Creating Your Own Fiberglass 3D Aquarium Background - Marty Warfe
I was disappointed not to find an adequate background for an aquarium I was setting up. This prompted me to do a little research at the John G. Shedd Aquarium, in Chicago, where they create their own HUGE backgrounds!
Talking to a few of the personnel there, I discovered that most of the backgrounds are created from cement, fiberglass and Styrofoam. No one could describe the process however, and I was not allowed in the research library.
I did invest in a book about FRP (fiber reinforced plastic) boat building. Although not on topic, this book did explain about fiberglass and construction techniques.
Today's technology of FRP is pretty much the same as years ago. Polyester resin and hardener are mixed in the nozzle of a chopper gun (hand held paint sprayer). A fiberglass rope is fed through a spinning knife that chops it into about 1" long strands, these get coated with the resin as it is sprayed into a mold.
I have been formulating a home built aquarium, using the techniques I have learned on my own, as well as techniques describing other home built aquariums. It should turn out to be a fantastic project!
The first things you need to start this project are;
• Imagination. Picture the project completed.
• Patients. Take your time for quality results.
• Very little skill. Basic knowledge of hand tools and construction techniques.
Imagination:
After obtaining the aquarium, draw a picture of it, as if looking in from the top. Begin with where you would like to place any mechanicals, (filters, heaters, ect.). Keep it simple. This is only to get a general idea of how you would like it to look.
Learn from nature. Look at a typical rock formation, stream bed, under cut river bank, or any other type of structure that appeal to you.
Patients:
If you hurry too much, you will make mistakes. Although most can be remedied, some can become quite tragic.
On my latest project, I was hurrying and broke several small limbs from an impressive piece of driftwood. Didn't draw any blood, but still a little upsetting!
Skill:
You don't need any fancy tools, or great knowledge of construction. Almost every thing you will need comes from the kitchen (knives, forks, toothpicks).
Those who think they know it all, never "grow" on to learn new skills and techniques!
Let's Go Shopping!
You need to get every thing you need for this project assembled first.
So..... go down to the river, lake or pet shop and get the coolest looking piece(s) of driftwood you can find. This is the first piece of this grand puzzle, and you need it to plan your background around. Take some time to play with how it would look. Adjust its position and orientation to get the effect you like the best.
I have used tree branches (no bark) that looked very cool and interesting. Because they are not "true" driftwood this causes several problems. These are discussed in several other articles, so we won't here. To circumvent these problems, I use a light coat of resin all over the piece. Mix the resin "thin" (1/4 the recommended amount of hardener). This will allow the resin to soak into the wood and protect it and the aquarium quite well. Let it dry, or cure, for several days, as it will be quite tacky for sometime. Don't worry it will dry, in a day or two.
Next, get the medium of your choice to cover the background. I typically use sand, but I have had suggestions for clay or rock dust. What ever medium you choose, it must be fine grained or powdered. The sand I sift through a piece of window screen to get the finer particles. A coffee can will do about a 55 gallon background.
Walmart, typically, has all the rest of the items you will need. Styrofoam, Fiberglass resin, silicone, paper bowls, cheap brushes and one piece of cross stitch plastic sheet.
Although Walmart's selection of foam is limited, they are the cheapest ( $8 for 12"x36"x2" piece). A craft store would carry more interesting shapes and sizes, but I have only used the large flat sheets of varying thickness. The white foam is more common and that is what I have used in the past. The green "floral" type foam would probably work quite well, disguising any thin spots that may appear in the surface of the finished background, but it is a little more expensive. Get enough sheets, of varying thickness, to cover the back of the aquarium. This is where the prior planning comes in.
The cross stitch piece ($1.50) is used as a screen. This separates the main aquarium from the mechanicals area. They come in may colors (black) and sizes. I use this because the openings are larger than window screening, but not large enough for those "coolies" to get through!
The resin is located in the automotive repair's department ($9 for a quart). On the 40g breeder that I have just completed, I used 2 1/2 quart sized cans. You do not need any of the "kits" that contain fiberglass mat, they contain smaller containers of resin and the mat is generally useless for this application.
A 100% silicone for marine applications, can be found in the paint department ($4 per 16oz. tube). It is used to "glue" the various pieces to the aquarium and to each other, until everything is coated with resin.
Another item that may be useful, to cave lovers or to make a secondary tier, is an under gravel filter plate (the old flat kind). These can be purchased at garage sales, pet shops or from that friend who pulled his out. New is OK, but you can see if you can find them used, (cheap). Use these as the base for tiers and cave ceilings. They are much stronger than just foam and are easily cut up into pieces.
Building Blocks.
The first place to start, under gravel filter lift tubes. If you use them, cool. If not, just as cool. Your choice. I like to use them in reverse flow, more easily maintained that way.
Next, locate where you want your other mechanicals. These are hidden behind the main foam background. Think about where your water intakes and outlets will be. These can be hidden behind driftwood, rock work, or inside caves. "Proper Prior Planning."
Layer foam sheets to create pockets for the mechanicals, 2" foam and then 1/2" foam over that. Many different layers create more depth and a realistic appearance. Glue the sheets to the glass and each other with silicone. To avoid silicone around the edges, use a pencil or drill bit to poke a hole through the pieces, then fill with silicone. If the silicone is too close to the edges of the foam it will become exposed, the styrofoam melts slightly when the resin is applied. The texture of silicone and the resin is quite different, and there will be a very noticeable line. You can "carve" out any silicone that is exposed, giving the piece a fissured appearance.
Ledges can be created by using slivers of foam glued to the face. For larger shelves, small to medium sized blocks can be used. Using your imagination, you can come up with some very interesting designs.
Caves can be created in several ways. Smaller caves can be carved from a solid block of foam.
The easiest for larger caves is to glue stacked blocks of foam together, and when dried, carve them into the walls of the cave. The use of toothpicks, pressed in at an angle, holds everything together wile it sets up.
If you're going to have a tier above the cave, make sure you leave about a 1/2" lip on the next to top layer, and on the main back. These will help hold up the platform while a silicone bead holds them together.
The UGF filter plate is used to create the roof. The filter is non-operational. It just provides added strength to the cave roof. Cut it to the shape of the cave and silicone it into place on the 1/2" lip. Foam is glued to the bottom of the plate to create the ceiling of the cave. Make the cave, or tiers, so they can be installed as sections to the main back. This will make it easier to resin and texture the bottoms of them.
Cut out intake and exhaust outlets for filters and silicone a piece of the cross stitch mat into place over the opening. If hidden well, a corner of the cave, the piece will hardly be noticeable. I make mine so they can be viewed from the side of the aquarium. This allows me to see if they need cleaning of any plant or waste buildup. A side view into the cave also allows you to view any shy creatures hiding there.
There is no need to get real fussy with edges of the foam. Slice off bits here and there to break up long hard lines. Breaking the top sheets of foam into pieces, then gluing them back together, give the appearance of fissured rock. Drag a kitchen fork across the foam to add other interesting details. Using a propane torch to melt the foam adds even more detail to any flat surfaces or sharp corners. Use caution when doing so! The foam burns quite easily. Make sure you do this in a very well ventilated area, burning plastic smells terrible.
Make all fittings for driftwood after you have the basic shape put together. Keep in mind that you'll need to be able to get to all sides of any driftwood or caves with ease. Tight areas are very hard to get to with the resin, especially when trying to work in the tank while it's upside-down! Also, wait on installing larger pieces of driftwood until you have as much of the background completed as possible. This makes it easier to work in the aquarium.
Remember to take your time in planning and construction. The appearance of the finished background will show your patience and effort.
Time To Get Messy!
When you have everything the way you think you want it, it's time to start spreading resin. Make sure you do this in a very well ventilated area. My wife kicked me out of our apartment and to the back of my truck!
Start with caves and tiers, or anything else that may have an exposed bottom. By making these in separate, they are easier to work with.
Mix the resin in disposable paper bowls. The plastic ones tend to melt. Adjust with the amount of hardener so you get a work time, about 15 min., that best suits the speed you need it to set up. Experiment with the quantities, the first few batches will probably have some extra that set up in the bowl. Practice is the key here!
Brushes, NOT the foam ones, need to be cheap! Use large brushes (2"--3") for larger, more flat areas. Smaller brushes (1/2"-- 1") for tighter areas. You will probably use one brush for every mixed batch of resin. Sometimes you can get two or even three batches from one brush, but plan on having quite a few handy. Mixing the resin and hardener with the brush helps a little with its useful life.
Just spread the resin on, not being too fussy, in an even coat. Let the coat's setup, 15 to 20 minutes, before applying the proceeding coats. You will notice that the foam will melt away, from the resin, creating holes and sunken spots, creating another "layer" of naturalism to the piece. Apply layers of resin until all small holes and imperfections are filled.
Small pieces of foam can be used to fill in larger holes and gaps. Just shove them right in. A batch of resin, that has started to setup, can also be used to fill the holes and voids between two pieces of foam. Work quickly with it, when it starts to setup you don't have much time.
These layers are very thin. If you see something that you don't like, drips, runs or big holes, you can just trim it off with a knife or fill it in with resin. It is actually very easy to work with.
After all the holes and edges have been filled in, let the resin setup till it gets fairly hard. Now apply a layer of "thin" resin, being careful of buildup in corners and any planned holes. Once coated, apply at least a 1/4" layer of sand to the resin, thicker in corners and around bumps and the like. You can't get the sand layer too thick. Wait till the resin has had some time to setup and remove any excess sand. Practicing on test pieces and then the underside of any caves allows you to get the feel of how it's going.
So, how does it look? They never turn out quite exactly as planned, but close! Being real fussy with any of this will drive someone crazy. Another tip I learned on my first project!
Just keep going, applying the resin and sand, using natural breaking points to allow you to work on separate areas and planes of the piece.
Remember to get all those spots you won't be able to after its all together. Then assemble the pieces in place and continue with the rest of the main background, blending them into each other.
In no time, it will look like you sliced off a section of rock and put it into your aquarium. Anybody that didn't see you make it will never know the difference!!
Seasoning In.
I didn't let my first attempt air cure for very long. I think that is why it took several weeks worth of water changes for the water to become clear. I believe the uncured resin leached into the water.
This time I'm letting it air cure for a week or two, and then a good pre-wash and scrub. We'll see what happens, although I still plan to do several water changes over the course of a few weeks, just to be safe!
The original aquarium that I did is still up and running fine. No noticeable smells coming from the tank after it had cycled. The fish seemed to do fine with no noticeable die off, other than the typical "new fish-owner" syndrome (girlfriend's mom).
Hope yours turns out as well!!!
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