Trimming a background

duanes

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Isla Taboga Panama via Milwaukee
I haven't been using this 6ft background for a few years, because fish were getting behind it (some injured and then dying after battles), and also because it takes up too much space in the tank. With a border of maybe 2", and some of the simulated rock out crops jutting out 6", to much, so its just been sitting.
It also had started to come loose, after being in the tank a few years, and because it is very buoyant, figured I'd better get it out before it breached like whale, causing damage.

But after picking up a used 130 gal mirror back tank not long ago, thought this might be a good time to put it back into service (I don't particularly like the look of mirrored tanks).
Cut it into 4 pieces (so far)

and started removing some of what I consider excess material.

this some some of the material that was removed

Will probably sand some more off, and fill in some of the open area cave like parts on the back, with Great Stuff after installation.
Will update, successes or failures
 

duanes

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Its not styrofoam, it's one of those nature backgrounds made in Scandinavia I believe, made of material similar to "Great Stuff", light weight, but very solid.
Because it was in a 150 gallon before, I cut off another 1.5 " from the top today to have it fit below the rim of the 130. And am shaving more off the back, to bring it as close to the back glass as possible. Worked more on 2 sections today.
 

mudbuttjones

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Looks great!

Hard for me to imagine a world ckass display tank without a background.

Let's see it with some water.


Sent from my SCH-R950 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 

duanes

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Here's a shot from maybe 10 years ago, it looked good back then, but seemed to take up at least 1/3 of the tanks swimming area. And the pockets of space behind were large, and irresistible places for fish to hide out.
I'm hoping filling the pockets with "Great Stuff pond" will eliminate the pockets, and in the end, help it adhere to the back glass.
Beside filling pockets where fish can hide, after the fitting gets close, the plan is to sand any smooth areas in back, to rough it up and help the "Great Stuff" grip to background.
Looks like I will need to fill cutting mistake gaps, and misjudgements too.
 

duanes

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Did some more carving today, and wanted to show what I mean by gaps.

even after trimming back excess to bring the background closer to the back glass, the above gap is a hollow of about 8" tall and 4" deep (at its most concave point).
So I'll be off to Home Depot this afternoon to pick up GE1 and a can or 2 of Great Stuff pond.
 

duanes

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Its taking some time to get it together after letting it cure a few days.
Been filling slowly (maybe 30 gal per day, testing the backgrounds adherence to the glass) using old water change water (that will eventually be discarded), while I get the plumbing together for its barrel sump.
Added some gravel and a few rocks too.
 
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