Installation of a Back to Nature Woodrock – backwall
As an example we have installed the background in a 150 cm aquarium.
Although it is fast and easy to install a Woodrock backwall in an aquarium, there are still always a few things you must remember when you install the backwall. The simplest way to perform the installation is to place the aquarium on its back (i.e., with the back facing downwards).
1/ Materials you will need for the installation: A knife, aquarium silicone with a pistol, two extra spouts, a brush, fine-grained peat, a cigarette lighter, several sheets of sandpaper, a pencil (or similar writing instrument) and a six-pack of beverages.
2/ First, place all of the ”modules” on the floor to arrange them in the order in which they will be installed. Start with the corner-modules.
In this aquarium (150 cm in length) as well as in 160 cm aquariums, the pieces between the corner modules are installed in the following order: first the I-module, then the H-module and finally the G-module.
In a 130 cm aquarium the pieces are installed in this order – first I, then G.
In a 120 cm aquarium the pieces are installed in this order – first H, then G.
3/ Next, take the knife and cut away the ”stoppers” on those modules that are to be placed on top of other modules. Trim afterwards using a sheet of sandpaper.
4/ Check to see if the modules fit together and to make sure that there are no wide gaps (5-6 mm is OK).
5/ Test to make sure that the divider sections fit into the corner modules and then glue them onto their corresponding module.
6/ Press the parts together and weigh them down using a heavy item (such as a six-pack) and wait an hour. After this, you will no longer need the six-pack, allowing it to be used for its intended purpose.
7/ Place the modules in the aquarium (start with the corner modules) and check to make sure that they fit together.
8/ If there is a thick silicone line inside the aquarium, you may need to cut away a small piece from the lower inner corner of the corner modules to make sure that these modules fit close to the glass.
9/ Decide which corner of the backwall you would like to use for the inflow of the water and on which side the pump should be installed.
Now open up the inflow to allow water to enter.
10/ Now place the module sections on the floor with the back facing upwards. This will allow you to see how the water will run through the different sections.
On the bottom of this page you will find examples indicated what the water flow is for each size and which pumps you can use.
11/ Use the knife to open the ”stoppers” which must be removed in the same way as was described in number 3. If you cut away wrong ”stopper” by mistake, you can cut a piece of isopor which is the same size as the hole. Place this piece in the hole and glue it using silicone.
12/ Don’t forget to open the divider sections in both corner modules as well.
13/ Check once more to make sure that everything will fit inside the aquarium.
14/ Start with one of the corner modules. When you glue the corner modules, you need to first put silicone on the ”plugs” on the gable. Then lay a complete line of silicone on those surfaces that touch the side glass of the aquarium. After this, apply silicone to the lower part of the module as well as the side, but NOT on that section of the divider that will come into contact with the glass at the back of the aquarium.
15/ When you install the corner module, place it on the rear glass wall, but keep it approx. 1 cm from the side glass (you can hold your fingers in between the two as shown in the photo) and press it hard to the back glass wall.
Applying a good amount of pressure, press the module against the side glass.
16/ Now glue the other corner module the same way – note that the holes should be facing upwards.
17/ Now it’s time for the modules in the middle.
Before you start installing these – check to make sure that the remaining modules fit. If necessary, you may mark the exact locations for these using a felt pen.
When you glue the centre modules, place a thin line of silicone on those surfaces that will touch the glass and a thicker one on those surfaces which are laid over the module/modules on the side/sides.
Press the module into place and check that that the remaining modules still fit immediately after you have done this.
18/ You will see some silicone between the modules. Using a brush, press some fine-grained peat into the silicone. This must be done immediately after each module has been installed before the silicone has had the chance to harden.
19/ When all of the modules have been installed, you must wait 1-2 hours until the silicone is hard enough to keep the modules in place – just sit down, relax and dream about your beautiful new aquarium.
Now check to see if any spaces have formed in the bottom (in the connections between the modules) or in the sides between the modules – if these holes are big enough for fish to swim through, they must be sealed.
The best way to check this is to look through the bottom glass of the aquarium and through the back glass of the aquarium (to do this, the aquarium must be set upright).
20/ The best way to close up any hole or open space is to fill it with silicone. To do this, first bend the spout (see the photos on this page) so you can reach the hole with the silicone pistol. Now all you have to do is just fill the hole.
21/ After this, it is time (you can also do this before the installation if you want) to open the prepared hole for the outlet of the pump. This is easily done using a pencil, for example. If you want to install a thicker hose, use a knife or drill to make the hole bigger. If you prefer to have the outlet at another location, you don’t have to use the prepared hole – instead just drill a hole at a suitable location. This can also be done once the aquarium is filled with water.
22/ The pump has to be placed in the bottom of the module that is installed the farthest from the inflow of the water since it is in this module that the water level will drop (the water level in the aquarium is constant). If the pump is placed too high, there is a risk that it will run dry. The heater may be placed wherever the water circulates, for example behind a divider, but remember to check that the water in the “heater-module” does not drop to such a level that the heater is not completely surrounded by water.
23/ On the flow side,place some filter wool that will act as a prefilter. Dispose of (or clean) the filter wool on a regular basis when it becomes too dirty and then replace it with new (or cleaned) wool.
Other modules may be filled with suitable (coarse) filter media. In this case, we have chosen filter foam cubes but of course the Woodrock will also function with other types of filter media.
Due to the large volume capacity of the filter, the filter behind the backwall will be an extremely effective biological one, and it will work for years without needing to be cleaned.
24/ If you plan to stock the aquarium with very small fish, then it is possible that they can swim through the millimeter-wide inlet for the water on the side. If you would like to prevent this from happening, you may fill the space behind the inlets with filter wool or similar material.
25/ Installing a Woodrock backwall is so easy (especially when you follow these instructions), even a child can do it!
Water flow for different size aquariums.
There is a lot of space for filter media behind the backwall which means that your aquarium will have an extremely effective biological filter. To create such an effective filter, it is absolutely not necessary to use pumps with high capacity – a slow water flow through the filter media works just as well as a rapid water flow. Provided you do not plan to stock the aquarium with fish which have a high oxygen requirement, or you have an extreme large quantity of fish in the aquarium, a slow water flow is actually even preferable.
The choice of using one or two pumps is up to you.
The inlet (the slits) on the corner modules can each take in approx. 500 litres/hour (for modules that are 46 cm high) or 700 litres/hour (modules that are 56 cm high). If you use pumps whose total capacity exceed this, you MUST open the slits on both corner modules (to double the capacity). If you want, you can open the slits on both sides even if you use pumps with a lower capacity.
Below you will find several suggestions regarding the water flow through the modules required in order to get the maximum effect from the biological filter.
100 cm
120 cm
130 cm
150 och 160 cm
