Installation of a Back to Nature Amazonas/Rock backwall

These are a step-by-step instructions on how to install a Back to Nature background in an aquarium.

These instructions show you how you install a BTN Amazonas background with dimensions of 150x50 cm in an aquarium (150x50x50 cm) with a dome-shaped front glass. The instructions also apply to BTN-backgrounds in other sizes as well as for the Rock series of backgrounds.

2 tubes of black aquarium silicon - silicon pistol, 2 waterproof felt pens - folding ruler - handsaw - hammer - knives - drill - drill bits - brush - lighter - straight strip of wood (app. 100 cm) - peat (fine-grained) - filter material (filter foam sheets 100x100x5 cm) - materials used to raise the background (see point 12) - pump - 2 glue clamps and 1 screw clamp if needed.


1. Equipment necessary for the installation.


2. If the aquarium has a stabiliser-strip (brace), remove this first. This can sometimes be rather difficult and may take a while. Use knives or similar tools with very thin blades.


3. Place the background behind the aquarium with the left side (or the right side, whichever has the straighter edge) slid a few millimetres (the thickness of the aquarium glass) in, so it's placed in line with the inside of the aquarium.


4. Move to the right side and first mark the aquarium in line with the outside of the aquarium.


5. Next, make a new mark which is in line with the inside of the aquarium. In this case, 12 mm (the thickness of the aquarium glass) inside the outer mark (see point 4).


6. Now move the background a bit to the right again, and draw a vertical line that starts at the mark you made under point 5. Use a felt pen that is attached to a strip of wood. Use the aquarium for support.


7. The lines are now complete.


8. Place the handsaw at a right angle to the background. Sawing should be done just along the inside of the line.


9. Saw the background all the way through. When you are finished, check to make sure the background fits inside the aquarium. If not, you will have to adjust it using a plane or a coarse file.


10. If you like, you may also saw the background so that it doesn't protrude one or two centimetres above the top of the aquarium. Measure the distance down to the strip of glass on the inside of the aquarium (if there is one).


11. Measure the same distance on the background and make a mark with the felt pen.


12. Place the background behind the aquarium once again and lift the background to an equal height on both sides (we have used some brochures to do this here) so that the felt pen will be level with the line. Draw a line along the length of the background.


13. Now it's time to saw.


14. Drill a hole (diameter 60-75 mm) for the water inlet. Normally you can buy this type of drill rather inexpensively at a D.I.Y-store. You may also always just drill a smaller hole first, and then cut out a larger hole using a knife.


15. Place a grill in the hole or look at "Tip" for other possibilities.


16. Now drill a hole for the water outlet. Use a drill bit with the same diameter as the outside diameter on the hose that fits onto the pump.
The hole should be drilled horizontally approx. 3 cm below the water level (you will have to estimate where the water level will be). If you would like more oxygen-rich water in the aquarium, you can drill the hole 1 cm closer to the water level, or alternatively in such a way as to ensure that the hole is angled a few millimetres upwards (the highest part should be at the front of the background).


17. Mark where the stabiliser strip will be. If your aquarium does not come equipped with a stabiliser, skip steps 18 through 24 and go directly to point 25.


18. Saw two slits behind the marks. Hammer out the section between the two slits using a hammer and a sharp knife and check to make sure the stabiliser fits in this space.


19. The situation in this aquarium is particularly complicated since the stabiliser strip in this type of aquarium is placed under the longitudinal strips of glass and as a result, we must saw extra deep into the background. This situation is unusual so if it doesn't apply to you, skip steps 20 through 23 and go directly to point 24.


20. Using the knife and the hammer, create some deep slits in the background.


21. Using the hammer, hammer out the middle section.


22. Check to make sure the stabiliser fits and then glue it. Hold the stabiliser in place using two glue clamps (see photo 23).


23. Check to make sure that the piece of the background that was removed fits, and glue it back in place.


24. Glue the stabiliser.

25. Decide exactly where you would like to place the background in the aquarium. Then fasten the background in this position using strips of material (part of the background as we have done here, or a piece of wood) on both the left and the right sides on the bottom of the aquarium. If necessary, you will also need a screw clamp on the top.


26. Glue the background onto the sides of the aquarium using black aquarium silicon. Check to make sure that the silicon goes all the way from the bottom of the aquarium to the top; otherwise small fish might be able to swim behind the background. Check to make sure that the silicone goes all the way from the bottom of the aquarium to the top to prevent tiny fish from swimming behind the background. Sometimes it is difficult to reach everywhere with the silicon tube. If so, bend the tip of the silicone tube - see "Tip" for more details.


27. Press peat into the silicone.


28. Glue the background to the bottom of the aquarium.


29. The sides of the aquarium behind the background should be covered with black adhesive plastic or be painted black.


30. The background is now installed and you may now decorate the aquarium as you like. When you decorate the aquarium you may place a few stones, plants or a piece of wood in front of the hole and the hole will disappear "completely." It is possible to place the filter material behind the background. See "Tip" for an example of how you may best do this.