# Backgrounds and filter effectiveness



## joevc1 (Dec 17, 2007)

I'm moving at the end of the year and starting to plan my display tank. It will be a 125g and I'd like to put in a nice background to hide all the equipment.

Currently I have a 125g without a background and my filters don't always pick up all the debris. It seems that stuff floats by the intakes unless it gets very close. I have an FX5, Eheim 2217 and an AC100. The Eheim seems to be the worst as far as catching floating debris. Now if I put them behind a background I'm afraid they will be less effective at cleaning the tank.

So I ask, those of you that have backgrounds installed, do you see a difference in the effectiveness of your filters? And if so how do you deal with it?


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

I have a 220G tank that I built a background for and installed it at least 1-1/2" from the back pane of glass. I used small pieces of egg crate, approx. 4" long x 2"H, and installed 4 of them equally spaced along the bottom of the background so I would have good 'draw' for the filters. I have 2 large Eheim canister filters and 2 AC110 power filters, the intakes are all located behind the background and they perform flawlessly. No debris visible in the tank. I used 1 Hydor inline heater on one of the canister filters.

Now having giving a glowing review, I will never do it again! It is impossible to reach anything that falls behind the background, any fish that get back there cannot be retrieved and it takes up space from the main tank that could be utilized by the fish.

When I made the background for my 125G tank, I made the background shorter in length to allow me to place the 2 canister filter intakes on either end of the tank. I much prefer this method. Painting the intakes black or the same color as the background makes them less visible and they are hardly noticeable. I also notched out the top of the background to permit installation of the filter outputs. This design works just as well as the one on the 220G tank. No fish get behind the background and all equipment is able to be reached easily for maintenance.

Hope this helps.


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## hose91 (Mar 5, 2014)

Dee, you make some excellent points, but can you clarify on your 125G? Is there space and water behind your background? I understand that you have room on the ends for the intakes, and I'm thinking you have the return from the filters coming over the top of the background and into the main tank? Does the area behind your background get stagnant? Do you have a quick pic of your setup with the BG?


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

Currently, my 125G tank is down due to a leak.

My background just sat flush up against the back pane of glass and was held in place by a bead of silicone sealant across the top of the background. The background was heavy since it was made with cement and rocks and formed into 3 flat back panels to install it in the tank.

I know that water was able to get behind the background since it wasn't sealed on the sides or bottom but I never noticed any stagnant water issues. When I took the tank down and removed the background, I didn't notice any blackish gunk or dead fish that had become trapped behind it.

I don't have any pics of the background before I installed it but I'm sure I started a post on the tank. I'll see if I can find it.

Found the link Here


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## hose91 (Mar 5, 2014)

Very nicely done, I'd not seen that thread before. I love the door design on the stand, very clever! The filter returns were about as I pictured them, and it's good to know there was minimal gunk behind the background. Good info for the OP as well on where to place the intakes. I have his same complaint about the 2217 not seeming to have as big of a "suck radius" as I'd expect. I wonder if it has to do with the fact that the suction is pretty much a siphon since the pump head sits at the top of the filter? I have zero issues with the velocity out of the spray bars.

Sorry to hear about the leak. That was a great thread with pictures and the final tank was spectacular, hope you get it back up soon. Thanks again for the link.

Joe, sorry to hijack. In my unscientific research though, it seemed like it was a 60/40 split between intakes in front/behind a 3D background. There were lots of threads on drilling holes and ensuring flow, and generally people were happy either way. In some cases, the water behind the bg would be sort of "sump like" in that your heater goes back there, and if you're adding buffers, that's a great place to put them instead of the main tank. Mine is currently like yours, without background, but I'm really itching for a universal rocks "crevice" or something similar, so hopefully some more of the experience folk will chime in with their thoughts!


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

I installed an AquaTerra BG in a 6x2 tank. I ran 2 FX5s for filtration. Five 1.5" return holes in various, inconspicuous locations. I split each return into two 1/2" lines and ran them out the top separated equally along the length of the BG. I placed two Hydor circ pumps that ran about 1400 GPH behind the BG as well to help with circulation. Flow, surface agitation was good, but not great.

Unfortunately, the BG showed up almost an inch shorter than advertised. I used a section of styrofoam about 5/8" thick and cut to size to boost the BG up. Siliconed everything in place. Over time, the silicone gave way in a certain section. I filled with sections of sponge. But it eventually gave way in another area. It did not adhere well to the foam. I wish I would have done as Dee did with the egg rate. I could have drilled several holes in the bottom of the BG, ran plastic inserts through and zip tied it to the crate. Then siliconed underneath and the edges. I eventually gave up on it. Still have it, and plan to use it someday. Maybe for fish. Maybe for some lizards. I don't know...

As Dee said, servicing anything behind is a huge pain. I have a real thick 3D style, and wouldn't recommend it unless you have at least 2' of depth to work with. In a 125, a slimline design is your best bet.

I never made a build thread or anything, but I do have a picture. This is the tank in its hayday...

IMG_0850 by AJK Aquaria, on Flickr
Filtration was turned off for the photo.

Here's an article that may help-
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/install_3d_bg_pt1.php
The acrylic paints did not work for me.


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## joevc1 (Dec 17, 2007)

Thanks all,
This is a rough layout of what I'd like to do. The top half of the photo is a birds-eye view of the tank. The brown line simulates the top shape of the background and the gray is the tank frame. 
The AC110 will be placed where it will pull from a cutout on the edge and return over the top.
FX5 will have a cut out on the side of that big bump-out and return at the top right. 
Eheim will poke thru somewhere on the right side or at the far right side and return thru a spraybar over the top of the background.
Heater somewhere near the intake to circulate heat and a powerhead connected to a long hose that pokes thru that cave to help with circulation behind background.


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## hose91 (Mar 5, 2014)

Love that background! The overhangs and color are exactly what I'd go for as well. Awesome. Looks like a great plan. Don't forget you'll have substrate down when you go to place your bottom holes for the intake flow. Keep updating, because I'd love to see you put this together.


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## JimA (Nov 7, 2009)

I have done a few tanks with basically the same background, I also use cut up psc of background for different looks vs a complete background silicone in. It can be a pain sometimes but I can also remove the psc for cleaning or catching fish. Something you might consider as you can buy modules cheaper than complete backgrounds.

2 maybe 3 years ago 165 gallon bowfront



About a year ago 240 gallon 8ft



A few months back, same tank



Current set up Same tank with the background flipped upside down like in the first picture

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Anyway you get the idea, sky is the limit with your imagination.. And a few dollars :wink:


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