Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Tales from the Tank #2

With any good DIY project, you run right out and get all the material you need...or think you need based on semi-accurate info or just plain old guessing.

So, we (Terry) discussed the advantages and disadvantages of making a cave like structure using cement. After consulting some highly qualified people (Mr. P. and my dad) we ended up with some kind or mortar (with no sand etc., since eventually it wears away in water?). Ran right home and mixed some up.

We were gonna make rocks and caves and anything else we could think of.  Then after it had solidified, we tested it out in water.  Eventually after an overnight stint in some plain tap water, we decided the slimy feel and bit of pink tint was not a good thing. 

In the meantime, we found some other stuff and drilled holes in it etc. We had recieved this awesome piece of driftwood, but decided there needed to be a hold in it so the fish could swim through. (At this point we still have no fish). So we put this ceramic thingy in the tank too, with the piece of drift wood, the plants and stuff we bought and decided it was time to fill the tank.

40 gallons of water is a lot when you fill it in 5 gallon increments. LOL

Then, we get everything just so, hoses for the pump all hooked up and it's looking good. We start the pump and water starts leaking from the sides of the pump.  Panic sets in and we shut it down, try to figure out the problem. Terry didn't have the sides latched quite right.  So we try again, and there's just a teeny bit of a drip out the sides - but enough to cause concern so we shut it down and study the directions etc.  So I called the fish store in the morning, but he said bring the pump in so we an take a peek.

Well, now we were gonna have to wait another day, because we were not missing football because of a silly fish tank. But that's ok....remember, we are taking our time!

Tuesday morning I'm in the bathroom brushing my teeth and Terry yells "Barb! ...get out here!". The ceramic thingy we stuck in the tank did not have a "baked" finish, and the paint was starting to flake. When I reached in to pull it out, orange paint just sort of floated off and contaminated the entire tank. I tried to call our friend to see what we should do, but Terry said, "Dude, it has to be emptied".  Great...just want I wanted to do, hand bail 40 gallons of water after work. Yee Haw!

But low and behold, about 10:30 in the morning, some crew digging near the new Federal Court House construction project hits a major natural gas main and the job site Terry is working on gets evacuated for the rest of the day! That sucks, cuz it's a short pay check but heck...why not work on the fish tank?

When I get home, he has emptied the tank, cleaned all the gravel, carried the tank to the shower (by himself) to rinse it with hot water (did I mention he has some major guns from lifting all that heavy sheet rock?)

Now we have a majorly clean tank, clean rock, clean plants and I have thrown out anything not acceptable for a fish tank. Apparently you are not supposed to put just anything you want in a fish tank. Funny, but I don't remember that rule in our handout explaining "New Tank Syndrome".

After the ceramic pot incident - we have decided to purchase any and all "Fish Tank Approved" logs, rocks, wood, plants.....Who the heck has time for DIY projects anyway?

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