# filter as waterfall?



## TybaltTinc (Sep 2, 2010)

has anyone ever tried using just a submersible filter for a waterfall feature? seems like it would be simpler to maintain and deal with than setting up alot of tubes and water pumps. you know the whisper filters that sit down in the water but still have a top overflow waterfall thing goin on? go ahead and tell me if its a dumb idea just curiose


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

That is essentially what these products are...








Reptile Terrarium Pumps and Filters: TetraFauna Viquarium Decorative Filter at Drs. Foster and Smith









Reptile Terrarium Pumps and Filters: TetraFauna Decorative ReptoFilter









Reptile Terrarium Pumps & Filters: Exo Terra Turtle Cliff at Drs. Foster and Smith

Or you can just go with the filter and work out a way to hide it yourself...hopefully better then they did here 








Terrarium Pumps and Filters: TetraFauna ReptoFilter at Drs. Foster and Smith

If you go with a pre-made waterfall assembly you might wanna take some measures to seal up the housing on some/all of them with mesh and/or silicone some gaps up a bit so frogs/tads can't get into the housing.
I think the tetrafauna one, which is the 2nd pic I believe is the most natural looking. You could probably even dress it up more with patches of sphagnum moss siliconed on as a substrate for growing mosses or aquatics, maybe silicone some other rocks on it etc..etc.. I have one, but have yet to include it in a viv yet. Probably save it for helping me divide my 55gal which I plan for to have a large pond area. But ya your idea will work, there are several filter brands/styles that can work. It is just going to be about how creative you can be dressing them up to look natural while still having access to them and keeping them frog/tad/fish safe.


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## myersboy6 (Aug 23, 2010)

yeah you could do that. Its basically the same thing as a powerhead just with filter media attached to it to filter the water.


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## Bananaslug (Feb 18, 2010)

If you are talking about a pump from a table top fountain, it probably won't work. They don't have enough power to lift the water more than a few inches. There are submersible pumps that can be used, but you will want to allow for access to the pump while still hiding it. Do a search for submersible pumps and you should find lots of information. I personally prefer an external canister filter. I think zoomed has one for about $50, and I've had one going for three years with no problems. I also use a Fluval 405 for my large waterfall and it too has been great, just a little pricey and a little overkill.


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## Bananaslug (Feb 18, 2010)

ohhhhh, I see. Thanks Dave!


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## eldalote2 (Jun 3, 2009)

I did it with my terribilis tank, just make sure you can get to the impeller as the whole bottom has to drop down an inch or so from the main canister. It worked really well for me, just ditched it when I redid the tank because It didn't fit in with the new plan. 

Good luck!


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## TybaltTinc (Sep 2, 2010)

thanks guys, I have a fairly good idea how to incorporate it, ill make a houseing for it out of greatstuff and cut some small holes in the gs to allow the water into the houseing and put in some fiberglass screening to block it for tadpoles. its going to be a mossy treefrog viv so Im hoping for tads eventually. Ill incorporate it in the design, add a step down of shale rock to make a cascading effect and generally hide it with wood, shale and mosses. just wanted ur guys opinions.


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## MonopolyBag (Jun 3, 2007)

I have the Exo-Terra one for a turtle. The color on it disappears when water is on it for a long time and all the paint comes off. The paint is non toxic, however it does look bad. I am wondering if this was only a one time thing. I am going to try another one in the future and see if the same thing happens. I am hoping it may be a problem with this item specifically and not all of them.

But it is a good device, so is the tetra fauna one. I would see them useful in small turtle tanks and Red Eyed Tree frogs and other frogs that like clean water to soak in. They work well in Exo-Terra tanks as well because they only need a few inches of water to work or they work well in deeper water.

And mossy frogs would be great as well just like the RETFs.


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## leuc11 (Nov 1, 2010)

I used a tetra whisper filter as a waterfall in my paludarium and It looks great just need to hide it though Ill post pics of it later today


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## davidadelp (Sep 29, 2010)

I have wondered myself about how to incorporate one of these into a viv but I wasnt sure how it would look. Im trying to figure out how you could use one plus have a false bottom. I would want it looking as real as possible not some random plastic waterfall. Lets see some pics of vivs that they were used in to get some ideas!

Id like to try this in a larger viv but i need ideas first.


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## Steve88W (Jan 21, 2011)

I used a submersible pump for my drip wall. It could easily power a waterfall too. 
I used a 4" pipe in the back corner with GS foam to blend it into background.

Look up my build log if you want pictures explaining how I did it.
(the moss on the wall acts as my water filter)

External pump/filters might be easier though,


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## paradoxman (Nov 19, 2016)

I just joined this forum yesterday so hello to everybody. I'm very new to the dart frog hobby; however, I've been in the tropical fish hobby for over 45 years and I currently have 14 different types of aquatic turtles in various indoor aquariums and two outdoor ponds. I'm just now in the process of converting an old 10 gal. tank into a vivarium for a couple dart frogs and I want to use my existing Tetra Whisper 10i. I'm pretty sure the black plastic 10i is the same pump/filter combo as their Tetrafauna unit of the same size but the 10i is a heck of a lot less money! If anyone has any pictures of a Tetra pump/filter as a waterfall, please let me know. I will be happy to share mine once I have completed the 10 gal vivarium hopefully later this week.


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## tcmfish (Oct 22, 2016)

I had an old hang on the back filter laying around and cut out the lip and attached it to a cup to make my waterfall. Only time will tell if it will last, but I'm happy with it so far. 

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/parts-construction/296442-tims-220gallon-paludarium-build.html


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## paradoxman (Nov 19, 2016)

Very cool Tim...

My biggest concern is disguising the pump/filter so you can't see it yet make accessible for cleaning. I'm thinking if I can buy a PVC pipe with a big enough diameter to fit the filter unit, I can cut the pipe just below the lip where the water comes out, cut slots in the bottom where the filter takes in water, foam around the pipe, put some weed barrier over the top and place sphagnum moss over the barrier.

Stay tuned.....


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## radiata (Jul 24, 2010)

I have yet to build a waterfall, but when I do, the pump and/or filter won't be inside the viv. I'll put two bulkheads on the tank, with the lower feeding the pump/filter the the upper one feeding the waterfall. (I've drilled a number of fish tanks, and haven't broken one yet.) If I wanted to both pump & filter, I think I'd go with an Eheim canister.


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## paradoxman (Nov 19, 2016)

I agree...The reason I'm using my Tetra 10i is because I already was using it with my 10 gallon tank I'm converting to a vivarium. Not to sound too cheap but I hated to just throw it in the misc. aquarium junk box and never use it or see it again. I was using this 10 gallon for hatchling aquatic turtles before adding them to a much larger tank or my pond. This 10 gal. is kind of a trial tank to see how much I'm going to like dart frogs. I think I'm really going to like them because I have my eye on my 30 gallon show tank in my bedroom which I had converted to an aquatic turtle tank...Looks like I'll be converting that 30 gal. again...lol! 

I have 14 different types of aquatic turtles in various aquariums in my home and two outdoor ponds.

I'll have to post some pictures of them sometime soon.


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