HELP with paludarium!!!

[Xailiar]

Ok, so I am trying to make a paludarium. I started constructing my background out of extruded polystyrene foam and 100% silicone. Everything was going great. (It even looks good!)

I then sprayed the back (just the back, thankfully [I hope]) with black Krylon Fusion spray paint as I've read about how it is safe for aquariums and how others have had success with it on blue foam. I, however, don't seem to be. The paint made the foam on the back "melt." There are little holes where the paint ate through a bit all over it.

Have I just made my structure unsafe for animals and completely ruined all my work?! Is there a way to fix it?

Also, how can I continue (or, God help me, start over) without the same thing happening again?

[fort384]

What kind of Krylon fusion is it?

[Xailiar]

Originally Posted by fort384

What kind of Krylon fusion is it?

Krylon Fusion for Plastic

Is there another kind?

[BigJim]

Spray paint and foam usually don't get along very well. You could try coating the foam with fiberglass or some kind of resin. It would make the foam more durable and paint-safe.

[fort384]

The Krylon Fusion does come in several different varieties. I pulled the MSDS for several of them... they all contain several petroleum based products that would not mix well at all with foam. I think you would need something acrylic based to not destroy it... which then might not be aquarium-safe as it would break down sitting in water for a long period.

[strokinbyeu]

you should be able to coat the background with a thinned down quickcreat mixture. iv seen 3d bg done that way and they look like real rocks. if thats what you going for. then you can use ur fusion paint on the cement there are several vids on youtube showing ppl making there own 3d bg.

[mfdrookie516]

I'm pretty sure this is the reason that they always use concrete on diy backgrounds... foam+spraypaint=disaster... unless you used water based paint, which would be a very bad idea. You're going to have to put something over the foam (ie concrete) to keep the paint from eating the foam.