Dana

Polystyrene, a serrated bread knife, heat gun and acrylic paint in coloured layers wiping off the darker layers step by step to expose the lighter base coat. Took ages and is a messy job. Currently looking at furniture finishes to see if spraying to seal is a better option due to the honey combing effect. Just have to find somewhere that will use the right product so not to poison the fish lol. I already had the gear so all it's cost is $3.00 for a broken sheet of poly and some time. Considering the one I wanted was 250 pound from the uk, I don't think I've done too badly ha!

Yep, got the idea from a few threads on this site. Hope it turns out ok.

Acrylic. Still needs resin.

In tank to check size. Will add a black back drop and caves will be sealed around edges to avoid trapping. . by danaj2009, on Flickr

First pic looks like a shark. Scare the bullies lol.

Dang it all...now all I can see is the flimmin dinosaur LMAO

LOL, Yeah I spotted the evil grin on the other side too. The naked woman though....? :sml1: I knew I'd never be able to live with it, knowing it was smiling at me, so I gave it the bash lol. Couple of coats of paint and I've come up with this. Made a mistake, bought poly (got a full sized 80mm sheet for three bucks from bunnings as it was chipped) but it's not very fine. Resulted in a honey comb effect with the heat gun which looks quite cool, but sealing it will be a challenge.... rocks by danaj2009, on Flickr

So working on the background. No paint as yet. Please tell me I'm the only one that sees the smiley face....sigh.... . by danaj2009, on Flickr

Any tips on how to use the back ground to hide the heater?

Yes I have noticed it separates in the samples I have taken for testing. Brown flakes in the bottom of the jar. Good suggestion about a drum. Although this does add a rather annoying addition to the task. I'm still struggling to find informative info online, and you lot seem to know quite a bit about this. Is the risk minimized when the water is clear? It only turns brown for around an hour per day, and of course I'd avoid water changes during this period or if the water was discolored. Monday to Friday, 5:00pm - 7:00pm lol. It also appears that many Under bench water filtration companies will not hold up a guarantee against Manganese when discussing drinking water. Can't blame them really.

Sewerage etc is all on town supply as is the water. Just sourced from a bore. There is no staining of the bath etc, but laundry does come out brown. It only happens about 6pm at night. I suppose when everyone is using water. I'm having the council test samples I have taken. I just hope it is tank suitable (when clear) as 215 ltrs through a water filter will take a while lol

Thanks for that, I've actually struggled to find any decent information on the effects of Manganese. We're in Ashhurst, a small village not far from Palmerston North. We're on bore water. The easement is the driveway set up and that the mains are not on council owned property.

Rather ironic that this is posted in "freshwater" :slfg:

I'm ex Auckland and never had this problem. Any one else have water issues they've dealt with? My next challenge to deal with before I set up the tank...This is manganese. Mid battle with the council as they say it's not their problem due to the easement. . by danaj2009, on Flickr (And no, I didn't put her in the bath lol)

For sure. Hardly used any on the inside of the tank as I was a bit worried about it.

Vinegar didn't touch the calcium. The algae was so engrained that I have noticed a few stains on the glass now it's settled down, even after hours of soaking and a toothbrush. I should have taken pics of the powerhead and attachments. 20mm tube blocked solid with green goo that had dried to a hard crust. CLR 30 Second wash from Bunnings (about $15.00) was the only thing that would work. Did some research and as best I can tell (don't hold me to it) this seems to be the product with a residue that should wash away cleanly. No oils etc. Just ticked off at the old owner who cleaned it before I grabbed it, but with what appears to be the hardest wire brush known to man...should be ok with water. It's still empty. Just enjoying it being clean for a while haha.

Fantastic! Any problems with mozzies or do the fish take care of that?

Thanks A labor of love lol. The pic is fairly true to form. Came up quite well. My neighbor hasn't quite figured out who flooded his garden....woops, perhaps a flush or two too many haha!!

There's some calcium that Murphy himself would never shift on the back of the filter unit but that's all that's left really. The glass is scratched due to the previous owners attempts (slaps him upside the head) but it's not overly visible when full. Back ground next. Will start next week

Voila! 11 hours, 2 liters of vinegar, 3 toothbrushes, half a bottle of CLR and two swollen hands IMG_0819 by danaj2009, on Flickr

Oh yeah...torpedo barb...saw those but the shop said they were a little flat and lifeless...

Where can I buy a fish like Brutus? I've been looking everywhere.... :slfg:

I came across a very knowledgeable person at Bunnings this afternoon who was very aware of chemical residue and evaporation times etc. We went through about 7-8 different options and we both agreed that CLR is probably the best option. Should be ok as long as it is flushed over a period of time, and given the chance to stand inbetween each flush. Should be fine as long as the filter isn't involved. I'll give it a go and post a pic of the result. They also have a few broken sheets of 80mm poly that they're willing to sell for cheap

Paint stripper? I'm not sure i'm that brave! I'm calling my grandma. They have a solution for cleaning everything.

Right...vinegar isn't working, neither is lemon. Fairly sure the baking soda laughed at me. Toothbrush wore out after 20 mins LOL. Calcium gently chipping off the outer framework but this isn't an option for the glass. So, can we use any chemical cleaners in any way that is safe? Between sorting the tank, background etc it will probably be a couple of months before I introduce fish. I'm patient.