DIY - Projects & Ideas • concrete background photos

[LongIslandCichlid]

OK I am in the midst of a concrete background on one of my 150 gal tanks. I am on my 3rd coat of concrete on pink Styrofoam I have waited about 24 hours between coats. How long should I let the cement dry before I add water to the tank?

Don't worry photos will be coming soon.

[Mcdaphnia]

A few hours between coats would have been enough time. 24 hours can be a good choice since your free time each day may fall then. Some types of concretes cure underwater, but for others, a few days is better. Keep the concrete moist while it cures, with a mister or a plastic wrap.

[LongIslandCichlid]

ok here is some photos

this is 2 of the 3 150gal that my background will go in

took a little different approach to the back grounds by cutting the foam into individual "bolders"

carved the edges

I had started the background and did only 4 feet last week to make sure it would fit ok so i had to come back and do the sides and the other 2 feet.
just a note if you do it this way you will only need about 5' 6" inches of foam for a 6' background the inside on the tank is about 5'11" and you will use about 5" beteen the "bolders" in space this is why I did it in two parts.

used a mop like paint brush for the first coat

I found a empty one gal milk container worked best for me to mix the cement just cut away the front

now just let it dry overnight

I was going to lay some moon sand in the cement but it didnt look good so i am going to coat over it and just let the algae grow.

it's good to mark top and sides to help with the jigsaw puzzle when down ... mark the back not the front as I show in the photo the front gets covered with cement .....yeah was late and I was not thinking

[LongIslandCichlid]

I was thinking of putting a coat of fiberglass resin over the background to help keep the pH down since this is going to be an Amazon cichlid tank. Would this work or is this just a bad idea?

[Mcdaphnia]

I was thinking of putting a coat of fiberglass resin over the background to help keep the pH down since this is going to be an Amazon cichlid tank. Would this work or is this just a bad idea?

If you miss a spot, the alkalinity will seep out. It's not a bad idea, just very hard to cover 100%. Making your final coat a vinyl concrete like Thorocrete would be easier since you have a final coat anyway. Once the Thorocrete cures for five days, the excess alkalye should be minimal.

[LongIslandCichlid]

I am going to try the vinyl concrete as a final coat this weekend this should be enough time for the cement to dry.
thanks for the info Mcdaphnia

[LongIslandCichlid]

I was thinking of cutting a strip out of PVC for my return and cementing it to the rock next to it so it would like like a crack in the rock

any ideas on how i should do a return

few more photos


sidewalls

[The Kapenta Kid]

I was thinking of cutting a strip out of PVC for my return and cementing it to the rock next to it so it would like like a crack in the rock

A neat idea, but I question cementing it into place. I think all plumbing. especially returns, which can be so easily clogged with debris, snails. whatever, should be removable for cleaning and maint. It should be possible to wedge such a pipe in place rather than permanently cementing it.
Just my two cents.

[LongIslandCichlid]

I got them in the tank tonight just wanted to add a few more photos

[orcy]

looking good mate. now all you need is some substrate and water and it will look awesome

[y ddraig goch]

now all you need is some substrate and water

Good spot orcy! Otherwise, there would have been this thudding and flapping noise when he added the fish....!

LIC - I can't make out the filter intake and return pipework now the background is in the tank. Is it to be added or did you do a brilliant job obscuring it?

[Deeda]

Excellent job on the layout. Looks so much like real rock!!! And I like the color of it even though once the algae grows, it won't matter so much.

[LongIslandCichlid]

going to add better photos later but for now this is the return and intake spots

[ajl10spro]

GREAT JOB Looks awesome!

[DallasTx]

Very impressive!