A 4-Step Guide To Making Breathtaking Underwater Waterfall Aquarium Decoration

Last Updated on October 21, 2022 by Griselda M.

Thinking of making an underwater waterfall aquarium decoration? Stay with us and find out how.

Making your own underwater waterfall aquarium decoration is very easy and cheap. The project itself only takes a few hours to put together, and best of all, you probably already have most of the material at home. Accordingly, all you need is a little bit of time and creativity.

Well, let’s find out how to build your underwater waterfall aquarium decoration.

What is Underwater Waterfall Aquarium Decoration?

Water flowing inside water, how is that even possible? – The secret is that it’s not really water, it is sand! Interesting, isn’t it?

By knowing some basic principles of physics, it is possible to build all kinds of beautiful waterfalls. Using the principles on which bubble filters work, it is possible to direct air to push water up a pipe to the top of the aquarium, while creating a kind of vacuum that will carry the sand to the top.

Now let’s move on to the basic steps of crafting.

 How do you make an underwater waterfall for an aquarium?

How To Make Underwater Waterfall Aquarium Decoration?

Materials needed:

  • PVC pipe
  • 2 elbow joints
  • Air pump
  • Air tubing
  • Air stone
  • Fine-grain sand
  • Rocks
  • A plastic water catcher tray
  • Drill
  • Scissors

Step No. 1 Pump Assembly

First, you need to cut the PVC pipe. As for measurements, cut it to a length that is about 3 inches shorter than the height of your aquarium tank to allow room for the elbows. Now, it’s time to drill, simply drill a hole in the top of one of the elbows, the size of the air tube, and then thread the tubing into it. This will be the top of the pump you will install onto the pipe. Note that the air tube goes all the way through to the other end.

The next step is to attach the air stone to the end of the tubing and fit the other elbow onto this end. As for the position, the air stone should be at the bottom of the PVC pipe.

Congratulations, you have completed the pump, now all you have to do is attach the air tube to your air pump and submerge it underwater. Do this in such a way that the top half of the top elbow is out of the water.

Step No. 2 Collecting Pool

Since every sand waterfall aquarium must have a pool that sand will go into, this is the way to do it. It is necessary to cut about a third of the water tray around the edge leaving about 2 inches of plastic around the base. In case you set up your waterfall in the middle of the tank, cut it in half.

Place the tray on the bottom of the tank and secure it with stones to hold it in place. It will serve as a place where the sand will be collected again by the pump. Install the pump and fill the area with sand.

Step No. 3 Arranging Rocks

Hobbyists often suggest placing a few smaller river rocks in the sand on either side of the pump to provide a stable base to start stacking rocks on. However, you don’t need to worry if you can’t find such stones, because anything that comes to hand should work. It would be good if they could be square for easier stacking, keep stacking them until outtake.

It’s time to finally move on to the last part of making underwater waterfall aquarium decoration.

Step No. 4 Decorations & Ornaments

Since waterfall aquariums are usually considered a state of the art, decorate them the way your heart desires. Add a little bit of sand to the bottom of your tank, but make it deep enough to cover the plastic tray.

 waterfall aquariums

As for underwater waterfall aquarium decoration, you can use some live plants such as Staurogyne Repens, Water Wisteria, Amazon Sword, Willow Moss, and Cyprus Helferi. In addition, various forms of stones, driftwood, as well as plastic ornaments are often used. Most hobbyists will opt for plastic plants because they are often more colorful than real plants, coming in colors that are not found in nature. They are quite easy to maintain since they cannot die.

Also, consider adding some character to your underwater creation. The ornaments will give a nice visual atmosphere, but will also provide a space for your fishes to retreat to if they want to escape the gauze of fascinated humans. Whatever you choose, make sure it is made of non-toxic materials and is free from sharp edges that could harm your fish. After all, it would be good not to collect decorations in the open, but to buy them in a specialty store because they are less likely to contain harmful diseases or parasites.

And that would be it, you have officially made your own underwater waterfall aquarium decoration.

In Conclusion

Aquarium waterfalls are unique accessories that can elevate any space in which they are located. Just imagine how good it would be to sip coffee while enjoying watching the work of your hands.

 underwater waterfall aquarium decoration

Making your own underwater waterfall aquarium decoration is easy and does not require large amounts of money or time. Give it a try, and let us know your impressions.

We hope you found this article useful. Happy fishkeeping everyone!

You may also be interested in What Is Aquarium Filter Foam Bulk & What Is It Used For?

FAQs

How Do You Make An Underwater Waterfall For An Aquarium?

The basic steps you need to take to create your own underwater waterfall consist of:

- assembling the pump,

- making a pool for collecting sand,

- rock stacking,

- introducing decorations.

Is There Such A Thing As An Underwater Waterfall?

While it sounds amazing, there are things like underwater waterfalls. Keep in mind that water does not flow through this type of waterfall, instead, it flows with fine sand that creates the illusion of an underwater waterfall.

One of the most famous is located in the middle of the Indian Ocean, in the Republic of Mauritius.