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Topic: How to make a background for your aquarium (Read 1098 times) |
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ShortVersion
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How to make a background for your aquarium
« Thread started on: May 1st, 2005, 9:52pm » |
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OK... I finally started on my DIY background project for my new 150 gallon aquarium I am setting up in my office at home. A word before I start. I have researched the heck out of this and decided to do it different than the ones I have seen online. I have opted to use a new product to cover the polystyrene which will eliminate the hassle of dealing with curing the concrete in salt water or working with two part epoxy. More on that stuff later.
Last weekend I drove up to a friends place in Cocoa Beach to get the polystyrene. It helps to know people in the business. My friend suggested using the 1.5 pound polystyrene because of it's workability. It is denser than the material you find at your local hardware store. She cut the pieces to my specifications. Two pieces, 6" thick by the inside dimensions of a 150 gallon tank. Why two pieces? Well, incase I screw up the first one. After all, this is my first time and I am no sculptor either. Two pieces, 6" thick for the sides. I also got a couple of extra blocks to make some rocks for the bottom. Here are a few pics:
The work area.
The materials.
Getting ready to start laying out the background and start carving.
After I tried a few tools on the styrene I settled on, beleive it or not, a drywall saw. And went at it.
This is the bottom of the background showing the caves behind the rocks. Some of these caves are interconnected. I hope I will not be sorry later for doing this.
Here's a picture I took late in the day using the shadows to highlight the depth.
This is how far I got end of yesterday.
I finished carving the background today and used a propane torch to stabilize the surface of the polystyrene. A heat gun can be used for this step also. However, you must be very carefull when using the the torch or the heat gun so you don't over melt the polystyrene.
Here's the final shape of the background with the side piece.
A close up.
Well, next step is the coating of the background. I will be using a product called SikaTop Seal 107. This is a two component, polymer-modified, cementitious waterproofing and protective coating for concrete. It is somewhat flexible when cured and is approved for potable water contact.
This material can be mixed to allow application with a stiff brissled brush or a trowel. All that is next.
That's all for now...
 Mehmet
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Blair
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Re: How to make a background for your aquarium
« Reply #1 on: May 1st, 2005, 10:52pm » |
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WOW! Mehmet, That lookes like it will be really a nice background. I can't wait to see it finished. How hard is the styrofoam to carve?
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ShortVersion
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Re: How to make a background for your aquarium
« Reply #2 on: May 2nd, 2005, 8:25pm » |
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Thanks, Blair. It's not all that hard once you find the right tool to work with that will give you the desired look and you get the hang of using it. Also as you get the feel for the material you are working with.
For me the hardest part was to make the first gouge into that big block of polystyrene. I must have stared at it a good part of an hour. Trying to visualize and decide where to best start. Finally I said to myself "dang man, just start on it already".
And once I started that was it. I cranked up the music, got a cold drink and I went at it. After about fourteen hours between Saturday and Sunday, there you have it. Not exactly what I envisioned but acceptable for the first time. Mind you, not all of that time was carving. 1/3 was cleaning and 1/3 was breaks. It went something like:carve, clean, sit back and stare at it, carve, clean, sit back and stare at it and on and on and on...
I will tell you one thing for sure. If you do this you will get well aquainted with your vacuum.  I overworked the heck out of the central vac.
Mehmet
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Holeyrock
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Re: How to make a background for your aquarium
« Reply #3 on: May 2nd, 2005, 10:51pm » |
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Cool project. I have been planning on doing a background for yeeeaaaarrrrssss now, but haven't ever quite got around to it yet. I should get the championship trophy for procrastination. 
Where does one find this Sika Top seal?
I guess you have it figured out already how to color it.
Very interesting concept, looking forward to seeing the progress.
Seeeeeeeeeyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa....................Holey
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Larryochromis
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Re: How to make a background for your aquarium
« Reply #4 on: May 3rd, 2005, 02:00am » |
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Hey,would a couple of pics of "Malawi Rocks In Their Natural Habitat" work for you here? 
I know you guys are not artists but what the heck.Some times you can get inspired by pics.
Let me know,shading and color might help to.Would love to contribute 
I see that MORE tanks are coming!(it only took one to start eh Mehmet!)
Cheers,Larry
Ok,to keep the reference pics close to the top of the page I'll add them here.
Malawi Rocks in Their Natural Habitat
Sanga Reef
.jpg)
Chimyamwezi Rocks
.jpg)
I had to leaf thru tons of pics for just these two,whew! I'd have to say that I have lots of fish pics,but not to many rock wall pics. 
My comments here are-
Compare the two pics,the rocks although are different sizes they still look similar.One has round rocks and the other,,,,well I think you can see.
My point being that when you make the back ground keep the shaping of the rocks similar.In the Lake you will not find jagged rocks with round ones.
You will find that most rocks in any area will look similar but there make be a GREAT size difference.
I think Mehmet did a great job so far.I can't wait till the next stage!
Hope this helps.
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ShortVersion
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Re: How to make a background for your aquarium
« Reply #5 on: May 3rd, 2005, 7:08pm » |
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on May 2nd, 2005, 10:51pm, Holeyrock wrote:
Thanks, Holey.
Quote:| Where does one find this Sika Top seal? |
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Check this link. Sika Distributors.
Quote:| I guess you have it figured out already how to color it. |
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No not really. I have pigments to mix in and one picture to go by. Other than that, I will have to rely on the artist in me.  Maybe Larry-O will be kind enough to help out.
I need all the help I can get.
Mehmet
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ShortVersion
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Re: How to make a background for your aquarium
« Reply #6 on: May 3rd, 2005, 7:15pm » |
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on May 3rd, 2005, 02:00am, Larryochromis wrote:| Hey,would a couple of pics of "Malawi Rocks In Their Natural Habitat" work for you here? |
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Hell yeah!!
Quote:| I know you guys are not artists but... |
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You noticed, eh?
Quote:| Let me know,shading and color might help to.Would love to contribute |
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Please contribute away. I need all the help I can get.
Quote:| I see that MORE tanks are coming!(it only took one to start eh Mehmet!) |
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Yep... Yep... Only one. That's all it takes...
Mehmet
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Mark
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Re: How to make a background for your aquarium
« Reply #7 on: May 3rd, 2005, 8:06pm » |
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WOW.....I am totally floored!!!!!!! 
This is awesome Mehmet!!!!!!!
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ShortVersion
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Re: How to make a background for your aquarium
« Reply #8 on: May 3rd, 2005, 10:22pm » |
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Thanks, Mark. You're too kind...
Btw, where have you been the last few days? It's not the same without you around here.
Mehmet
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Mark
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Re: How to make a background for your aquarium
« Reply #9 on: May 4th, 2005, 5:41pm » |
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Working on something Top Secret!!!!!
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ShortVersion
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Re: How to make a background for your aquarium
« Reply #10 on: May 4th, 2005, 7:02pm » |
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on May 4th, 2005, 5:41pm, Mark wrote:| Working on something Top Secret!!!!! |
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Uuuuuhh!! Sounds fishy to me. 
Mehmet
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Mark
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Re: How to make a background for your aquarium
« Reply #11 on: May 4th, 2005, 8:43pm » |
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It's always fishy!!!!!! 
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Joefish
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Re: How to make a background for your aquarium
« Reply #12 on: May 4th, 2005, 10:50pm » |
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on May 4th, 2005, 5:41pm, Mark wrote:| Working on something Top Secret!!!!! |
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Word spreds fast in the fishy world mark.. you cant hide everything
Remember we pay your wife to tell us everything.. i hear you snore
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Canon Rebel 300D 6.3 SLR
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ShortVersion
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Re: How to make a background for your aquarium
« Reply #13 on: May 6th, 2005, 5:49pm » |
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on May 3rd, 2005, 02:00am, Larryochromis wrote:| I had to leaf thru tons of pics for just these two,whew! I'd have to say that I have lots of fish pics,but not to many rock wall pics. |
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Those are great pictures. Thanks for going through all that trouble to dig them up.
Quote:| I think Mehmet did a great job so far.I can't wait till the next stage! |
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Thanks very much, Larry. I will post more pictures as I continue with the project. I hope the end result will be acceptable. We'll see.
Quote:
Absolutely. I wish I have seen them before I did all that work but I will use them for the next one. This one was a practice run.
Thanks again for your help.
Mehmet
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Larryochromis
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Re: How to make a background for your aquarium
« Reply #14 on: May 7th, 2005, 4:46pm » |
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Mehmet, ANY THING TO HELP OUT
Its all part of the hobby.
Cheers,Larry
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