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[vlangel]

The weekend is almost here Michael, no pressure but we will all be waiting on Monday morning to see the progress on the tank.

[Chasmodes]

I can't wait to see it when it is finished, with the gramma harem, all those beautiful damsels, and the barnacle blennies (...and the goby), with those beautiful macros and grasses swaying in the current with the fish. Pics won't do it justice, we will need a video

[Michael Hoaster]

You two!

[Michael Hoaster]

Ok, so here's my first shot at using the foil as a filler for the fake wall. Not too bad. That top left transition is too straight, but I think I can fix it. I'd like to get it close to perfect but it doesn't have to be. The foam should fix most parts that aren't. Getting there!

[Chasmodes]

Where's the like button?

I get what you are trying to do now. This will be cool.

[vlangel]

Like!

[Michael Hoaster]

You two are like my own psychiatric team! You're pushing me make a big breakthrough!

[sam.basye]

Looks like your about to cook a bunch of potatoes. Haha

[Michael Hoaster]

I know it looks nuts right? To really push it over the edge, I need to incorporate some duct tape! Whatever it takes…

[Chasmodes]

The funny thing is that internet forums and social media have pushed me as an aquarist to boundaries and accomplishments that I never thought that I could do. If you can envision it, you can do it, is the message. I see that in your past and current builds, as well as the builds of others, and that is also inspiring to us, to keep us motivated in our ventures. I like to think that perhaps I do the same for others as well in return. I've learned so much from my internet friends/colleagues sharing their experiences. Never in my dreams would I have imagined building the fake wall in a tank like I did (although it isn't finished, it's almost there) and my dream oyster reef biotope tank (even though it's a mini version of my dream). If these resources weren't available to me, I might have a tank with a stack of rocks for my river tank, or a Chesapeake Bay tank with shell rubble piled on the bottom with perhaps some dead coral rock supporting them (not that there is anything wrong with that). This is quite a hobby now, much more so than when I was a kid.

Originally Posted by sam.basye

Looks like your about to cook a bunch of potatoes. Haha

[vlangel]

Originally Posted by Michael Hoaster

You two are like my own psychiatric team! You're pushing me make a big breakthrough!

Ha ha, I thought you were going to say that we are pushing you 'over the edge!'

[Michael Hoaster]

Right on Kevin! I've used this forum to raise my game for sure. I figure that once I put it out there, I'm committed to follow through. I'd be embarrassed to bail! So I keep attempting stuff I wouldn't normally do. I read a lot of different threads too. You never know where you'll get inspiration. So we all inspire each other to be better aquarists.

Now I better go check on my potatoes…

[Michael Hoaster]

Over the edge, ha! I'm not even sure where the edge is anymore!

Besides the great encouragement I get here, the thing that's pushing me the most is my empty, lifeless tank. I really hate seeing it like this. It's embarrassing!

[Michael Hoaster]

Boy, what a difference location makes. It looked fine, sitting on the floor.

I put my new fake wall assembly, with the foil in place, in my tank. It's too much! Way too intrusive. So glad I looked at it first. I'm going to have to modify the structure and I think I'll go back to foaming right on/in the egg crate. I snapped a few pics.



So now I'm modeling an abandoned silver mine that's been flooded by rising sea levels…


I think I can go thinner with just the foam.


Looking at this is giving me ideas on how to refine the structure. It's got to be curvier - no straight lines. I also need to account for the wave box output and the main return. I'm thinking irregularly shaped holes would look more natural than round ones. I plan to add some overhang to the back wall, at the top left, that will transition to the new wall. This will help, but I'm also just going to have to adjust to the extent of the intrusion.

[Michael Hoaster]

OK, so I did some more staring and thinking. How to make the new fake wall less intrusive?

If I could move the wave box back, the bulky enclosure would be smaller, and I'd have a longer distance to transition down towards the front glass. That would do it. But I can't move it back because that would put the outside magnets on the wet side, in the overflow. I thought about shrink wrapping them, and realized they'd need to be held in position together, in one unit. So I fashioned a spacer from egg crate and wrapped the whole thing with packing tape.


This magnet assembly allows me to move the wave box back about four inches. This is very good!



New placement of the wave box. You can see where the magnets were before the move. I'm not worried about it blocking the overflow because only one, two inch diameter magnet blocks flow. The box is about a quarter inch off the wall - the thickness of the magnets.



This sketch shows the new shape of the fake wall, in yellow. With four more inches of space between the left edge of the wave box and the front glass, I have much more space to transition/taper it towards the front.

Better.

[Michael Hoaster]

A little revision on the sketch. I wanted to give myself more transition room around the bottom left corner of the wave box, marked in green. The transition is between the green lines.



Moving the wave box really helps the design.

Yay! Design evolution! Better-er.

[vlangel]

Thanks for all the great pics of what you are doing. I am beginning to envision what you have in mind and I really like it!

[Michael Hoaster]

Thanks Dawn! I'm starting to like it too! Got up this morning and got after it.


The sketch, along with the full-sized paper template. This was my guide for cutting the face and back pieces



New structure, basically in place. I was able to piece together egg crate to bridge the transition, from the face to the back. I think this design is less intrusive and I think it will work. Woohoo!



From straight on. The blue thing is the propeller blades of the wave box pump. It looks pretty angular here, but I should be able to get some nice, natural looking curves.

It's funny, I never intended to take so many pics through this process. It's just that I was working things out, on the fly, and recording visually what was going on, was helpful. Hopefully, it's helpful to you, to see what I'm doing.

[sam.basye]

Looks much better!

Do something about the 90 degree transition to the back wall now. Lol

You could also make it cut back under the wave box towards the bottom corner or make a cave out of it.

[Michael Hoaster]

Thanks Sam! Yes, there will be transition to the back wall, as well as some added overhang. I just need to add some backing and I'll be ready to foam!

[vlangel]

I like how you were able to get the curve in there. I would not have thought that was possible with egg crate. That will definitely help it look more natural and authentic. It is really getting exciting now!

And yes, all those pictures were very helpful, otherwise I would not have a clue what your vision is for the tank. You have given excellant step by step instructions in case someone else wants to give it a go.

[McPuff]

Nice progress! And thanks for including some pictures so we can see what you are envisioning! Looking forward to the foaming. :0)

[Michael Hoaster]

Thanks Dawn and McPuff! Thanks everyone, for the encouragement! I'm glad you like it. I am much happier with this design. Now I'm psyched to move forward! FOAM!

[Chasmodes]

Looking good Michael!!! Thanks for the pics and sketches. I like the new design, and your plan to blend in the straight lines and edges. This is going to be really cool.

[Michael Hoaster]

Thanks Kevin! I think I can work with the new design. Moving the wave box back was a huge factor. Now all I need is an adhesive-backed plastic sheet to put on the back of the egg crate, to limit the foam's penetration, keeping it thinner and less buoyant.