Custom 3d-backgrounds!!!

[Italy592]

HI I have currently a 75 gallon african Cichlid tank its been up and running for a year now. But i have been owning tanks for about 5 years now but i need your help. I have been moving toward a 3d-Background more and more as the years go by and now im finally ready too !! I am going to make my own its already drawn up how i want it to look and also how how the blocks of Styrofoam i will need to put together and where. MY questions are 1st can i put a 3d-Background in a Established tank ?? Like is it safe or will anything happen that could harm the fish. 2nd Do you have any tips or tricks or even advice for me when making your own ??? Ive read you need weight on it so it stays down certain kind of paint and even sometimes cement cover or something?? Please i really want to do this right and need your help if any advice , tips, or tricks you can help me with it would be greatly appreciated !!! once i start making it Pictures will come and keep everyone updated !! PLease help!!

 

[TankBoss]

HI I have currently a 75 gallon african Cichlid tank its been up and running for a year now. But i have been owning tanks for about 5 years now but i need your help. I have been moving toward a 3d-Background more and more as the years go by and now im finally ready too !! I am going to make my own its already drawn up how i want it to look and also how how the blocks of Styrofoam i will need to put together and where. MY questions are 1st can i put a 3d-Background in a Established tank ?? Like is it safe or will anything happen that could harm the fish. 2nd Do you have any tips or tricks or even advice for me when making your own ??? Ive read you need weight on it so it stays down certain kind of paint and even sometimes cement cover or something?? Please i really want to do this right and need your help if any advice , tips, or tricks you can help me with it would be greatly appreciated !!! once i start making it Pictures will come and keep everyone updated !! PLease help!!

I have given a lot of thought to adding a background to my established tank. I haven't done anything because it involves a total dismantling of my aquarium. I don't see any way around that. I would have to re-home all of my fish and empty my tank just to paint the back of my aquarium. You would need the inside of your tank dry and empty of all substrate. A brand new tank is ideal.

 

[Italy592]

wait theres ni way around doing with the water in there or substrate ??

 

[TankBoss]

wait theres ni way around doing with the water in there or substrate ??

Well, you're definitely not going to secure the background to the tank ,using silicone, unless its dry. Some stong magnets could do the trick but foam board is super buoyant.

I would strongly suggest watching some videos on youtube. There are a lot of them. Just search DIY background.

It takes these guys quite a bit of time and they have empty tanks that they can lie down flat, in the middle of a room.

Soaking the finished cement background is also an issue unless you have a container that can hold.water, that is also as tall as your aquarium. This is another instance where it really helps to be doing this to a new, empty, tank

I'm sure all of these problems can be solved, but you're definitely gonna want to work out the securing and soaking issues before beginning.

 

[Island_Emt]

Ive read that it can be done...all depends on what materials used. I also want to do one in my 90 gal cichlid tank. I have a plan but don't want to hijack your thread. Basically eggcrate, plastic screening, rocks (various sizes but smaller than whats in tank now) and aquarium safe silicone.

 

[TankBoss]

Ive read that it can be done...all depends on what materials used. I also want to do one in my 90 gal cichlid tank. I have a plan but don't want to hijack your thread. Basically eggcrate, plastic screening, rocks (various sizes but smaller than whats in tank now) and aquarium safe silicone.

We were talking about the backgrounds made by cementing polystyrene board.

 

[Island_Emt]

We were talking about the backgrounds made by cementing polystyrene board.

I know

 

[Italy592]

Now what is I wanted to take slate a small but slightly heavy piece an glue/silicone the PVC to the slate and then styrofoam to the top of the PVC do you think that could work ??

 

[TankBoss]

Now what is I wanted to take slate a small but slightly heavy piece an glue/silicone the PVC to the slate and then styrofoam to the top of the PVC do you think that could work ??

How big a piece of foam board are you wanting to use?

 

[Italy592]

Well idk I wanted to do a corner in my tank make caves on the glass out of styrofoam and keep the floor bottom open for the stingray !!!

 

[Italy592]

Well that's what I'm going to do an here's a pic of where it would go its going against the glass where the red is

 

[TankBoss]

Well idk I wanted to do a corner in my tank make caves on the glass out of styrofoam and keep the floor bottom open for the stingray !!!

That stuff is buoyant so you should make sure that your piece of slate is going to sink the foam board first.

 

[Italy592]

Slate is pretty heavy tho isn't it if I do 2 PVC columns and three slates under ( one under each PVC and the slate will be under the San it should work right ??

 

[TankBoss]

Slate is pretty heavy tho isn't it if I do 2 PVC columns and three slates under ( one under each PVC and the slate will be under the San it should work right ??

Could work fine but it still depends how heavy your slate is. Before you move forward with the silicone or cement just be sure that the slate holds your foam piece under water.

 

[Italy592]

How would I do that ??

 

[TankBoss]

How would I do that ??

You need to put it in something that you can fully submerge it in....then maybe lay the slate on top of it?

 

[Italy592]

But the slate is going underneath it !!

 

[TankBoss]

But the slate is going underneath it !!

If the slate can pin it down from the top it will hold it down from the bottom.

Are you planning on cementing everything once its all attached?

 

[Italy592]

Yess should I ??

 

[TankBoss]

Yess should I ??

Yes.

You mentioned tunnels? What do you have in mind? The reason I ask is because I just did a project and tunnels can be very challenging to cement. Something to keep in mind,when sculpting, just remember that you'll have to be able to reach inside the tunnel for cementing.