Zdoda Posted November 1, 2010 Report Share Posted November 1, 2010 So upon finding a good place too buy slate, i am wanting to use broken pieces and build a mosaic of rocks joined together too stick on the back of the tank, now something i am trying to avoid is disaster should i want to remove it from the tank years down the track. So far my thinking is, using silicone to glue all the pieces together BUT this leads too a problem by doing so its stuck too the glass and would almost be impossible to remove it at a later date, due to the tightly overlapping of rocks be unable to slide a blade behind. I had thought about using a sheet of poly behind and using the rocks on that, but after my last debauchery with poly really trying not too use it again ( i had problems with the concrete falling off the poly even after numerous coatings) any thoughts? 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hovmoller Posted November 1, 2010 Report Share Posted November 1, 2010 You could silicone the rocks to a piece (or two depending on tank size) of 3mm acrylic.. then just silicone that into the tank around the edges.. should be easy enough to remove in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smidey Posted November 1, 2010 Report Share Posted November 1, 2010 all of the 3D backgrounds i have seen have been made with poly so maybe getting some info on how to be successful with a poly one is the key. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diver21 Posted November 1, 2010 Report Share Posted November 1, 2010 You could silicone the rocks to a piece (or two depending on tank size) of 3mm acrylic.. then just silicone that into the tank around the edges.. should be easy enough to remove in the future. thats a good idea, and it will just need about 3-4 spots of silicone to hold it in place to stop critters getting behind it i might just steal this idea and do it myself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zdoda Posted November 1, 2010 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2010 You could silicone the rocks to a piece (or two depending on tank size) of 3mm acrylic.. then just silicone that into the tank around the edges.. should be easy enough to remove in the future. Yeah that is an idea, though 2mtrs long not sure how the acrylic would hold up and cost. So far my idea is too use conduit piping (orange) seen at bunnings. I have a few pieces so going to try it first on the small tank. So something like this all of the 3D backgrounds i have seen have been made with poly so maybe getting some info on how to be successful with a poly one is the key. This is true, and i will be busy starting to make a new one by December, as i said my problem was concrete falling off, spoke to a few people who found it a need to keep information secretive which was we'll frustrating too say the least (no one from the forum 8) ), it wasn't as if i was asking them too build it for me or secret coke formula but oh we'll. I then went and used a type of resin on the background which unfortunately i had used the Brand Norsk which ended up silvering and looking quiet ghastly and was told it would leech into the water and end up killing the fish. so ripped it all out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason22 Posted November 2, 2010 Report Share Posted November 2, 2010 just finished making a large fake rock back ground for my bearded dragon. first i tried that quick drying concrete (premixed stuff) but it didnt stick to the poly, so brushed all that off and used straight cement with a bit of sand and it stock heaps better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spoon Posted November 2, 2010 Report Share Posted November 2, 2010 re the cement its not too hard should stick like.. to a blanket , also regarding the pvc conduit - you may find the cost of that quickly gets up to the cost of acrylic sheets. the other thing is test out how well silicone sticks slate together you may find it dosent hold well enough i would be inclined to use aqua knead-it although this would be expensive also Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the-obstacle Posted November 2, 2010 Report Share Posted November 2, 2010 Yeah, I was going to say aqua knead it would be my choice. Also - I've had really good service from Bay Plastic in Tauranga. They ship and are really cheap. They also cut to exact dimensions and only charge you what you buy, not the whole sheet, so you only pay for what you use. I had my 1200x30x3 dividers sent up in a day and including courier it cost me around $20 for 2 dividers. http://www.bayplastic.co.nz is their url I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zdoda Posted November 2, 2010 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2010 just finished making a large fake rock back ground for my bearded dragon. first i tried that quick drying concrete (premixed stuff) but it didnt stick to the poly, so brushed all that off and used straight cement with a bit of sand and it stock heaps better. Thanks for that, the one flaw i didn't do was keep the concrete moist whilst curing it seems :oops: :oops: lesson learned. With temp getting warmer by the day, would spraying mists of water one in the morning and evening be sufficient enough, or would i need to use wet blankets ? we'll yesterday started making a new one for one of my small tanks, nothing amazing, but better too get the principal of the concrete too cure and hold under water. Also for colouring the background, on my last background i put in black oxide with the concrete too darken it, this wouldn't have stopped the cement from curing? re the cement its not too hard should stick like.. to a blanket , also regarding the pvc conduit - you may find the cost of that quickly gets up to the cost of acrylic sheets. the other thing is test out how well silicone sticks slate together you may find it dosent hold well enough i would be inclined to use aqua knead-it although this would be expensive also Yeah i used knead-it for a part of my tank to take the fx5 cuppings.. the cost indeed would be a issue and it's more likely i will revert back to the poly background. As for slate 300 x 300 per tile cost me $5 and given i need to do a 2mtrs then more on top to build it out, its also going too be expensive in the end and id rather invest in more fish with that $$ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted November 2, 2010 Report Share Posted November 2, 2010 oxide won't stop cement from curing there is a product called cemix that is mixed with resin to coat the outside of poly this sets like concrete, get mine from a place here called the plaster centre used on the outside of buildings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zdoda Posted November 2, 2010 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2010 Yeah, I was going to say aqua knead it would be my choice. Also - I've had really good service from Bay Plastic in Tauranga. They ship and are really cheap. They also cut to exact dimensions and only charge you what you buy, not the whole sheet, so you only pay for what you use. I had my 1200x30x3 dividers sent up in a day and including courier it cost me around $20 for 2 dividers. http://www.bayplastic.co.nz is their url I think. Thanks will keep that in mind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted November 2, 2010 Report Share Posted November 2, 2010 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zdoda Posted November 2, 2010 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2010 oxide won't stop cement from curing there is a product called cemix that is mixed with resin to coat the outside of poly this sets like concrete, get mine from a place here called the plaster centre used on the outside of buildings Thanks livingart Cool we'll that's a bonus then will add the oxide too this next lot. As for the cement i used it was Cemix quick patch. which i presume is correct? One thing to note i used a heat gun (lightly) over the poly where the scrapping of poly balls where showing highly doubt this may have stopped the concrete from setting but thought id just say in case that wasn't a good idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zdoda Posted November 2, 2010 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2010 Sorry for all the questions, but livingart is that styrofoam/drain u get from bunnings? Also have u siliconed that into place? and will you be concreting inside the tank? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted November 2, 2010 Report Share Posted November 2, 2010 got the foam from a specialist building supplies glued with no more nails, sanded and painted with acrylic house paint over the cemix cemix product was for coating poly, not quick patch from memory cut to be a tight fit in tank, could be siliconed heat gun may have made poly too smooth for cemix to stick? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted November 2, 2010 Report Share Posted November 2, 2010 done to fit round overflow box Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the-obstacle Posted November 2, 2010 Report Share Posted November 2, 2010 You've sold me on a poly background for my next setup. I've been designing fitting a DIY overflow into the background for cost saving purposes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted November 2, 2010 Report Share Posted November 2, 2010 the back side Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zdoda Posted November 3, 2010 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2010 got the foam from a specialist building supplies glued with no more nails, sanded and painted with acrylic house paint over the cemix cemix product was for coating poly, not quick patch from memory cut to be a tight fit in tank, could be siliconed heat gun may have made poly too smooth for cemix to stick? Okay sweet, Is no more nails easier to remove as opposed to say silicone at a later date? (excuse my DIY noobness). We'll found a place that sells styrofoam 2500 x 1600 x 50mm @ $56 so seems decent enough. Guess if its blue doesn't matter (leech anything?) just judging by there website http://www.forman.co.nz/products.php?catid=23&proid=224 awesome background btw livingart , here's hoping mine turns out at least half of what yours looks like Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted November 3, 2010 Report Share Posted November 3, 2010 glued poly together with no more nails place i usually buy cemix at has changed hands so trialling this stuff fine mesh coat mixed with water and 15% resin to a slurry and painted on poly with a paint brush Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
si_sphinx Posted November 3, 2010 Report Share Posted November 3, 2010 Reading about all these backgrounds has made me want to make another one now. off to get some poly i go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted November 3, 2010 Report Share Posted November 3, 2010 Reading about all these backgrounds has made me want to make another one now. off to get some poly i go thanks, was lookin for your thread viewtopic.php?t=39179 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zdoda Posted November 3, 2010 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2010 glued poly together with no more nails place i usually buy cemix at has changed hands so trialling this stuff fine mesh coat We'll bonus is that company Specialized, is like 5min drive so going there today see what they got. Shot 8) May i ask what resin you used? Epoxy? Reading about all these backgrounds has made me want to make another one now. off to get some poly i go yeah that guide you gave me was perfect , it was more my lack of understanding how things work and should have asked :oops: Live and learn as they say :lol: :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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