20' x 30' DIY rock wall & waterfall

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Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Feb 21, 2007
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Canada
So I have a contract to build a big water fall with minimal width to work with. The water fall will be built up against a concrete wall. I want to make the most of the hight and keep the weight down to reduce liability. Im thinking of building the back drop out of foam board and great stuff then anchoring L brackets to the cement wall to build platform for the rockwork to stand out for the waterfall.

So now I am debating on two methods for the finish. Either a concrete finish mixed with sand and possibly perlite. Or secondly painting all the foam grey then highlighting with a lighter colour of grey for texture. I guess I would use Krylon Fusion for all ares exposed to water and a cheaper outdoor epoxy paint for the rest of the rock work.

The final touches will include lots of artificial plants, moss etc. Any opinions or thoughts?

Thanks,
Chris
 
settle down, settle down. i think for reasons of poisons you need to use concrete and seal it. use oxide for colour! and steel mesh for strength.
 
Thanks for the replies!

The base of the pond that already is in place is about 4' wide. People could potentially touch the wall easily.

I was thinking of using chicken wire anchored to concrete wall to make a skeleton for the great stuff foam.

I would prefer to avoid using concrete for the structure to save my back. I am doing this project by myself and am unsure how to get the cement to stick to the surfaces of either foam, screens/frame etc with out dripping of falling off. Is there a method of spraying the cement on?

I think that carving the entire wall out of foam then painting and detailing would be the fastest and most cost effective however I think it would be good experience doing it the cement way since I plan to get into exhibit building. Im really undecided.



There is some great info on constructing rock walls pg 62 > in the EHM
http://www.colszoo.org/internal/elasmo_2005/elasmo_husbandry_manual/Chapter%2005%20-%20Design%20and%20Construction%20of%20Exhibits.pdf
 
Reason I asked about the distance was to know how detailed it needs to be.

Check out...

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=141551&highlight=background

http://westerncichlids.com.au/diy-aquarium-background-part-2/

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=143493&highlight=background

And if you search a little further back you'll find some other really cool ones too!

Look into construction/residential/commercial spray insulation foam if your going to do a lot.

Dr Joe

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Sounds like the color is molded it, they are very tight lipped about the product.
 
Ya, I found that out first hand when I spoke to the Australian distributor at a local trade show. He wasn't about to give me any tips. lol
 
So you've seen it first hand, wish I'd seen it, it should be easy to decipher in person.
 
The universal rocks looked really nice. The rock panels are flexible and have bin used in public aquariums (I dont remember which ones). The core of the panel looks like it was made out of great stuff not carved out of a big block. I would think they just have molds that they fill with foam and then air brush the paint on.

amehel0;1954054; said:
settle down, settle down. i think for reasons of poisons you need to use concrete and seal it. use oxide for colour! and steel mesh for strength.
Click to expand...

Amehel, do you have any links on where to purchase oxides? Im not sure what you are refiring to or how they are applied.

By the way the gig is confirmed. Ill try to take some pics before I get started.
 
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