DIY 3D background using "Great Stuff"

[warhead_71]

I'm going to try my hand at a very simple 3D "mangrove river" background in my 55gal using some twigs, sand, and "Great Stuff" rigid expanding foam. I'll start with a slab of 1/2" pink rigid insulation cut to size for my backer board, then hot-glue my twigs to that... making them look like tree roots dangling in the water. Once the twigs are affixed, I'll use the spray-foam to add some depth and build up areas to hide the filter plumbing and heater. While the foam is still "wet" I'll sprinkle some sand and colored tile-grout over everything to give it some texture and color. When that is all done, I'll seal it all with WBPU and paint if necessary with acrylics... should be fish-safe after soaking it in the bathtub a few cycles. I hope to start the project this weekend, so I'll put up some step-by-step progress pics.

[Gatekeeper]

Great project. There are a few members here who have done similar projects.

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[tzen]

Solid. The tough thing about 55g is they don't have much depth already, so don't make it too thick. I did a similair thing with the bottom of my paludarium. It will still look good.

[warhead_71]

Yeah, I'm going to try to keep it pretty flat against the back wall with just a few sticks jutting out to give the fish places to hide. Then I'll plant some anubias nana at the base, x-mas moss on some of the bigger branches, and java fern on a few sprigs so it looks like leaves on shoots. In the foreground I'll have some crypts, an ozelot sword, red rubra, a mound of pellia (coconut cave for blue rams), HC carpet, a patch of lilaeopsis, and a few other odds and ends tucked into the nooks and crannies.

[warhead_71]

And here we go... did the whole thing in about 2 hours.

It stinks like hell right now and will have to off-gas for a few days before I can wash it and put it in the tank. I think I'll hollow out a few caves in it too once it hardens up.

[rickztahone]

I like it. It has character.

[GitMoe]

Looks good. I also like your kitchen. Sorry, Im a sucker for nice appliances...

[warhead_71]

Yeah, if I get any Great Stuff on that stove my wife will castrate me.

[GitMoe]

Originally Posted by warhead_71

Yeah, if I get any Great Stuff on that stove my wife will castrate me.

lol... My next stove will have a center griddle burner. Enough about stoves...

Are you going to space that background out from the back of the tank and plumb behind it?

[JamesHockey]

Originally Posted by GitMoe

lol... My next stove will have a center griddle burner

I have one, it's been used like 2 times since we got it 2 years ago, but I like it


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[GitMoe]

Originally Posted by JamesHockey

I have one, it's been used like 2 times since we got it 2 years ago, but I like it


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I cook a lot of breakfast and when I do its for a lot of people. I was also a short order cook for a while so cooking on a griddle is fun for me. Mine would get used...

[warhead_71]

I built up the foam on the far right edge. I'll carve that out from the backside so I can run the filter intake. My output is a spray-bar, so I might have to carve a little notch for that so at least the gooseneck is hidden.

[misfit36]

Very cool, what kind of tank is this going to be? I picture a cichlid tank but I am probably wrong.

[lauraleellbp]

Fantastic job!

[Gatekeeper]

Is that thing 4' long? Doesn't a 55 have a center brace? How are you getting that past the brace?

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