Epoxy for painting a background?

[ejmeier]

I have read about using epoxy to color a background. Whether the background is made of styrofoam, polyurethane foam, or cement, how can you "color" this background?

First of all, what the heck is epoxy?!?! I've even used it before, and I still don't know what it is.... Is it a paint, or a glue? I always thought of epoxy as being a heavy duty, two part paint. But now I have been reading about epoxy for "building" things? How do you build with paint?

What I am looking for is a means to color a background that is water safe. I have heard of the WestSystem line of epoxies, but they only had two color tints available - white and gray. Not much choice there... Can someone point me to a epoxy or paint or whatever that is safe for underwater use and that also has more color choices - like brown for instance?

Thanks for any help that can be given.

 

[drew22to375]

epoxy paint is a 2 part paint when cured is water proof. For construction purposes you just need regular 2 part epoxy not epoxy paint. 2 different things. You do need one that is safe for aquariums. Sherwin williams has one but I can't rmember what one is aquarium safe. You need one that is for potable water tank aproved. this link is for one of the better brands I have been told.

http://www.aquaticeco.com/aquatic1v1/search2.asp

ok it isn't keeping the search results. search for epoxt paint. and you will find a list of sweetwater epoxy paints.

 

[ejmeier]

Thanks for the link.

Man that stuff is expensive. Almost $50 for one gallon. Honestly, I don't need anywhere near a full gallon, I only need like a pint.

I will admit though, they do have a decent selection of colors; but I still don't see any BROWN...

 

[CordyRoy]

If you could mix two colors, red and green would give you brown.

 

[Matak]

I work with epoxies and have taken paint tint and added it as a base with two part epoxies. You won't need much tint, 5% of the total volume of epoxy is fine. Just a tip to remember with epoxy, you don't have a long pot life, so have everything that you will need ready before you mix the resin and hardener.

 

[ejmeier]

So I could basically buy one gallon of the aforementioned epoxy in white or some other light color, and just mix a little bit at a time and tint it to a different color each time?
Also, (this might sound stupid), but where do you get paint tint? Whenever I have bought paint at the store they just tint the paint for you with a big magical machine. I have never seen just plain "tint" for sale.

 

[Matak]

One gallon I would imagine you would only need 10% of that. You will just have to ask for the tint as they don't get a lot of call for it straight out of the mixer.

Here is another idea: paint the background whatever colour you like and epoxy that painted surface. Carefull, most paints will eat away at stryofoam. Hmmm, spray paint the stryofoam with the colour you like or a clear laquer for a rock-like texture, then cover with paint & epoxy.

 

[125gJoe]

Am I missing something here?

Why paint anything?, when you can just "stick-it-on" and see how it looks??
Black backgrounds seems to work with most all Freshwater Aquariums! HTH

 

[125gJoe]

Originally posted by ejmeier
.Can someone point me to a epoxy or paint or whatever that is safe for underwater use and that also has more color choices - like brown for instance? ...

Flourite is good... --- I'll pretend you didn't mention 'brown'..

 

[ejmeier]

Originally posted by 80gJoe
Am I missing something here?

Why paint anything?, when you can just "stick-it-on" and see how it looks??
Black backgrounds seems to work with most all Freshwater Aquariums! HTH

Black backgrounds.... #^#^@$^ Don't ever say that!

(Okay, I'm not really that mad...)

But...
I have had a lot of tanks over the past few years, and all I can say is that the background makes a WORLD of difference. People say that it only distracts from the tank's inhabitants, but I think that it is only part of the whole picture. It is not just the fish, but it is a mimicking of their entire surroundings. If you don't want to detract from the fish, put them in a barebottom tank with no rocks! (That is actually what some have done at fish shows to display the fish.)

Anyway, have you ever tried to "stick on" a 4 ft. slab of granite? How about a 2 ft. wide tree stump? (Hence my request for BROWN paint) I think you get the picture...

I'm not really trying to go for a rock-cave or anything else that uses smaller type rocks - otherwise I would stick them on. I guess I'll cut to the chase, what is the best way to duplicate something like this:

or this: