Hi guys. I'm not close to building my tanks yet, but remember ReserectionFern's idea of building their own tanks out of plywood reinforced fiberglass
. This idea intrigued me so I looked up the method behind that madness and found this site:
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/article..._aquarium3.php.
After reading how this guy did his, the whole idea doesn't look so crazy to me anymore!
I really like the idea of being able to customize the tank to fit odd spaces. As long as the floor is sloped to a single corner for draining, I don't see why this couldn't work. No more trying find a space that's "just right" for that pre-made tank.
As for the shower pan, I'm really lovin' the idea of using a mortar mixing tray.
I found one that's 2' x 3' at Lowes that's just about the perfect size. Just add a little reinforcement on the side walls, add a drain, and walla! Cheap shower pan that fits perfectly next to the back door, or next to the kitchen area for ease in plumbing. I'll probably add a curved curtain rod to the top to give a little more room to move, but with the curtain pulled to the side, the walkway would open back up again.
Just my two cents worth...