DIY Artifical Background?

[diy guy]

DIY 3D Artifical Background?

Was contamplating making a 3D background but I am unsure of the best material to use. Would like something that is scupultable and has a dark gray rock like color tone. Would apperciate any suggestions.

 

[oahc]

You can always use styrofoam and then paint it the color you want.

 

[BunnyPuncher]

Use the pink or blue Styrofoam sheets. Buy yourself a hot wire cutter, a 4x8 foam board and a pack of carpet cutters with the long extendable blades and go to town. Paint with "Drylock" tinted with iron oxide (concrete color). Use sand sprinkled on the wet paint of your first coat for some texture.

After the base coats are done, use a drybrushing technique with lighter shades of grey to bring out the detail. If you can, find yourself a loser dork who plays Warhammer 40K, a table top military gamer, or a model railroader to get instruction from. They use the same techniques to make scenery out of foam that we do, just replace paints and glues, with Drylock and Silicone.

The spray foam ("Great Stuff") is good too, but you have to be real careful about how thick you apply it or it may never cure in the heart. It also floats like a buoy and you can see 20-30 hours of work float to the surface after you add water if there is not enough area of contact between glass and foam... ask me how I know that...

 

[diy guy]

You can always use styrofoam and then paint it the color you want.

yeah I've read and seen people that have done that and it looks great. I'm just cocerned that it may be messy and will break apart in tank water. Also if I did decide to go this route what kind of paint is safe for fishtanks? This would be usefu info for this and other diy projects of mine also.

 

[Aquarist]

Good morning,

If you would do a Search Fish Lore, right above post #1, left hand side, for DIY Background, you'll find some good information there.

I hope you can share some photos of your fish related DIY projects with us. sometime.

Ken

 

[diy guy]

Good morning,

If you would do a Search Fish Lore, right above post #1, left hand side, for DIY Background, you'll find some good information there.

I hope you can share some photos of your fish related DIY projects with us. sometime.

Ken

Thanks for the info. As for as sharing. I did do a diy thread on my dressed up breeding pot that I recently made. You should check it out tell me what you think.

 

[diy guy]

Use the pink or blue Styrofoam sheets. Buy yourself a hot wire cutter, a 4x8 foam board and a pack of carpet cutters with the long extendable blades and go to town. Paint with "Drylock" tinted with iron oxide (concrete color). Use sand sprinkled on the wet paint of your first coat for some texture.

After the base coats are done, use a drybrushing technique with lighter shades of grey to bring out the detail. If you can, find yourself a loser dork who plays Warhammer 40K, a table top military gamer, or a model railroader to get instruction from. They use the same techniques to make scenery out of foam that we do, just replace paints and glues, with Drylock and Silicone.

The spray foam ("Great Stuff") is good too, but you have to be real careful about how thick you apply it or it may never cure in the heart. It also floats like a buoy and you can see 20-30 hours of work float to the surface after you add water if there is not enough area of contact between glass and foam... ask me how I know that...

Wow I'm tired from just reading all those steps. Great advice and I"m sure that technique produces great results. But think I'm gonna keep researching and brain storming for another way. Would also like to find way to do it without having to relocate all the fish and drain the tank. May not be possible but you never know unless you try.

 

[BunnyPuncher]

Wow I'm tired from just reading all those steps. Great advice and I"m sure that technique produces great results. But think I'm gonna keep researching and brain storming for another way. Would also like to find way to do it without having to relocate all the fish and drain the tank. May not be possible but you never know unless you try.

Do it on the outside then. Glass is see through

Also, then you can use normal paints, and even sprays (but you would need to use something to protect the styro from melting.)

Styro is a great medium - clean, lightweight and easy to work with.

My favorite 3d look is still slate - check the first 45 seconds or so of the vid in my profile. Cost ya about 10 bucks. Problem with rock is that it is heavy!

 

[Aquarist]

Good morning,

I just ran across this:


Ken

 

[diy guy]

Do it on the outside then. Glass is see through

Also, then you can use normal paints, and even sprays (but you would need to use something to protect the styro from melting.)

Styro is a great medium - clean, lightweight and easy to work with.

My favorite 3d look is still slate - check the first 45 seconds or so of the vid in my profile. Cost ya about 10 bucks. Problem with rock is that it is heavy!

Outside... that sounds like a great alternative.with a similar effect. think I will do something along that route. Curious though what would cause the styfoam to melt?