4ft tank

[KathyM]

I'm hoping to use my 4ft tank in future for the margies and wondered how I'd go about converting it?

I won't have a lid for it (it's being extended and used for a new tank for Bubba the oscar), and would need to make one somehow, but I'd also like to set up proper UV lighting for them and can't get my head around that (as it wouldn't give any benefit through the lid would it?).

Any advice much appreciated - wont be doing it for a couple of months at least but thought I'd ask well in advance so I can plan.

[pixie]

you could use a fish tank tube light set up - think the starter unit and leads cost £15-20, the cost of the tube light depends on what you get. - something like this:
www.robharvey.com/animage/floulcon.gif
The tube light can then be attached directly to the lid with clips -you do need a couple of holes for the wires to go through. to protect the snails from the light you can use a wire mesh but they don't get too hot and are splash proof so could put up with the moisture.
how you do the lid is up to you and what you need- in the tank i converted i used 5mm mire mesh round the edge and a perspex lid in the middle. but i don't have a light, but you could always just pop the light under/through the wire at one side

[Arno]

You could divide the lid in two parts to make cleaning etc easier.I don't know if that tank has a special section for tube-lights as some tanks have.Otherwise maybe you could make one?

[KathyM]

Basically the tank is a cheapy plain tank, with a glass stabiliser bit across the top and that's it. I've got a condensation tray thing and a plain black flippy fishtank lid with the bit for the light start/tube etc, but the lid, starter and light might be being used on the new tank (if I ever find one!). So no, there's no spesh bit for the light without the lid being on. It's basically just the tank.

pixie - do you have pics of yours? Thanks ;D

[sezzy5889]

my tanks just have a condensation tray for a lid

[KathyM]

How do you make the condensation tray sturdy enough? On a 4ft tank I can't see it being sturdy enough to hold the weight of wandering margies *lol*.

[pixie]

here you go, i couldn't get a pic cos have lent got my camera to a friend


oh didn't realise it was so small! not sure how i could make it bigger- you could save it to ur comp and open it

[KathyM]

Thanks pixie - I've saved it and opened it, but when you zoom in it goes all blurry *lol*. Sorry.

[sezzy5889]

well i think it is a condensation tray

[Paul]

kathym said:

How do you make the condensation tray sturdy enough? On a 4ft tank I can't see it being sturdy enough to hold the weight of wandering margies *lol*.

I have two 3 foot tanks with condensation trays. My tanks have a glass bar going across the width, half way down the length so it has an extra support as I imagine a number of larger tanks do. My margies climb all over it and it has never collapsed; it bends a little but never had any problems at all.

If you don't have the support it is important to fix it very securely to the sides, with gaffer tape or something equally as strong. That way, they'll not be enough give for it to collapse, even though it may bend quite a bit.

[sezzy5889]

HA mine never bend or collapse but i'll tell you what if there wasn't a shelf above each tank then i'm pretty sure the margies and tigers would have pushed the lid of and escaped by now
It's weird sometimes, i'll just be laying on the bed watching TV then i hear this scraping sound, i look up and the lid is slowly lifting and then some flesh or an eye pokes over the edge, it's like being in a horror film where you hear the door creek and then a hand or a knife appears round the corner lol

[LisaLQ]

PMSL @ horror film snails - awww that's so cute! ;D

[pixie]

grr sorry is this ok, didn;t realise it would go blury


i use to have just a piece of wire mesh laid over the top but after 4 of them escaped and started eating a shoe box i then tied it down with a shoe lace.
I don't have any problem with the new lid- but i do still tie it down anyway, just incase

[KathyM]

Thanks all of you! Pixie, that looks fab, shall show it to the OH and see what he can do.

PMSL @ horror film snails....

[sezzy5889]

hehe, tis scary when you are jusr dropping off and then you hear this creeking and scraping sound, it's like 'Attack of the mutant killer snail' ! rofl

[KathyM]

PMSL or snail farts in the dead of night! Eeek!

[pixie]

rofl.....bah dum.....bah dum.......bah dum (jaws music!) imagine waking up with a snail of your face lol!

[section8angel]

Rofl.
*Insert the usual girly scream here*

Snail farts? Please no!! The poo I took out of one tank yesterday was bad enough on it's own, I don't need them farting too Lol

[sonicsnail]

LOL!!!!

Wtf snail farts!?!?!?!?! Can snails actually fart lol? What is strange is waking up and hearing them eating the lettuce. All I could hear was...munch... munch... munch. It's kinda scary when you're half asleep, it took me like 10 minutes to figure out what it was!

[sezzy5889]

and when they knock their shells on the glass and wake you up, lol

[KathyM]

sonicsnail said:

LOL!!!!

Wtf snail farts!?!?!?!?! Can snails actually fart lol?

LMAO - I mean the noises when they suck their body in or come out and they release air and water from their airhole - snail farts most definitely ;D