The Divided Tank Build Thread!

[KalandraJane]

So, my boyfriend and I have finished building my new divided tank! Rather than using plastic canvas dividers, I wanted something a bit more permanent. We started off with a 60ish litre aquarium.

First, we cut out 29cm square dividers from 3mm tinted perspex using an electric jigsaw. These were marked with masking tape using a ruler and combination square.

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Next we cut a 44mm hole about a third of the way up at the back of each divider for a vent, and a small square from the top back of each divider for a spraybar to sit into.

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Cutting away the protective plastic after the perspex has gone through

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Next we masked around the holes leaving a 3mm gap, and siliconed in the 48mm plastic vents. These are sold as air vents for caravans or vivariums. The silicone needs patting down with a wet finger to neaten it after removing the tape.

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Next we marked up the tank for fitting the dividers. I measured four equal spaces, taking into account the 3mm width of each of the three dividers, and marked it using masking tape and a combination square.

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Starting with the centre partition, we removed the protective film from the perspex dividers and fitted them into the tank. They held themselves in place but were steadied with clamps, I then used masking tape to create a neat channel a few millimetres wide for the silicone to hold them in.

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These were siliconed in, the tape removed, silicone patted down with a wet finger. Then, the tank was filled with water and left 24 hours so that the acetic acid from the sealant would be washed away.

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The filtration system uses an external filter, I have a Fluval 204 which *should* be too big for the tank according to manufacturer's specs but I find the flow is just fine. The filter intake tube sits in the far right compartment, drawing water through the vents and creating good flow which is quite gentle. The filter sends the water back into the tank via a tube coming in next to the intake, and through a spray bar which sits in the square holes cut out of each divider. I used two of the standard Fluval spraybars cut to length and joined using a smaller piece of tube and silicone, with a few extra holes drilled. The two tubes and the heater wire all pass through a hole cut in the back of the tank lid.

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Ta Daa! Filled with some old water from tank changes and some fresh, with some old and new media in the filter to help it cycle fast. Still lots of plants to go in, and spaces for four boys!

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[2tall]

That looks fantastic KJ! You both did an excellent job of it!

I'll be looking back on this thread I'm sure! Thanks for showing the steps too.

[KalandraJane]

Thanks! I will pop a couple more pics on when I have it all planted and lovely there are currently two boys and the four laser corys in there.

[silverrabbit]

Excellent thread! Wow, the tank looks like it'll be great can't wait to see it filled up with gorgeous fishies

[Irish_Lass]

Well done KJ, that really really looks impressive!!!! I love it (& I'm jealous of your skills)

[aly_starh]

Oh my... so petty!!

I better stop reading these threads. I fell like getting me some more fish!

[Irish_Lass]

See aly-starh......this is how its going to start again!

[Nataliey]

So KJ when do you want to come and sort my 100 litre tank out like that? You only live up the road, lol!!!

Nice work looks so much better than the canvas i have in mine

[KalandraJane]

Ta everyone

I have done some planting and the tank now only has room for one more betta. I tried to make the wood look like it twists and turns through all four sections, and I've also done the planting that way too so hopefully when everything fills out it will look like one continuous scene.

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The sections now contain left to right: Citizen Fish with two green laser corys, Klaus with two new Agassizii corys, Boris Karloff with two orange laser corys, two Julii corys on their own.

Klaus loves his new Madagascar laceleaf

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[2tall]

The tank turned out just beautiful KJ! Thats a great shot of Klaus too! I like your
wood idea also.

[Nataliey]

Yeah me too that looks fantastic...haha just wait till Kizno sees this thread and all that wood,lol!!

[jessie1602]

Amazing tank, what a fab job you and your bf did on it KJ, it's a work of art! Really makes me want to take apart my boys divided tank and re-work it, but just don't have time/room with the babies. Did you cut the perspex with a stanley knife or did you have to use powertools? Your fish are super lucky to have such a sexy pad!

[KalandraJane]

Hope the babies are doing well! We used an electric jigsaw on it. But, afterwards on some of the scrap we tested scoring it with a knife then snapping it and it worked perfectly. We hadn't wanted to risk it on the long cuts though in case it sheared off unevenly, as I could only afford one sheet of perspex!

[jessie1602]

Oh that's good it was cuttable, getting my hands on an electric jigsaw would be hard LOL. What thickness of perspex did you use? I'm looking on eBay at the mo. I LOVE projects! I don't have the patience for anything as pretty as yours, like how you scraped the decorations to flow seemlessly through the dividers!

But I'm about to start a new spawn in the next couple of days so it's just gathering ideas at the mo. The algae that grows on the canvas mesh is a blimmin' pain in the bum to clean, I'd love to replace them with something easier to wipe.

The babies are fine thankee, they were moved last night to a bigger tank. They all seem fine, there's about 25 - 30, some of them huge! I'll put pics up sometimes this week. Also upgraded my sorority tank to a lovely new 128L tank which they just love. Busy busy!

[Nataliey]

Im thinking as Jess is thinking about the canvas, the algae is really awkward to get off and im really thinking about attempting doing what you've done as it looks amazing or as Jess said a "sexy pad!"

I also looked on ebay for the sheets of perspex, would i be able to buy perspex from say B&Q or somewhere like that?

Im up for having a go but my get other half to help too with his power tools!

Looking forward to the baby fishy pics

[KalandraJane]

Apparently they sell it in B&Q though we couldn't find it. I used 3mm light tint acrylic (same as perspex, perspex is just a brand name). I used the tinted so the boys wouldn't be in each other's faces all the time but to be honest I think you could use clear and it wouldn't matter.

Power tools wise, the only thing you'd need is a hole saw bit for a power drill so you can put a vent in, which are easy enough to come by.

[kizno1]

Or if you couldnt get one of the bit for the drill you could always cut a few bit long and thin slits in it but just make sure its not big enough for them the get there heads through.

[Time-Out]

I just drilled a series of holes in mine. That way, it ensures even flow throughout.

[Nataliey]

I just drilled a series of holes in mine. That way, it ensures even flow throughout.

I was thinking about doing it that way Time out, like you did

[2tall]

I was curious KJ as how the tank is working out. Please let me know if you
notice this post. Thanks!

[KalandraJane]

It's going great, I'll take some pictures tomorrow. The only problem is that plant growth has been a bit slow, the valisneria, one of the laceleafs and most of the cabomba-like stuff has died off. The light is only one 15w tube, but I got some LED strips for Christmas which I'll be installing this week to up the brightness.

[2tall]

I was reasonably sure it would work just fine as it was obviously well
thought out including the approach of the installation. I'm glad it worked
well. Hopefully the new lighting helps the plants.

[KalandraJane]

Here it is pictured earlier today, as you can see there's no height to any of the plants because they've died back, and it looks very dim. Even the amazon swords died off. This was with a 15w tropical tube, I tried it with a 15w daylight tube that came with the tank but it made everything look green and washed out the bettas.

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Here it is with the LED strips added, they made me realise how dim it was before! I'm going to get some more plants soon and hopefully they'll flourish.

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The filtration system is working well, flow has slowed a little over time but I haven't cleaned the filter since I set it up so it should return once I clean the impeller etc.

[2tall]

Thats a dramatic contrast KJ. It certainly can't hurt the plants any! I'll
remember this thread when I divide tanks in the future, but now have to
do a real low budget one. I'll upgrade at a later date.

BTW thanks for the update I requested!

[GothGirl]

Damn thats exactly what I'm after.

How much did that set you back to build the dividers?

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