This weekend I finally got started in earnest on construction of the new turtle tank, building out the shelf that will form the land area. Originally I had intended to use plexiglass for this, but after cutting the pieces, I noticed they were bowing in the middle between the support columns. This would stress the silicone seals holding the pieces together, especially when the landmass was added. I looked into thicker plastic options, but they were both expensive and unavailable locally.
Instead I decided to go with wood. I was worried about well this would hold up when partially submerged, but I was assured by an accomplished boat build (dad) that it would hold up fine. Thinking back to when I worked on a lobster boat in Maine and traps were built out of wood slats, it made sense.
I followed the same plan, modifying the measurements to take into account the extra thickness of the wood over the acrylic I had planned to use. Construction went as smooth as you could hope for when doing woodworking in your city apartment kitchen. The three pieces (shelf, front edge, and divider) were assembled with stainless screws and Gorilla Glue. I sealed the joints with silicone.
Next I cut some cork paneling to fit across the front. I had bought two 18x24 pieces, so two 6" strips sufficed to cover the front panel. I made a diagonal cut in beach area piece to disguise where the divider piece is. The beach area will be slightly below water level, making it easy for the turtle to haul himself out. This area will be filled with gravel and rocks for basking.
There is a bit of a seam between the two pieces. I should have put a bevel on the edge so the fit more seamlessly, but I think when the cork is in the water it will swell up and close this gape somewhat. Below you can see the shelf on its half-log supporting columns:
Next step is to get a small temporary aquarium to hold the turtle, so I can drain his current tank and get this shelf placed in. I need to silicone the edges of the shelf to the glass to create a seal separating the land from the water as much as possible. After that comes the fun part: landscaping!
Instead I decided to go with wood. I was worried about well this would hold up when partially submerged, but I was assured by an accomplished boat build (dad) that it would hold up fine. Thinking back to when I worked on a lobster boat in Maine and traps were built out of wood slats, it made sense.
I followed the same plan, modifying the measurements to take into account the extra thickness of the wood over the acrylic I had planned to use. Construction went as smooth as you could hope for when doing woodworking in your city apartment kitchen. The three pieces (shelf, front edge, and divider) were assembled with stainless screws and Gorilla Glue. I sealed the joints with silicone.
Next I cut some cork paneling to fit across the front. I had bought two 18x24 pieces, so two 6" strips sufficed to cover the front panel. I made a diagonal cut in beach area piece to disguise where the divider piece is. The beach area will be slightly below water level, making it easy for the turtle to haul himself out. This area will be filled with gravel and rocks for basking.
There is a bit of a seam between the two pieces. I should have put a bevel on the edge so the fit more seamlessly, but I think when the cork is in the water it will swell up and close this gape somewhat. Below you can see the shelf on its half-log supporting columns:
Next step is to get a small temporary aquarium to hold the turtle, so I can drain his current tank and get this shelf placed in. I need to silicone the edges of the shelf to the glass to create a seal separating the land from the water as much as possible. After that comes the fun part: landscaping!
Labels: Aquascape, Design, Turtle Aquarium
