Aquaterra backgrounds and filtration.

[Tigs]

Hi there, I'm debating setting up and aquarium with the aquaterra backgrounds and

using the space behind it for my filtration. Does anyone have experience with this

setup? I'm wondering how effective the filtration is compared to a hob or cannister

and how easy it is to maintain & clean etc.

thanks,

Antonio (Tigs)

[jvision]

Search some of the old posts by Patrick - he's the Fins N Gills owner. He's posted quite a few threads on how he set up tanks w. the AquaTerra BGs.

[Tigs]

Search some of the old posts by Patrick - he's the Fins N Gills owner. He's posted quite a few threads on how he set up tanks w. the AquaTerra BGs.

Will do thanks. I checked out the web site & instructions on how it's done. I'm more after

info on working setups and if it's a hassle or worthwhile

Antonio (Tigs)

[angel al]

Hi there, I'm debating setting up and aquarium with the aquaterra backgrounds and

using the space behind it for my filtration. Does anyone have experience with this

setup? I'm wondering how effective the filtration is compared to a hob or cannister

and how easy it is to maintain & clean etc.

thanks,

Antonio (Tigs)

Actually I just built one a couple of months ago.I used the Amazon Tree on a 120 gallon that measured 48"x24"x24" & I installed a wet\dry filter in behind it. I lost 6" off the back of the tank. I built 2 side pieces out of Styrofoam SM help support the pressure from the front, I also made 2 supports with the Sm that I placed 8" from each end.The middle supports were cut 7" shorter than the sides & elevated 7" from the tank floor,the middle supports formed the filter box but allowed water flow for the sump.I then siliconed supports to the back off the background. Once it dried I slid it into the tank to make sure that it fit. When I was satisfied, I then siliconed supports to the side of the filter box, the back of the background,& the back of the tank.This supported the egg crate that holds the filter media in the filter box.I used 1 layer of course filter media, a bunch of pot scrubbers, another layer of egg crate, coarse filter media & then a layer of fine filter media.I built from the bottom up.I cut a 1" x 20" strip at the top center of filter box for the filter inlet. I placed a pump in each back corner & built a manifold for each with 2 returns each. I drilled 4, 5/8" holes in the background. I placed 1/2" plastic fittings in each hole & siliconed them in. Once everything was dry fit into place & I once knew every thing fit into place I siliconed the background into place. After it had properly cured I put the pumps, return manifold, egg crate & filter media back in.The big advantage to this filter is that you don't see any of your utilities.If you look really hard you can see where the water is leaving from but not where it's coming back in.The inlet to the filter is only under about a 1/2" of water so in the event of a power outage you only drop a 1/2" of water level if you install a check valve on the returns like I did, because the filter is in the tank it will never flood your house.The sumps normal operating level is 7". This filter has been running 2 months & I have never had clearer, cleaner water. As a testament to this I picked up 2 red mellon discus 10 days ago from Source Aquatics & they spawned last night. These backgrounds are worth every penny & the filter with the background included cost me less than $300. That's been my expierience with these backgounds & filtration, Very sorry to be so long winded.

[JLake]

Can you use standard filtration with these backgrounds? Say a few aquaclears or fx5. How do you make everything fit with these backgrounds being so thick?

[jvision]

Can you use standard filtration with these backgrounds? Say a few aquaclears or fx5. How do you make everything fit with these backgrounds being so thick?

Yes you can - do a search under Patrick's topics and you'll see how he's done it.

[Ishkabod]

The background from what i've seen is only about 1 inch thick the rest of the space is hollow and allows for allot of room to hide heaters, hoses, or foam filter media. One thing i've read about being done was filling the back of the background with 1 inch squares of foam and then stringing them together useing fishing line so they can all be removed and cleaned easily. If you had it set up right you could easily use the space behind the background for all the filtration needed for the tank.

Good luck and personally if i had the money i'd have a Aquaterra background allready installed.

Have fun

L

P.S.

Gills'n Finns is a sponcer and Aqua terra Dealer so you can contact Patrick semi-Locally for information and any questions you may have.