Hiding all the filter tubes....

[MamaPish]

I hate seeing all the hardware in an aquarium.....especially the tubes for the undergravel filter......

I just had an idea of using silicone and plastic plants to camouflage them.....

I can always see them even when I put a tall plant right in front of them....just wondering if anyone has tried this, and if so how did it look?

Thanks!

 

[LesGerber]

Mama, I understand completely what you are talking about. For my tubes for the under gravel filtration the only thing I can think of is tall plants. I have got some swords in front of mine but they dont cover them all the way. As far as my air lines I had some of those little suction cups with hooks for my christmas lights and they seem to working fairly good but on my next tank I am going to silicone my airlines into the tank so me and the fish dont move them around. There is nothing more aggrivating than a air line that sticks out in the tank. I will be following this thread in hopes a more seasoned hobbiest has better ideas.

Les

 

[EddieW]

MamaPish,

You can get various ornaments with hollow back to help hide unsigthly tubes, etc. Have a look here for one shop's range - something like the BW300 might be suitable.

Cheers, Eddie

 

[superman]

"...on my next tank I am going to silicone my airlines into the tank so me and the fish dont move them around. "

Les

This is a great idea, something that I think a lot of us may have thought of, but thought of it after the tank was already set up. I've seen tanks where they drilled out a hole in drift wood for UGF tubes to go through, and put Java moss around where the power head stuck out, it really looked great, hardly knew the powerhead was there!

 

[LesGerber]

Thats exactly what happened to me Superman, It was after the fact that I decided to silicone the lines into the tank. But the next tank will be different, I have already told the little lady that we are going to do that.
I have given consideration to going with sand as a substrate to get away from the undergravel but that would open a whole new can of worms for me to have to figure out. I think my plants would like it more but then I would have to upgrade my external filtration to possibly a fluidized bed filter and I am not so sure I want to go to that extreme.
I guess there are going to be somethigns that I wont be able to change or hide in my tank........lol


Les

 

[superman]

Check out the DIY section, I just put up plans for a DIY sump filter, should be pretty cheap. How big of a tank will you be needing to filter?

 

[MamaPish]

I really like all these ideas.....especially the hole drilled into the driftwood....that is cool

The hollowed out faux wood is a neat idea too ,
I think all these ideas put together would make an outstanding aquarium!

I am going out to get some suction cups today!!

Keep the ideas coming.....please..!!

 

[LesGerber]

Right now I am running a 55 gallon tank but down the road when we get out of the apartment we will have more tanks hooked up to it. We are in the process of looking into a 29 or bigger tank for breading chiclids(girlfiends idea...lol) but in this apartment it will have to be on the other side of the room to avoid to much stress on the floor trusses since we are upstairs....lol In the future I plan on have a 125 gallon tank to play with but as I said I will have to wait for that.

Les

 

[Doohic722]

thats one reason I didnt get a UGF.... I hate being able to see the hardware.... I'll have pics of my stuff soon

 

[sgtbirch]

You dont have to upgrade your external filtering if you buy a canister filter for your powerhead. But hten again you have an unsightly canister instead. Also I think a very fine gravel works better than sand. There has been many articles written that underground filter doesnt bring much benefit to a tank and especially not worth the hassle