background methods

[Meefloaf]

okay, so far i've come across sooooo many methods to creating a background for my terrarium and i've narrowed it down to these for choices, anyone experiences as to which is best

1) Rockoflex applied to polystyrene or expanding foam, and then coated in elastopur or poxy-resin, before adding substrate covering

2)polystyrene or expanding foam covered in brown silicon (which one to get, i'm clueless) and then add substrate

any suggestions and advice guys, got the terra and parts to add, just want to make sure before i start and balls it up lol

[deranged chipmunk]

no clue about the first one. they must be trade names for items in your country. i have done many vivs using expanding foam and silicone. it works well, but is smelly and messy. you can also cover expanding foam with waterproof wood glue/ coco fiber (my favorite), or non sanded grout. then there is the clay metbod.

suffice it so say, there are many options, all have their ups and downs. it mostly depends on what look you are going for and your comfort level of working with certain materials.

[Meefloaf]

here's a build with elastopur and rockflex, it's something the dutch created, seems to only be available from one place in the uk via holland Reptile Forums - View Single Post - New build for darts

when applying the expanding foam, do you put silicone on the background first ? heard this helps the foam stick. not heard the waterproof wood glue one i must say.

if only there was some definitive guide lol

[Meefloaf]

found this Evo-stik 717916 Waterproof Wood Glue Resin 1 Litre

and here's the hazard assessment from their website http://www.bostik.co.uk/sds/download...h/04413482.pdf

[deranged chipmunk]

you can apply silicone first if you like. it's really not necessary. i do, but i tend to over engineer things...lol either way, i highly recommend cleaning the glass with isopropyl alcohol. it will help either one stick to the glass.

i did write up an article on materials you can use in this section. also, my thread on my madagascar mantella tank is written up as sort of a how to guide. sorry, i'm on my phone and it's a pain to post links...lol

[Meefloaf]

no worries, thank you for your help, i've been posting on english forums and people either reply with smart **** comments or not at all, 'noob' stuff isnt it. wishi lived in america for this hobby lol you've got great sites aswell to buy from, so far i've found maybe three okay'ish sites in the uk

[Meefloaf]

read your Madagascar mantella thread, WOW, awesome! as for wood glue, managed to find titebond III over here, boom

[deranged chipmunk]

read your Madagascar mantella thread, WOW, awesome! as for wood glue, managed to find titebond III over here, boom

there ya go! and thank you

[DartEd]

I like to silicone the glass first also. The expanding foam, depending on the type, can shrink after expansion as I found out the hard way using GS gaps and cracks. Ugh. That stuff is junk. I prefer doors and windows. The silicone will hold it to the glass so that when you experience shrinkage on those cold days( pun intended) it will shrink towards the glass and not away from it.

[deranged chipmunk]

i'm a big fan of the new ge expanding foam. wally world has it for like, $3.29/can

[DartEd]

I'm going to have to look into that. That's boatloads cheaper than home depot GS Windows and doors.

[deranged chipmunk]

it is cheaper. it's the smaller can, but i found that it cures with smaller air pockets and it cures white versus yellow.

[Meefloaf]

gonna use the titebond on the tree i'm making, thinking of using this on the foam background http://www.plastidip.co.uk/eStore/in...stiDip&stage=1

[deranged chipmunk]

my only concern with using that is long time exposure to heat sources and humidity. there's no way to know if it will leech chemicals that would be harmful to your frogs. there is a high probability that it is safe, but i have never heard of anyone using it. all i can say is proceed with caution.

[chacmhaal]

Both methods are good but the second take much more time to do, i already used this method but next time i will choose the first one

[Meefloaf]

Well, I've got black silicone, rockoflex and other goodies coming. Skint now tho so shall be getting the background designed and made but not finished with the plastidip and tree fern substrate till I get paid, gonna get a thread on the go once its here and I get pics of it etc

DC, its quite popular in the UK for doing backgrounds when applied to either a rockoflex or expanding foam. But I do have the same concerns as you, apparently it is easy to peel off metal and plastic when you want to change it. Maybe its reaction with expanding foam or rockoflex is difference