Seal foam?

[daziladi]

I'm creating a false-bottom tank and need some advice. I used egg crate to elevate the soil substrate platform from the bottom. After that set, I blew foam from the top edge of the soil substrate area to the top of the enclosure. After a week passed I cut the landscape out of the foam. At this point, should I seal the foam with something non-porous to keep bacteria from growing? This is a narrow tank, with extended depth and stands about 3.5 feet high.

[bshmerlie]

Yes you will need to seal it. There are a several options out there although the most common are 100% black or brown Silicone or Gorilla Glue. When you're putting on the silicone do it in small sections and then put down your substate before it dries. I used "dry" coco fibre but there are many options such as wood chips, peat moss or various other mixtures. John just did a "how to build a vivarium" thread that is very informative. Do a little test on somthing other than you're background to get a feel for how it sticks and the look you're going for. Buy a pack of rubber gloves because you are definately going to need them. There are also other materials to use besides silicone such as clay, concrete, or grout but I personally have never used them because they looked like too much of a hassle. But if you are interested in those google it and there are a lot of different methods used in the hobby. Good luck and post some pictures when you're all done.

[JimO]

Personally, I use Gorilla Glue and a basting brush. It's pretty thick, so you have to work in into the cracks and crevasses with the brush. The nice thing about GG is that whatever you use to cover it (coco fiber, mulch, etc.), it doesn't have to be dry. In fact, it cures faster in the presence of moisture and the bottle recommends that the surface be damp.

I just recently learned that GG is made of the same material as Great Stuff foam, but not under pressure. It will, however, expand slightly, so after it starts to cure, if you see any of the expanded glue coming through the fiber, you can touch up by pressing more fiber into those areas before it fully cures. You can also touch up after it cures with some fresh glue.

Make sure the foam is fully cured before putting animals in the viv. If you leave the viv sealed for a while and then open it and take a whiff, you should not be able to smell any hint of solvent if it is fully cured. Thicker layers cure more slowly and you can poke holes with a toothpick to accelerate the curing process. Some foam might ooze out of the holes (which is a good thing), and it can be easily trimmed and touched up if necessary.

I actually used the holes as places to anchor bromeliads that had a stem. I just expanded the holes with a pencil and stuck the brom stem into the hole and secured it with a couple of toothpicks until it rooted.

Good luck.

[daziladi]

Thanks for the help.... we're going to take that advice and use silicone, then push the moss stuff into it before it dries. Can't wait to see what it comes out to look like when its done.

[daziladi]

This project was a bit more difficult than I expected... you all made it look so easy, lol. I'm adding the silicone and pressing moss into that to dry. There's a nail inserted into the water line to keep it clear, which will become the waterfall. Can't wait to finish