DIY Faux Rock Background - Aquarium Advice

MrBonekeeper · 05-25-2004, 11:09 AM

New guy here. Took a look around and was blown away by all the great resources and thought I'd throw in my two cents here on constructing backgrounds. I just completed a background for my 125 gallon tank. It's constructed out of polystyrene board, cement, paint, and marine epoxy.

http://www.littleboxofbones.com/tank_rebuild2.html

Here's a picture of the complete thing. The water is a little foggy in the picture cause I took it shortly after putting the critters back in.

It definitely needs some plant life but I'm working at it. My next project is to make a real canopy to increase the amount of light. Any good [acronym:9a2679337c="Do it yourself"]DIY[/acronym:9a2679337c] light canopies out there you guys can suggest?

BillyZ · 05-25-2004, 01:49 PM

Welcome to AquariumAdvice.com BoneKeeper

I love the look. Did you age the materials in the tank at all?

A friend of mine has a turtle in a 55 and the poor thing is in desperate need of some real sceneray. I have finaly convinced my friend to let me help him with doing something like this. I will defintely use your's and paul's site as references (already knew about pauls)

any suggestions or warnings?

MrBonekeeper · 05-25-2004, 04:13 PM

I kept as much of my original water as possible and took a piece sponge directly from my fluval 3 plus and put it into the new [acronym:159267c4c2="Do it yourself"]DIY[/acronym:159267c4c2] filter box. I ran the pump and the thermostat for a full 24 hours, then tested the water. The water temp was a steady 76 and the [acronym:159267c4c2="power head or Measure of the concentration of hydrogen ions, depending on context"]PH[/acronym:159267c4c2] was 7.2 and pretty much stays there altough I would like to lower it some. All in all, it was really pretty easy. I'll post some more pictures as soon as my wife gets back into town with my digicam.

oscarbreeder · 05-25-2004, 09:31 PM

Man that looks AWSOME!!!!
Nice job.

BillyZ · 06-03-2004, 03:50 PM

BoneKeeper: Just hoping for an update. Have you noticed any spikes in your Ph? other water quality parameters staying stable? Theres a few folks in other threads discussing doing what you did and I was hoping we can hear how things are going with your tank now that this has been in the water for a little while now.

Thanks!!

swanandmokashi · 06-04-2004, 12:45 PM

awesome job!

05-25-2004, 11:09 AM	#1
MrBonekeeper Aquarium Advice Newbie Join Date: May 2004 Location: Houston TX Posts: 2 Images: 2	DIY Faux Rock Background New guy here. Took a look around and was blown away by all the great resources and thought I'd throw in my two cents here on constructing backgrounds. I just completed a background for my 125 gallon tank. It's constructed out of polystyrene board, cement, paint, and marine epoxy. http://www.littleboxofbones.com/tank_rebuild2.html Here's a picture of the complete thing. The water is a little foggy in the picture cause I took it shortly after putting the critters back in. It definitely needs some plant life but I'm working at it. My next project is to make a real canopy to increase the amount of light. Any good [acronym:9a2679337c="Do it yourself"]DIY[/acronym:9a2679337c] light canopies out there you guys can suggest? __________________ "Thou art God." - Michael Valentine Smith

05-25-2004, 01:49 PM	#2
BillyZ Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Western NY Posts: 3,622 Images: 6	Welcome to AquariumAdvice.com BoneKeeper I love the look. Did you age the materials in the tank at all? A friend of mine has a turtle in a 55 and the poor thing is in desperate need of some real sceneray. I have finaly convinced my friend to let me help him with doing something like this. I will defintely use your's and paul's site as references (already knew about pauls) any suggestions or warnings? __________________ Acronyms and Abbreviations

05-25-2004, 04:13 PM	#3
MrBonekeeper Aquarium Advice Newbie Join Date: May 2004 Location: Houston TX Posts: 2 Images: 2	I kept as much of my original water as possible and took a piece sponge directly from my fluval 3 plus and put it into the new [acronym:159267c4c2="Do it yourself"]DIY[/acronym:159267c4c2] filter box. I ran the pump and the thermostat for a full 24 hours, then tested the water. The water temp was a steady 76 and the [acronym:159267c4c2="power head or Measure of the concentration of hydrogen ions, depending on context"]PH[/acronym:159267c4c2] was 7.2 and pretty much stays there altough I would like to lower it some. All in all, it was really pretty easy. I'll post some more pictures as soon as my wife gets back into town with my digicam. __________________ "Thou art God." - Michael Valentine Smith

05-25-2004, 09:31 PM	#4
oscarbreeder Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Columbia,S.C. Posts: 3,084 Images: 13	Man that looks AWSOME!!!! Nice job. __________________ Please remember to vote for Aquarium Advice! http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v328/kyman_33/sig.jpg

06-03-2004, 03:50 PM	#5
BillyZ Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Western NY Posts: 3,622 Images: 6	BoneKeeper: Just hoping for an update. Have you noticed any spikes in your Ph? other water quality parameters staying stable? Theres a few folks in other threads discussing doing what you did and I was hoping we can hear how things are going with your tank now that this has been in the water for a little while now. Thanks!! __________________ Acronyms and Abbreviations

06-04-2004, 12:45 PM	#6
swanandmokashi Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Cary NC USA Posts: 650 Images: 6	awesome job! __________________ 55 Gallon FW Eco-complete Substrate Equipment : In-line heater, RENA XP3 filter, 130 Watts Fluroscent Plants - Hygrophila polysperma "sunset", Bacopa caroliniana,Bacopa australis,Rotala rotundifolia "colorata", Water Sprite, Ludwigia repens,Hydrocotyle verticillata, Swords, Stargrass, Anubias Nana, Petite Nana, Dwarf Sagittaria, LUDWIGIA ARCUATA,Micranthemum umbrosum Fish - 3 Bolivian Rams, 2 Australian rainbowfish, 6 Bloodfin tetras , 4 julii cory cats, 1 Ottos,1 Bristle nose Pl*co Read my aquarium autobiography at http://www.swanandmokashi.com/HomePa.../Aquarium.aspx

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