make your own styrofoam background

[black angel]

pretty neat. dont know if anyone else has seen this but it looks good.


http/www.thecichlidgallery.com/article_styrobackground.htm

 

[MAM]

That looks really great. Not sure I'd have the patience to carve styrofoam myself.

Another member here, Mogo, did something like this too:
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=13462&hl=

Just to add to the idea pool.

 

[john5748]

That is a really cool site and quite inspirational , I have bookmarked that and once I get my next tank I may consider a project like that.

One question though, as the background is all the way to the back does this not split the tank in two, with the rear having filtered water and the front having water which is not filtered?

Maybe I missed that bit as I was too busy looking at the pictures

 

[Rivermud76]

This is very popular among the cichlid fans. I have built one. I used the instructions from this article.

Styro background

There is also a link to useful information on UGJ's

 

[Soaup]

Nice post, i dont see myself sitting down an sucessfully being able to do that. But it looks awesome.

 

[SRC]

lol funny I should have came here first. I came across a site giving instructions for making one of these weeks ago..and decided to do one in the new tank I am building. I have since found about 10 sites for building these...and have started my own.

http/photobucket.com/albums/b70/JenniesB...nks/Girls/Foam/

Took me 20 hours to carve out the back, 2 sides, and 2 caves. Now I just have to paint it and put the Epoxy resin on the peices (I would use concrete but don't want to fool with the PH hassle) and let them cure.....that's the hardest part lol.

 

[Rivermud76]

Took me 20 hours to carve out the back, 2 sides, and 2 caves. Now I just have to paint it and put the Epoxy resin on the peices (I would use concrete but don't want to fool with the PH hassle) and let them cure.....that's the hardest part lol.

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I was just curious about what you were using to color the epoxy resin. I have know people to use oxides to darken the color during application. One of the best backgrounds I have seen using this method painted on the epoxy resin then used a brush dipped in epoxy then artisans sand and painted. Several applications done this way gave an awesome texture and for the final coat blowing the superfine artisan sand into uncovered areas and cracks made it look quite natural.

 

[SRC]

Nothing is added to the epoxy itself. I am using Latex paint to paint the foam itself..then putting 2 coats of the epoxy resin over it. I think I am going to put sand over it once I am done..that way the color underneath will give it some shading.

I still am toying with it though. I painted one of the caves last nite and it's drying right now..so when I get home I am going to try putting sand on it and see how it turns out. If I like it..I'm going to do that to everything. If not it will just be painted.

This is the sand I have
https/www648.ssldomain.com/sandartsupplie...sSelect&ID=Sand

I have black, grey, beige, green, and brown.

 

[Rivermud76]

Thats exactly the type of sand i was refering to. Please keep us informed on the progress. I am very curious about the latex paint base and then of course the texture you get. Don't be surprised however if it all gets a light green tint due to algea, it happens pretty much all the time on DIY's like this though current could help.

Since you are building the full background, what did you decide to do for plumbing? The new one I am building will have an overflow box built into the backside of the background. I will also be adding a trickletype waterfall to the top of the background which will be out of the tank by a a little over a foot. Basically making a short cascade back into the tank right off the rock type background. Imagine a waterfall feature in a koi pond only much shorter.

 

[SRC]

I'm going to make the back look like the other tank I built. I drilled 4 holes in the back wall...straight down.

There is a 3" section in the back of the tank where I have the filters hung.

With 2 15 gal whisper fitlers it provides enough suction to pull the water through and then push it back in...to circulate the water...but not enough that it disturbs the fish (you know bettas don't like much current flow).

I haven't had any problems with algae in my 22 gallon tank...so I'm not anticipating any in this one either. Although I do 50-75% water changes every other week though...since I have to clean out each "stall" for each fish and it usually takes out the water. And the tanks have no other light source except the covered, overhead flourescents in my office (the lid doesn't even have lights..it's just a piece of 1/4" hinged plexi) and I have no windows in my office either..so no natural light sources.

 

[Rivermud76]

I'm gonna have to see the final project because i can't seem to imagine it. It looks like a multi divided area, understandable if you are doing it for betas. how is the water going to pass behind the background to get to the filtration and back?

 

[SRC]

It will have holes drilled in it..like the acrylic one I posted pics of. Only no acrylic in this one (that one was the boy tank ..my 22 gal) lol.

Instead of making the interior back wall acrylic and drilling the holes in it..it will be the styrofoam background with holes drilled in it instead.

 

[Rivermud76]

Ahh I see now. Cool. I took the liberty of reviewing all the photos on that site just to try and get an idea of what you were doing. I must say i am deeply impressed. You have quite the knack for DIY. the tank you made for the Boys is quite nice. Do you use opaque separators?

 

[SRC]

Thanks. I love to make things....and I have lots of free/alone time so it helps me to get thru it without going insane .

For the boy tank it has both clear and opaque dividers. The clear ones are permanently attached and the opaque (or white) ones are removable..so the boys can "spar" yet not actually get to each other.

The girl one (the one with this background) will be clear only..as they are used to being in their tanks beside one another..but they are too aggressive to be able to have contact. There will be caves and plants for them to take refuge though..if they need some "alone" time lol.

 

[Rivermud76]

Cool, keep us posted. i am looking forward to seeing your progess.