, so any advice warmly received.
I don’t know what lights etc you’re using, but I’d
  • add CO2 (20-30ppm rather than 15-25ppm range))
  • 6 h photoperiod, I’m of the notion that transitioning plants need a good bolt of lighting (rather than the more popular ukaps approach of much lower light to start) BUT this also means keeping a sharp eye for the beginnings of algae
  • daily water changes not just through the first week but until plants are actively growing, you’ve some slow growers so even with good plant density you’ll be struggling to find that balance
  • leaner water column nutrients dosed prior to photoperiod (if you’ve harder water, this is more relevant to limit any precipitation/interaction of nutrients) Note I’m assuming enriched substrate
  • I’d add non-Amano shrimp (as they’ll dig up the HC, and may even decide to snack heavily on the HC at some later time) and Clithon sp. snails as algae crew ... some otocinclus if they’re your preference, though I prefer shrimp and snails and maintenance
 
Hi Alto - Many thanks for the opening compliment
  • I’m itching to level that substrate across the front: smooth out the bumps that is, the slope is fine though it seems very shallow at the left and will be a challenge to plant in, especially if planting with tank flooded (I’d move fish to a bin and plant tank with damp soil - takes a bit of siphoning and blotting to get there from a flooded tank but worth the ease in planting)
Haha. I hadn't really thought about how smooth the line along the front was! Can't say it bothers me, and I am after a rugged mountainous look so not sure I want it completely smooth - We'll see how it ends up once planted. The tank is 80cm long (custom made to include the overflow bulkhead at the back) so the substrate is still 2-3 cm at the left hand end - should be enough for dwarf hairgrass? If not I can spread a little more down there.

  • the Tree is too centred and I really want to move it to more of a 1/3 “golden rule” focal point (and maybe raise it so it’s growing above stone etc - if you’ve extra stone, check out Filipe Oliveira Tree videos
I know what you mean about its 'central' position. I'll have a play. Did you feel you would want to shift it up or down the slope? I don't want it to look squashed to one side with an empty space left looking like a hole. I don't want to raise it for several reasons:
  1. I don't want the tree to be a 'standout' feature - the trees in the Filipe Oliveira videos are too obvious for my taste. I want the tree to be obvious, but still looking hunkered into the mountainous slope.
  2. The base of the tree is too 'cut' with flat edges, it has to be set into the substrate to look at all natural - sticking it up on a rock will look fake.
  3. For some reason I really don't want the tree to be higher than the 'top' of the mountain on the right - I think it's that hunkered into the slope look I'm after - What do others think?!
  • stone doesn’t match well but I’m guessing moss will take care of that
It's all dragon stone, but I agree there's a lot of variation in the colour - the major rock making the summit on the right has some very unusual flashes of red in it. I might try switching some pieces around to see if I can more of a graduation of one shade at one end to another shade at the other.
  • those very flat shallow stones at left will soon disappear behind/under plants so if you want them to remain visible, I’d raise them or use more “craggy” stones
Yes, they may just need lifting once I plant - I hadn't thought of that.
  • make sure you’re able to clean glass beside/behind stones ... though then you have to decide what to plant in the “between” - HC that will need trimming or hairgrass that can be left “wild” (or embrace the potential algae)
Yes the glass can be accessed all the way round the side and back - I made sure of that.
  • Note E acicularis is the taller version not the dwarf hairgrass and it may be unhappy if you trim it too severely or often
    If this is what arrives, I’d switch the HC and EA positions
Hadn't picked up on that - thank you. Have asked the ebay seller if they have the dwarf (Parvula) type and can swap - if not I will source some elsewhere and sell the first lot on.
 
Part 2!!

  • I don’t know what lights etc you’re using, but I’d
  • add CO2 (20-30ppm rather than 15-25ppm range))
The CO2 is all set up and ready to go via the in-line diffuser on the outflow from the filter. I do need to get a drop checker set up in the tank ready though before I put the CO2 into operation - Would you have the CO2 running from as soon as the tank is planted?
  • 6 h photoperiod, I’m of the notion that transitioning plants need a good bolt of lighting (rather than the more popular ukaps approach of much lower light to start) BUT this also means keeping a sharp eye for the beginnings of algae
The lights are 2 x Grobeam 1500 Tiles running through an aquaray controller - so I have complete control of timing, ramps and intensity. Would 6 hours be at full intensity?
  • daily water changes not just through the first week but until plants are actively growing, you’ve some slow growers so even with good plant density you’ll be struggling to find that balance
At least with my plumbing working, a water change consists of turning the filter off, turning a couple of taps and turning on the sump pump and hey presto, nearly half the volume of water in the tank is switched. OK, with an overflow some of the new water will be going straight out, but I can always siphon out if I want to be precise about it.
  • leaner water column nutrients dosed prior to photoperiod (if you’ve harder water, this is more relevant to limit any precipitation/interaction of nutrients) Note I’m assuming enriched substrate
The tank is running entirely on rainwater at the moment so it won't be hard. The substrate is 2.5 bags of Tropica aquarium soil and soil powder.
  • I’d add non-Amano shrimp (as they’ll dig up the HC, and may even decide to snack heavily on the HC at some later time) and Clithon sp. snails as algae crew ... some otocinclus if they’re your preference, though I prefer shrimp and snails and maintenance
I will be putting about 20 black crystal shrimp in once planted. There are 5 amano shrimp in there left over from the old tank. I also prefer shrimp for maintenance.
 
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Love the workmanship on the set up. The lighting well thought out🙂
Thanks. I'm please with how all the woodwork and plumbing has come out. There's still a bit of fettling to do but it's all pretty much working as planned - Just took WAY longer to do then expected!!
 
One of the benefits of getting a 3 channel doser second hand is I can use one of the spare channels as evaporation top-up from the water change storage sump.

So now the doser adds just over a litre a day overnight. I'll see what the water level does over several days - can always change the amount it adds. Now I don't have to worry about topping up - and the built in water change overflow means I don't have to worry about if the doser ever has a failure and pumps the entire sump in overnight!!
 
Plants have arrived - actually pleasantly surprised with the quality. Only found one pot of 1-2 Grow Hemianthus Callitrichoides and to be honest, I think the quality of the normal pots was better.

Anyway, moss was cut up and stuck all over the bonsai, and the MC has been spread across most of the bottom.

I haven't planted the Eleocharis acicularis, as I want the smaller 'Parvula' type, and have some on the way. - I have 10 pots of EA going cheap if someone wants them!

I have the drop checker in, and have reset the timer on the lights (I hardly had them on at all on the unplanted tank) and setup the timer on the CO2 to suit.

So it's onto the water change regime now until the plants settle in, then I can start playing around with the second doser channel for the TNC Complete ferts.

Just hope all my HC doesn't melt - I know it can be fickle when freshly planted.

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