Building A Styrofoam Background

[simonbrown403]

First good job looking good mate, but i have a few concerns, 1st are you going to cover up the side where you can see the silicone (maybe spray it black) and why on earth did you cover the bars at the top with concrete mix, you going to end up with big shadows across.

Simon

Ok good question about the sides of the aquarium. I am going to re build the funishings so the sides of the aquarium will not be able to be seen. At teh moment i need to get an idea of every thing i need to install and maintain befor i do the rest of the funishings.

The reason i covered up the bars at the top is that i am going to a have a place for my crabs to sun bath. These areas will be a refuse. The water level is just over the top of the bars.
Also not all fish like direct light so its also a place where these fish can group and hide from the direct light

If i dont like it i can always remove it in later times. ITs all an experiment for me at the moment.

I have over come tha shadow thing as i am placing in two 150W Halgon Day light lamps that will shine in at a 45Deg angel once I build the roofing.

I have woked out at the end i will have 440w TL lamps and 300w halgon day light lamps.

Good questions and keep asking everyone..

Thanks

Whats your plants for the top to stop the crabs exploring your living room lol, have you thought about having a glass/acrylic frame, that will slot into the top of the tank sitting on the rim so you can see them?

 

[fozzy_wozzy_woo]

First good job looking good mate, but i have a few concerns, 1st are you going to cover up the side where you can see the silicone (maybe spray it black) and why on earth did you cover the bars at the top with concrete mix, you going to end up with big shadows across.

Simon

Ok good question about the sides of the aquarium. I am going to re build the funishings so the sides of the aquarium will not be able to be seen. At teh moment i need to get an idea of every thing i need to install and maintain befor i do the rest of the funishings.

The reason i covered up the bars at the top is that i am going to a have a place for my crabs to sun bath. These areas will be a refuse. The water level is just over the top of the bars.
Also not all fish like direct light so its also a place where these fish can group and hide from the direct light

If i dont like it i can always remove it in later times. ITs all an experiment for me at the moment.

I have over come tha shadow thing as i am placing in two 150W Halgon Day light lamps that will shine in at a 45Deg angel once I build the roofing.

I have woked out at the end i will have 440w TL lamps and 300w halgon day light lamps.

Good questions and keep asking everyone..

Thanks

Whats your plants for the top to stop the crabs exploring your living room lol, have you thought about having a glass/acrylic frame, that will slot into the top of the tank sitting on the rim so you can see them?

I was going to have it closed off on the rim withthe lamps only cm's from the water. but i do like your idea.

I have been thinking of making a aquarium biosphere ages ago..
Hey thanks for reminding me.. i think i will do that as well. i will grow plants on the back of the tank. that will add another 30cm's to the top. hey i could also get frogs then... mmm ideas...

cool

 

[peacock_101]

THAT'S THE KOOLEST THING I'VE EVER SEEN!!!! Can the fish fit through the tubes?

 

[fozzy_wozzy_woo]

THAT'S THE KOOLEST THING I'VE EVER SEEN!!!! Can the fish fit through the tubes?

well i have made the caves in three sizes. small medium and large and the fish will fit in nicely, and hopfully a nice place for them to breed.

 

[fozzy_wozzy_woo]

OK, so the water is now in the tank for a week and the water has pulled out so much crap out of the cement. over the week allot of the grey cement has come out. i have done around 5 water replacements over the past week.
I need to fix a few problems wih water leaks in the water pipes but every thing is turning over nicely. I will have to wait until my next pay cheque to get my lighting up and running. then i will also need to but a co2 system. i have been looking into the home made versions but the amount of stuff i would need for a 900ltr tanks would make it too large to fit in the area of the tank.

 

[fozzy_wozzy_woo]

Ok all its now three weeks. I have fixed all the filter leaks that i was having.

so today i have now started to start the warming and added two spot lights to get light in the tank. i have now cycled to water constanly every day. for the past two weeks.

I cant start cycling my aquarium until i get some plants and my co2 system.

I also now need to get a water testing kit so i can work out what my water quality is.

So here are the latest pictures of the cement background

Without flash on camera

with a flash on the camera

 

[SkiFletch]

Wow, thats an awesome looking tank and some great DIY skills man, way to go

 

[fozzy_wozzy_woo]

Wow, thats an awesome looking tank and some great DIY skills man, way to go

Thanks,

Once i get my next pay cheque i will be able to buy some large pieces of bog wood and place them in the tank.

I will be covering the corners in bog wood and smaller pieces on the bottom.

In between the bog wood i will chuck in some java fern and some nice plants. but first i need to build the lighting hood to figure out where the darker spots are so i can plan for the darker plants.

 

[fozzy_wozzy_woo]

ok so the background is complete and the water has sat in the tank for two months here are the finished results

middle of the tank

right side of the tank

and finally the full length version

 

[SkiFletch]

Looks fantastic fozzy, well done . Wish my FW tank looked that nice

 

[fozzy_wozzy_woo]

Looks fantastic fozzy, well done . Wish my FW tank looked that nice

Thanks,

It has taken 3 months to get to this stage. but it is almost complete..

 

[DanDanUK]

Looks fantastic fozzy, well done . Wish my FW tank looked that nice

Thanks,

It has taken 3 months to get to this stage. but it is almost complete..

Wow Fozzy that background is fantastic ! how long was the whole prossess of building ? and i noticed you wrote down all the prices for the peices at the begining of the post but can you tell me how much that cost you in total to do everything.

Chhers mate and well done!

 

[fozzy_wozzy_woo]

Looks fantastic fozzy, well done . Wish my FW tank looked that nice

Thanks,

It has taken 3 months to get to this stage. but it is almost complete..

Wow Fozzy that background is fantastic ! how long was the whole prossess of building ? and i noticed you wrote down all the prices for the peices at the begining of the post but can you tell me how much that cost you in total to do everything.

Chhers mate and well done!

Well the actual building of the background and installing it didnt take to long at all. once you have all the items from the diy shop.
Tile cement, 2 x 25kg bags
cement pigment brown, red and black
Styrofoam sheets and blocks
Silycon x 2 Aquarium type
Rubber gloves
plastic tubes for caves

It will take 1/2 days to cut out the styrofoam to your liking
2-4 days to lay the cement. ( this all depends on how many colour layers you want.)
once dryed
1 day to fit and secure to glass
3 - 4 weeks to cycle the water to reduce the PH and KH levels

total cost
is approximatly €140 but this can be cheaper. I made a few mistakes when i was making it.

if you go to building sites you can pick up the styrofoam for free as they throw it away as it is only used as packing material. this will save around €40.

And the tile cement you will need 2 bags . i used 2 bags of tile cement and 1 bag of normal cement. dont use the normal cement. just use the tile cement as it drys faster and you can shape it better. that is €20 cheaper

use tooth picks to connect the blocks to the styrofoam this will save 1 tube of silicone. €10 savings.

hope this helps

 

[McMurray]

You have convinced me to do the same.

I will need your help with this so.

You say you would like to use toothpicks why and where?

how thick is the coating of cement?

how did you get the cement to stick to the styrofoam?

doesn't the styrofoam give off toxins ??

How much weight has this added to the tank??

hasnt the pressure of the water shrunk the styrofoam? if so why hasnt the cement cracked. have you added the ruber compound to the cement?