What about using chicken wire (or something similar) to form a wall and then spraying the foam onto it? You could even mold the chicken wire into various shapes (bulges, caves, overhangs, etc).
D.I.Y. 3D Background - How To - W.I.P.
- Thread starter DarkSoul
- Start date
What about using chicken wire (or something similar) to form a wall and then spraying the foam onto it? You could even mold the chicken wire into various shapes (bulges, caves, overhangs, etc).
not a bad idea.
Basically, i was going for something that was going to be cheap and mostly simple.... it was, but besides that, using the foam provided a flat surface on the back for sticking to the glass, and keeping water out from behind the background where there is no water movement.
also, initally i intended on carving things into the foam, so as to reduce the volume of water lost, instead of putting things onto the foam. I ended up blasting it with spray foam anyway
I can only assume that it was the paint I used, and/or the white glue that caused my fishes death/problems.
I dont really believe the epoxy had anything to do with it, other than flaking off, thus allowing the paint to get into the water column.
This background would have been PERFECT for a lizard terrarium or something, at least the methods and mterials used to construct it.
I guess I wasnt thinking "underwater" enough.
Now I dont know what i should do for a background.
i've done this same type of thing for a lizard terrarium..
here's what i did and maybe it'll help:
carve your styrofoam in reverse (so the things that youwant to stick out, actually go into the styrofoam)
around the edge of your carved styrofoam, put a styrofoam "lip" like a frame.
thus you have a mold.
put thick cement mixture in the mold and leave it to sit until dry keep it about a half inch deep in all places (it's important to use a thick mixture, a runny mixture will cause your cement to be thin at the higher points of the mold, which will make it fragile.
(WARNING DO NOT USE CONCRETE WITH LIMESTONE IN IT)
once it's dry, take the "frame" off the sides, and look at the edge, if it looks dry all the way through, then take the styrofoam off the cement.. it's best to get the big chunks with a knife, and then get the hard to get parts off with acetone.
rinse the front thoroughly (i just used a garden hose for this)
let dry
then, paint the front of the background with clear polycrylic. (NOT POLYURETHANE)
let dry and repeat 3 or 4 times.
you may want to do this for the whole thing, but i didn't because it was just for lizards .
if it's too shiny for you (mine was) just take some rough grit sandpaper to it.
anyways.. that's all i did.
hope that helps.
**i should add that by doing this mold in reverse method, the back of the background is open.. therefore, if you were to have a couple holes in the background, the water would go all the way through, and there would not be any stagnant water.. it is for this reason that i would recommend polycrylic on both sides for an aquarium. again, i only did one side because i wasn't working with water.
here's what i did and maybe it'll help:
carve your styrofoam in reverse (so the things that youwant to stick out, actually go into the styrofoam)
around the edge of your carved styrofoam, put a styrofoam "lip" like a frame.
thus you have a mold.
put thick cement mixture in the mold and leave it to sit until dry keep it about a half inch deep in all places (it's important to use a thick mixture, a runny mixture will cause your cement to be thin at the higher points of the mold, which will make it fragile.
(WARNING DO NOT USE CONCRETE WITH LIMESTONE IN IT)
once it's dry, take the "frame" off the sides, and look at the edge, if it looks dry all the way through, then take the styrofoam off the cement.. it's best to get the big chunks with a knife, and then get the hard to get parts off with acetone.
rinse the front thoroughly (i just used a garden hose for this)
let dry
then, paint the front of the background with clear polycrylic. (NOT POLYURETHANE)
let dry and repeat 3 or 4 times.
you may want to do this for the whole thing, but i didn't because it was just for lizards .
if it's too shiny for you (mine was) just take some rough grit sandpaper to it.
anyways.. that's all i did.
hope that helps.
**i should add that by doing this mold in reverse method, the back of the background is open.. therefore, if you were to have a couple holes in the background, the water would go all the way through, and there would not be any stagnant water.. it is for this reason that i would recommend polycrylic on both sides for an aquarium. again, i only did one side because i wasn't working with water.
Darksoul, that background looks killer! Your paint job looks even better now that it's under the water. great job and thanks for the how-to.
great effort
good effort though mate, sorry i didnt work out in the end.
I found this thread while searchin for info on making backgrounds for fish tanks.
Ive had the idea for a while now since I think it would make my tank look a million times better.
Only thing is my tank is already up and running and full of fish!
I wish i had a blank canvas to work with.
was thinking of creating my own in a simular way to you but dont think it would be practical or wise to do so especially whilst theres fish in the tank.
They have got 3D backgrounds on ebay they are rather pricey.
Also I have a corner tank so would in effect need 2 at 36"s Long.
good effort though mate, sorry i didnt work out in the end.
I found this thread while searchin for info on making backgrounds for fish tanks.
Ive had the idea for a while now since I think it would make my tank look a million times better.
Only thing is my tank is already up and running and full of fish!
I wish i had a blank canvas to work with.
was thinking of creating my own in a simular way to you but dont think it would be practical or wise to do so especially whilst theres fish in the tank.
They have got 3D backgrounds on ebay they are rather pricey.
Also I have a corner tank so would in effect need 2 at 36"s Long.
the root of my problem i believe is the paint.
I painted the cement, and then upon coating it with epoxy, the epoxy had nothing to grip or bond too.... it was stuck to the paint, not the cement.
so as the paint peeled, so did the epoxy, and one little hole was all it took to allow water to get behind the epoxy.
this isnt a bad idea really, I just should have done it differently.
I painted the cement, and then upon coating it with epoxy, the epoxy had nothing to grip or bond too.... it was stuck to the paint, not the cement.
so as the paint peeled, so did the epoxy, and one little hole was all it took to allow water to get behind the epoxy.
this isnt a bad idea really, I just should have done it differently.
Question insted of making this a background could I put it on the bottom of the tank? I only ask because I live in a seccond floor appartment and my GF is concerned about the weight of my 55 gallon. I was thinking about removing the rockwork and doing something like this to sort of lighten the load and maybe put her at ease. Plus I could make some sweet caves :evil_lol:
i dont see why not really.
but if your apt has concrete floors, then i wouldnt worry about the weight.
