Canreef Aquatics Bulletin Board  

Go Back   Canreef Aquatics Bulletin Board > General > Tank Journal

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 03-02-2015, 10:47 PM
sphelps's Avatar
sphelps sphelps is offline
Member
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Lyalta, East of Calgary
Posts: 4,777
sphelps is on a distinguished road
Default How to Build a Paludarium

What's a Paludarium? I'm not really sure but this thread will outline methods I used to construct one.

Step one, shut down your reef tank. Nothing in there will be useful for the remaining steps. This concludes step one.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 03-02-2015, 10:54 PM
straightrazorguy straightrazorguy is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: New Westminster, BC
Posts: 321
straightrazorguy is on a distinguished road
Send a message via Skype™ to straightrazorguy
Default A Swamp?

...in my living room? I think I'll stick to reefing.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 03-02-2015, 10:59 PM
Aquattro's Avatar
Aquattro Aquattro is offline
Just a guy..
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Victoria, BC
Posts: 18,053
Aquattro is a jewel in the roughAquattro is a jewel in the roughAquattro is a jewel in the roughAquattro is a jewel in the rough
Default

There was a thread a few years back, poster named Raf. Or his wife. Think it had pics.
__________________
Brad
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 03-02-2015, 10:59 PM
sphelps's Avatar
sphelps sphelps is offline
Member
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Lyalta, East of Calgary
Posts: 4,777
sphelps is on a distinguished road
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by straightrazorguy View Post
...in my living room? I think I'll stick to reefing.
You haven't even seen step two yet
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 03-02-2015, 11:01 PM
sphelps's Avatar
sphelps sphelps is offline
Member
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Lyalta, East of Calgary
Posts: 4,777
sphelps is on a distinguished road
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Aquattro View Post
There was a thread a few years back, poster named Raf. Or his wife. Think it had pics.
There's a few kicking around.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 03-03-2015, 12:33 AM
Skimmer Juice's Avatar
Skimmer Juice Skimmer Juice is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: calgary/alberta
Posts: 871
Skimmer Juice is on a distinguished road
Default

should not have looked at this thread . Now I want to build one after googeling . Will follow see how it turns out
__________________
stuff happens when you go outside
Im a hustler / I'll hop in the ocean / sell a whale a splash
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 03-03-2015, 12:54 AM
sphelps's Avatar
sphelps sphelps is offline
Member
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Lyalta, East of Calgary
Posts: 4,777
sphelps is on a distinguished road
Default

Step Two: Background.

I wanted something 3 dimensional that would hold some plants and act as a water feature. Only option was to build one from scratch so I picked up some rigid foam and some spray foam and got to work.

Foam outline and pots all siliconed in place


Spray foam going on





After burning through 2 cans of the expensive black pond foam rather quickly I just decided to continue with the standard great stuff.



Then I curved out the exist to reveal a more rock like structure.



After one coat of Quickwall Cement with Acrylic Fortifier



Next layer had brown cement coloring added


Final Layer has charcoal coloring
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 03-03-2015, 12:54 AM
sphelps's Avatar
sphelps sphelps is offline
Member
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Lyalta, East of Calgary
Posts: 4,777
sphelps is on a distinguished road
Default

Apologies in advance for poor picture quality, just snapped a few rather quickly with my phone as I worked through the process.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 03-03-2015, 12:56 AM
mark's Avatar
mark mark is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Edmonton AB
Posts: 4,212
mark is on a distinguished road
Default

looks great so far but no concerns with the regular foam?
__________________
my tank
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 03-03-2015, 12:59 AM
sphelps's Avatar
sphelps sphelps is offline
Member
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Lyalta, East of Calgary
Posts: 4,777
sphelps is on a distinguished road
Default

Another method used:

Rigid foam rough cut


Followed buy some blow torch action


First coat


Finished product for the back wall
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 09:59 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.3
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.