Make My Own Or Buy Tank Dividers?

[catherine896]

Been to a shop today so my boyfriend could get a few more tropical fish for his community tank and I was looking for the tank dividers so I can split my 10gallon in half (well 3 and the middle 1 will be just big enough to hold filter and heater) and they were £9.49 each and I would need 2. The good thing with buying them is that I dont need to take out the water as the holders clip over the edge of the tank and then the sheet slides in. But thats £20. If I was to buy, the plastic canvas on ebay which is about £1 per sheet and £1 to get it sent to me thats £3 then I would need aquarium glue and the report binder things. And I would have to house Spike in the community tank in one of those betta boxes while I empty the tank and fit the dividers and re-cycle the water etc. Its obviously ALOT less hassle to just buy them than make my own but it would work out alot cheaper to make them.
BUT!!! I want to take out the gravel on the bottom and replace with those glass bead things as they look so pretty and bring out the colours in bettas. So if I was to take the gravel out, Spike would have to be moved anyway and the water emptied part way. SO! Shall I go with making my own considering Spike would be moved anyway to change gravel? I am planning on getting another male and I either want a really eye catching crowntail or a halfmoon so depending on when one comes available either on KG or somebody else, then I could just buy 1 tank divider now and 1 tank divider in a few weeks so its not £20 gone all at once. But then I want to remove all the water anyway to change gravel. Ooohh its so hard to make a decision lol!
One more thing - where can I buy the report binders online? I cant seem to find any on ebay but Im not sure if they are sold as report binders anyway. And aquarium glue? Ebay Ive only seen tiny tubes of it.
Thanks!

 

[liz2]

I have never even seen the tank dividers round here. It does seem like a lot of trouble but I would buy them to be honest if I could find one!

 

[Tolak]

I make everything I can myself, dividers are no exception. Check out http/www.gcca.net/howto/tank_divider.htm

 

[zoekin8yg]

Main point to not is that your water is not cycled your filter is, you can take all the water out and nothing happens. You would have to keep the filter running, thats easily done but placing in the other tank. You also dont need report binders you can use airline holding suckers.

 

[Amunet]

I make everything I can myself, dividers are no exception. Check out http/www.gcca.net/howto/tank_divider.htm

OO that site is pretty cool. I don't think I'm really handy enough to do it, but that's pretty spiff.

 

[catherine896]

I like the idea of using the tubing as a frame for the divider. Ill see if I can get my hands on some.
Ill also look into the airline holding suckers. What are they exactly? Like the things you use to stick the filter to the glass?
Thanks

 

[catherine896]

You also dont need report binders you can use airline holding suckers.

Do you mean like these? And Im guessing you put 2 together and then slide the plastic canvas down in between?
Thanks.

 

[zoekin8yg]

Yeah just the suckers you use to attach things like the filter/heater/airline to the glass.

I'll get a photo of how we did it for you

 

[catherine896]

Ok, thankyou. That will be much easier then! Now I wont need to take the water out to fit the dividers! Shall I buy ones that are on Aquatics UK especially for fish tanks or does it not matter if I get some off of ebay for general use?
Any tips on how to remove the gravel without making all the water go cloudy again or is that vurtually impossible?
Thanks!

 

[zoekin8yg]

Im working at the mo, but when ive finished ill get some pics etc for you

 

[catherine896]

Ok, thankyou

 

[zoekin8yg]

Havent had chance to get pics yet will try to soon

 

[Don Trinko]

The divider I bought has holes in it to alow water to circulate so I only use 1 divider. I put the filter ( power filter) with the input on one side and output on the other. I have a Betta tank with an old style air filter. It is one side of the divider and the heater is on the other side. Don T.

 

[zoekin8yg]

Havent been able to get pics yet but, you can always pop in and have a look

 

[catherine896]

Ok thats no problem, thanks anyway. I would order it off line anyway and Ive been looking today and to get the plastic canvas and have it delivered and the suction cups and have them delivered is about £16, and on another site I can get tank dividers and have them delivered for £16 so Im going to go for the tank dividers. Im going to order them Tuesday, and I have a male betta on reserve!!! Which hopefully I can order by the end of the week too! Ill let you all know if Im getting him and then Ill post a pic!