Folks,
Back on the 9th of April I wrote about an aquarium
Among some other things
Well, here I am picking up that thread and continuing to share the story with you
Because I care
Yup
?
So here it is
A freebie
I've had it a couple of years
Shortly after moving into my current address, I broke the end piece while moving timber in it's vicinity
Accidentally
Wanting to make the best of an arse-crack situation, I thought:
"Here's a good opportunity to replace the broken glass with plastic and add pipework for a sump, biological filter and aquaponic grow bed in the future. The possibilities really are endless"
Then I thought about it a bit more:
"Doing this will open up incredible new opportunities far beyond the realm of fish-keeping and aquaculture: my fortunes will increase exponentially and I won't need to work in a field where corporate privatisation has totally corrupted the quality of an essential public service. I'll be able to achieve my life-long goal of bench-pressing a nuclear submarine and receiving the Nobel Peace Prize for contributions to meme culture while playing the French national anthem on bassoon live onstage for a crowd of thirty thousand"
Alright
I used that holesaw 👆 to cut that hole in this piece of polycarbonate sheeting: 👇
It can now accommodate this tank fitting: 👇
I found this tube of silicone sealant, purchased specifically for the project ages ago: 👇
Something tweaked in my brain...
A vague, wordless memory, like an itch
I stopped and read the back of the tube:
Not suitable for permanent submergence in water such as an aquarium
...
Okay, hang on...
Searching again
I knew I had some that was suitable for this project. Just had to find where I put it...
Here we go:
Load it into the caulking gun: 👇
A bit of this for cleaning the surfaces to be adhered: 👇
Masking tape for holding it all together while the sealant cures: 👇
For some reason it's blue
Okay
So I spent over an hour working silicone sealant around with rubber-gloved fingers, doing my best to fill the gaps and get a decent seal
Looks a bit scrappy but effective, I hope
...
Speaking in the present now; it's had eleven days to cure
I drag the garden hose over to the aquarium after work and start filling
And you know what?
Didn't work
It leaks
My workmanship seals like a screen door on a submarine
Lot of submarines in this one...
...
Frustrating
So very, very frustrating
*deep breath*
...
But it's okay
I just need to drain the water, dry the aquarium out and try again
...
Could be worse
A line from an interesting video I saw today feels very relevant:
Some days you're the pigeon
Other days you're the statue