my diy background

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
The background is an awesome start but the decor is too symetrical. Nature does not place a nice row of driftwood with a plant spaced evenly between the driftwood.

I'd maybe pile all the drift wood on one end with a single piece at the other. Make a couple clumps of plants with 3-5 plants in each clump. Randomness is the key to natural looking decor. Even if it is controlled randomness! ;)
 
Hey Joey,

I've got mine going. I just wanted to know how yours is holding up? I'm a bit worried about chipping with the thin coats. Has that been a problem at all?

Thanks.
Joel
 
heres an update..... after about 1-2 weeks of the background being in, my ph and hardness flew off the charts, killing 4 of my 7 otocinclus cats, and stressing the rest of my fish out.(clamped fins,not eating,laying on the bottom of the tank) I realised then, that i should have let it cure alot longer or coated it with something. i dont have any extra tanks so i ahd to remove the background completly.(a very long process when you dont want to break it) after 5 hours, i got it out. i filled the tank back up and put the fish back in. i let the background dry, then i coated it with water proof polyurethan every day for a week. last coat was 8 days ago... im still letting it sit for 2 more weeks, befor i put it back in. Im confident that this will work fine this time.the poyurethan i chose, was the same stuff i used on mopani wood to stop the tannins, and it worked great for over a year befor i sold the tank it was in. so all in all, this wasnt a complete loss, but a huge bump in the road for sure. if anyone is goin to do this, i would let it the cemnt cure for at leat 2 weeks and let it set in the tank full of water without fish until it is more stable. or coat it in something, like im doing now....this was a lesson learned for myself, and others to follow if they wish. I sure do miss that background though!....here is a pic of the tank now, fish are great, i added some fake plants as well. the decor will stay the same when the background goes back in. so it should look great when that happens.

100_1159.jpg
 
i had same problem with my diy background, i did cement on the foam and spry paind after it drys i soak it in the water before add it in my tank i saw cement and coming off from the foam, i am glad i did soak it before the i slicon it in my tank, whole diy work messed up i trow it away, now i am making new one with better cement mix and this time i am putting thicker cement on the foam i am gonna spry it and last think going to put clear epoxy resin, it will be fine after all this, good luck with your diy, it was look gr8
 
thats unfortinatly the only thing i thnk you can do because of the ph that the quickrete has in it.. just fill and drian lol your water bill shouldn't go up to much!
 
Excellent job! The "rocks" siliconed to the bottom look like Stonehenge! :D
 
aww thats dopr did it try to float @ all?
 
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