Yo, what's up SerpaSquad!?
Tanner here and I'm back with another build.
For the sake of this demonstration we'll call it a vivarium.
Enough chit chat though, let's get to work.
The first thing I'll do is build an enclosure.
I have a lot of spare materials on hand, including off cuts of glass from previous builds.
I'll only explain this briefly since I've shown it before.
I measured and scored the glass.
Then, I snapped the pieces down to size of my workbench.
I wet a piece of sand paper and buffed out the edges.
Lastly, I rinsed them to remove the debris.
If you want to learn more, I'll link up a detailed explanation.
The end result were identical pieces for the front and back, and identical pieces for the sides.
The only thing I had that was thick enough for the bottom was a mirror, so that's what I used.
I cut it out exactly the same as the glass.
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Let's combine the pieces together.
I taped off the sides and front for cleaner silicone beads.
Then, I cleaned the glass with Isopropyl Alcohol to remove oils and debris.
From there, I went on to apply the Silicone.
I put it around the outside of the mirror first.
I applied it where the other pieces meet as well.
Then, I carefully assembled the tank.
As I did, I taped the corners together.
I went back and added silicone the corners, which I smoothed out with my finger.
I removed the tape from the inside and let the tank sit for 12 hours, while the silicone cured.
You'll notice that I built this on a piece of cardboard.
Doing so, makes building and clean up much easier.
I simply rip the cardboard off the bottom and scrap away silicone,
which is usually pretty minimal.
Since this is a rimless tank, we'll need a leveling mat on the bottom.
In this case, I'll use scraps of 1/2” Thick Neoprene.
I applied Rubber Cement to both surfaces and let it dry.
Then, I pressed the pieces together.
They bond on contact, which makes the process very simple.
I also decided to add Window Tint to the back and sides of the tank.
I sprayed down the glass,
removed the protective sheet,
sprayed down the adhesive side,
and put the tint in place.
I removed air bubbles and excess solution with a scraper.
I'll also add a PVC Tile Edge Trim to top.
I had to modify the pieces though and cut a section off the back.
Here's a closer look at the before and after.
These pieces fit perfectly over the glass and are a great solution for the lid.
To match this look, I have a 3/4” PVC Trim Board for the bottom.
To make the pieces look cleaner, I painted them black with Krylon Fusion Paint.
While that dries, we'll start setting up the tank.
To start, I have a 95 Gallon Per Hour Submersible Pump.
As issue that often arises with setups like this,
is that it's usually hard to service or replace the pump.
I came up with a solution though, which involves this 3 Inch ABS Pipe.
I marked for just above the submerged height of the pump.
I used this as a guide to drill a series of holes with a Step Drill Bit.
The end result is something that will allow water to pass through.
I also drilled a single hole near the top for the pumps return.
Once it's in the tank, it will look something like this.
The pump is neatly situated inside the pipe like so.
I applied silicone to the bottom and put it back in the tank.
At this point, I could attach the trim pieces.
I applied silicone,
placed the trim accordingly,
and secured it all with tape.
I let it sit overnight.
Here's how it looks now.
It's finally ready to be scaped and we'll start with the foundation.
The first component is some Fine Filter Foam.
I used the pipe as a guide and cut out a hole.
I transferred this onto a few other pieces.
These fit perfectly over the pipe and will keep fine debris out of the compartment.
From there, I measured the open space.
I cut down a few pieces of Matala Mat according to these measurements.
These, along with the foam, will create the false bottom.
Obviously, they don't look good from the front, so I decided to fill it in with gravel.
As I saw how everything matched up with the waterline,
I decided to cut away some of the matala mat to create more topography.
I added a little more gravel to account for the waterline.
I put down some Polyester Fluff and Geotextile Fabric to create a barrier
that will keep substrate out of the false bottom.
I added some substrate on top of this, which is a rendition of standard mix.
I'll put all the components up on screen for reference.
From there, I added Cork Bark and Pond Liner to create the stream.
I didn't like it at all.
I knew it would look strange if I proceeded, so I scraped this design and started over.
Instead, I used a single piece of Corrugated Plastic.
I placed it in the setup and worked in a few hardscape elements.
I'll use these to create the stream instead of the liner.
As I worked in the elements, I foamed them in place with Expanding Foam.
This will secure everything and keep the water flowing.
Working from left to right, I placed everything in a way that I felt looked natural.
I used the cork rounds and stones to create a barrier of sorts.
I kept this up the whole way over and went back to cover most of the plastic.
As I did, I pressed the excess foam down to remove the expanded areas.
At this point, I wanted to test the stream.
To fill the setup, I use the pump compartment.
I left the water running and continued hiding the foam.
I did this so that I knew how additional elements would affect the stream.
I also have a mix of various dormant mosses.
They'll get nice and green after going into the setup.
If you ever decide to make something like this,
using moss to hide the foam is one of the easiest solutions.
Now we can address the rest of the tank.
I filled in the back with fluff like before to create a barrier for the substrate.
I built up a substantial layer.
I also sprinkled sand in the front where water exits the stream.
I used a brush to disperse it.
After that, I filled in the rest of the tank with substrate.
I'll also cover the pipe with a PVC Cap.
I drilled a hole in the side for the cord.
Let's get it planted.
My selection is simple because I'm trying to achieve a specific look.
I have several Sword Ferns
Pellionia repens
Peperomia fraseri
Begonia rex 'Rumba'
Java Moss
Oak Leaf Creeping Fig
and Süßwassertang
First, I added the ferns in the background.
These really bring the setup together and add nice texture.
I added java moss in areas where water flows.
I worked in the pellionia on the right side, following the direction of the cork.
I put the begonia in this area as well.
I peppered the peperomia throughout the setup as an accent plant.
I'll have to keep it maintained though to retain compact growth.
With these plants in place, I sprinkled in some Leaf Litter.
I added moss and oak leaf creeping fig among the leaves.
This will allow them to to grow over it all and create a seasoned look from the start.
As for hiding the tube, I simply covered it with leaves.
To finalize the scape, I added Süßwassertang in the front where the water pools.
Here's the final design.
I don't know what you think, but this build should have a different feel to it.
Although, I'm not using materials from around my area,
my goal was to mimic the look and feel of a temperate forest.
Something that resembled the woods where I live.
Allow me to paint a picture.
I imagine a tree has fallen and many years have passed.
It's slightly decomposed in areas and by this point, it has become part of the landscape.
Any time that it rains, this section of the land become a mini stream.
Perhaps it's an area near a creek that overflows or even on a hillside.
Overtime, the flow of water has eroded the land and created this feature.
It's not always running with water, but after a storm, you can expect it to look like this.
I've seen this type of thing countless times in the woods around me.
I thought it could be something cool to mimic inside of a tank.
However, a landscape like this is not complete with inhabitants.
I don't know what should call this home, but I'm picturing invertebrates.
For now, the only things calling this home are Springtails.
Let me know what you think would look awesome in here.
For reference the tank measures,
34 inches long, 8 inches deep, and 11 inches tall, which is right around 13 Gallons.
Keep in mind that a lot of that is taken up by the scape, so this setup actually isn't that big.
Oh yeah, I almost forgot to mention anything about the lids.
I just cut out two pieces of thin acrylic that can slide on the top.
I added holes in the front for ventilation and I hot glued mesh over them to create a barrier.
Anyway, I'm pleased with how it turned out and I don't know about you,
but it really makes me excited for spring.
I can't wait to get back into nature and see something like this for real.
Until then, I'll be inside enjoying these setups.
As always, I thank you so much tuning in.
I hope you all enjoyed the video and learned something new.
Let me know what you think of the setup and what you'd stock it with, in the comments.
Until next time SerpaSquad, take care and peace!