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Creative => Customs Gallery => Dioramas & Buildings => Topic started by: Bill Blackhurst on February 01, 2010, 05:12:32

Title: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: Bill Blackhurst on February 01, 2010, 05:12:32
These are some pictures of a new style deep sea diver, & 2 older original style deep sea divers that I came up with from my collection after seeing Peter's & manu's excellent contributions. The water is too clean to easily see the air bubbles, sorry  :-[.
I hope you enjoy the pictures.

(http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/3470/pict0013hj.jpg) (http://img196.imageshack.us/i/pict0013hj.jpg/)
An old original deep sea diver with an air line from an air pump hooked to his helmet. You can see the air bubbles rising to the surface.

(http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/3994/pict0007wc.jpg) (http://img204.imageshack.us/i/pict0007wc.jpg/)
A new series deep sea diver with a custom yellow suited original style deep diver.

(http://img188.imageshack.us/img188/3575/pict0006ab.jpg) (http://img188.imageshack.us/i/pict0006ab.jpg/)
A picture of all three deep sea divers breathing air with exhaust bubbles rising to the surface.

(http://img641.imageshack.us/img641/4157/pict0017q.jpg) (http://img641.imageshack.us/i/pict0017q.jpg/)
Deep sea divers working on a galleon wreck treasure.

Title: Re: Deep divers in an aqurium.
Post by: Martin Milner on February 01, 2010, 05:54:54
I love the divers, I just wish I'd had them when I was a kid for bathtime play. I like your custom yellow diver, very cool!

I was particularly pleased with the current underwater series as my brother-in-law spent ten days in August 2007 in NASA's underwater testing facility Aquarius as an Aquanaut, and did some test dives.

(http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/behindthescenes/training/med/jsc2007e041849.jpg)

(http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/images/neemo_figure1a.jpg)

Title: Re: Deep divers in an aqurium.
Post by: Bill Blackhurst on February 01, 2010, 06:25:49
Quote from: Martin Milner on February 01, 2010, 05:54:54
I love the divers, I just wish I'd had them when I was a kid for bathtime play. I like your custom yellow diver, very cool!

I was particularly pleased with the current underwater series as my brother-in-law spent ten days in August 2007 in NASA's underwater testing facility Aquarius as an Aquanaut, and did some test dives.

(http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/behindthescenes/training/med/jsc2007e041849.jpg)

(http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/images/neemo_figure1a.jpg)



I totally agree! They are some of my favorites, especially the new self contained deep diver! It could be used in a deep water salvage or construction photo story used with a cutting torch and support divers. I would like to design a hyperbaric chamber for stand by too! BTW, I like your NASA diving photos  :)9.
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: playmofire on February 01, 2010, 19:04:54
Great photos, Bill.   :wave:
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: Gepetto on February 02, 2010, 00:06:18
Thanks for the photos Bill! It is great to see the old style suit alongside the newer one, the bubbles sure do add a lot to the scene.  :wave:


Gepetto
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: Richard on February 03, 2010, 00:24:55


Thanks, Bill ...

When I was at TRU today I started thinking about how great the new pirate ghost ship would look in a very large aquarium. Now looking at your divers' scene, I realize that there are a lot of Playmobil that would really look cool in an aquarium.

The big question is ... do I really want a real aquarium with real fish to take care of? Hmmm ... does anyone here have a real aquarium with real fish? Is it a big maintenance pain? Would I be better off just using Playmobil fish?

All the best,
Richard

Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: Bill Blackhurst on February 03, 2010, 03:01:21
Quote from: Richard on February 03, 2010, 00:24:55

Thanks, Bill ...

When I was at TRU today I started thinking about how great the new pirate ghost ship would look in a very large aquarium. Now looking at your divers' scene, I realize that there are a lot of Playmobil that would really look cool in an aquarium.

The big question is ... do I really want a real aquarium with real fish to take care of? Hmmm ... does anyone here have a real aquarium with real fish? Is it a big maintenance pain? Would I be better off just using Playmobil fish?

All the best,
Richard

If you travel a lot, aquariums can be quite expensive due to the need of a baby sitter. Just think, you are in the mainland now, who's going to look after your fish while you're away? Even an aquarium with artificial fish will need to have water conditioners & will develop algae problems needing to be constantly cleaned. I've had real aquariums in the past, & they take daily maintenance & up keep especially salt water versus fresh water types.
Just my opinion though  :-\!
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: Richard on February 03, 2010, 03:36:17


Quote from: Bill Blackhurst on February 03, 2010, 03:01:21

... who's going to look after your fish while you're away?  ... they take daily maintenance & up keep ...



Thanks for the good advice, Bill ...

It sounds like a Playmobil Atlantis theme should be a "dry" one that only looks like it's a "wet" one!

I think that Tim (Tiermann) offered some suggestions (in another topic) about how to make a dry Playmobil diorama look like it was actually under water.

Thanks again and all the best,
Richard

Edit: corrected typo ...  :-[
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: reylocann on February 03, 2010, 10:32:06
Quote from: Richard on February 03, 2010, 00:24:55
The big question is ... do I really want a real aquarium with real fish to take care of? Hmmm ... does anyone here have a real aquarium with real fish? Is it a big maintenance pain? Would I be better off just using Playmobil fish?


A few years back my daughter convinced me to get an aquarium of fish for the cats. "The kitties need something to do during the long winter months," she lamented, and fish t.v. seemed a good enough idea.  So, silly me, I agreed.  We had about 6 really cool fish .....  I cleaned the aquarium and tended to the fish dutifully with little, if any, assistance from my dear sweet child. This went on for about 2 years.  One day I realised the heater wasn't working very well and one of the fish had perished.  I raced off to PetSmart, got new plants, a new algae eater, a new heater, etc.  I spent a couple of hours cleaning the tank, arranging all the rocks and artifacts, strategically placing the plants for maximum comfort and allowing the water to get warmed up.  The fish were ecstatic to have such a wonderfully clean tank!! They swam and dove and ate and .... did what fish do.  All was well until the next morning when I went to feed them.  I had a tank full of floaters  :'(   :-[   It seems that when I turned the heater down, I actually had turned it up  :doh:  Oops! Long story short:    I got 35 bucks for the tank and accoutrement at my garage sale!   :toot:

Reylocann


Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: Richard on February 03, 2010, 14:24:12


Thanks, Reylocann ...

I'm convinced. No aquarium for me ...

Fortunately, we have a swimming pool for my Playmobil divers and boats ...  :yippee:

Looks like I now need to get an underwater camera ... :camera:

Thanks again and all the best,
Richard

Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: flatcat on February 03, 2010, 15:00:39
Great photos Bill :wow: :wow: :wow:
I just love the divers and underwater theme :love:
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: Elric on February 07, 2010, 14:10:27
Very cool photos.
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: Bill Blackhurst on February 07, 2010, 14:26:27
Thank you Jeremy, Gordon, flatcat, Elric, Annie, Gepetto, & Richard for your positive comments regarding this project! I truly appreciate your alls support  ;D!
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: SubaruWolf on February 07, 2010, 18:13:17
Your underwater photos are great, Bill!  It makes me remember all the fun I had with my toys when I was little.  I'd frequently fill up a sink with water and toss a bunch of toys in though water did inevitable end up going all over the place and that activity was somewhat frowned upon.

I think there's no better way to enjoy Playmobil's underwater themed sets.  I've always thought it would just be kind of weird playing with them out of water.  ::)
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: Richard on February 07, 2010, 18:39:22


Quote from: SubaruWolf on February 07, 2010, 18:13:17

I'd frequently fill up a sink with water and toss a bunch of toys in ... I think there's no better way to enjoy Playmobil's underwater themed sets.



How BIG is your sink, SubaruWolf? ...  :o

Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: baden-wurttemberg on February 07, 2010, 18:51:27
Great pictures Bill!!  :)9





Baden  :wave:
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: SubaruWolf on February 07, 2010, 20:51:08
Quote from: Richard on February 07, 2010, 18:39:22


How BIG is your sink, SubaruWolf? ...  :o



Haha, not very big at all, Richard.  I didn't have Playmo toys to play with when I was little but had several other small toys and sets of animals that I loved to play with in water.  For a small child with a collection of small toys, an average bathroom sink worked just fine.

Now if I had had several of the Playmobil underwater sets as a child, I would have needed the bathtub to properly play with them!  ;D
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: bonniebeth on February 25, 2011, 18:08:51
I realize this is a very old topic, but I have to ask you, BB.  I kept an aquarium for years, and it's a lot of work, but I LOVED it. Been thinking about getting another one, and I was thinking of decorating it with playmobil. Only thing I was thinking was, doesn't playmobil float? How do you keep the blue rocks and all from floating to the top?
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: Bill Blackhurst on February 25, 2011, 18:18:16
I don't mind at all bb. The divers are self weighted, & I hot glued the plastic rocks to the bottom to prevent floating. You can always modify & hot glue the rock clips to the bottom to remove the rocks in case of a severe algae outbreak leaving the clips still attached to the bottom. When I say modify the clips, they swivel, & if you flatten the round peg portion of the clip by cutting, grinding, etc., it can be attached semi permanent to the bottom.
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: bonniebeth on February 25, 2011, 18:21:11
Hm, that's a good idea, having the clips glued in, so you can take all the rocks out to clean. Do you think hot glue is safe for fish?
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: Bill Blackhurst on February 25, 2011, 18:22:40
Quote from: bonniebeth on February 25, 2011, 18:21:11
Hm, that's a good idea, having the clips glued in, so you can take all the rocks out to clean. Do you think hot glue is safe for fish?

No worse than cured silicone used by factories to seal the glass.
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: bonniebeth on February 25, 2011, 18:26:43
Good point! Now I just need to find room for an aquarium in my over-crowded house! The one I had before was 20-gallon, and I would really like to go bigger. I'd love to have a mini-diorama in there, with scuba divers, shark cage and shark, rocks, coral, diving bell, possibly even a small shipwreck, all playmobil! If we ever do build an outbuilding for our playmobil, which would have to be ACed anyway to keep the plastic from melting in this heat, I could have the aquarium out there. I'd spend a lot of time out there anyway.
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: Bill Blackhurst on February 25, 2011, 18:38:48
One word of caution, you would need to insulate the building, & the AC unit would need to be a least 220 amp service. It costs out the tush to power an uninsulated building, & too hot will kill your fish :o.
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: PrimusPilus on February 25, 2011, 18:40:53
Bill, got any subs? I have the small diving bell (#4478) and the big Trieste/Research Submarine (LOVE it!), and the small Nautila (#3064) is incoming.

My first diver was the modern Deep Diver. In fact, it was the first klicky I bought for myself as an adult, which started this landslide.
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: bonniebeth on February 25, 2011, 18:41:16
Quote from: Bill Blackhurst on February 25, 2011, 18:38:48
One word of caution, you would need to insulate the building, & the AC unit would need to be a least 220 amp service. It costs out the tush to power an uninsulated building, & too hot will kill your fish :o.
Oh, yes, I'm definitely big on insulation. You can't POSSIBLY keep anything remotely cool here without really good insulation. Especially since all the trees we used to have behind our house are now gone and there is no shade.  ::)
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: Bill Blackhurst on February 25, 2011, 19:09:52
Quote from: PrimusPilus on February 25, 2011, 18:40:53
Bill, got any subs? I have the small diving bell (#4478) and the big Trieste/Research Submarine (LOVE it!), and the small Nautila (#3064) is incoming.

My first diver was the modern Deep Diver. In fact, it was the first klicky I bought for myself as an adult, which started this landslide.

Yes, I have 2 4469 Research Ships, 1 4473 large Research Sub, 8 4479 Deep Divers, 1 4500 Shark Cage, but I'm being required to stop from collecting the 4489 whale & 4488 underwater sealife sets due to money restraints :'(! This theme is one I really like. :love:
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: tonguello on February 25, 2011, 19:37:29
Quote from: Bill Blackhurst on February 25, 2011, 19:09:52
Yes, I have 2 4469 Research Ships, 1 4473 large Research Sub, 8 4479 Deep Divers, 1 4500 Shark Cage, but I'm being required to stop from collecting the 4489 whale & 4488 underwater sealife sets due to money restraints :'(! This theme is one I really like. :love:

Me too! Im only missing the big ship   :(
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: Bill Blackhurst on February 25, 2011, 22:25:43
The big ship is awesome! With the microscope, test tubes, rear crane, & female captain, it's great! :love:
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: Wolf Knight on February 25, 2011, 22:28:42
Quote from: Bill Blackhurst on February 25, 2011, 22:25:43
The big ship is awesome! With the microscope, test tubes, rear crane, & female captain, it's great! :love:

I finally managed to get one!!! Its a really great set!!! Plus the female captain...  :love:
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: bonniebeth on February 25, 2011, 22:29:21
I think i may have to give in and go for this one, too, along with the diving bell!  :love: They have the diving bell at my TRU, and I may get it soon. It's a pretty cool theme, and even though I never intended to collect it, I've ended up with every set except these two!
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: Bill Blackhurst on February 25, 2011, 22:39:45
Lucky bum! :lol:
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: bonniebeth on February 25, 2011, 22:40:56
 ;D
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: Tiermann on February 26, 2011, 00:43:42
Quote from: Bill Blackhurst on February 25, 2011, 19:09:52
Yes, I have 2 4469 Research Ships, 1 4473 large Research Sub, 8 4479 Deep Divers, 1 4500 Shark Cage, but I'm being required to stop from collecting the 4489 whale & 4488 underwater sealife sets due to money restraints :'(! This theme is one I really like. :love:

Playmobilusa.com has both of these 25% off right now...
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: Bill Blackhurst on February 26, 2011, 01:01:27
Quote from: Tiermann on February 26, 2011, 00:43:42
Playmobilusa.com has both of these 25% off right now...

Oh, the temptation! But right now, they're not in the budget! :(
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: PrimusPilus on February 26, 2011, 03:04:51
Quote from: Bill Blackhurst on February 25, 2011, 19:09:52
Yes, I have 2 4469 Research Ships, 1 4473 large Research Sub, 8 4479 Deep Divers, 1 4500 Shark Cage, but I'm being required to stop from collecting the 4489 whale & 4488 underwater sealife sets due to money restraints :'(! This theme is one I really like. :love:

Looks like there are a lot of themes that you really like  :loco:.
I also have the Research Ship inbound - I couldn't leave my underwater craft without somebody looking after them topside, could I? And of the other sets I just don't have the 4500 shark cage.
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: Bill Blackhurst on February 26, 2011, 03:07:49
Quote from: PrimusPilus on February 26, 2011, 03:04:51
Looks like there are a lot of themes that you really like  :loco:.
I also have the Research Ship inbound - I couldn't leave my underwater craft without somebody looking after them topside, could I? And of the other sets I just don't have the 4500 shark cage.

You gotta get the shark cage! It's awesome!
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: bonniebeth on February 26, 2011, 03:11:10
Yep! The shark cage is awesome!!! It's one of the first sets I bought when I got back to collecting as an adult!
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: BlackPearl2006 on February 26, 2011, 07:37:27
Quote from: SubaruWolf on February 07, 2010, 18:13:17
Your underwater photos are great, Bill!  It makes me remember all the fun I had with my toys when I was little.  I'd frequently fill up a sink with water and toss a bunch of toys in though water did inevitable end up going all over the place and that activity was somewhat frowned upon.

I think there's no better way to enjoy Playmobil's underwater themed sets.  I've always thought it would just be kind of weird playing with them out of water.  ::)

I used to fill ziplock bags with water and put my favourite action figures in there and freeze them in the freezer, then pretend they were long lost people frozen in block of ice...then have fun thawing them and releasing them from their icy tombs!
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: PrimusPilus on February 26, 2011, 13:01:33
You know what turned me off from the shark cage? The absence of fins for the diver. I know that inside a cage he won't need fins, but I thought that he wouldn't stay forever inside the cage and he would want to swim around, so he needed fins  :-[.
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: bonniebeth on February 26, 2011, 13:40:29
I don't think anyone gets out of a shark cage and swims around in the shark-infested waters! You go straight from the cage back to the boat. Hopefully. ;)
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: Bill Blackhurst on February 26, 2011, 14:09:27
Quote from: PrimusPilus on February 26, 2011, 13:01:33
You know what turned me off from the shark cage? The absence of fins for the diver. I know that inside a cage he won't need fins, but I thought that he wouldn't stay forever inside the cage and he would want to swim around, so he needed fins  :-[.

Plus there's always great ole, PlaymoDB & Playmobil DS to get a pair of fins! :)9
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: PrimusPilus on February 26, 2011, 19:44:25
Quote from: Bill Blackhurst on February 26, 2011, 14:09:27
Plus there's always great ole, PlaymoDB & Playmobil DS to get a pair of fins! :)9

For me it's not that easy.
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: Bill Blackhurst on February 26, 2011, 22:37:54
Quote from: PrimusPilus on February 26, 2011, 19:44:25
For me it's not that easy.

I'll tell you what, you get the shark cage, & I'll help you get a pair of fins. You pick several colors from PlaymoDB & we'll find out what colors are available from USA DS & I'll send a pair to you! The reason you have several colors in a range from the most wanted to the least wanted is in case they don't have all colors available, we can still secure 1 color.
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: PrimusPilus on February 26, 2011, 23:02:39
Cool (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v321/luwerner/gif/thumbs-up.gif)!
I have the Research Ship inbound, and after it arrives (and my cc cools down :-\) I'll go after the cage.
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: Bill Blackhurst on February 26, 2011, 23:20:15
Quote from: PrimusPilus on February 26, 2011, 23:02:39
Cool (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v321/luwerner/gif/thumbs-up.gif)!
I have the Research Ship inbound, and after it arrives (and my cc cools down :-\) I'll go after the cage.

OK,...btw what's cc, credit card? ???
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: PrimusPilus on February 26, 2011, 23:33:39
Yeah, my bane... :(
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: bonniebeth on February 27, 2011, 00:01:19
Playmobil is very hard on the ol' credit card.  :( I try not to ever charge playmobil, but sometimes, I just can't resist.  ;D
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: PrimusPilus on February 27, 2011, 00:54:18
When you're buying online you just can't use anything else but a cc. Besides the prices always being better, you'll never have the diversity of what you can find online in a brick & mortar store. I honestly prefer to buy the "old fashion" way, but it's just not possible any more.
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: bonniebeth on February 27, 2011, 01:16:39
Even when I buy online, I usually use a debit card. So it's coming out of money I actually have, instead of charging it. Usually. I definitely have charged plenty of playmobil, especially when I see a great price I can't pass up on ebay and i don't have the money for it, but I'm trying not to now.
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: PrimusPilus on February 27, 2011, 01:31:03
I also prefer to use a debt card, but for international payments I'm confined to using a cc.
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: bonniebeth on February 27, 2011, 02:07:50
Yeah, I guess that's true; if it's international, you can't use debit. I don't ever buy internationally, really, so I'm not used to that!

oops, we're off topic. Sorry.  :-[
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: PrimusPilus on February 27, 2011, 03:42:27
Back on track:

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v321/luwerner/Playmobil/ocean01.jpg)
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: bonniebeth on February 27, 2011, 04:05:34
 :love: :love: :love: I SO want to set up an aquarium!
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: PrimusPilus on February 27, 2011, 04:29:44
If I were you I would do it without the water ("dry aquarium"). I know that it looks cooler with water, and you can add bubbles, but you will have to keep the water free from algae, so a water filter is mandatory. If you don't get a water filter every week you would have to change the water - too much hassle IMO.
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: bonniebeth on February 27, 2011, 04:45:49
That is a good idea, but I don't think my fish would live very long without water.  :P I want to have a working aquarium with live fish in it along with the playmobil. I kept up an aquarium for years, and it's a LOT of work, all the algae can be aggravating, plus changing filters, siphoning the gravel, partial water changes, water treatments, trying to keep the temperature just right, but I still love it!  :love:

However that is a good idea and I may set up a dry aquarium for a while if I have trouble finding time for a real aquarium. They are time-consuming, and I'm a lot busier than I was last time I had one, when I was a teenager.
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: PrimusPilus on February 27, 2011, 14:01:01
Oh, sorry, I thought you were talking about making just a diorama. But if you are going to have an actual aquarium with live fish and all, then you HAVE to put PM divers in there! And get the diving bell, it's not too big and looks awesome next to the deep diver.
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: bonniebeth on February 27, 2011, 14:55:31
 :yup: I agree! It would look great in there!
Title: Re: Deep divers in an aquarium.
Post by: rms008 on August 29, 2011, 05:45:32
amazing idea