I have been reading about making a 3d background and have decided I want to make one. I heard that cement spikes the ph and you need to apply a sealant, does anyone know of an alternative that is safe for fish instead of using cement? Please post your DIY backgrounds and materials you used to make your background as well. Thanks! Hope to get some very useful info. and see some great backgrounds. (making a malawi tank, if anyone has some ideas or pics for designs, that would be helpful too).
125g 3D BACKGROUND
- Thread starter hydro4892
- Start date
By the time you have spent trying to follow all of the suggestions on this site for DIY, the materials and hours spent, you should just try this:
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=371129
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=371129
I haven't never made a background but have read a lot about them and I believe there's a product called 'drylock' that people use as an alternate to using a quick drying cement.
You don't have to put anything over the concrete, it just takes a long time of soaking/water changes for the concrete to fully cure and your pH to stabilize. I made one without concrete, using only foam, epoxy, and sand. I cut a foam insulating sheet to the size of the back of the tank, cut out rock-ish shapes from another piece and glued them on. I covered the whole thing with epoxy and dumped sand on it while it was still wet. Then I brushed off the excess and covered it with a couple more coats of epoxy. Cost: epoxy-$30, foam-$12, sand-$1.32 It didn't turn out exactly like I wanted it to, but I'm sure you can improve on it if you decide to do it this way.
hydro4892;4647872; said:
$400!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ok, try this for an example:
2 x http://www.designsbynature.net/products-page/deluxe-3d-bgs/bj241l-congo/
for a total length of 72" and that will be $160ish total?? looks amazing and no chance of it hurting your fish, just my op