# The Shire (Lord of the Rings) nano tank



## cxz (Dec 6, 2005)

you stole my idea! I haven't gotten around to it.. 

but we have a different approach I think.. 

I was going to get fine sands.. a couple of those coconut shells, some moss..

and thats as far as I've gotten


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## SCMurphy (Oct 21, 2003)

What is your bookend made of?


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## thirston (Nov 17, 2004)

I love seeing little tank set up like this. A friend of mine once created a 3-D cave-like sculpture that sat just behind his small bow tank. Inside the cave he put this creepy little action figure that looked like it was coming out of the cave and throught the tank to get you :icon_evil 

Remember, if you don't add a colored background to your tank, you can add more depth of field even behind the tank itself for a really dramatic look.

Good luck with this and make sure you keep us updated.


p.s.
I would look into fabricating some sort of epoxy/fiberglass cave then affixing some of your gravel to it and using a hairnet to tie moss to that. You could also use an inverted tupperware container or similar device and epoxy some sand or gravel to that... Just some ideas to help fuel your fire.


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## sarahbobarah (May 20, 2005)

Ooooooooooooh...... I LOVE LOTR......... 

Hairnet for the riccia.... 

dose excel for CO2?


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## aquamoon (Jul 26, 2004)

i love the ideal.....your 5min sketch looks good .....its a rough ideal of what you want ....im also a artist ( at least i think i am )........

sorry im no help with the ideals for the lotr tank , but i would love to see what you do with this project


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## GreenerSideofLIfe (Dec 24, 2005)

thirston said:


> I love seeing little tank set up like this. A friend of mine once created a 3-D cave-like sculpture that sat just behind his small bow tank. Inside the cave he put this creepy little action figure that looked like it was coming out of the cave and throught the tank to get you :icon_evil
> 
> Remember, if you don't add a colored background to your tank, you can add more depth of field even behind the tank itself for a really dramatic look.
> 
> ...



Excellent! I was thinking of what to do for a background since my wall paper in the room is umm... fish themed. It does make a kinda cool background for my flowerhorn tank... but not for this one I dont think! LOL 

A over turned tuperware container and a hair net might just work!!  

I will see if I can find one in the right size/shape and do some tinkering. 

The bookend is mostly plastic. I was planning on wieghting it down with a bunch of wieghts silconed to the bottom of it then to burry the majority of the base of it under/into my substrate.


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## A Hill (Jul 25, 2005)

what about using a cut rock as the little dwelling? maybe you could get it cut so that the back is flat and so it the bottom and the front has a little curve to it and a flat space where the bookend will go? for the roof i believe in the movie it had grass on it? or is my memory bad? well if so maybe some moss or even dwarf hair grass.. or maybe fabricating a little home would be betteR?

for inhabitants what about some gost shrimp it could kinda represent the ring making you invisible?e

my hairbrained ideas

fish newb


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## figgy (Feb 27, 2005)

Hmmmm, couldn't you just back the bookend against a moss wall?

I use aquarium sealant for adhesive in water.

Good little plant = nana petite

Fauna = a nice sized nerite snail

How 'bout having a tiny gold ring somewhere in the scape?

Can't wait for pix!

Fig (Elf Queen in a previous life...)


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## uncskainch (Feb 22, 2005)

If you decide to put in a tiny gold ring (neat idea, Figgy!), check the jewelry making and beading catalogs and websites (http://www.firemountaingems.com/ for example). I would think that you would want to be cautious about the kind of metal you include, given that some things will rust or tarnish, others might leach metal into the water, and still others (containing copper, for example) might harm your tank inhabitants. Buying from the hardware store, you may not be able to determine what's in the metal, but jewelry catalogs are very good about listing the metals or helping you over the phone since they often deal with customers who have metal allergies. They also carry real gold and in the small quantity that's in a little ring, it's not too pricey. You'll want to look under "findings" and search for jumprings. They are available as small as 3 mm and usually a package of 4 costs in the $4.50-6 neighborhood. You can also check local bead stores in your area.


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## sarahbobarah (May 20, 2005)

Man this is going to be one kewl tank. 

How about downoi as a foreground plant? It looks like a tiny fern!!!


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## Kris (Feb 27, 2004)

i can't wait for the pictures of the final set-up!


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## GreenerSideofLIfe (Dec 24, 2005)

Fish Newb said:


> what about using a cut rock as the little dwelling? maybe you could get it cut so that the back is flat and so it the bottom and the front has a little curve to it and a flat space where the bookend will go? for the roof i believe in the movie it had grass on it? or is my memory bad? well if so maybe some moss or even dwarf hair grass.. or maybe fabricating a little home would be betteR?
> 
> for inhabitants what about some gost shrimp it could kinda represent the ring making you invisible?e
> 
> ...



LOL yes, the houses were actualy part of the hill.  I also thought of useing flexable plastic to support the soil... but I tested that one out... and it was a disaster. So I will keep trying 

And I think shrimp would probibly work... but I dont have much luck with them. They always seem to either disapear... or jump out.


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## GreenerSideofLIfe (Dec 24, 2005)

sarahbobarah said:


> Man this is going to be one kewl tank.
> 
> How about downoi as a foreground plant? It looks like a tiny fern!!!


OHHH!!

I like that one!! That would be cool to use as trees. Ok... so they grow kinda like upside down trees  But oh well!  Very nice idea!


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## A Hill (Jul 25, 2005)

lol yeah and maybe do the moss wall idea thats a really neat one!

fish newb


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## organic sideburns (Dec 22, 2005)

Wow!!..Great idea oh man I just watched LOTR fellowship and then I read this thread!..Great stuff guys I really like where this is going and great ideas everyone!..


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## GreenerSideofLIfe (Dec 24, 2005)

I know how I'm doing to do the hill 

And it wont be as difficult as I feared it might. Im going to try a modified versian of this....


http://www.nature-aquarium.com/riccia.htm


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## A Hill (Jul 25, 2005)

GreenerSideofLIfe said:


> I know how I'm doing to do the hill
> 
> And it wont be as difficult as I feared it might. Im going to try a modified versian of this....
> 
> ...


now thats something i hadnt thought of GREAT idea!

fish newb 

so are you going to bend one for the "roof" ?:icon_roll


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## Prettyhead (Feb 7, 2005)

*How to make a hill...*

I was thinking if you use a bowl your bookend won't line up with it very well because of the curve. I have used FIMO or Sculpey 3 (clay that you bake in your oven) in the past to make ornamentation for tanks (including a "desert" scene with cactus and fish skeltons and Spongebob's Pineapple). That way you can really customize how you want it, include windows if you want, add shutters, the whole nine yards. 

I never had problems with it, but I didn't have any plants back then. 

Seems like it will be cool. For the back ground you could maybe use maps...


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## Prettyhead (Feb 7, 2005)

This is going to be a fun tank! Keep us posted.

Now, who is going to make the ring wraith tank???


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## TAF CAF (Jan 12, 2006)

Here is an idea for the hill... there is a plastic mesh sheet in craft areas for (I think) needlepoint/hook yarn. I build all sorts of fishy things with it, and you can cut it and tie it together into shapes with fishing line. That way, you have an acctual cave that things can go into, and the moss can get good water and nutrient flow underneath.


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## scolley (Apr 4, 2004)

GreenerSideofLife - this is GREAT! In 1969 I had a 6'x4' mural on my bedroom wall of all three "Authorized Edition" LOTR book covers, so I think I started a while ago as a fan myself... and I can't wait to see you do this!

As for hiding the CO2, can you rig a CO2 hose into the pump, like so many people do with canisters? Or you could try to rig an in-line loop of some form, but all this depends on what kind of plumping your nano will have.

Great stuff!:thumbsup:


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## valleyvampiress (Apr 25, 2005)

For bg's, since you're an artist, maybe you can create your own and put other Shire style homes in the bg as if yours is part of the neighborhood. You can do it on your pc and print it out on photo paper or the like.


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## GreenerSideofLIfe (Dec 24, 2005)

Im still looking for the pieces needed for this tank! If anyone happens to come across this particular book end... LET ME KNOW!!! I keep being outbid on line for it.


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