Hmm....

[theSaj]

Have you ever wondered how it is possible for equipment manufacturers to be so dumb and uncreative?

I was just looking through the reviews and noticing how many comments were in regards to hiding equipment. And although many of us strive to do our plantings in such a way as to minimize the appearance it does leave me to wonder if equipment makers are missing a market.

Now I will admit, no fake rocks, plants, etc look as good as the real thing. However, they've come quite a long way.  I mean I wonder why none of them have thought of disguising equipment.

Imagine if your heater looked like a piece of driftwood, or if your filter intake valves in fact looked like a piece of wood.  Etc.

I don't know but I imagine it'd be a lot easier to hide such items in my plant decor than plain ordinary equipment? Like the other day I wondered why no one stocks black airline tubing. It'd be a lot less visible than the clear or bright green most lfs' sell.

Such is life...always an idea in my head and so it stays...

 

[Backdraft Bagel]

Yeah, that has always bugged me. I seriously doubt I'd ever use plastic molded to look like driftwood, but if someone were to pay more attention to the aesthetics of the parts of equipment that go in the aquarium, I'd be happy. Keep all intake tubes, airlines, etc low profile, bundled together and hidden behind a common object that was easily disguisable.

 

[ronrca]

What are you guys talking about?!!!!!!!!!!!!! really!!!!! Im disappointed in you guys, even mentioning manufactors getting smart.  *thumbsdown2* It would take all the fun away of trying to hide them in the first place.  *twirlysmiley*
We dont want to make this hobby too easy.  *crazysmiley*

 

[Jay S.]

All you need is some good plant growth at the back of your tank and you will never see a heater,intake or outake again

 

[Atlantic Fish]

No offence Jay,
But the prob with lots of plants is that some of us
1. dont like them,
2. prob have cichlids that will love to much down on them
3. have such large fish that plants are impossible.

And some of the tanks on the toptanks section need to be weed wacked, more plants then fish.....Whats up with that, is it a fish web site or a or an aquarium plant site...I dont know....Im not trying to be rude or anything...
I like plants..  Just  a few though, I think it is easy to over due it with plants.
I setting up a 125g for sting rays and sharks and it going to be impossible to use plants, and I would love to have a way to hide the equipment.

 

[equinom]

I posted to this yesterday morning - but I guess it got lost during the switch back to the original board...

I have a book that in it's discussion on setting up a tank, they specifically show hiding equipment in this log-thing.
I don't know if it was artificial or not, but at least it was something...

And what about those tank stands?  Cheap wood, bad stain job, not sanded well - most not even waterproofed.  (And then there is the old black lacquer... don't get me started...)  They remind me of a high school wood shop project gone bad.
Yes - there are some furniture quality stands available - but who can pay $500.00 for a stand and canopy?

 

[Matt Nace]

Rena excel's heater are camouflage.

They are black though....so it doesn't really match anything(maybe some bearded algae)

good try though rena.

 

[arcab4]

but if u have a black background it would match!

i had a black background on my old 29gallon. and i was using an eheim so it had the bright green tubing. so i just took black duct tape and wrapped it around.

;D

 

[Jay S.]

DOH!

I see where your coming from now Alantic  ???

Well... that sucks.. just get some big rocks to hide your stuff I guess.

I made caves upon caves with stacked rocks to hide my filter intakes and heaters when I had my cichlid tank.

You could also get a couple big Anubias plants and wish for the best, even java ferns or java moss?