DIY redneck Koi sphere

[fishin4cars]

OK, so it's a 10 gallon aquarium turned upside down, But check out what I got to take pics of right after I set it up. Pretty cool, three of the fry from this year. two white and obe dark. Although I think they are goldies I don't care. Still like watching them grow!

 

[koiguy1969]

i was gonna do that...i was even gonna get a free acrylic aquarium, 29 gals. until isaw the condition the aquarium was in! i would have spent days polishing out the scratches!!!

 

[addy1]

way cool fishin, you and koiguy must think alike.

 

[DrDave]

What method did you use to evacuate the air?

 

[fishin4cars]

I just took two pieces of half inch pvc and a elbow made one bend and sucked the air out, wasn't a big deal at all. It has just enough lean that one corner is slightly higher than the rest so it only left a very small bubble at the top, I haven't gotten pics of the bigger guys in it yet but they are already going in it.

 

[DrDave]

Cool, I actually have 3 hemispheres made from lexan that I could use to make a copy of theirs with. The float is the challenge, to make it look natural.

 

[j.w]

That's neat, neat like a toilet seat as they used to say in the olden days :lol:

 

[hammer1320]

Nice, I looked around for things I could use too and came up with this. Prices looks good and a whole bunch of options for sizes.

http://www.globalplastics.ca/index.htm

 

[fishin4cars]

I can see where a float, or stand would be the biggest issue, I tried to fill a 10 gallon aquarium turn it upside down and lift it into position. Not going to happen!! I had no idea just how much suction that thing would have! I'm no small fellow and there was no way I could lift the last five or six inches out of the water, Once I set it in place and got the air out I thought I wanted to lift it up just a little more, Nope, had to drain and move it up and get the air out again. Also another note: The lilies look cool growing up in the sphere, But in the evening they produce HUGE amounts of bubbles from the leaves, Enough that they actually filled about 1/3 of the tank with air in less than a few hours! That was extremely interesting to watch! almost looked like a weak air stone as the bubbles were being produced.

 

[unclewilson]

ill give you a klondike bar for that hahah a very nice

 

[fishin4cars]

This did not work very well! It acted like a giant heater in the pond! Might be better for winter use but right now it heated the pond by 10 degrees in 48 hours, it cooled back down to normal 24 hours after I took it out.

 

[unclewilson]

well u can still have your klondike!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[DrDave]

Do they make them in dark chocolate?

 

[fishin4cars]

Do they make them in dark chocolate?

with mint! LOL

 

[Nova]

I had my EcoPolice group at school try this with some bricks and a large plastic aquarium. They used a shopvac to suck out the air. It all worked beautifully but because it was not level, it fell over before they could get out of the water. If I could find a hemisphere and some foam to make it float around may work better then just supported by bricks and being stationary.

I will be at school every week checking on the fish and tending to the pond. The bricks and stuff are still by the pond so I may try to set it up again. Then in the fall let the new group try it out.