I am considering attempting a DIY 3D background, but on all of the instructional videos they are using concrete over the styrofoam. They say that after several water exchanges that it is safe. Is it safe to have one of these backgrounds in a discus tank? Has anyone tried it for a length of time?
DIY 3D background
- Thread starter simpp88
- Start date
I created a 3D background using concrete about 3 months ago:
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=368364
I have cichlids in the tank now, mix of tropheus, copidichromis and placidicrhomis. They love it and the ph is rock steady.
I did end up soaking the background in the spare bathroom tub for about 3 weeks before installing it, and making many water changes. My wife loved me for that!
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=368364
I have cichlids in the tank now, mix of tropheus, copidichromis and placidicrhomis. They love it and the ph is rock steady.
I did end up soaking the background in the spare bathroom tub for about 3 weeks before installing it, and making many water changes. My wife loved me for that!
If you're not comfortable, just use epoxy resin to coat it. I have a discus in a 90 gallon tank with concrete background, but suckerfish will slowly eat away on it so I coated it.
Use Drylok , its a latex based masonary sealer. best of all its completely neutral and fish safe. You can still tint it with concrete dyes or paint it afterward.
I just finished this one and the tank is cycling now.
I just finished this one and the tank is cycling now.
I personally haven't heard good things about concrete, plus it makes your tank heavy as sh*t. We're working on making one outa polystyrene (yes it floats, but siliconed to the inner tank wall)
I've been to 3 different paint stores, talked to about a 1/2 a dozen people there & really no one has recommended anything safe for fish, but I did find a specific paint online that states "fish safe" on it. Theirs also Pond Shield but that's spendy. Also Great Stuff makes a "Pond & Stone" black expandable foam that also states "fish safe" on it. Beckett make similar product. Also used actual aquarium silicone that we picked up at a local fish place...
I've been to 3 different paint stores, talked to about a 1/2 a dozen people there & really no one has recommended anything safe for fish, but I did find a specific paint online that states "fish safe" on it. Theirs also Pond Shield but that's spendy. Also Great Stuff makes a "Pond & Stone" black expandable foam that also states "fish safe" on it. Beckett make similar product. Also used actual aquarium silicone that we picked up at a local fish place...