How To Make a Waterfall Aquarium [Real Flowing Waterfall]

Let's build a waterfall! Today I'm going to show you step by step how I turned this shallow aquarium into a little piece of nature with a real running waterfall. We're starting out with this small aquarium. It's about 4.6 gallons. I'll be using a small pump with a bendable hose attached. This will power the waterfall. Let's place it in the back corner of the tank so we can build up the hardscape. Just before scaping, I added a couple pieces of filter media on the bottom of the aquarium to protect it from getting scratched. For hardscape, we're using siriu stone and some chunkier pieces of driftwood. The stones and wood need to be placed carefully around the pump and I'm also making sure that everything is flowing visually in an upwards direction. I'm happy with how the tank is looking so far, but we're going to test the waterfall functionality before continuing on to finish the aquascape. Let's fill the tank. I cut the pump hose to better fit in with the hardscape in the back. Now a moment of truth. The waterfall is working perfectly and it's looking great. Now we'll drain the tank and complete the aquascape. I used some pre-rinsed sand for the substrate. The addition of small stones and pieces of wood will add some finer texture to the overall design. For plants, I'm using a mix of aquarium plants that have been growing in my other tanks. Dwarf baby tears or Hemianthus calitricoides will be the main focal point. Monte Carlo, Sosuacertang, and some pearlweed will fill in the rest. Dwarf baby tears can grow on different surfaces. I'm simply wedging it into open spaces around the rocks. Don't let the plants dry out for too long. This aquascape is just about finished. Let's fill the aquarium with water. I added some mature filter media from another aquarium and allowed the tank to cycle for a while. Let's test the water to make sure it's safe for some aquatic friends. Looking pretty good. There is a small amount of nitrate, but no nitrite or ammonia. Because it's such a small aquarium, doesn't have a heater, and has an open top, we'll only be adding a few small tank mates. Some Neocaridina shrimp and a couple of narite snails will really bring the aquascape to life. The shrimp and snails seem to really be enjoying their new home. This tank reminds me of a little stream deep in the forest. Would you create this? Leave a comment below.