# 6ft native tank



## Alasse

I am getting a 6x2x2 tank made for my outdoor undercover area. A wooden or steel stand cannot be used as this area gets hosed out.

So Besser Blocks it is....

I started building it today....still needing around 15 blocks to complete, but as it is so far


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## Alasse

Another 15 blocks have to be put in place yet...it will certainly be supported in the middle


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## Alasse

Native Fishes said:


> *pc Cool, Just wondered ? I have no doubt that you know all that there is to know about settin up tanks, without my help *r2


lol Nah, I have some knowledge, but no one knows everything....we live and learn

Never done my own stand before so learning as I go....tis pretty much common sense though, more support is by far better than not enough lol


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## Alasse

Finished the stand finally


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## Alasse

The main tank has been built....the overhead sump will be started shortly, then its just wait for delivery


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## big b

aww cool i have been thinking of making a stand like that for a fire skink.http://www.animalspot.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Fire-Skink-Images.jpg yep that be a lovely lookin' lizard.but i have a little question.how much does one of those blocks weigh?like what 5 pounds per block i bet.


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## Alasse

I used Besser blocks, they weigh around 16kg each according to their site

Our Range | The Widest Range of Tools, Lighting & Gardening Products

For a stand that will hold a lizard tank i would use Hebel. It is more expensive, but quite a bit lighter in weight and its airated concrete

Hebel 600 x 200 x 200mm PowerBlock I/N 1180250 | Bunnings Warehouse


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## Alasse

The tank will be arriving tomorrow morning......


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## navigator black

A 6 foot tank for native fish in an outdoor covered area in Australia? Are you going rainbow and goby fishing?
Am I jealous?

It's lovely and warm and I can see the covered area in my yard in Canada. It's a toasty -8, a tropical step up from the -38 wind-chill early in the week.


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## Alasse

navigator black said:


> A 6 foot tank for native fish in an outdoor covered area in Australia? Are you going rainbow and goby fishing?
> Am I jealous?
> 
> It's lovely and warm and I can see the covered area in my yard in Canada. It's a toasty -8, a tropical step up from the -38 wind-chill early in the week.


Yep outdoor  I am hoping rainbows

It can get a tad cool here too at times over winter, which is why I am after local natives. If I cant source any, then the tank will revert to goldies


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## navigator black

Go to ANGFA.org, and I bet you'll find a helpful ear. 

Try to get some Melanotaenia duboulayi. It's an east coast of Queensland rainbow that can be stunning. I have a shoal 6 feet away from me as I type, and they are fantastic fish. They also handle cool weather very well. 

They are in with a northern Queensland species, M mccullochi. That one isn't as nice, but it is still a good looking fish.


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## Alasse

Yeah i have looked at ANGFA...just havent got around to it as yet.

I might head out on the weekend and see what i can find in the creeks


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## navigator black

I am going to look like a nut, but since you can't see me, I'm covered.
I like fishing for aquarium species, and since I travel with my family, I have learned to use the internet to scope things out in advance. I have found great fish by searching on google earth, so I ran your location, found where it was again (we e-spoke years ago, hi!) and pretended, in my mind, I would have 1 fishing day in your region. Here's what I found. 
A not crazy drive away (I think, from the map) you have a famous rainbow location, Mudgeeraba Creek.
Popular aquarium fish possibilities?
Melanotaenia duboulayi - Crimsonspotted Rainbowfish
Rhadinocentrus ornatus – Ornate Rainbowfish 
Hypseleotris compressa - Empire Gudgeon


I know from talking to collectors that you need a minnow trap for rainbows, ideally placed around logs and such. So if you go for it, and you catch duboulayi, they are beautiful. Rhadinocnetrus are difficult to keep, and would sell for $30 to $50 each in in North America, if we could get them. All you need is a minnow trap.

And since I'm in Canada talking about fish in faraway Australia - all I need is a life!


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## Alasse

The local waterways will have natives in them, i'll have a look see there first....I might reach out to some locals and see if they know any locations for fish.


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## big b

I dont know how you can find the space for so many tanks. But keep up the good work.


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## Alasse

Updated pic 










* i will be painting the visible foam that the tank is sitting on black. I also need to setup the bulkheads in the sump, decide what pump to use and organize hoses etc


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## navigator black

That looks nice.


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## Arthur7

The Whiteboard. What is the material?
Inherent stability against bending.
Maybe a little higher.
The devil is in the details sometimes.


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## Alasse

Whiteboard? You mean the foam under the tanks?


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## Arthur7

I do not mean the foam pad. But the large board on which the aquarium stands. It should be dimensionally stable. No deflection.
I suppose it is also made of stone.
To be dimensionally stable at the load should be slightly higher. As a windowsill. We say Sole Bank. Maybe 4 ".
Thus, the vitreous gets no strain.
After the picture I have a bad feeling.


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## Alasse

The only white thing you can see is foam....the board itself is incased in black plastic and obviously not white.....so this is why i believed you were talking about the foam

The black plastic wrapped board underneath will support the tank no problems, the same board is, i know, being successfully used under bigger tanks than mine.


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## coralbandit

Alasse said:


> Updated pic
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> * i will be painting the visible foam that the tank is sitting on black. I also need to setup the bulkheads in the sump, decide what pump to use and organize hoses etc


That's sweet!
Can't wait to see it set up and running.


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## big b

wait,is that a thing of gasoline under the tank?


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## Alasse

An empty jerry can is under the tank.........why?


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## big b

that is so weird.....


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## Alasse

*shrugs* Its out of the way under there. It isnt its normal home though


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## big b

yep running out of space are ye?


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## Alasse

*LOL* Not likely. Its just where hubby tucked it, no big deal it being there


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## big b

how many tanks do you even have?


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## Alasse

2x 6ft
2x 5ft
1x 4ft
1x 3.5ft
1x 3ft
3x 2.6ft
2x 2ft
2x 1ft cubes
5 nanos


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## big b

19 tanks, dang! I have 5 tanks up and running,6 if you count the water change tank that is always full except on sunday.how are you not running out of space?!?the most tanks i ever had up was 8 and 6 of them were 1 gallons.


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## Alasse

I live in a large house (6brm, lounge room, rumpus room, kitchen, dining room, outdoor area. Double garage, but i dont keep tanks in it, gets too hot)

only 4 rooms inside the house have a tank or tanks in them, and the outdoor area


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## Alasse

UPDATE: Got my hands on 12 natives, with the possibility of being able to get more from the same person. These guys are in a holding tank while I get the 6ft organized.

I'll be doing DIY substrate and planting it. I am sorta excited to be able to scape a tank this size. I don't think I have any wood big enough for the look I am after, so gotta go on a wood hunt also.
I definitely don't have the plants for a tank this size, so I will have to see what I can scrounge up to at least get it started and just fill it as I can.

I have a 6ft light that is currently being looked at, I got it given to me, hopefully my mate can get it running again.


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## Alasse

I played with some wood in the tank today.....think i've found a look i really like! Bonus, i dont have to go look for new stuff lol. Now that i have it how i want it i dont want to move it back to the pond lol And i cant fill the tank because i've started to mix the DIY substrate and get it in place.....tank now cant be filled until the capping layer is on....

Oh well if the wood dries out too much i'll just have to use rocks to hold it down while it waterlogs up again.....it should be filled by Mon or Tues at the latest, so 4-5 days....I tried for a pic, but way too much reflection, so will wait for dark.

A friend managed to fix the 6ft light i got given (a very expensive light too!), so i hope to pick that up next week. Tis slowly coming together!


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## Alasse

Not dark yet, but managed a pic that gives you an idea of wood placement


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## Alasse

DIY substrate in and capped. Tank filled









Now i was lazy and didnt wash the 40kg of capping sand lol This will come back and bite me later i know. When i plant it, i will end up with a very cloudy tank for a little while 

*a big thanks to my hubby who hung a 3ft light up from the roof just so i could take a pic lol He loves me..................sometimes lol


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## Alasse

Canister on....started planting (nowhere near finished). 10 Crimson spotted rainbows and 4 glass perch added


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## navigator black

From the first time I saw a photo of an adult crimson spotted duboulayi rainbow, I wanted to try them. It took me 20 years to find some here in Canada. The ones I have are beautiful fish. 
Give them time, and maybe collect some local plants to go with them, and that tank will be amazing.


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## Alasse

There are quite a few variations of the crimsons.........these are local ones and while still pretty, they dont get overboard on colour


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## Alasse

Ok, scrounged some lights lol. Now they have different bulbs so scuse the varying ends of the tank










Still nowhere near finished planting, but i'll have to slow down until i get a proper light over the tank (getting a quote to retrofit a 6ft light i already have to LEDs)


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## Alasse

Updated photo



















One of the rainbows, they are starting to colour up some


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## Arthur7

wonderful photos


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## Alasse

Updated pic


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## big b

man i should check back here more often,that is one AWESOME looking tank.it is really coming together.i CANT wait to see it fully finished.


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## Summer

beautifull!! Still going strong?


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## Alasse

*LOL* Nope

Now home to some comet goldfish


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## Summer

ive concluded you have tank ADD lol


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## Alasse

LOL yeah probably


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## robinc

I love the look of that tank and the piece of wood is amazing.


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