DIY backgrounds?

[lyquidphyre]

Has anyone ever attempted this? And if so, have pictures ? =o)

i found this link http://www.greenstouch.com/articles_background.htm
and it seems pretty easy... I would like to have a tree looking thing in my 75gal (like this http://www.on-the-rocks.se/english/bild.html?bild=a200x60b_800.gif) but Id want the rock part to be thinner than the tree part (I wouldn't want it to take up *too* much room)

but yah.. has anyone had any luck with doing this?

thanks

 

[BillyZ]

do some searching in the DIY forum here. We've had a few folks go through the whole process successfuly. At least 1 or 2 have given VERY detailed posts one their progress.

 

[lyquidphyre]

I was looking but never ran across them... ill go check again

 

[Bioworldmaker]

Nice link! I wish I've found it before I started my project...

I am currently building a 3d background for my 10gal, which will house a F-8 puffer, and now I understand why usually people only build a 3d background for larger tanks. It is a lot of work. The one I am doing uses concrete instead of epoxy, and it is *very* messy, so I am very interested on how the epoxy version works out.


Pics comming up soon!

 

[Bioworldmaker]

Found this:

http://www.aquarium-background.com/baggrounds/Amazonas-I-close.jpg

 

[lyquidphyre]

I found more links.. i guess i searched wrong the first time around

Would it be harder to do in a tank that is already inhabited? Because doesn't it have to cure in water? or can it be any water?

 

[Bioworldmaker]

I would think so.
I guess they have to cure for a while before being safe for fish.

Today I glued mine to the tank.
I am a bit frustrated, though, because I had a lot of problems adjusting the space behind the "rocks" to hide the hardware. :?

 

[JProx]

there was this post on this forum where a guy modeled his background after a cambogian buddhist temple. it was amazing, i will try searching for his thread, his finished project was unbelievable.

found it! and if sulla is still around, i would love to see some 'broken in' pics. this creation is still the best 3d background i have ever seen.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=31078&highlight=temple

 

[BillyZ]

there was this post on this forum where a guy modeled his background after a cambogian buddhist temple. it was amazing, i will try searching for his thread, his finished project was unbelievable.

found it! and if sulla is still around, i would love to see some 'broken in' pics. this creation is still the best 3d background i have ever seen.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=31078&highlight=temple

Thats the one I was thinking of! Thanks for finding it for us JProx.

lyquidphyre: I would highly reccomend doing this all outside of an established tank. The Cement will cause your PH to swing drastically high while it is curing. Curing CAN be done in a rubbermaid bin or even a garbage can. Then once it's cured you can move it into your display tank.

 

[JProx]

billy work like that needs to be kept on permenant sticky status, and added to the articles. its been almost a full year now since it was first posted, and i for one have never seen anything as good as that on this forum.

even to this day the finished product is amzing.

 

[BillyZ]

billy work like that needs to be kept on permenant sticky status, and added to the articles. its been almost a full year now since it was first posted, and i for one have never seen anything as good as that on this forum.

even to this day the finished product is amzing.

*ponders*


Agreed.


Done.

 

[Bioworldmaker]

Update on my 3D Background attempt (for a 10gal):

After 3 trials, the cement over styrofoam 3D Background didn't come out good enough to receive my seal of aproval - discarded.

Issues:
1. carving styrofoam = huge mess
2. cement = more mess
3. too much water displacement by background
4. dificult to hide hardware behind background without running into #3 (increased water displacement) or diminished water flow (from canister filter).

That said:
I still didn't give up on having a 3D background for the 10gal, but I would not attempt this technique for a small tank again.

 

[JProx]

what were you using to carve the stryofoam ? sulla used a heat knife, (like a wood burning craft tool, but with different ends) and if you have a harbor tool and frieght around you, i picked up a hot knife kit from them for 7bucks. i doubt i will ever use it for DIY backgrounds but if i do, at least i am ready.