Hello peter, and thank you for chiming in.
Well, to start it off i guess i'll explain why i even asked the question. I had been searching endlessly on google trying to find any and all information i could on the project i was starting. To sum it up, i wasnt able to find much on the google. I eventually had found these forums, and started looking around to see if there is anything similar to what i was doing. I found a couple hopefuls and they seemed to have some good information, but it was a lot of searching with dead ends. Enclosures and Containers was more of a section for exactly that and not everything after it's made. I felt as if the sections really didn't have an area for what i was looking for. This isn't a blog to just talk about what i did, or a DIY on how i built my unique stand, and created a mesh screen for my vivarium. I agree that my topic could just be made in one of the above mentioned sections, but it just seemed like a place for it to get lost and well...non efficient.
The build/inventory was more of an idea that i didn't quite know what to call for this particular hobby. The term "Inventory" was just thrown out there considering many hobbyist keep their bugs in containers with sticks, and it wouldnt be considered a Build or Species tank. I myself would consider my whole vivarium project a "Build" since it's going to have more then one species of bug, with live plants and whatever else i am able to safely house together. It'll have information on how i am able to do what i'm doing, and how long it's been going on. Same with keeping your bugs in cups. A specific topic with your name on it. You can continually edit the first post keeping a live count of what you have. And leave the rest up to the OP. They can track any changes, deaths, different ideas...idk im still new to this.
http://www.michiganreefers.com/forums/members-tanks/
Here's a link referring to members tanks whether they are Species specific, or multi species tanks.
As for my picture. I can't really take credit. I found the roach online and added the hat and ears. At work, my nickname is "Loops" since i have 1 3/4" holes in my ears and am always wearing a beanie.
My avatar I created in the free/opensource vector art program
Inkscape, so I know they are different artists.
You can see it in various sizes on
my side project that hasn't seen much work after I got everything setup. If your interested Loops shoot me a PM and I would be willing to draw you a custom picture to avoid you infringing on another artists work.
I've had a look at several of the thread/topics at that forum and the only thing different I see is the topics themselves have a description tag list on the main page (listing tank size, lights, sump, etc). This is
the guide rules in place for making a post in their build section, and it seems to be very basic. Here is a quick rundown of what I found on their site. I'm a bit wordy today, so skip down to the bold text
The 2nd for a way to implement this on the forum
Most are just some text with very few photos (the first topic
180 New setup), and seem to be a diary of random ideas and various tank level measurements (salt/calcium/etc). With a sprinkling of the usual "cool/good tank" posts throughout the pages. The 6th post in he finally shows a single photo of the tank. I've went 8 pages in and I have little idea how any of it was setup or what was used besides him stating the specs in the first post (besides a few shots of his skimmer - and a dozen close ups of the fish), definitely not a tutorial or guide of any sort.
The thread labelled
Jay13's 180 "in wall", was a bit better with some photos of the process and what he wanted to setup; however, it seems he gave up as his fish developed ick and never showed the finished project. On page 16 he showed a few photos of the fish in it recently, and the topic seems to end with the usual water measurements and "cool tank" comments. Even that topic doesn't seem to show anything different than the typically threads on MF as well.
I've looked others and they are the same. I don't see any kind of organization or a topic as they briefly state their tank setup and go onto photos of their fish and possible problems along the way. Seems to be nothing more than the same types of threads already on MF that tend to run off topic a bit.
I pulled up many of the forums I joined 10-15 years ago (I joined so I could access the photos and such), some of course are no longer online. As at that time I was still keeping my African clawed frogs, and my wife got into African dwarf frogs. They are a mix of aquarium/goldfish/aqua pets (salamanders, turtles, frogs, etc) forums and I couldn't find a single site that offered anything more than the typically threads.
Perhaps I'm missing the big picture somewhere but I don't see anything different than what is already in place here on MF. So I did some more searching and I found two ways that can truly make something like you are referring to, a running build guide that can help others with theirs as well.
The first is a plugin for the IPS forum software itself. It is called
Tutorials 2.1.0 RC 4 it costs $40 to buy, and $10 yearly. It seems to provide a very structured guide for posting content, which could be setup for a build section and perhaps applied to other things as well (the caresheets, guides, etc). The more I looked into it the less it seems it may be of use for many things, I am listing it as a option.
I went through many other pages of plugins too for a solution without any much luck. The only interesting thing I found was a free plugin,
Preview Post Button 1.0.2 that would give us back the preview option before submitting a post.
There are other plugins too of various things but not too many are worth pointing out.
The 2nd and only other option I could think of is what was hinted at already. Creating a new forum section just for builds, but if you are going to do that there might as well be sub-forums as well for vivariums, fake decor, and what not to better categorize them. Then to make it truly useful put in place a template that must be followed, much like
the caresheets.
As any post made by the user is editable already, make the first post list the information about the build guide and update with photos and perhaps links of the build as it progresses. Any progress is marked by a new post in the thread of course, and if it is a milestone have it linked to in the first post something like this ...
Build type - Vivarium
Build Highlights - 30 gallon breeder tank, Foam background, live plants, waterfall, driftwood design element, adjustable ventilation for plants/mantids
Intended Mantid Instar stages - L1-L8
Running build cost - $135.70
Build steps
Customizing the tank -
Post link
Setup of the foam background -
Post link
Creating the turf/ground layered mix -
Post link
....
Photos of the completed setup -
Post link
Of course the actual details of the template would have to be decided upon by the mods, or voted on by the community. I think the 2nd option would be much more efficient, allowing the build author to add in the steps and such to their original/first post to keep it organized (making it really useful for anyone to follow along or build their own).
I think with a few well thought out exchanges for what data would need to be used/highlighted a workable template for the various builds could be decided upon rather quickly, and could suit builders of vivariums, small habitats, and cup builders alike. The trick would be to have the mods to police the section especially more at the beginning so everyone knows what is expected, and can use the other builds as a reference to do their own.
Also, thank you cosby. Really thought you were management with how helpful you've been.
Your welcome. I just have to much time on my hands I guess, and tend to be really talkative.
