3D flex BG w/ magnets fdback?
- Thread starter Raysocal
- Start date
almost finished with the stand so I'm getting back to the BG again. As I was getting ready to glue the magents on with silicone I wanted to rinse the BG because every time I handled it my hands were dirty. I thought it was residual color but it seems there's no clear or anything put over the color to make it colorfast. following are the piture numbers and pic description
1) Below is a photo of the bakground wet. If you spray it too hard it seems you can wear away more color.
2) The 2nd photo is a close up of the BG and you can see on the right side about a 3rd of the way up from the bottom you can see the darker white specked area is what lies under the brown color. If it continues to lose color once I submerge it I'm contacting DBN
3) since I need to trim the BG and make holes for returns from the sump I made a template using black paper, heavy shears could not cut the BG I used a saw (top view looking down)
4) template next to the BG
5) This pic is the back of the BG and I'm bluing the magnets on with silicone, I also put some slicone on the high spots of the BG so it doesn't scratch the acrylic (tip: 99 cent stores carry silicone sealant in black and clear package in photo) Since the backgound is really coarse on some of the edges that will be touching the acrylic I used clear silicone to attach a clear vinyl strip that I took off the gutter cover (brown thing with holes) On the far left is a piece of wood that I clcamped down to bend the background so it will better fit around the overflow. I also plan to use the gutter cover to attach a few pieces of manzanita and driftwood (in first photo on bench) to it and bury the gutter cover under the gravel to hold driftwood in place.
1) Below is a photo of the bakground wet. If you spray it too hard it seems you can wear away more color.
2) The 2nd photo is a close up of the BG and you can see on the right side about a 3rd of the way up from the bottom you can see the darker white specked area is what lies under the brown color. If it continues to lose color once I submerge it I'm contacting DBN
3) since I need to trim the BG and make holes for returns from the sump I made a template using black paper, heavy shears could not cut the BG I used a saw (top view looking down)
4) template next to the BG
5) This pic is the back of the BG and I'm bluing the magnets on with silicone, I also put some slicone on the high spots of the BG so it doesn't scratch the acrylic (tip: 99 cent stores carry silicone sealant in black and clear package in photo) Since the backgound is really coarse on some of the edges that will be touching the acrylic I used clear silicone to attach a clear vinyl strip that I took off the gutter cover (brown thing with holes) On the far left is a piece of wood that I clcamped down to bend the background so it will better fit around the overflow. I also plan to use the gutter cover to attach a few pieces of manzanita and driftwood (in first photo on bench) to it and bury the gutter cover under the gravel to hold driftwood in place.
sorry for the typos in my post sbovr, by the time I caught them I tried to cheange it and my time to do so expired. I sent DBN a link to my post concerning the color coming off and Matt explained that the BG color is composed of crushed rock and sand imprenated into the BG so it can't be washed out and the dust on my hands is similar to the dust when washing gravel for the first time.
Further clarification on the template. The material is not flexible enough where it can bend 90 degrees in a corner. I have a in tank overflow so I needed to measure radiuses to get around the overflow as well as hole placements for the inlets
Further clarification on the template. The material is not flexible enough where it can bend 90 degrees in a corner. I have a in tank overflow so I needed to measure radiuses to get around the overflow as well as hole placements for the inlets
Just wante to let you know that Universal Rocks.com makes a an overflow colver that is made from the same material that these are and the same coloration and thickness. So you could call Talei and Stuat over there and tell them that Anderw Crocker From MI. Sent you...
NUmber: 888-807-7011
Thanks for the overflow info - good reference for others as I'm gonna use the BG to cover the overflow as I plan to hide the intake for my eheim behind the 45 degree inside corner between the overflow and back wall of the tank. Just drilled the top of the tank for the eheim return, I was nervous but it was easy. Keeping things wet and cool helped.
Well finally got it all installed and set up. Problems finishing up the stand, canopy and plumbing ... Here's a completed pic. You don't need the magnets as the gravel and rocks keep it pretty much in place and since it is not styrofoam you don't have to worry about it floating. no fish in the photo tank is cycling. Sorry only cell phone pic for now. Bottom line I'd buy the flex background again. It allowed me to fit it in one of the two small 20"x12" openings of this acrylic tank just be careful unrolling it inside the tank to not scratch the acrylic. I covered the inside of my mine inside with cardboard.
