How to provide power to a center island waterfall? Hole in the glass tank?

[tearsmith]

Hello, fellow viv builders!

Well, as I am sure alot of you have experienced, I am now addicted to build ideas. I did a 20gal long tank for my FBTs and I love it, but now that the styrofoam pieces are drying and almost ready to install, I am already thinking of the next one. Looking for help with one stumbling block...

I want to use a 20gal long tank again, but I want an island in the middle with water all around and I don't want the filter power cord running out and over the top edge. I was wondering how I can run the cord out of a bottom cornor... any ideas? If I have to run the cord up and out, how can I do it in a way that does not show? I want to place the tank in the middle of a space where you can see through all sides and see no cord.

Any suggestions or even pics would be great. Thank you so much.

[Alegre323]

what about drilling a hole on the bottom of the glass,adding a piece of PVC pipe and running the cord through there?
just a thought....

[ApxWingman]

you could also use eggcrate for the background, and run the cord behind the eggcrate. This will hide it well if you dont want to drill a hole in the glass

[SludgeMunkey]

First, NEVER cut or drill holes in Aquarium glass unless you know what you are doing and have the proper tools for the job. You destroy the structural integrity of the tank and void the warranty. This is also a sure fire way to get your home insurance claims adjuster to laugh in your face when you file because the tank "mysteriously" burst for no reason ruining your carpet and hardwood floors. (Good way to get crucified upside down by your significant other, too.)

As for hiding the cord, keep it simple. Glue some moss over it, or some bark, or just bury it a bit below the surface of the substrate. Trust me when I tell you this. Your pump will fail/ need removal for cleaning/etc long before removal of a background or drainage layer or other method suggested above.

[Pixidust]

I use pvc to hide my tube that runs from the corner into the middle, its coverd in peat and you would never know its there unless your me,and my frogs love to sleep on it.

[Lady medusa]

I have to agree its not a good idea to drill your tank. Its best to have a predrilled tank or someone that knows what they are doing. I have a reef tank that has a sump under it and that means holes in the bottom! And oh yes if a clamp or seal gives way it can be a major issue! All i have to say thank god i have tile!!!!!!!! Cause oh yes ive had a couple of misshaps and ive been working with fish and tanks for over 10 years!

I have my cord on my pine snake enclosure going out of the top of the screen. I epoxied the exit hole so the snake cant escape that way. I have the cord hidden inside the setup by a foam crevice and plants. You cant see the cord behind the tank because of the foam background.

I think what you could do to hide the cord is covering it with plants or moss, a plants and moss covered pvc, or carve some styrofoam to look like wood or rock and hide the cord inside it. Oh and i just thought of something else! Find some hollowed corkbark at a petstore. You can hide the cord inside it and it looks 100% natural.

[tearsmith]

I appreciate the feedback. I have my tank against a wall currently and the cords run out behind some greenery and you can't see it. What I had wanted to do was build a viv with all sides glass so it could sit in the center of a room area like a display case would. I wanted to run the cords out the bottom and into a cabinet/stand so that it looked totally self-contained. I think I have scratched that idea or else I will find a way to make the cords look minimal and still put the display in the middle. The various feeds about drilling holes in the bottom has convinced me that's a can of worms I don't want to open.

Thank you all. I will put in pics when I am done.

[UncleChester]

I'm new to glass drilling, but with the right tools and patience it so far seems pretty easy. I don't see a problem with drilling a hole in the side a few inches from the side and bottom, it could be hidden pretty well this way if you have a land feature up against the glass here. The dangers are much less than with a big giant reef tank- you have much less water in case things go bad, you can probably put the hole above the water level and still be discrete, and you can make it a very small hole if you are comfortable cutting the power cord to thread it through (which opens up another danger of course).

You can probably find someone experienced near you to make the hole for you as well.