Waterfall In Tank?

[jellychris]

Hi, I was considering creating my own 3d aquarium background from polystyrene and then covered in pond cement, I've seen it done on the internet and I thought, 'If I can make it however I want why don't I make it amazing?'. I thought about creating a waterfall in the tank from water being pumped from a lower resevoir to a higher resevoir by my sponge filter and then the water could fall down back into the lower resevoir.
 
Any tips, advice, questions would be greatfully recieved.
Thanks, Chris

 

[Stimo]

these look great
http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1i4ebe5UyY

done using sand

 

[DrRob]

Tip/advice, you need a big tank, unless the waterfall is the whole thing, in which case it'll end up more of a riparium than anything else. To get the fall you either need length or height, and generally what we have access to is height, but of course then having a sensible volume of water underneath requires a properly deep tank.
 
Beyond that, consider the splash effect I've lost a good inch of water from a tank in a day because the filter spray bar slipped slight, it was still spraying entirely into the tank but the splash effect was gently throwing water out, so you'll need somewhere for the splash to go.
 
Final point is, don't put it anywhere where people will mind background noise, or the constant need to go to the toilet.
 
Beyond that, the ones I've seen have all been spectacular, so I hope I haven't put you off too much.

 

[ech0o]

these look great
http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1i4ebe5UyY

done using sand

 
 
Yea those sand ones are great.   THe problem with water cascading from far heights is of course the splash that was mentioned.   It wont be long before that tank is noticeablly emptying from splashes.   You could do a multilevel cascade at an angle, so that the water is never actually smashing straight down onto rocks or more water, but flowing in kind a stream down several levels and then smoothly into the tank so as to relieve any far falling.  

 

[jellychris]

Thanks for the advice, it seems that a waterfall may not be the best idea, I like the sound of the multilevel cascading water but I'm not sure if a tiny tank like mine will be big enough for it.
I would do it in my bigger tank but I'm already happy with the aquascape in there so I'll leave it be.
Thanks all.