Is it possible to build a pool and waterfall out of concrete or plaster to mimic a rocky pool in the wild?
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Building a fake waterfall and pool
- Thread starter Gambusia
- Start date
Yes. If it is inside, some people have one wall be glass or acrylic. You would have to have a liner or paint the concrete with water proof sealant.
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Yes, you can do it. I'm not sure plaster would be the best choice though. It may dissolve easily. Concrete would be a better choice, but its very heavy. A glass divider is the most common way that this is done. One side is a pool and the other is filled with sand or a substrate of your choice.
What type of fish do you have in mind? One fish that might be good for your setup is an archer fish if you have an air tight canopy. Archer fish shoot down insects, such as flies by spitting water at them and eating them. They really need a tank with open air so that they can shoot down the insects.
Some other good things to try are freshwater crabs and mudskippers. They both need land and water.
Some people have used silicon glue to hold a peice of glass half the height of the tank as a tank divider to hold substrate on one side and water on the other. It is a good place to start, but doesn't look very natural. It appears as a steep cliff into the water. So you might add some rocks or other items to give the cliff a slope.
One last thing to consider is that you will need a large tank to do this. At most, probably 30-40% of the tank will be filled with water. A 10 gallon wouldn't be a good choice. I would stick to a 55 gallon or larger tank.
You can also look for a commercial kit to do this. I have seen one adverstised at "that fish place" several years ago. It comes with a plastic terrain outline and a water pump. Just a warning though, be prepared to pay for it. I think it was over $60.
What type of fish do you have in mind? One fish that might be good for your setup is an archer fish if you have an air tight canopy. Archer fish shoot down insects, such as flies by spitting water at them and eating them. They really need a tank with open air so that they can shoot down the insects.
Some other good things to try are freshwater crabs and mudskippers. They both need land and water.
Some people have used silicon glue to hold a peice of glass half the height of the tank as a tank divider to hold substrate on one side and water on the other. It is a good place to start, but doesn't look very natural. It appears as a steep cliff into the water. So you might add some rocks or other items to give the cliff a slope.
One last thing to consider is that you will need a large tank to do this. At most, probably 30-40% of the tank will be filled with water. A 10 gallon wouldn't be a good choice. I would stick to a 55 gallon or larger tank.
You can also look for a commercial kit to do this. I have seen one adverstised at "that fish place" several years ago. It comes with a plastic terrain outline and a water pump. Just a warning though, be prepared to pay for it. I think it was over $60.
Thats interesting. I have heard of people keeping bass but not trout. Trout come from fast moving streams, they need a lot of oxygen yes?
They need cold water and good oxygen.
Not necessarily fast water.
There are lots of rainbow trout in lakes.
Not necessarily fast water.
There are lots of rainbow trout in lakes.
Yeah I was thinking one side could be a glass viewing window.
Well I'll look into it more later.
Right now my trout are doing fine in a 150 gallon stock tank.
Well I'll look into it more later.
Right now my trout are doing fine in a 150 gallon stock tank.
I have seen pics of a concrete indoor tank/pond with a front glass viewing wall, no cover, plants groing out the top, over head suspended lights, and the sides were covered with I think fake rock? It went all the way up the wall in the back and came down into the aquarium like a landslide. There was a waterfall on it.
But It was probbaly only 100 gallons. You're probably thinking bigger and more practical for your trout. Is this outdoors or indoors? It would probably be better outdoors for the trout? You could build a huge pond outside with a waterfall.
But It was probbaly only 100 gallons. You're probably thinking bigger and more practical for your trout. Is this outdoors or indoors? It would probably be better outdoors for the trout? You could build a huge pond outside with a waterfall.
DIY Waterfall
I came across a site that had detailed instructions for building a waterfall and dry area using Corning insulation sheets carved using Dremel tool, painted with spray paint and coated with epoxy as a sealant.
Check it out here:
Construction Link
I came across a site that had detailed instructions for building a waterfall and dry area using Corning insulation sheets carved using Dremel tool, painted with spray paint and coated with epoxy as a sealant.
Check it out here:
Construction Link
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What temperature do you have this tank? You probably don't need a heater at all. When I was last fishing for rainbow trout, the water was cold enought to numb your feet in only a few seconds. The snow around the stream had just melted so the water wasn't too much above freezing.
Are you trout shy? In the wild, they can see you above the water from a distance and run away.
Did you notice the teeth these guys have?
Are you trout shy? In the wild, they can see you above the water from a distance and run away.
Did you notice the teeth these guys have?