hey thanks low_rdr for lookin and for the tips!!! gotsta love anything that helps guide a noob along. paint on latex huh? sounds more like a sex shop item than hardware lmao. i've seen the neoprene stuff posted here n there and on online shops.

other than having bought the pump last week at the local B&M hydro, all the materials i had kickin about. not happy with the sponges, was searchin for something better like memory foam, but alas those were all we had about. also they are only about 1 inch thisk so not a huge amount of support. but if they work for this batch of clones i will gladly chuck em afterwards. they were sittin inna cupboard new in pkg still cuz we hate em.

have lots of r-maid tubs around as well, so if i get something different it is no big deal to cut a new lid for different shapes or sizes.

excellent point on the hoses too for tub maintenance. saw that elsewhere, dunno why i didn't incorporate it here tho.

definately will look into a shallower tub in the future too.

thanks again