>>I'm looking for help. I'm putting together a 55 gal aquarium for a green basilisk an want to seperate it in thirds. One third a lake with a waterfall the other two thirds will be planted area with a two foot rise in tank for climbing.My problem is how to dam up (natural looking) the water side.I'm at a block any suggestions or how to viedos are welcome.I'm bored with just a large water bowl. I'm also (near future) going to do same in two 100gal tanks i have. Thank you in advance



I'm going to refer back to the KISS concept for this one as well.



Take this as my opinion and not user bashing.



A 55 gal fish tank while capable of holding a Basilisk, really isn't a life long cage.



While keeping that in mind anything you do should be considered temporary at best, because within 2 years it won't be needed.



Dividing a aquarium is easy, simply have a glass place cut you appropriate sized divider walls. These can easily be siliconed in place and hold back water substrate easily. While not nessarily the most asthetic it's cheap and quick.



Once you achieve the functionality disquising it is the logical next step. If looking at substrate is not you goal you can use black silicon. In addition to using it for the glass dams, you can mask and coat the non "lake" areas below the dam with black silicon, this will make for a more asthetic view of wait would essentially be distracting substrate. If masked appropriatly the neat line will be pleasing. Another added benefit is that silicon is easily removed from glass if the aquarium needs to be re-utilized down the line.



As for the lake side dam. You easily could fabriacte a background useing foam and grout. There are more how to's on the web for this process than I care to recall, a quick google will yeild plaenty of sources. This background once complete and selaed can again easily be siliconed inplace to the dam.



The background will cost the most to make but you crtainly could do it for less than $25. Also the glass and silicon could be done for about the same. Making it coincevable that this project could be less than $50, and accomplished in one day.



Once setup you have about a year before the substrate most likely will need replacement. Which gives you a year in which you could build another larger cage with even more display potential and greater naturalistic potential.



Of course others may have other ideas.



Cheers
-----
Jeremy Payne

JB Reptile



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