Disguising equipment (cross-posted)

[SkyCatcher]

Hi,

I don't like seeing equipment in tanks. I usually hide heaters behind pieces
of wood and build rockwork around filter pipes (always ensuring good
circulation though!).

I have just got hold of a tall (5ft!) narrow (2ft) tank that is 5ft long.
Now the problem I have is how to hide the heater cables and filter pipe when
they need to come down from the top of the tank by about 4ft? I don't think
rockwork would be stable enough. Anyone any thoughts? I did make one of
those polystrene backgrounds once but it took a long time and cost a fair
bit in epoxy and still didn't look that real when I had finished so I was
looking for something quite natural for this one.

Thanks for reading this far!

Sky.

[Geezer From The Freezer]

SkyCatcher wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> I don't like seeing equipment in tanks. I usually hide heaters behind pieces
> of wood and build rockwork around filter pipes (always ensuring good
> circulation though!).
>
> I have just got hold of a tall (5ft!) narrow (2ft) tank that is 5ft long.
> Now the problem I have is how to hide the heater cables and filter pipe when
> they need to come down from the top of the tank by about 4ft? I don't think
> rockwork would be stable enough. Anyone any thoughts? I did make one of
> those polystrene backgrounds once but it took a long time and cost a fair
> bit in epoxy and still didn't look that real when I had finished so I was
> looking for something quite natural for this one.
>
> Thanks for reading this far!
>
> Sky.

Not sure, could you use that thick bamboo wood?

[SkyCatcher]

I had thought of that but other feedback from the group said it rotted in a
couple of months so that sort of put me off bamboo!


"Geezer From The Freezer" > wrote in message
...
>
>
> SkyCatcher wrote:
>>
>> Hi,
>>
>> I don't like seeing equipment in tanks. I usually hide heaters behind
>> pieces
>> of wood and build rockwork around filter pipes (always ensuring good
>> circulation though!).
>>
>> I have just got hold of a tall (5ft!) narrow (2ft) tank that is 5ft long.
>> Now the problem I have is how to hide the heater cables and filter pipe
>> when
>> they need to come down from the top of the tank by about 4ft? I don't
>> think
>> rockwork would be stable enough. Anyone any thoughts? I did make one of
>> those polystrene backgrounds once but it took a long time and cost a fair
>> bit in epoxy and still didn't look that real when I had finished so I was
>> looking for something quite natural for this one.
>>
>> Thanks for reading this far!
>>
>> Sky.
>
> Not sure, could you use that thick bamboo wood?

[Angrie.Woman]

"SkyCatcher" > wrote in message
...
>I had thought of that but other feedback from the group said it rotted in a
>couple of months so that sort of put me off bamboo!
>
>
> "Geezer From The Freezer" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>>
>> SkyCatcher wrote:
>>>
>>> Hi,
>>>
>>> I don't like seeing equipment in tanks. I usually hide heaters behind
>>> pieces
>>> of wood and build rockwork around filter pipes (always ensuring good
>>> circulation though!).
>>>
>>> I have just got hold of a tall (5ft!) narrow (2ft) tank that is 5ft
>>> long.
>>> Now the problem I have is how to hide the heater cables and filter pipe
>>> when
>>> they need to come down from the top of the tank by about 4ft? I don't
>>> think
>>> rockwork would be stable enough. Anyone any thoughts? I did make one of
>>> those polystrene backgrounds once but it took a long time and cost a
>>> fair
>>> bit in epoxy and still didn't look that real when I had finished so I
>>> was
>>> looking for something quite natural for this one.

I'm just going to silicone some plastic plants on mine and be done with it.
I wish they'd atleast make the stuff green....

A

[Nikki Casali]

Apparently, polyurethane varnish will make it last much longer.

Nikki

SkyCatcher wrote:

> I had thought of that but other feedback from the group said it rotted in a
> couple of months so that sort of put me off bamboo!
>
>
> "Geezer From The Freezer" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>
>>SkyCatcher wrote:
>>
>>>Hi,
>>>
>>>I don't like seeing equipment in tanks. I usually hide heaters behind
>>>pieces
>>>of wood and build rockwork around filter pipes (always ensuring good
>>>circulation though!).
>>>
>>>I have just got hold of a tall (5ft!) narrow (2ft) tank that is 5ft long.
>>>Now the problem I have is how to hide the heater cables and filter pipe
>>>when
>>>they need to come down from the top of the tank by about 4ft? I don't
>>>think
>>>rockwork would be stable enough. Anyone any thoughts? I did make one of
>>>those polystrene backgrounds once but it took a long time and cost a fair
>>>bit in epoxy and still didn't look that real when I had finished so I was
>>>looking for something quite natural for this one.
>>>
>>>Thanks for reading this far!
>>>
>>>Sky.
>>
>>Not sure, could you use that thick bamboo wood?
>
>
>

[Nikki Casali]

SkyCatcher wrote:
> I have just got hold of a tall (5ft!) narrow (2ft) tank that is 5ft long.

Seriously, 5ft tall? How do you do maintenance on a tank so tall? It's
not like you can reach down and grab something. You'd need scuba diving
equipment. But I still like the sound of it.

Nikki

[[email protected]]

How about only having an intake and return pipe entering/leaving the
tank to service a sump that is elsewhere that you can put the
heaters/etc. in? That's the only answer I can contribute right now.
Good luck, later!

[Pszemol]

"Nikki Casali" > wrote in message ...
> Seriously, 5ft tall? How do you do maintenance on a tank so tall? It's
> not like you can reach down and grab something. You'd need scuba
> diving equipment. But I still like the sound of it.

And I can hardly imagine scuba diving in a 2-feet narrow tank...

[George Pontis]

In article om>,
says...
> How about only having an intake and return pipe entering/leaving the
> tank to service a sump that is elsewhere that you can put the
> heaters/etc. in? That's the only answer I can contribute right now.
> Good luck, later!
>
>

If not a sump, a heater (e.g. Hydor) inline with a canister filter. If you drilled
the bottom of the tank (assuming acrylic) then you could do a pretty good job
diguising the inlet plumbing too.

But wait ... this sounds like a 300 gallon tank. At that size you would normally
need some pretty big filter capacity, like a sump. I don't know if any canister
filters are big enough for the job. Depends a bit on your fish load too.

[NetMax]

"SkyCatcher" > wrote in message
...
> Hi,
>
> I don't like seeing equipment in tanks. I usually hide heaters behind
> pieces of wood and build rockwork around filter pipes (always ensuring
> good circulation though!).
>
> I have just got hold of a tall (5ft!) narrow (2ft) tank that is 5ft
> long.
> Now the problem I have is how to hide the heater cables and filter pipe
> when they need to come down from the top of the tank by about 4ft? I
> don't think
> rockwork would be stable enough. Anyone any thoughts? I did make one of
> those polystrene backgrounds once but it took a long time and cost a
> fair bit in epoxy and still didn't look that real when I had finished
> so I was looking for something quite natural for this one.
>
> Thanks for reading this far!
>
> Sky.


While there are many possible methods, one less-common technique is to
build a face-frame around the tank (like framing a picture). With some
carpentry skills you could make an opening of 5' high by 4'8" wide. The
partially hidden 4" could be entirely on one side (or divide 3-4" per
side), and you run your hoses/wires near the front of the tank, where
they are completely hidden behind the frame.

The other benefit of this technique is that you can mostly remove a
direct view of the inside of the tank sides, which can be very beneficial
on deep tanks which are more difficult to maintain. Another example, the
frame could be shorter than the full 5' viewing depth, hiding most of the
gravel depth (hiding the gunk which collects in between gravel
vacuuming). hth
--
www.NetMax.tk

[[email protected]]

wrote:
> In article om>,
> says...
> If not a sump, a heater (e.g. Hydor) inline with a canister filter. If you drilled
> the bottom of the tank (assuming acrylic) then you could do a pretty good job
> diguising the inlet plumbing too.
> But wait ... this sounds like a 300 gallon tank. At that size you would normally
> need some pretty big filter capacity, like a sump. I don't know if any canister
> filters are big enough for the job. Depends a bit on your fish load too.

Thanks