# My progress on background...



## redbellyman21 (Jun 27, 2004)

hey all I wanted to post my progress for the last couple days, but I decided to wait so I didnt get this thread is useless without pics banner....








so I bought 12 sheets of almost inch thick, 13 tall 48 inch long pieces of styrofoam glued them all together, sat overnight....
trimmed it down to 20 inches high and about 5 inch thick, started the creative juices, I went with thick on both sides at the end caps and layered from there
I broke it into 3 pieces and did a dry fit in stryofaom in the tank needed to trim some more to about 19 tall instead of 20...
I then layered two coats of cement outside the tank, so I still need to do the next 3 coats, I will be mixing the colors again from terra back to gray and so on... and then I will glue in the tank, and recemtn the final layer... so here goes all the pics as of now


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## AKSkirmish (Jun 24, 2005)

Starting to look good-although it does look like a nightmare as well!!!


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## redbellyman21 (Jun 27, 2004)

if u dismiss the time it took sitting to dry and waiting to dry and stuff, it has only been about 2-3 hours.. the fun part is the shaving, and look at every DIY article u can before starting on n e thing, but so far it is way way way cool and I am not a scholar in arts and crafts...


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## Fresh2salt (Jul 16, 2004)

Looks good so far .


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## AKSkirmish (Jun 24, 2005)

Congrats-keep us posted man!!!!I would like to see a final product when your done-thanks!!!


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## rusty (Jul 6, 2006)

looks great, glad to see you got it all coming together


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## redbellyman21 (Jun 27, 2004)

yeah I was going a lil local looking for all the supplies... and I think the background will look sweet with a lil black in it , a lil more red and grey... with the dark brown bleeding threw... I think it will look nice, I am just scared of the glueing in proscess...but only cause of the mess...I will definately keep u all posted and definately have pics...


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## redbellyman21 (Jun 27, 2004)

rusty said:


> looks great, glad to see you got it all coming together


thank you for your support again in the prior threads...


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## lastgreengarden (Sep 13, 2006)

ohhh i want that for my tank, but i dont want to do work... haha looks AWESOME man!


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## redbellyman21 (Jun 27, 2004)

Thanx for the compliment, but I mean it is really easier than you think, at least so far


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## redbellyman21 (Jun 27, 2004)

ok update.... 
I have cemented the 2 layer, and then glued it into tank
I used 2-3 tubes of caulk and sealed the top and bottom and the sides and underneath and everywhere man...lots of caulk
but it is the tank and sitting, in a couple hours I will check the caulk and see if it is dry and if I missed any spots... dont wanna do this again.. so pics up when it drys


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## redbellyman21 (Jun 27, 2004)

new pics, color isnt permanent, need to use charcoal in gaps and crevices and red highlights on the rest for pizazz


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## lastgreengarden (Sep 13, 2006)

very very nice! Coming along quicker than i thought!


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## redbellyman21 (Jun 27, 2004)

yeah man just did the second coating of caulk, just to be sure... I did the corners real thick, but I still need to do final cement layer so it will cover the caulk./...

SUPER TURTLE...sorry had to post a pic of him attempting to fly...


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## Fresh2salt (Jul 16, 2004)




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## 85RBPBRO (Apr 5, 2005)

Nice job I just finished curing mine I might stick it in the tank tommorow. Maybe more people will start making them after they see that its pretty easy to do.


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## Tinkerbelle (Oct 14, 2004)

not bad..............................................for a mechanic


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## redbellyman21 (Jun 27, 2004)

yay tink reviewed it.... I have been waiting for your comments... really u like it, I know I am a mechanic, but I mean it looks nice? I know it is isnt me on my bike nice







but I mean....


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## Tinkerbelle (Oct 14, 2004)

redbellyman21 said:


> yay tink reviewed it.... I have been waiting for your comments... really u like it, I know I am a mechanic, but I mean it looks nice? I know it is isnt me on my bike nice
> 
> 
> 
> ...


awww... how can i respond to this? heh. loser! j/k. no it really looks nice. make sure you break up those straight seams when you do the final color coat... otherwise you'll REALLY be able to tell where they are, considering the rest is so randomized.


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## redbellyman21 (Jun 27, 2004)

definately, but they actually arent randomized, they were formed as a hole...it may look diff with these pics but hte ones in the beginning are better with the lightwercolors... I am a loser but shhh dont tell every one... geese


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## Tinkerbelle (Oct 14, 2004)

redbellyman21 said:


> definately, but they actually arent randomized, they were formed as a hole...it may look diff with these pics but hte ones in the beginning are better with the lightwercolors... I am a loser but shhh dont tell every one... geese


as explained to you elsewhere but also explained here for everyone to see/learn from... the DESIGN you carved is randomized... the lines you cut are just that, relatively straight lines. unless you work hard to hide them and work them into the overall design, they will stand out. also, i think they might have a tendancy to crack if they get the chance.


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## redbellyman21 (Jun 27, 2004)

take it back meanie! I will take ur advice and head it, I think with the next layer of crete and slow lsow slow curing it willbe good


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## rusty (Jul 6, 2006)

looking good i cant wait to see the final coloring, way to go!


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## redbellyman21 (Jun 27, 2004)

well it is done (the final coloring....but I will wait till tom to take a pic, since sealed the tank with moisture, and left only a tiny air hole in the sides to make the concrete slow dry sloooow dry...
once the day is past I will take a pic, if all is well, and then let it be for a couple more days...

But overall I think it looks nice


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## NeXuS (Aug 16, 2006)

i cant wait to c the next pics


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## redbellyman21 (Jun 27, 2004)

ok ok so this is the still drying but done deal pal!
plus some awesome wood for my tank that I got at pennypack park!
what u think!?
but in the end, the design I am happy with, and I would do things differently if I did another 1, but I cant complain....


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## Tinkerbelle (Oct 14, 2004)

......I can see the seam lines


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## redbellyman21 (Jun 27, 2004)

no u cant, I thought that too but those are the angles from the front, u have no shots of the front cause the tanks glass is hazed with moitsure!!! but the tank linear lines are not visible.... u mean bitch! hahahahha WHat do u think tho, mrs criticism!?

Also looking back on the pics, they are dry in the line areas...so the difference is in tone, believe me I put the thickest layer on.... no frickin way those lines will bleed..


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## ruger345 (Jul 8, 2006)

looking good bro.:nod: How far are you from Pat's?


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## redbellyman21 (Jun 27, 2004)

pats and genos are about 25 min away.. I am in the northeast area of phila, near 95. I used to live a lot closer, but now I have a couple of ghreat local steak shops


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## redbellyman21 (Jun 27, 2004)

I will take pics today I am letting it dry and finalize its dry proscess, and tink u will see no lines... unless u look at the bottom of the tank... but sand will cover it... lol pics tonight!


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## redbellyman21 (Jun 27, 2004)

Ok so here it is! and wallah tink no lines...I told you so.. But I think it came out awesome... It is holding water I am going to do the cycle with salt... lemme know what u think!

Ok so here it is! and wallah tink no lines...I told you so.. But I think it came out awesome... It is holding water I am going to do the cycle with salt... lemme know what u think!


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## rusty (Jul 6, 2006)

that will look sweet wit the wood in there nice coloring, GREAT JOB


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## redbellyman21 (Jun 27, 2004)

I know man, it is going to be hot... in the words of the tramp paris hilton "Thats Hot!"


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## Tinkerbelle (Oct 14, 2004)

like i said... not bad

for a MECHANIC!


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## redbellyman21 (Jun 27, 2004)

o yeah but u just got done telling me how much u loved it and how much u wanted me to make u one...


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## Tinkerbelle (Oct 14, 2004)

redbellyman21 said:


> o yeah but u just got done telling me how much u loved it and how much u wanted me to make u one...


AHAHAHAHAHAHA... or not.


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## redbellyman21 (Jun 27, 2004)

hey everyone, I was cleaning the tank and I found a tink! actually I found three tinkerbells... it was amazing so I know I shouldnt put fish in an uncycled cement tank but I couldnt help it they were too cute
:rasp:

My friend named the fish species... crusader sec8 (8:57:08 PM): the indiginess clown tinker fish


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## Tinkerbelle (Oct 14, 2004)

redbellyman21 said:


> hey everyone, I was cleaning the tank and I found a tink! actually I found three tinkerbells... it was amazing so I know I shouldnt put fish in an uncycled cement tank but I couldnt help it they were too cute
> :rasp:
> 
> My friend named the fish species... crusader sec8 (8:57:08 PM): the indiginess clown tinker fish


Mike, do I even need to tell you how incredibly creepy that is???


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## nelsong6969 (Jul 26, 2004)

dont really like the brown and white marks but still looks good


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## redbellyman21 (Jun 27, 2004)

Tinkerbelle said:


> hey everyone, I was cleaning the tank and I found a tink! actually I found three tinkerbells... it was amazing so I know I shouldnt put fish in an uncycled cement tank but I couldnt help it they were too cute
> :rasp:
> 
> My friend named the fish species... crusader sec8 (8:57:08 PM): the indiginess clown tinker fish


Mike, do I even need to tell you how incredibly creepy that is???
[/quote]
creepy!? I told u I was doing it... hahaha whats the matter? I still love ya!


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## redbellyman21 (Jun 27, 2004)

Ok so as of an hour ago, I set my tank up in my garage and filled it via hose with a bag of coarse sea salt. and two 400 gph powerheads! o yeah flow! lol it was cool to see the frickin salt dissolve even tho it was so so so so much salt. I also washed the sand, so I am all washed up. I also put my wood in the tank to clean out as well... so in 3 days I will empty it and start over with fresh water and an itty bit of salt... and then one more wash and should be done... yippee!


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