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Water fall

1504 Views 10 Replies 5 Participants Last post by  Kidder, 
Reding E
I am building another vivarium 18 by 18 by 24 with a water fall.I already built one with the pump in the tank. Now I would like to build one with the pump and filter outside the tank.I need some ideas.
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eyeviper
you could use a small canister filter such as the zoo med turtle filter, you would drill your tank strategically and feed the tubs through or make a bulk head fitting. You could also try I believe its called a rapids canister filter or something. The only dry running water pumps I know are huge for your application and power heads or similar have to be submerged which would cause you more headaches than I assume you want to deal with.
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A
Could always try one of those hang on back fuges that reefers use (used to be one).

For example: Aquarium Refugiums: In-Tank Refugium

The trick that I can't solve for you with that idea is getting the water back up there. Drilling would be helpful. I'm pretty sure pumps that have a plumb-able intake and output exist, but they probably fall in the same category of overkill that eyeviper mentioned. They are really designed more for pond type applications.
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guppygal
We're finishing up a 150 gallon tank and my husband placed the pump outside the tank this time. He used pvc placed vertically behind a cork background with an inflow pipe and an outflow pipe. Inside, the pvc is connected to clear tubing that T's off under a false bottom to two waterfalls. On the outside, he placed the pump in a bucket (just in case) and connected clear tubing from the pvc to the pump's outlet/inlet. The top of the tank is covered by a hood, which also hides the fans and lights. It works like a charm, and it's super quiet. I like that...

This setup works great on a top opening tank.

kristi
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eyeviper
from what I am imagining you made a sump? your just using a bucket right? pretty neat idea, post some pics of this 150 it sounds sweet. for an exo-terra though it might be a bit over kill? i say that now but i had a 10 gallon reef tank with a 10 gallon sump...so who knows
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guppygal
No, it's not a sump. There aren't any drilled holes in the tank. We placed the pump in a bucket in the cabinet where the tank sits just in case it sprang a leak. I don't need 20 gallons of water all over my dining room.

I'll take some pix tonight and post. It's actually a very nice, clean setup, and I'm very pleased. I've added plants and springtails over the past couple of months, so it's almost ready for my frogs. The only thing that's left is the ventilation and I think it just needs to be connected.
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guppygal
7
Okay, here's some pix:

The first pix shows the pvc pipe inside the hood. Within the tank, the pvc pipe goes down the back between the cork background and the glass, making a sharp turn at the bottom toward the water feature (2nd pix) where the outflow pipe T's off to the two pieces of driftwood.

The 3rd pix shows the back of the tank where the clear hose is connected to the pump.

The 4th and 5th pix shows the cabinet where the bucket with the pump is located.

The 5th pix shows the water feature from the inside of the tank, which is made up of two heavy pieces of driftwood. The driftwood on the left has a shallow pond shape that drains into another pond lined with rocks. Try as I may, the pictures don't do it justice (6th). I am very pleased with this setup.

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eyeviper
ingenious, I like it.
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Reding E
Well thanks for all the great ideas. I will start it and post pics of the progress. Thanks again.!!
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guppygal
You are quite welcome.

Now, let's see if you can downsize it to suit your needs.... :)

kristi
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K
Hi,
I’m in the process of building a waterfall (well, actually a lazy creak that will empty into a pond, hopefully) in a 72 gal bow front.

I purchased from eBay a glass hole saw and a bulk head fitting from two different vendors. I decided to cut a hole in the tank mainly because I don’t think a canister filter has enough head pressure to pull a 6 inch level of H2O all the way up to the top of the bow front, then down to my floor and then push it back into the tank. I thought it would be easier to accomplish water movement if the water was actually draining into the filter.

I knew the bottom of the bow front was tempered glass, so I drilled a hole successfully in the back corner. I haven’t had the pleasure of trying to fit the bulkhead fitting to the canister hose yet, but I think a 1 ½ inch hole saw with a ¾ inch bulkhead fitting ( don’t forget a strainer) will work best.

I just finished siliconing stantions (last two words spell check didn't like) to my false bottom egg crate and screening the top of the egg crate. My wife just got finished charging four background bark panels from the local pet store for $72. All of a sudden she’s in big hurry because she heard about the frog fest in Staten Island in May. I just say, OK dear.

GOOD LUCK!
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