PokeSephiroth's Fireplace 36 Gallon Bow Front Tank (Finished

[PokeSephiroth]

-=Update 1/28/2015=-
New fish video is out! I haven't done a video of my 36 Gallon Bowfront in a while, and I've been wanting to work on some new camera techniques! Please let me know what you think!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I29zhrshGhI

-=Original Post=-
So, it's been a long time since the fireplace hasn't been used, and it's dirty dirty dirty. My boyfriend and I figured it would be cool to convert the fireplace into a place for the the aquarium, figured we didn't want to spend money on a stand, but I think we're going to end up spending MORE money converting the fireplace into a suitable place for a 36 gallon bow front tank! Hahaha! Crazy.

The hearth has a lot of soot, so that's the first thing that needs to be done. Cleaning like crazy, and then the next step would be to cover up the fire place with wood, so that the tank has something to rest on, that's not concrete.

It's really great, the fireplace has just enough room in the back for a HOB filter, and I can change the filter media with ease. It'll be a pretty neat project...I feel like I'm in the show Tanked. LOL. Well, here's how it looks so far.  I placed the tank in the fireplace just to give you all an idea on how it's going to look in the end (hopefully).

It'll definitely become a welcome addition to the livingroom. What better way to make use of a fireplace that doesn't get used anymore!

 

[Anonymous]

Re: PokeSephiroth's Fireplace 36 Gallon Bow Front Tank (Finished Project)

That's awesome!

 

[PokeSephiroth]

Re: PokeSephiroth's Fireplace 36 Gallon Bow Front Tank (Finished Project)

Thanks! My Boyfriend is actually going to be doing most of the structural stuff, I'm more on the aquarium stuff. With our powers combined, something good is bound to happen! =P

I can already hear him cutting up the wood. :bounce:

 

[BillHN]

Re: PokeSephiroth's Fireplace 36 Gallon Bow Front Tank (Finished Project)

That... looks.... AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :spoton:

 

[pbmax]

Re: PokeSephiroth's Fireplace 36 Gallon Bow Front Tank (Finished Project)

Good luck!

 

[lloyd378]

Re: PokeSephiroth's Fireplace 36 Gallon Bow Front Tank (Finished Project)

Very cool idea! it would be cool to have a background that represented an under water fire, or possibly even a bright red lava flow on the bottom of the sea look (might be thinking too far out of the box here, sorry) Good luck!

 

[PokeSephiroth]

Re: PokeSephiroth's Fireplace 36 Gallon Bow Front Tank (Finished Project)

lloyd387: Actually, that did cross our minds. We thought about having something like a bunch of lava rocks, and some of those yellow/neon colored plastic plants, and then followed suit with same colored fish... and possibly a bubble wall thing with built in LED lights that flashed orange and red. LOL

Although, I think we're going to stick to a more natural, elegant look that will help pop out and bring more attention to the fireplace without sticking out TOO much. Hehehe!! :cheers:

 

[pbmax]

Re: PokeSephiroth's Fireplace 36 Gallon Bow Front Tank (Finished Project)

Wise decision.

 

[lloyd378]

Re: PokeSephiroth's Fireplace 36 Gallon Bow Front Tank (Finished Project)

lloyd387: Actually, that did cross our minds. We thought about having something like a bunch of lava rocks, and some of those yellow/neon colored plastic plants, and then followed suit with same colored fish... and possibly a bubble wall thing with built in LED lights that flashed orange and red. LOL

As it should! ha ha. I think with the above described tank, you should have really thought about glass cats ( you don't want to distract from the lovely decor! :laughhard:

how about this?

 

[PokeSephiroth]

Re: PokeSephiroth's Fireplace 36 Gallon Bow Front Tank (Finished Project)

HEHEHEHE, we were at Lowes earlier looking for more stuff to work on the fireplace, and we saw those fake fireplace logs, and I thought to myself " . . . . that should be the centerpiece of the tank, fire place logs. " Hahahaha!!!

Of course... it's not going to happen. that stuff is mad expensive. :

 

[PokeSephiroth]

Re: PokeSephiroth's Fireplace 36 Gallon Bow Front Tank (Finished Project)

Progress!
Finally got the wood we needed to level the tank with the fireplace, and placed really thin wood along the sides, to uh... "hide" the actual fire place, once it's done. Thinking of staining the wood, or just leaving it as is, since it won't be seen once the tank is in place.

 

[Anthraxx]

Re: PokeSephiroth's Fireplace 36 Gallon Bow Front Tank (Finished Project)

im sure you could build a fake fireplace stack (leave the logs hollow and breed plecos in there) just look into visiting one of those make it urself pottery places. just my thought. always had a thing for the unusual

 

[lars on]

Re: PokeSephiroth's Fireplace 36 Gallon Bow Front Tank (Finished Project)

I still vote for making a woodstack in the middle!! Lookin great!!

 

[PokeSephiroth]

Re: PokeSephiroth's Fireplace 36 Gallon Bow Front Tank (Finished Project)

Anthraxx and Lars On, hahaha!! perhaps, but I think that would look way too trippy for the house. Hahaha... still going to stick with the Elegant / Natural look, methinks.

on that note, you think Mexican Beach Pebbles can be used in an aquarium w/o it altering water parameters? They're about the size of soap bars, and I plan on using about 5 of them in the 36gal. . . with some white/cream colored sand.

 

[Anonymous]

Re: PokeSephiroth's Fireplace 36 Gallon Bow Front Tank (Finished Project)

I still vote for making a woodstack in the middle!! Lookin great!!

Yeah, a fire place theme would be exotic. Ceramic wood pile with tall red plants in the foreground like Ludwigia repens or something...

Anyway you go will look nice, this is a neat project.

 

[jrmakawoody]

Re: PokeSephiroth's Fireplace 36 Gallon Bow Front Tank (Finished Project)

Dude, those guppies i gave you are going to be the perfect coloring for "fire" theyre red/black/yellow!

 

[Gryphon]

Re: PokeSephiroth's Fireplace 36 Gallon Bow Front Tank (Finished Project)

Poke, take one and drop some vinegar on them. If they fizzle they'll affect your pH, if they don't they should be fine.

 

[PokeSephiroth]

Re: PokeSephiroth's Fireplace 36 Gallon Bow Front Tank (Finished Project)

jrmakawoody: Precisely! They're the perfect fish to go in the 36gal! That's why I want all the fry you're willing to give/trade! Ahahaha

Gryphon: Good idea! I'll take some vinegar with me in a small API vial LOL, people at the rock supply store will start questioning my ways =P But, better safe than sorry! Hahaha. Thanks for the tip! I pretty much forgot about that.

 

[PokeSephiroth]

Re: PokeSephiroth's Fireplace 36 Gallon Bow Front Tank (Finished Project)

More Progress!
Pretty much done leveling off the fireplace, so that the fireplace and hearth are level with each other. Just gotta figure out if I should stain the wood or not, just paint it black, or leave it as is, since it'll all be covered up anyway... I'm slightly leaning towards leaving it as is. I still need to cover up the back portion of the fireplace, and make sure to cover the chimney so that none of the soot makes it into the tank. EVER. =P

I realized that the ash chute on the fire place would make a GREAT place to drain the water, figured I'd put a large hose, big enough to fit a regular sized hose for draining water when I need to do water changes. The water goes down through the ash chute, and goes out onto the lawn. Perfect! Just gotta put a small pump, strong enough to just "kickstart" the draining process, once it starts draining, I can turn off the pump, and let gravity do the rest. :woot:

Filled the tank up with water for a "test run" to see if the fireplace would support it, and it's looking pretty darn good! No problems so far. I will keep the water in there for a couple days to see if there are any leaks (there shouldn't be any, since I tested it prior...but you never know).

Once that's all good and gravy, I'll work on the frame around the tank to cover up the gaps along the side and the top portion of the tank, and hopefully that will add more to the elegant look I'm trying to go for.

Here are some pictures!

 

[BillHN]

Re: PokeSephiroth's Fireplace 36 Gallon Bow Front Tank (Finished Project)

AWESOME! :cheers: