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I'm really tempted to setup a tank with a big rock, some smaller matching ones that look like they sticking out of the grass so to speak. My only hold up is the heater and filter tubes that will show if I don't have anything tall.

Any ideas. I could get an inline heater, but I didn't want to buy a predrilled tank?

My Scapes

You could possibly make a back ground made out of styrofoam that you could hide the tubes and heater behind. You could make it to fit in with the other rocks so as not to be too conspicuous.

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Water, taken in moderation, cannot hurt anybody. -- Mark Twain

Oldtimer,

That's a really good idea. Styrofoam or even a piece of glass that would fit right into the tank and have it painted black or something.

My Scapes

Inspiration tanks:

Maltese Rock Pool

Breezy Hill

As soon as I read your post, I was reminded of these tanks from the AGA contest... Perhaps they might serve as ideas for your tank.

Last edited by Kitten at 06-May-2005 20:09

~Meow. Thus spoke the cat.~

Thanks Kitten, that's close to what I was thinking. These tanks really good in pics because filtration has been removed (or eliminated). I guess you could do that with a really small tank and frequent water changes.

My Scapes

Firstly remember the tanks you see in the AGA contest usually have the equipment taken out before photographed.

I really like that look but it can be quite difficult to pull off.

As for the equipment there are a few options. You could, with the right fish, not use a heater. With a school of something like WCMM's or Killiefish who can take cooler water , it's an option. For that matter no filter is an option too if the tank is lightly stocked

Another option is the type of tank. I don't know if you can still get them in the west but the "old fashion" type of tank are still very common here. I don't what they're called but the ones with the overflow system of filtration, the tank has a seperate section built in either at the side or behind, which is divided into 3 subsections - water flows into one from a bottom hole overflows into the middle where the media is stored, and then into the third which houses the pump to pump the filtered water back into the main tank. If theses sections are built into the rear it can be be all hidden by a black background in the main tank. If the outlet from the pump is also black it can be almost invisible.

The simplest option is no heater, black background, black HOB filter where only the intake is in the water- equipment is minimal and hard to see, a slightly taller thin plant just in front of the intake (something like Subulata) can hide this further.

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Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.

Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.

bensaf, have you seen the Hydor inline heaters. They connect between two pieces of tubing on the return of any canister filter. This would eliminate the heater in the tank. with a black intake tube with a black background I guess you wouldn't see much.


My Scapes

Tetra, what size is the tank? I know All-Glass makes the overflow tanks that Old Timer mentioned, but if you don't want to buy a new tank, you may try a wet/dry filter.

http://www.futurepets.com/Filterwd.htm

I have one for my 55g, although it's not planted, but it uses no carbon (bonus for ferts) unless you add it yourself, and the only thing you see inside the tank is the clear skimmer box. My heater is inside the filter box which hides in the cabinet. This would be more of a pricey solution.

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Try a fully submersible heater that can hide at the bottom of the tank. The only thing you'd have to worry about would be hiding the cord if you placed it right. You can find them at most LFS' for under $30 depending on the size and wattage you need. You's just need to get the back plants high enough to cover the width of the heater... normally about an inch.

Last edited by harleysiber at 07-May-2005 11:50

The tank is a 46, bowfront, but I'm thinking of moving up to a 72gallon. Actually Hydor makes an inline heater for about $40 that you attach between two pieces of uptake tubing from a canister filter. I would like to continue to use by Eheim Ecco for this tank, so if I do get an overflow I think I can still use it with the proper fittings.

By the way here's a link to the heater I'm talking about.

http://www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/product.xml?product_id=32334;category_id=2259



My Scapes

Tetra,

I've no experience of the in-line heaters. I would imagine them to be more efficient and stable then an in tank heater.

Just one note about the tank size. Most of the tanks employing the aquascape technique you are considering are much smaller. It's easier to employ the rock and ground cover look in a smaller tank, but much more difficult to achieve and keep interesting looking in a bigger tank. It can be done, but will require bigger and more striking rocks in a large tank.

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Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.

Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.

Good point Bensaf.

Reason for my rock interest by the way is to achieve a look of a large school of small tetras in a more simple setting. Although I have a large school of cardinals (20) they seem to getting broken up alot from all the plants etc.

I think a tank with a few big rocks with maybe a little green on a lower lever will make a large school look beautiful as you have seen in the Amano-based tanks.



My Scapes