Mantellas

[birdsflybackwards]

Thanks for answering that. Have you sculpted the sodium bentonite? How did you do that and what kind of paint did you use?

Sodium bentonite is the clay used in kitty litter, it is also used to line koi ponds and legally fill oil wells...it also makes your skin better...

I got mine from a koi store and its the brand Benseal (Baroid Benseal). You can mix in just about any natural medium you want and and as long as there is still 1/3 bentonite (this is as low a ratio as I have gone, very possible you could go lower) it will still stick to the glass. There was no paint involved, my goal was to have as natural a vivarium as possible so I didn't use any GS, silicone, paint ect. The background of this tank was about 1/3 sodium bentonite, 1/3 peat, and 1/3 flourite, with a small amount of leca dust added for color.

[John]

Thanks for that walk through. I have learned so much from you already - thank you for being so open and helpful .

[Tom Highum]

Is it easy to shape?

[Stemcellular]

Nice pics Em.

[Nick Boudin]

Great Pictures, love mantellas more and more recently!

[John]

How heavy is that tank with just the background in it? And when it's full, can you move it without risk of it breaking?

[John]

And here's another one for you - what exactly is fluorite and where do you get it?

[birdsflybackwards]

How heavy is that tank with just the background in it? And when it's full, can you move it without risk of it breaking?

This tank is a 15 gallon, and I could lift it without having to worry about dropping it. The bentonite itself seems to be heavier than GS since its denser, but if you're just creating a background without wood or rocks a thin layer does not add much weight. Its the landscaping and extra clay used to secure hard things in place which adds the most mass.

And here's another one for you - what exactly is fluorite and where do you get it?

Flourite is a clay "gravel" traditionally used in aquariums in replacement or in combination with stones, sand, peat ect. This is the first time I have used it so I can't personally say much about it, but I have read that plants grow well in it.

[RRFROGS]

Hey, very nice viv u got there. what kinds of plants do u have in there?

[CrazyAirborne]

i want to see more pics of that background! ive only done a couple vivs but im already sick of silicone!

[birdsflybackwards]

Is it easy to shape?

Yes, it's clay and it's wet so you can mold it into just about any shape you want.

and thanks Ray and Nick!

[Tom Highum]

Do you have to cure it in any special way?

[birdsflybackwards]

Do you have to cure it in any special way?

Nope, I often add plants right after the hardscape is done and on a few occasions the frogs have been added on the same day.

[Tom Highum]

Oh that is great I am kinda sick of the doing GS backgrounds.