small little tiny tank setup

[andythology]

I have this little tank measured 15" x 7" x 7". Is shallow. I have questions here:
1. How to make a tall background in this 7" height tank?
2. What kind of filtration for a paludarium? I have a DIY canister filter thou. But a undergravel filter would be nice?
3. This tank will not house any froggie or anything else, but just plants and fishes. My fiancee freak out.

Appreciate for the input.

[Tindomul1of9]

Welcome to the board!

There are many ways of making a background. You can simply glue cork bark, tree fern fiber, or even use expanding foam on to the back glass.
All these backgrounds will work well with epiphytic plants.

A zoomed 501 external canister filter would do the work of filtering your water well. This sounds like a 5 gallon tank, so I don't think you will have too much water.
I've never worked with undergravel filters so I can't help you there.

[andythology]

thanks for the reply. and thanks for the welcome.

you see, i have this tank with only 7" in height, kinda, short huh. I want to extend the background, out of the tank. say, maybe 20"?

I am just too new into building a paludarium, i do not even understand what is 'expanding foam', cork bark. mind to show me photos? I may guess a tree fern fibre thou (a dried coconut alike?)

[Tindomul1of9]

Tree fern fiber is similar to dried coconut.
Expanding foam is used to make backgrounds. Its stand up to water, is light weight, and you can stick dried coconut fiber to it with silicone.
If you read through this thread it will help you out a bit more.
About to build my First Vertical tanks! Update on page 2

Here is a link to an online store that sells cork bark. YOu can attach this stuff to the backglass of your tank with silicone, or you can attach it to the expanding foam.
http://www.blackjungle.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?

This same website has a good explanation on how to make a background, and they use expanding foam also.
http://www.blackjungle.com/gallery/talltank/page1.html

There are basically two types of expanding foam that I know of that are used in the hobby. Great Stuff, which yellowish in color. And Handi Foam which is black/grey in color. You will get different opinions as to which is better. I have only used Handi Foam simply becuase I wanted my foam to be dark in color.

It would be possible to extend the background out of the tank. I suppose you would need to use a frame to support what ever it is you want to use as a background. I myself would just go out and a bigger tank, since I don't think it is worth it.
I think that light crates (egg crates) that they sell at Home Depot would help you build that frame.
Here is a link to the egg crates Im talking about:
http://www.dendroboard.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=18135

Hope this helped!

[andythology]

what i saw in handifoam website, the foam looks exactly like Great Stuff. Can't see any photos showing is dark/grey color. hm...

[Tindomul1of9]

Thats Handi Foam, black greyish in color. Great Stuff is yellow.