Sand waterfall

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bullyboy

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Oct 21, 2016
Messages
417
Location
Seattle area
Anyone ever do one of these features?
Any tips before i get started?
Show em off if ya have em [emoji41]
 
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Front side

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And back side

Step 1

I had heard that the blue foam insulation is best for aquarium use and super glue gel was used to secure the pieces.

I "borrowed" the mrs hair drier and used it on high to harden and condense some of the surfaces as well.

Now i just gotta figure out what to coat it with.
Hydrolic concrete?
Drylock?

Any ideas?
 
Also got the pipe work put together

3/4" with a 45 degree slice in the bottom for up take.

A schedule 40 reducing L (90`) with a hole for the bubbler hose to go through snug

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Sealed up the areas between different pieces with clear 100% silicone today.
Its waterproof, doesnt crack or shrink, and doesnt leach toxins after curred
 
Love these. Haven't seen a thread for a bit. I've never done one but if you search back through threads they have been done on occasion. Not sure if mebbid did the last one.
 
Since Drylok is white i had the hardware guy mix a bit of black into it to make a light grey when it dries.
Foam for filler.
 

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So i used a box coated in wax paper to get my edging right.

Unfortunately I made the mistake of putting silicone and some of the cracks between my pieces so I had to use expansion foam over them which means I may have lost some of my form but i can always carve that back out.

I used Great Stuff for the foam

Drylok wount stick to 100% silicone
 

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Carved back out and applying Drylok.<br />
<br />
Dry time is 2-3 hrs between coats and it reauires 3-4 coats.....sooo <br />
....gimmie a min.
 

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Ya just used a steak knife to rough out the forms again and got a cheap Dremel type tool from Harbor Freight ($10) to do the detail work.
It was kinda cool too cuz the new foam brought out more shape instead of all that flat surface area i originally had
 
Done with the coats, now to do a little sanding and paint work before a final clear sealant.
Then ill give it a 24-hour dry time and full water submersion with water changes in a bucket while testing the pH to make sure it's consistent before adding it to the aquarium.

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Well i shouldnt have to do a clear sealant actually, the Drylok is white so ill just try to find a good pivment to mix into it as paint
 
Painting is done, i also found this cool rock decoration thing that sticks on the glass so i sanded and painted it also.<br />
<br />
So another lack of foresight issue was that foam has a tendency to float and the Drylok isnt as heavy as concrete and i dont plan on siliconing it to the glass.<br />
<br />
So im going to put some kind of bottom on it and the weight of that and the sand in the reservoir will keep it down.

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I made a small test piece that i have submerged now to see how it does for the next week while the actual waterfall cures.
 
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