# New BG for my tank



## R-DUB (Jun 3, 2007)

This is my newest BG. Just starting. Want to cover my lift tubes.

















Hoping to make that thing on the left look like a tree. Hope I can make it look better. Input always wanted.


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## b3w4r3 (Dec 14, 2012)

That's pretty impressive, looks like a tree to me. I think with the right coloring it will be fine.


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## R-DUB (Jun 3, 2007)

I did some more work to the BG. Think it does look better.























































Any input would be greatly appreciated. Please critique!


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## metricliman (Sep 3, 2012)

I like the vine look. What did you put on the BG?


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## ratbones86 (Jun 29, 2012)

looks good but when you start adding color if your even going to id make the trunk looks brown and add some highlights to the truck and to some of the rocks to give it a more 3d looks, other than that, looks good!


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## R-DUB (Jun 3, 2007)

I covered the BG in Drylok. I am going to color the tree and rocks a brown color. That is just the first coat. I like to cover with a darker color just to easily see the white of the styro. Will coat in black next. Thanx for the comments!


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## metricliman (Sep 3, 2012)

They have blue drylok?


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## R-DUB (Jun 3, 2007)

Actually it is grey. I have Lowes tint it for me. The light/phone and multiple file transfers prolly distort the color.

Here is the BG with a coat of black.










hope that it looks black.


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## R-DUB (Jun 3, 2007)

Finally got some work done on my BG see what ya think?





































Any critique would be appreciated thank you!


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## metricliman (Sep 3, 2012)

The pics don't work.


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## ratbones86 (Jun 29, 2012)

FIX THE PICS! lol


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## Frazee86 (Aug 1, 2010)

I like the tree stump part and over all very nice looking


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## badspellar (Oct 14, 2009)

+1 on the tree stump. It looks realistic and has nice details. Good proportions too.


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## metricliman (Sep 3, 2012)

Now I see them. Looks awesome!


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## ratbones86 (Jun 29, 2012)

yeah i see them now also. Looks pretty good. Can't wait to see it in the tank set up


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## Floridagirl (Jan 10, 2008)

You have lots of intricate detail. My only criticism is that I'd like to see a different color on the tree trunk.


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## R-DUB (Jun 3, 2007)

Thanks for the critiques. I kinda thought the same thing . Seems to be kinda uniform in color. Kinda late to change I siliconed it in yesterday. Well with my last few BG's the color will not matter much once the algae starts to grow. Thanks again


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## ratbones86 (Jun 29, 2012)

pics...


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## R-DUB (Jun 3, 2007)

Here is the final BG siliconed to the tank. With the UGF in place.




























May have to do some modification to the tree trunk and the rock area surrounding the right side. I think the BG is to tall I need room for the UGF lift tubes to "dump" their water outside the BG and into the tank itself.


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## R-DUB (Jun 3, 2007)

The right side will hold a lift tube,intake for a HOB filter, and a heater. The left will hold a lift tube only. I have a 75 gal : thinking of doing the same thing, but have "trunks" on both sides. Rocks in the middle. Or maybe have pylons like they are holding a dock or something. Maybe have "metal" banding or straps holding them together??? Oh well just a thought. Thanks in advance for the critiques.


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## badspellar (Oct 14, 2009)

It looks even better in place. I missed that the trunk was a hollow log. How very clever of you. Replicating a dock sounds fun. I've seen a tank at a college which replicates an offshore drilling rig foundation. It has real rusty broken pipes etc. Per the sign, fish love the drilling rigs. Why not a dock.


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## R-DUB (Jun 3, 2007)

Did some modifications to the BG. I added a "vent" to the right side to allow water to flow out of the UGF and out of the "tower".










Added an extra rock formation to hide the new vent.



















Then gave the tree a third coat of Drylok with a little more red. Hopefully this defines it a little more from the rocks.


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## Frazee86 (Aug 1, 2010)

Looking good stump came together nicely and I think the red helped out a lot


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## Floridagirl (Jan 10, 2008)

Yes. Like it!


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## R-DUB (Jun 3, 2007)

Thanks.... its a real pita to try and paint after it is already in the tank. Should not have gotten ahead of myself. DUH! Will have pics with the heater.UGF tubes and HOB intake soon enough. Then I will have another tank!! Would do you think black or tan gravel?? Thanx again


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## ratbones86 (Jun 29, 2012)

go with black for the contrast. the tan would be to much brown. lookin good.


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## R-DUB (Jun 3, 2007)

I think I agree was leaning that way. Only thing is the last black gravel I got from Petco started to "chip" revealing white and tan underneath. Like they epoxied over natural rock and the epoxy failed. Its a real disappointment to get a crappy product from an actual pet store. Will work on it tonight get pics tomorrow.


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## ratbones86 (Jun 29, 2012)

boy you have one long day...lol been tomorrow a few times since then lol


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## R-DUB (Jun 3, 2007)

Ok here it is. This is all done. I got the UGF lift tubes to fit (with a little modifications).

This is left inside the trunk. Made some "holes" on the lift tube cap and in the trunk to let water flow.










This is right side with all the stuff crammed in there. Heater HOB and UGF


















That should do it other than gravel! LOL


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## ratbones86 (Jun 29, 2012)

lookin good cant wait to see it running!


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## R-DUB (Jun 3, 2007)

Well here is the finished product. All systems GO! Seems to circulate really well.





































Hope you guys like the final product. Will post more pics when I put some fry in there. The next project will be a 75 gal. Still thinking pylons/dock/piers?? 
let me know what you think of this project!


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## R-DUB (Jun 3, 2007)

Also I have another 10 gal that is a "CRAB" tank. Will post pics soon. Has a HOB filter but is only half filled with water wait till you see how I got the water to feed into the HOB filter! Pretty ingenious even if I say so myself. The tank half filled gives the crabs some "dry land" above the waterline yet have an aquatic area below. The best of both worlds.


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## metricliman (Sep 3, 2012)

Looks good but I'd add a plant directly to the left of the trunk.


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## Floridagirl (Jan 10, 2008)

Very nice. Congratulations on the completed tank!


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## ratbones86 (Jun 29, 2012)

looks great man!!! Congrats on your new edition. Cant wait o see your75g build.


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## badspellar (Oct 14, 2009)

The trunk is still my favorite part. Very nice completed project.


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## R-DUB (Jun 3, 2007)

Thank you guys/gals for compliments. The crab tank will be next. I built it and didnt post pics. Now the crabs have dug a "hole" in the BG. When this ten cycles I will do some moving so I can fix the damage. It even has a waterfall. Id like to post a video does anyone know how?? Some hint would be great, not really tech savvy. Posting pics is a real accomplishment for me. Thanks again.


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## ratbones86 (Jun 29, 2012)

Upload your video to photobucket and there will be the same link as for pictures for the video. in the 10g though i would add a few more plants to give it a more naturalistic feel to it. something also what i would do, and this is me persionally, i would take some small fake plants and take them of their base and stick in the wholes in the trunk that are sticking out in the branches to make it look like the tree is growing leaves. Or you could do some hanging plants from it to also add some more cover for the fish.


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## bluejack23 (Jan 23, 2012)

I wish I had the time for this. it looks awesome!


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## R-DUB (Jun 3, 2007)

Thanks for the compliments. Thanks for the tips on posting vids Ill give it a try when the time comes.


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## norden (Nov 18, 2010)

what paint did you use?


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## ceeloTANKS (Jun 4, 2013)

The BG looks great! The only thing I would change is the plants, they seem to bright... Would you put in real plants?


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## R-DUB (Jun 3, 2007)

Slight problem the tank runs an undergravel system. Was kinda the reason for BG was to hide those awful tubes. The lighting and my photos skills didnt help. LOL. The tank doesnt look quite so brite in real life, Thanks for the compliments much appreciated.


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## Julie0811 (Jan 4, 2016)

Looks awesome - how did you do the tree trunk? I had apparently missed that section. Thanks


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