HOW TO: Installing 3D Backgrounds / Tips & Techniques

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Couple ?s what kinda foam is it and can i get it at like home depot? Next what paint do you use that doesnt leach into the water and is safe for the fish. Last how do you carve such amazing look alikes of rock so nice! Appreciate it MFK :)
 
305phins;4856827; said:
Couple ?s what kinda foam is it and can i get it at like home depot? Next what paint do you use that doesnt leach into the water and is safe for the fish. Last how do you carve such amazing look alikes of rock so nice! Appreciate it MFK :)
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These are for pre-made backgrounds that already come painted and sculpted.
 
These are for pre-made backgrounds that already come painted and sculpted.
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One guy on this thread built his own.. nobody know what paint and foam people use to build the 3d BG's
 
I heard krylon(for outdoor furniture) works well and comes in multiple colors. You can buy huge sections(4'x4') of 1,2,3, or 4" thickness foam to carve out and create texture.

Another awesome method I have seen is the PVC do: PVC is shaped with elbows, T's, and angled connectors, then covered with the pond foam, followed by pool coat, followed by krylon... the pool coating comes in different colors, so you might be able to skip the krylon if you're ok with a solid color.

BTW: the PVC can also be used in the plumming of the tank... multitasking decor is so cool... a tree root system that filters the tank? almost like nature!
 
Wow, I really like these 3D backgrounds. I'm going to build my own, $315.00 for a pre-made is well...... outrageous, especially when you consider there's about $50.00 in materials. I have a friend who is an interior decorator, she does things like this on walls. I'll pick her brain a bit and come up with something custom for my tank. I can't wait to get going!
 
I installed a large background in my 150 a few months ago. To prevent fish and water from getting behind it I used an expanding pond foam to fill the void. The foam worked really well. I want to do a write up / how-to on it eventually to show other people. Water doesn't get behind it as long as you know how to engineer the foam.

You can find the foam at most improvement stores such as the Depot or Lowe's.
 
KTrain;5054801; said:
I installed a large background in my 150 a few months ago. To prevent fish and water from getting behind it I used an expanding pond foam to fill the void. The foam worked really well. I want to do a write up / how-to on it eventually to show other people. Water doesn't get behind it as long as you know how to engineer the foam.

You can find the foam at most improvement stores such as the Depot or Lowe's.
Click to expand...

Now I'm curious how you did the plumbing for that tank. I can only assume you ran the plumbing in front of the background, leaving a bit of dead space behind the background. Any reason for this? Why not fill the back with water as well? Now the background has some actual pressure against it. The weight of the water in front of it, trying to push back. Don't you think that over time, the water will win that battle? Just curious. Would you care to explain your strategy/project if you can. Very interested to learn about these different strategies.
Thanks.
 
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