Loach Island 2.0 for the river tank

[chefkeith]

Update:
I'm scraping the loach island 2.0 plans and moving to loach island 3.0 plans. After pondering for about 2 weeks, I thought more about andyroo's idea of not using any PVC. The more I thought about it, the more I started to like the idea. Now I have a completely new plan which is more simple.

What I'll be building is 4 boxes out of cement board/ fiberglass tape/cement/Drylok that will connect together to make one island.
Two boxes will be 5.25 inches x 36 inches. The other 2 boxes will be 10.25 iches x 36 inches.

The boxes will be latched together somehow. I'll figure that out later.
Driftwood will be attached to the boxes using stainless steel screws.
Holes will be cut into the boxes so that there will be plenty of cave entrances.
This new design will make it easier to evict fish that are inside the caves.
The bog plant box will not be part of the island. It will sit on top on it.
The rest of the aesthetics will be designed as I build it.


This is a basic drawing of how the boxes will be stacked-

[chefkeith]

I finally have the island structure components planned out in my head and I've started to build it.

1st step was cutting the 1/4" hardibacker backerboard. To do this I used a razor knife to score the board, then I just snapped off the pieces. It's much like how you cut drywall, but it's much tougher to score and snap. It takes about 3 scores with razor knife.

Assembling the hardiboard pieces is next.
This is what the bottom of the island will look like. It will be shaped kind of like C channel. I used some clamps to help hold the pieces in place.


This is what the fiberglass tape looks like. 300 feet of it cost about $6.


The board joints are taped on both sides.


Here's a close up view of the taped joint.


Here's the concrete I'll be using. I used Portland Cement and just a little Quickwall Cement, which has fiberglass reinforcement fibers in it. I'm not using any sand at all. I'm using RO water instead of tap water, because I think it makes better concrete. I think the tap water in Detroit has too much phosphate in it to make good concrete.


Then I put a fillet of concrete over the tape.


...to be continued.

[chefkeith]

For additional structural support, I'll be using some pvc pipe that will act as vertical support columns. These columns will be concreted into place and will have anchors in them to help keep the top attached.


Next I assembled the top of the island.


Here is both the bottom and top pieces stacked together.


The left side of the island. This will be the main cave.


Here's the right side. You can see I added a retaining wall. This will help keep any substrate in it and add support.


I braced the top-


Here is the back-


These are most of the tools that I have used so far.

[chefkeith]

Keep in mind what I've built so far is just the left half of the structure. Then, I'll be painting the entire structure with black Drylok. Then comes the toughest part, adding the driftwood accent pieces. Then I'll cut out additional holes for caves in the structure and add more concrete. I might add some fake plants here and there to hide stuff like the support columns. Then I'll paint it again.

[hx]

Interesting project you've got there. And as I have noticed before, your documentaion of diy-works is superb. Thanks, it inspires us.

A question: how long do you suppose it takes for the cement in your island to cure completely? Are you going to go through the vinegar-soaking to neutralise alkalinity or do you just trust water and time to do the trick?

I have made many cement-based scapings to aquariums and terrariums, but I almost always do just a thin layer. It cures quite quickly. How is it with thicker layers? In those corners it will be about an inch, maybe more of thickness, no?

[chefkeith]

All the concrete will be painted over with the Drylok Masonry Sealer, so I won't have to wait for it to cure. Without the sealer it would take about a month under water before it is fish ready. With the sealer it will only need one 24 hour rinse.

Concrete doesn't ever stop curing or leaching. Underwater nitrifying bacteria will eventually seal the concrete and keep it from leaching into the water. That's why it takes about a month.

[hx]

I see. So the sealer is really absorbed into the cement, so that it can't crack later?
Does it leave the surface matt or make it glossy?

[chefkeith]

I plan to spend a ton of time on this project so that I get it right this time. I want it to look as lifelike as possible. Also, right now my house is covered with ice and snow, so I'd like this project to last all Winter just so that I have something to do.

Another thing I'm thinking about is what to do with the old island. Maybe I can put it outside, fill it with dirt, and grow plants out of it. Many possibilities.

[chefkeith]

I see. So the sealer is really absorbed into the cement, so that it can't crack later?
Does it leave the surface matt or make it glossy?

The sealer will fill cracks and won't crack itself.
I'm adding a black pigment to the sealer also. It should turn out like this, which is the sealer on PVC.

[hx]

Then comes the toughest part, adding the driftwood accent pieces.

Reminded me of a couple of neat ideas for wood joining and attaching this guy shows in his thread.

[chefkeith]

Thanks. That's a nice link. That person sure does know how to aquascape.

[soul-hugger]

Cheifketh, I must say this is quite a project.

I have only been involved in fish and Loach Keeping since last summer, and I had no idea how involvng it could become. I already have 2 tanks, and when I look at them, they look so plain!

I always wonder what it would take to add more interest and hiding places for the fish. Your plans are so well-laid out and thoughtful. I do have trouble understanding mechanichs, but you explain and document so well. I like how we can see your thought processes and how they have changed from the beginning to now.

There's only one thought I'd like to add, as much as I hate to say it, being a plant-lover and also being one who likes to keep things natural..,why not use a fake plant to trail around the island? You can get some pretty natural-looking ones, and if algae is allowed to grow on them, they look quite natural. Also, if the main crown of the plants will be out of water, there are mant terrestrial plants that may have the effect you are looking for.

Looking forward to seeing this project shape up!

soul-hugger

[chefkeith]

soul hugger- thanks.

Funny that you mention fake plants. Just yesterday, I took a box full of old nylon plants out of storage and cleaned them up. Maybe tomorrow, I'll take your advise and see how they look in the river tank. Here they are sitting in a 5 gallon tank-

[chefkeith]

I done a little bit of work today. I beefed up the concrete on the lower piece of the island.

For the pvc columns, I used plastic cups as a mold and then filled them with concrete, then filled the pvc with concrete.


I also reinforced the concrete fillets on the ends and in the center.


I'm not worried anymore about the bottom collapsing.

[chefkeith]

Another use for the top-



I could probably make some nice furniture with this cement board and concrete.