# Sandfall



## fishophile (Feb 6, 2012)

That looks awesome! I'd like to see a video of the whole tank. It blends in very well.


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## Soothing Shrimp (Nov 9, 2011)

Nicely done.


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## zackariah (Jan 17, 2013)

I dont have a full tank video. I have some pics though.


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## thebuddha (Jul 16, 2012)

wow thats very cool!


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## lochaber (Jan 23, 2012)

Nicely done. 

Most of the others I've seen just have a simple vertical fall. I like how yours cascades over the rocks.

Looks really good.


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## rininger85 (Jun 30, 2013)

I can't watch the video since I'm at work... but I'll check it when I get home... I'm impressed just by looking at the pictures and I can't even see it in action... awesome!


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## rininger85 (Jun 30, 2013)

gosh, I don't think its feasible to do for my work tank that I'm setting up right now, but the more I think about this, its so cool I might have to try it with my 55 at home! I'd have to pull out a couple pieces of driftwood and replace them with stones to be able to make room... and scale back the eco-complete to make room for sand... but this is really cool! My wife would role her eyes at me until it was done, then she would probably even like it! =)

How long did it take you to test where the sand was going to fall / set up your catch basin there / do you have to occasionally refill the sand since it may not all go back to your catch basin, or is your catch basin set up somehow to draw sand from nearby?
Instead of Styrofoam I don't see why you couldn't just use a larger PVC pipe as your catch basin below... how


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## zackariah (Jan 17, 2013)

Thank you everyone for the kind words. I feel it looks good for my first shot. It took a bit to find out exactly how the sand would fall. My design has 3 major rocks the base that also acts as part of the catch. Then the main rock the sand cascades down. Then a top rock to push the sand down and hide the 90. I played around with the angle of the rock for about a week. (by the way nothing else was in the tank) I would set the rocks up observe the way the sand was falling. I had to make adjustments too the angle to make it more steep, or less. I also had to adjust to make sure the sand fell down the path I wanted. The base would also get moved with every adjustment to make sure the main rock would sit correctly against the glass, also to make sure sand was returning to the PVC. This was the longest part of the process. I sadly scratched my glass during this phase so be careful. As far as adding sand, I had to make small adjustments once the tank was fully set up. I added small stones in key area where I noticed sand was spilling off. This worked very well. I also had to add small amounts of sand the first few days as it began to settle and fill cracks. It's now been a week since I last added any. Here are some pictures of the catch basin. Sorry that one is at an angle it wad the best way to show it. By the way PVC may work as well but you may have more trouble with the sand drifting away from your catch.


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## ValMM (Feb 22, 2011)

It looks so neat.


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## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

How reliable is it? Meaning, can you just keep it going for long periods of time without adding more sand or moving the sand back to the "pick up" area?

I have been very interested in this idea since the first time I saw it, probably 4-5 years ago. I have been thinking of building a small tank around this idea.

My hesitation has been the fact that I know it's a lot of trial and error, I don't want something I have to constantly mess with, and I haven't justified the space. Just kind of wondering how well it works long term.

Very inspiring, may have to get an air pump and pull out an old 10 gallon haha.


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## rininger85 (Jun 30, 2013)

so your catch basin is just an open space under the rocks at a lower level that makes the sand slide back down to the PVC? I'm tempted to buy another tank just to experiment with this =)


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## TroyVSC (Oct 22, 2012)

The sandfall is spectacular. Not mention the rest of the tank is beautiful. Do you have any trouble keeping the substrates from mixing?


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## zackariah (Jan 17, 2013)

I have not had to add any sand for a few weeks. I have had some moss and fern pieces get caught in the intake. I am confident this will stop when they attach to their respective bases. The trial and error is unavoidable since every fall will be different. 

Thats exactly how my catch basin works. To me it seemed like the best design. It takes more sand but so far it seems to work great. I designed my whole tank around this idea. 

My substrate is mixing a bit and I have had to go in and fix it. My blixa melted when my c02 solenoid broke. I did not have co2 for about a week while waiting on my new rig got to me. Before that happened the blyxa was helping keep it separated. Its coming back strong now so im hoping I will have to deal with it less. 

As my experience with ferts and c02 increases I plan to add cooler plants. In the near future I am planing to get some manzanita sticks and make little trees to attach to the rocks by the water fall to replace the java ferns.


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## rininger85 (Jun 30, 2013)

another question - if you used PVC as your lift with an airstone, did you have to somehow vent the top of the PVC so the air could escape? does it just burp out of the 90 that the sand comes out of? 

Sorry for all the questions, I haven't looked this up anyplace else so this is the first and only one that I've seen and I'm really considering buying another 10 gal tank just to play around with this, and if I get it to work in the 10 gal then maybe rescape my 55 gal to add a fall in it...


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## zackariah (Jan 17, 2013)

I thought about a way to vent but found it was easier to just put a rock at the top it helped cover the 90.


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## rininger85 (Jun 30, 2013)

I did some more reading last night and what I found was that people use a "T" off the main raise tube, then run the vent above the water line that way if sand does go up that far it doesn't go all over the place in the water (although it seems like it might still act as a skimmer and over time push sand further and further up the pipe with the bubbles...) so instead of using two 90's it would be a T then a 90 to go back down...


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## zackariah (Jan 17, 2013)

The sand fall has been up and running for a couple months now. Every guest I have had does a double take then walks over to get a closer look. Its funny to me when people ask "is this salt water". Then Its "wow how did you do that a conveyer belt or something" The fall is still working great here are some update pics of my tank.


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## scapegoat (Jun 3, 2010)

it's very cool to look at. not detracting from the tank one bit. i can't help but feel it's a little hokey in an otherwise very attractive aquarium.

except... it still looks freaking great. how do the fish mind it?


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## rininger85 (Jun 30, 2013)

I'm still loving it... some day I'm going to have to try it...


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## tetrasntwerk (12 mo ago)

zackariah said:


> Thank you everyone for the kind words. I feel it looks good for my first shot. It took a bit to find out exactly how the sand would fall. My design has 3 major rocks the base that also acts as part of the catch. Then the main rock the sand cascades down. Then a top rock to push the sand down and hide the 90. I played around with the angle of the rock for about a week. (by the way nothing else was in the tank) I would set the rocks up observe the way the sand was falling. I had to make adjustments too the angle to make it more steep, or less. I also had to adjust to make sure the sand fell down the path I wanted. The base would also get moved with every adjustment to make sure the main rock would sit correctly against the glass, also to make sure sand was returning to the PVC. This was the longest part of the process. I sadly scratched my glass during this phase so be careful. As far as adding sand, I had to make small adjustments once the tank was fully set up. I added small stones in key area where I noticed sand was spilling off. This worked very well. I also had to add small amounts of sand the first few days as it began to settle and fill cracks. It's now been a week since I last added any. Here are some pictures of the catch basin. Sorry that one is at an angle it wad the best way to show it. By the way PVC may work as well but you may have more trouble with the sand drifting away from your catch.



Years later... as if any one hasn't tried this!

I know OP said the catch basins is essentially an open space under the rocks and the sand slides down to the PVC... But how does the water return the sand up to the top? I am missing a step - and the lack of basin is throwing (silly) me off..

I understand there is a pvc pipe under the sand collecting it to go back to the top... but is it like a T-joint under the sand? For example: The pump is hidden somewhere in the rocks and pushes water through the left side of a T-joint, the top of the T-joint is under the sand with constant supply of sand (given the volume and slanted positioning (?), and the right of the T-joint leads out and an L-joint connects to take the sand to the top? Does that sound right?
And if so, how does the constant supply work? How to make it slant back towards the hidden sand lake?


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