ive seen all the rockface DIY 3d backgrounds but has anyone ever tryed to make a root system one if so can you post some pics if no one has do you think it could be done
diy backgrounds
- Thread starter gazb227
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I saw a post somewhere, don't remember where. The guy made thin roots.
It's been a while so I don't remember how he did it.
I'll do some searching and see if I can't find it.
To make larger roots or fake driftwood. It's the same as making a rock 3d background. Silicone pieces of Styrofoam together. When cured draw root like shapes on them. Cut and shape them. Coat with concrete. Colour with Krylon fusion. If you wish coat with epoxy.
Here is the start of my background for my 75. The pic is upside down. On the right is a stump I made into it. It's hollowed out so fish can hide inside of it.
It's been a while so I don't remember how he did it.
I'll do some searching and see if I can't find it.
To make larger roots or fake driftwood. It's the same as making a rock 3d background. Silicone pieces of Styrofoam together. When cured draw root like shapes on them. Cut and shape them. Coat with concrete. Colour with Krylon fusion. If you wish coat with epoxy.
Here is the start of my background for my 75. The pic is upside down. On the right is a stump I made into it. It's hollowed out so fish can hide inside of it.
I'm also currently building a similar background for a 180 gallon. I am using actual driftwood incorporated into the styrofoam rock background to act as my root system. Used a chainsaw to cut a stump in half which will be suspended in the tank and held to the back with silicone and a diy bracket. The styrofoam was cut to flow around the stump so it appears as if the stump is part of the background. Currently I am cutting other driftwood to incorporate into the background. Will try and post a pic so you can see what I am trying to explain.
I've seen it on a planted tank with egg crate where the plants were interlacing between the holes. It wasn't exactly DIY, but it looked phenomenal. The tank had plants growing up the back wall with the root systems growing through the egg crate. Probably not what you meant though.....
I think in the setup a guy buy reddog did something with real wood attached to a background. I was thinking about trying to make my own root system buy getting some long pieces and attaching them to an egg crate. you could zip tie them to it. the only problem I would see is that the wood might float unless its pre-soaked to sink. Keep us updated.
spawner, I thought about doing this very same thing. I have a 500 gallon tank, 9' by 3' tall and for the life of me I cannot find synthetic roots, stumps, and backgrounds to fit it. I did some research about using a real tree stump. I was told that it would not be like drift wood that lasts a long time in the tank. I was told it would rot and grow fungus for 6 months to a year. You can try it, but thats what I was told at least. I would be curious to find out if it will really work.spawner;4112209;4112209 said:
I was also told that plecos will chew through the concrete and expose the foam. Can they chew through the epoxy coloring as well?KAWAMIKIE;4112105;4112105 said:I saw a post somewhere, don't remember where. The guy made thin roots.
It's been a while so I don't remember how he did it.
I'll do some searching and see if I can't find it.
To make larger roots or fake driftwood. It's the same as making a rock 3d background. Silicone pieces of Styrofoam together. When cured draw root like shapes on them. Cut and shape them. Coat with concrete. Colour with Krylon fusion. If you wish coat with epoxy.
Here is the start of my background for my 75. The pic is upside down. On the right is a stump I made into it. It's hollowed out so fish can hide inside of it.