# my first DIY background...



## Loco4Cichlids (Aug 12, 2012)

]Built on egg crate, I used cement and sand mortar with charcoal coloring. Placed Mexican river rocks on it and "Voilá!" A natural background for my soon to come cichlid tank.


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## Loco4Cichlids (Aug 12, 2012)

How do you post a picture?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

viewtopic.php?f=41&t=21085


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## fusion (Jun 21, 2012)

Sounds interesting opcorn:


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## Loco4Cichlids (Aug 12, 2012)

The hole bottom left is for my intake... the uncovered part on top right is where I'll do a cut out for my return jets


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## skwerl (Mar 2, 2011)

Looks cool. What size? How much does it weigh?


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## Loco4Cichlids (Aug 12, 2012)

My best guess is about 60lbs... its 46"x27". I'm going to put a spacer behind it to allow for plumbing. Then try to secure it using magnets.


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## skwerl (Mar 2, 2011)

I assume you either have no center brace on the tank, or that you figured out how to wiggle around it.

What's the ETA on pics of the installed BG with water and fish?


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## Loco4Cichlids (Aug 12, 2012)

Center brace? 
Be at least a week or so before it gets fully set up... have a few things to figure out first ... do I need a center brace? Where and how would I attach one? I'm going to have egg crate on the bottom of the tank... I am still refinishing the stand and going to add some supports to it to assist with handling the extra weight


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## Storiwyr (Apr 24, 2012)

I think the center brace is the piece of plastic that most bigger tanks have running perpendicular to the front of the tank halfway down its length, at the top. Geez, I'm bad at dimensional language.










The thing that's broken in this picture.


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## Loco4Cichlids (Aug 12, 2012)

Ohhh.. ok.. no center brace 
I'm thinking the thickness of the glass should be sufficient,, 1/2" front and back and 1/4" on the sides


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

Is this a home built aquarium or a manufactured aquarium? 1/4" glass sounds inadequate.

What are the dimensions of the aquarium?


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## Loco4Cichlids (Aug 12, 2012)

48.5x18.5x27"tall..... the glass on front and back are 1/2" and the two sides which are 18.5x27 are 1/4" thick


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

Did you buy this tank new?


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## Loco4Cichlids (Aug 12, 2012)

No... bought it used on Craigslist


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## Loco4Cichlids (Aug 12, 2012)

It is an odd size... doing the math, its 106 gallons


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## Loco4Cichlids (Aug 12, 2012)

the rocks aren't holding well enough for my liking... can I just simply use aquarium silicone to attach the rocks straight to the glass?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Yes, but they may not hold any better. I find rocks don't attach to anything really well with silicone. I stopped gluing them and just stack now.


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## Loco4Cichlids (Aug 12, 2012)

*shrugs* so far so good.. we shall see


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