# Custom background, partial scape & 'rocks'



## Alasse

I'm picking up some things (render, colours, pond sealer, paint brushes, sponges etc) tomorrow, all going well *L*, to start DIY'ing a custom 2ft tank i now have free

At this stage i am planning to do a full background, which will come part way along the sides as well as the back. I will also be DIYíng some 'rocks' and some retaining walls if it goes as planned lol

Some will be rendered foam some will be siliconed/sanded.

Will update with pics once i get started......just doing out the 2ft first, gotta give it a vinegar treatment so its fully clean and fully dry.


----------



## Alasse

So 5 hours later i have this

Full wall (rock in front)









Cave









Intake cover


----------



## Summer

How cool! Cant wait to watch it come along!


----------



## Alasse

Thank Summer  

Will be very shortly doing the 1st coat of render, just gotta find a spray bottle so i can spritz it through the drying process

This tank will be where my 2 fantails (from the pond) will move into, so there is no spot for a heater as its not required. The filtration though will be hidden


----------



## Alasse

1st coat of render on....6 hours work, fiddly lol and i'm fussy


----------



## drunkenbeast

Nice work its starting to look good... i cant wait to see the finished product


----------



## Kehy

looks good so far


----------



## Alasse

Thanx guys...getting there slowly 

Done the 2nd render coat - 5.5hours *L*










Hard to get true colour to show in pic, it is a dark brown, which may lighten as it dries.

Not sure wether i will do a full 3rd coat or just touch up area not covered properly, will see how it dries, then i can get onto the fine tuning


----------



## Alasse

Fully coloured and 1st coat of sealer on


----------



## Kehy

looks really good!


----------



## Alasse

Thank you 

I am absolutely hanging to get this in tank lol. 2nd coat of sealer is now on, as soon as its dry i'll start siliconing in to the tank, then i need to render and seal the join. Then the tank must sit for 7 days unfortunately lol


----------



## Alasse

Siliconed the background into the tank, just finished rendering the join and edges. Will wait until the render is dry then, clean up the edges & put the final coat of sealer on


----------



## Donald Hansen

Did that turn out nice. Thanks for posting the project step-by-step. Can't wait to see it in the tank. Is that something you've done before?

DLH


----------



## Alasse

Thank you

No, never done one before, learnt a few things not to do, and a worked some things i'll try different *L*


----------



## Rob72

looking really good cant wait to see it in your tank


----------



## aerospot

I'm interested in doing a background like this. I've not seen any specifics as far as the methods and materials that can be used without harming the tank occupants.
Your background looks fabulous! Cant wait to see it done.

Dave


----------



## Alasse

Used in this is

Selleys Glass Silicone Sealant
Render It render 9kg
Cement Australia Sandstone oxide 150g
" " Dark red oxide 150g
" " Dark green oxide 150g
" " Dark brown oxide 1kg
Crommelin Waterproof Pond Sealer 1L 

I have left overs of some things which can be used in other backgrounds


----------



## Alasse

Hmmmmm woke up this morning to very milky water and the background has a while hue over it. I've removed the water and replaced with new, will see how it goes.

If it continues i will have to empty it let it fully dry out and see if i can find some epoxy or something else to seal it will.

If not i will have to try to remove it and start again *sigh*


----------



## Alasse

So i have decided to leave it be at this stage. 

Since the milky water episode the water has cleared considerably. The background colour has changed though. Funny enough i dont really mind the look *L*

So i have tested again today, both the tank and a container of water (same as used in the tank) i stored on top, to make sure the background was inert and not messing with tank stats. I am very pleased to say all stats from both samples are exactly the same. 

There is now a feeder fish in there, who is doing great, active and looks wonderful.

Will update as it progresses, what ever that may be

As i is just now (please ignore temp internal filters)


----------



## Alasse

Tank is now fully stocked and home to 2 red and white ryukin and 1 calico fantail.

I must say they look awesome in here!!


----------



## drunkenbeast

wow looks great! nice job


----------



## sion342

Looking real good. Like that one,but the paint and foam are not hazard for the fishes?


----------



## Alasse

Thank you 

The background is inert, will cause no harm to the inhabitants


----------



## sion342

Alasse said:


> Thank you
> 
> The background is inert, will cause no harm to the inhabitants


It is foam or other kind of material? I really like this,and I can do a lot of different shapes.


----------



## Alasse

The 1st pics posted show the foam prior to being coated with render  All is then sealed to make it inert


----------



## majerah1

This is awesome,Rebecca!Love how it turned out.I have seen several of these made.I was wondering,will this not raise the PH?On several I have seen there was several months of letting it set,and doing 100% changes on the tank as it leeched.I will one day make one myself.


----------



## hanky

that looks freaking awesome, GREAT JOB, I'd like to try this myself.
just a few questions. is that just like styrofoam?
and the Render is just like a coat of cement right?


----------



## Alasse

Thank you 

The background wont leach as it is fully sealed  The ones that leach generally are not actually sealed.

Yes the foam is styrofoam

Render is similar to cement, different composition though i believe

I am making another one soon, but will be sealing it with epoxy to see how that goes


----------



## majerah1

Cant wait to see that one too!Ill look for some of the materials when i get a chance


----------



## bigcountry10

Very nice looking background, Im doing a DIY background myself right now. Im useing quikrete and there acrylic sealers though, I had the same exact problem with the water clouding. But the clouding is starting to subside I've decided to throw some carbon in the tank to try and soak up whatever the clouding is. the problem is most likely the white coloring in the acylic sealer leaching out.

I really like the idea of the pond sealer, it kind of bypasses the whole soaking stage i have to go through. I would just be a little paranoid about a crack forming and the cement being allowed to leach anything out. but im sure it will be fine.


----------



## ZachZaf

WOW!! That is absolutely phenomenal!!! Great work! I aspire to do something like that!


----------



## bigcountry10

heres a pic of my tank.


----------



## Alasse

Once that clears up it'll look excellent!!



Thought i'd add a pic here of the tank with fish, just to finish the thread off


----------



## danjsinclair

Excellant job Alasse.
I cant stop watching these progress vids on youtube. 
How many litres do you think you have lost with the background in now though?
Dan


----------



## Alasse

Thanx 

I wont have lost too much, no worse than adding other types of decor  As for exact amounts i've not calculated it


----------



## bigcountry10

wow i like that a lot the fish really pop with the background. you said you are going to do another one soon, you planing on changing your method or doing a diffrent style ???


----------



## Alasse

Trying a different sealer, everything else will be the same though


----------



## Galvatron898

wow that looks awesome! Great job!


----------



## MJAVY7

Looks great!


----------



## sion342

Are u used regular shipping foam or styrofoam. I mean the foam that u could make like snowing rubbing one to another.


----------



## Alasse

Styrofoam - From foam boxes


----------



## bigcountry10

what brand of pondsealer did you use???


----------



## capt42a

Awesome, that looks fantastic !


----------



## Alasse

bigcountry10 said:


> what brand of pondsealer did you use???


As stated earlier in the thread 



Alasse said:


> Used in this is
> 
> Selleys Glass Silicone Sealant
> Render It render 9kg
> Cement Australia Sandstone oxide 150g
> " " Dark red oxide 150g
> " " Dark green oxide 150g
> " " Dark brown oxide 1kg
> *Crommelin Waterproof Pond Sealer 1L*
> 
> I have left overs of some things which can be used in other backgrounds


----------



## Alasse

Thanx guys.

Just a quick update. The background is still stable and having no issue to date


----------



## RyLuci1021

This thread has inspired me to try this on a little 10 gal tank I have. If It works, I will post some pics.


----------



## Henke_89

Very nice work!!!


----------



## Alasse

Thank you


----------



## Chididdy123

How many hours did you put in to this? and how much did all the materials cost?


----------



## Alasse

About 25 hours...cant recall costs now (brain like a seive *LOL*)


----------

