Decorating the bottom of a BB

[Cosmo]

I posted a few weeks back asking for ideas of how to make a BB attractive enough for my wife to allow one in our family room area (she prefers the look of gravel and thinks a BB is too ugly for the main part of the house). Got a couple good ideas back but have been so busy trying to finish my fish room in the basement that I've been unable to try any of them.

Think I came up with at least part of the answer in the basement.

Didn't want to paint the bottom of the 90 gal acrylic but the top of the stand (acrylic also) is clear, so lacking something opaque, you'd see from the tank into the cabinet (filters, pumps, yuck), and, whenever I turned on the cabinet's interior light, the fish might not appreciate it.

Took a piece of that strange looking 1/4 in plywood (looks like flakes of different wood laying on top of each other on the top and glued wood chips on the bottom) that has a real interesting wood pattern to it, cut it to fit inside the top of the stand and then applied several coats of clear polyurethane to it. After it dried I put it into place and placed the empty tank on top of it, and, ..... looks like the tank is sitting in the middle of a bunch of wood chips in the middle of the forrest (or bottom of a river maybe?) - actually looks great.

Once I get the room done and fill the tank with water, fish, and other decorations I'll find out how well it does or doesn't work. If it works as well as it appears it should though, will finally have a way of transforming the 180 gal upstairs to a BB, and then.... NO MORE GRAVEL VACUUMING!!!!! ;D

Just thought I'd share this cause it really looks cool

Jim

PS. I'll let ya know how it ultimately ends up, and, post some pic's

[oodi]

Hi Jim,

That sounds really cool... can't wait to see pics!

Judi
:)

[Tad]

Cosmo,
Sounds like a unique and interesting way to decorate the bottom...I have used cork before and it looked pretty good to, a real natural look. The only problem is that I did not mount it flush to the bottom and it caused a mirror effect which made the discus jumpy. Once I rectified that, they did very well.

waiting on pics,
Tad

[Carol_Roberts]

I have a gray, plush carpet throughout my house. I have cut pieces of it to fit under my barebottom tanks. It co-ordinates with the rug and kinda looks like gravel.

Another favorite of mine is to wrap a 1/2 inch styrofoam board (cut to fit under the tank) in a neutral fabric remnant that matches the room. The styrofoam helps insulate the bottom of the tank and allows it to settle a bit.

[Condor]

I like the styrofoam idea, even if not for decoration but just to insulate better. I know this isn't what you're aiming for, Cosmo, but for some it may be a viable BB compromise. I read somewhere that you cover the bottom of the tank with silicone, and cover that with sand. After a few minutes, dump off the extra sand and voila, a sandy BB.

[Anonapersona]

I put thin white foam under the glass, it looks a lot like sand and reflects the light nicely, the fish look good with light reflected off the bottom.

The foam is the stuff that arrives in mail packages to cushion things. It slid into place in the gap between the glass and the stand, I didn't even tape it.

[Cosmo]

Gosh, what a collection of GREAT ideas!! From color coordinated carpet (cool Carol - hadn't thought of that one but should look pretty neat), to siliconed sand (had thought of that with gravel, but too permanent, to styro which I had thought of as well for insulation purposes - my problem there was, I had the pink construction foam on hand and thought it would look pretty sick :).

Thanks to one and all, once I settle on one that works in the basement the upstairs tank is next. if my wood doesn't work out plan B will be one of these (maybe a carpet frag that matches hardwood floors?).

Hoping to fill 90 in the basement this coming weekend as that part of the fishroom is complete. Just need to add a few more feet of PVC for drainage, the drip system, paint a few smaller tanks, and drill the overflow holes in the glass breediing tanks and I'm done - geessh, this was supposed to be fun... well, it is fun, but, it's a lot like work at the same time... :o

Will get a pic out as soon as its up

Thanks again
Jim