To test the bio balls, I poured them into a laundry netting bag and pushed them against the intake to see if the spray bar volume would be noticeably reduced. It wasn't! I ran this setup for two hours and not a drop of water appeared anywhere on the outside.

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With the filter model proven, it's time to get moving on the next steps. I took out the bio balls and disconnected the filter, emptied the tank and dried everything out.


Last night I painted the back in four coats of black acrylic paint:

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Today I have siliconed in the cork background I got from Amazon:

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The cork background is 18" square, and the tank is 20" wide. This leaves an inch of space on the left and right. I decide I kind of like this look (a little modern, if you will). I LOVE this cork texture. The Amazon pictures don't do it justice, it really has a lovely layer of bark over it, giving a tree-like background effect. I have made sure to mount the background as high as possible, leaving no space at all for crickets to hide at the top of the cork panel. I'll post a picture tonight after it cures.