im still waiting 4 my epistixx clear to arrive when it does i will do some experiments with sand and maybe crushed glass i will also try coating first and then paintingthen coating again .

by dry ragging , do u mean giving it a wipe with a cloth just before its set?

yeah it needs to be almost touch dry, roll a cloth across the surface and it will stipple the surface.

cool i will try that i also came across a floor paint today its a waterbased epoxy i didnt know u could get this i will ring the manufacturer 2moro and ask bout it it had no solvent smell and very little of the epoxy smell u get with other products , it may even be suitable to use with normal paint tints i will find out

i got my epistixx clear today im suprised with it its an unusaul product, 1 part is clear the other yellow when mixed together it goes a milky colour and quite thick though i think it woulkd be more fluid on a warmer day, also interesting to know its a waterbourne epoxy and can be thinned with water up to 40% for basecoat and 20%topcoat, clean up when set is with xylol tho. im also sure u could mix this with normal acrlic paint to colour it , it does go on alrite over top just have to be careful not to brush over it too many times as it softens waterbased paint underneath, simians dry ragging works really well

pic of background in poor lite after topcoat of epistixx

note i have cut out slot 4 divider (goin into my betta/minnow tank), and cut to allow hang on filter to fit

that looks really good

hi just want put some photos on of the finished thing and another ive startrd making (am starting another 1 as well 2day) here they are

this 1 4 my goldfish tank not quite finished

sorry the pics arent very gud as they are off my ph (camera broken)

so when are you taking orders again?

i can get u the poly 4 free and help u if u want

so when are you taking orders again?

How much for a 4foot x 50cm one? lol

WHat fish is the first one for?

the first tank has 2 male bettas hence the tank divider,

like i said to casper i can get the poly for free and help u out with making it maybe u and caspercould go halfs in a pottle of epoxy cost u 14.20 ea would be just enuff to do 1 for both your tanks i have a bag of river sand if u wanted to do rock 1s (easier 2 carve)

the first tank has 2 male bettas hence the tank divider,

like i said to casper i can get the poly for free and help u out with making it maybe u and caspercould go halfs in a pottle of epoxy cost u 14.20 ea would be just enuff to do 1 for both your tanks i have a bag of river sand if u wanted to do rock 1s (easier 2 carve)

wouldnt that depend on the size of the tanks? haha!

id be doing abit thats 48cm Wide and 30 High

thats only a small bit compare to aarons 4ft lol but yeah if ur keen to give it a go i will help u

this is the goldfish tank minus plants and goldfish

sorry bout the quality of the photos my ph again the orange is more of a red in real life, kinda different from natural looking kinda looks like a bed of glowing embers and it reminds me of indira at the maze in hamner springs. its the same background in the photos above just is finished and painted and in the tank

Looks good. Reminds me of Indiana Jones!

Wish i had the skills to make a background!

Looks good. Reminds me of Indiana Jones!

Wish i had the skills to make a background!

i will summarise how to make it at some stage its suprisingly easy i carved that 1 in 10 mins had 1st coat on within the hour

looking good man

Heres mine finished

thats really good nice and natural looking i think when i make 1 for my big tropical tank later on in the year i will research rock formations and use thicker poly , i love the little caves that u have made

Thanks, I'm pretty happy with the way it came out, I even had the Convicts spawn on one of the ledges amongst the grasses. the fry didn't live but I think thats down to lack of proper food for them...or that the male did a suicide dive over the back (really must get around to making a proper lid) :roll:

How do you get it to stay under water? Would the Polystyrene not Float?

And how is yours secured to the wall?

Im going to start making mine soon.

How do you get it to stay under water? Would the Polystyrene not Float?

And how is yours secured to the wall?

Im going to start making mine soon.

Hi Dixon1990,

Check out these links on making backgrounds and cleaning sand substrate (if you go that way). Very useful. They dont float because of the extra weight of the concrete and because they are glued to the back glass using a decent amount of aquarium silicone Good luck - I hope you post pics of the various stages of your project.

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/videos/cleaning_sand.php

good luck Chris

How do you get it to stay under water? Would the Polystyrene not Float?

And how is yours secured to the wall?

Im going to start making mine soon.

u have to drain the tank then just silicone it in wait 24 hrs before u fill it up then wait two days doing complete water changes each day to get rid of the acid from the silicone then ur sweet

Thats what i thought Do you have any pumps/Heaters or anything behind yours? Or is it completely Sealed off?

well 1 tank has a built in filter behind it and the other i carved the poly to take a hang on back filter the next tank i do will be hiding powerheads and heater when u come around this weekend i will show u what i do to make them is sat morning ok 4 u if u cant gt transport i can pick u up and drop u off