Aquarium Backgrounds

[chrisbassist]

now I've seen some amazing planted tanks out there, but what if you're not that into plants? or you want an authentic biotope for your cichlids? or other fish?

I've found some really nice backgrounds from a company called AquaTerra. They're pretty pricey, but they do look good. I'm particularly interested in this background:

A malawi background:

take a look through the gallery: http/www.aquaterra-intl.com/gallery.html

because of how pricey they are, anyone got any ideas how to get the first one cheaper? or make something similar?

 

[VickiandKev]

You could buy some polystyrene sheets in the thickest they come (think it's possibly 750mm) and if you need to layer then do that too and use a hot knife/hot wire cutter to sculpt the polystyrene - then a good 3-6 coats of cement will get that finish (you can add some colour to the cement I believe if you want a different final colour) ... but you end up with a rock solid background that's the design you want.

I'm currently making some rock design backgrounds this way ... and I have to admit - they're turning out great! It's quite therapeutic too!

 

[chrisbassist]

the problem there is I have no confidence in my ability to carve the background and have it look good after...

esp on something like a tree trunk/roots, anyone made enything via a mold or anything before?

 

[ian]

check this thread out, Chris...

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/321741-rear-rock-wall-with-caves/

ace!

edit, sorry you have already seen it.

 

[ian]

BTW Juwel do a tree root style, backgroung for £30.

 

[chrisbassist]

the problem with the juwel ones is how flat they are in comparison... whereas the roots on the ones i posted here come out 6" further than the rest...

 

[juggernuts]

the problem with the juwel ones is how flat they are in comparison... whereas the roots on the ones i posted here come out 6" further than the rest...

when i seen this i thought wow, they are amazing, after looking on their authorised dealers i thought wow, AMAZING RIP OFF.... $450 dollars? four HUNDRED dollars thats just taking the biscuit you could find a fully set up 400litre tank probably cheaper than that

IMO yeah there great, i suppose im only envious if you can afford that but its over the moon to pay for a background.

 

[chrisbassist]

hence why i want to figure out how to make something like that myself...

I think they're that expensive because they go to these places and make moulds of actual locations or something, but really, i'm in the UK, so $450 plus shipping, it'd prob end up being over £350. far too much or me.

 

[chrisbassist]

just thought, maybe if you found a tree/stump like that in real life you might be able to use it as a mould for fibreglass? might be best if it was actually in your garden though, rather than public. then you could figure out the sides seperately, then cut the different pieces and fit them together, then use another layer of fibreglass over the whole lot...

THEN...

Paint.

 

[leeandstacie]

There are loads of good videos on youtube of how to make some backgrounds and they are fairly easy to make. I only kept it a short while though as one of my fish was eating it.
They dont have tree stump ones but some are really good.

 

[OohFeeshy]

I would say you might be better off making a fairly neutral rock background and finding apropriate wood as an extra. Partly because of actually making it, but I imagine it would be fairly tricky to realistically paint it so it looked like wood as well.

 

[chrisbassist]

painting isn't an issue really, esp if i can find myself a small spray for the paint... (i forget what they're called) and if the carving/moulding is good, then that should make it easier since texture will help greatly in achieving the correct shadows, since they'll already be there. and with colour you always have reference photos.

then again I'm going to have to get used to carving and stuff so may give it a test with someof my spare depron (glued together in layers for thicker parts)