1000+ questions :)

[Lija]

Carlos! Hammering is more fun! especially when you put a face behind it lol

ok people got more GS and some live moss, need ID will post pic a bit later, while driving thought that Lynn idea might not work in my tank with average humidity of 75 - am i right?

Saw exactly same vine, but prettier like in the pics above and the tag said sanded grapevine....Wrong tag? But i dont think im going to use it here, it too massive. One big thing ( waterfall) seems to be enough. Unless i somehow glue it in diagonally, but may be it is too heavy to be suspended.

and if you could remind me how to do drainage for background plants that would be awesome.

[DigitalPunk]

I jam a straw or pencil or use a drill bit and push it through the foam and into the bottom of the pot.

Moss vine would still work. It will help keep humidity up as well

[Lija]

That is what i thought thanks.

Imagining Bill and his "patience, patience, patience", foamed back wall, it is almost dry now few hour later, it is 20% humidity and 80F here will leave like that over night and going to flip tank over tomorrow morning to cover a bit of sides. Too scared of Bill to do otherwise

Meanwhile did some vines : siliconed synthetic ropes, covered with coconut fiber and some moss, drying outside now. That is in case Lynns method wont work, or most likely ill be too lazy lol


Will wait and if they turn out nice will sillicone them in before covering background. This way foam will have 2 days to cure! Hehe.

That is a rope

[DigitalPunk]

Keep an eye on the foam after it cures. The black foam doesn't stick to glass very well. More often than not I have to put silicone under it where it comes loose from the glass.

[Lija]

Thanks Paul, didnt know that, but i have mostly normal foam.

Oh and since Bill is not here and patience is not my strength ..... Figured will finish foaming today.



Looks really ugly at this point. Now i need to wait until it is cured as i want to carve a few spots.

[DigitalPunk]

98% of the time the foam is cured enough to move it within a few hours. I wouldn't cut into it or do any covering of it till the foam has had 24 hours or more to breath and dry.

I have had walls collapse after moving to soon and I have had everything turn out perfect. Now just as a general rule I won't move my tanks for 24 hours per side just to keep from having to clean a mess up lol.

[Lija]

Right... Lets hope nothing collapses and i wont be touching it tomorrow at all.

When carving any special way to cover it up from the inside? Or just let it be and cover visible parts?

[deranged chipmunk]

Tsk tsk. Patience, patience, patience.. Looks great so far Lija


Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world ~ Nelson Mandela

[Lija]

Ummmmm dont think i have enough patience not to carry on with the thing today. It is very hot and very dry here and nothing fell over night

question- can i test my waterfall at this stage? Because if smth need adjusting i can do it and then cover everything up

[deranged chipmunk]

Sure. Knock yourself out let us know how the test goes


Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world ~ Nelson Mandela

[Lija]

The test went..... Well im just glad i did it now it was leaking in a few areas, otherwise it works. Did minimal setting of water flow on a pump, it is still too fast for my liking, but will do i guess.
so now i gotta waterproof some areas, add more foam to the others. While waiting, ripped apart nasutas tank and very much happy about.

question. The area has to be completely dry to apply foam, right?

Another q. I need to waterproof water way on the waterfall, im going to spray some foam, but i have to put silicone on a cork.
so q is if i mess up and it will be still leaking after silicone what should i do then? You cant exactly scrape it off the cork.

And one more - after applying foam and silicone i need to wait for 24h to run another test and if all works well i can cover background the next day after the whole thing is dry. Yes? Or no?

anyhow advise needed pls

[DigitalPunk]

Yes the area needs to be dry prior to foaming

Cork and silicone - go over board on the silicone on your first pass. It it leaks try to patch it from the outside of the waterfall? Or live with the leak


Covering - depends on what you are covering the background with. If you are using Titebond 3 than it doesn't need to be 100% dry to start. Though the drier it is the faster the glue cures. Also with the glue. You can do several thin coats faster than you can do 2 thick coats. Thin coats are totally dry in 24 hours. Thick coats I have seen take up to a week to fully dry. Silicone - the area will need to be 100% dry.


Are you pressing something over the glue or silicone? Peat, coco fiber, anything? If so keep in mind any bit of water that gets on it will slowly wick it's way across your background. If you are going to press anything into the top cover layer I would leave the area around the waterfall clear and cover that space with moss.

[Mentat]

Water, water, go this way... not that way, this way... I SAID THIS WAY !!! Whatever !

[Lija]

We shall see lol usually im good at convincing things do my way lol i have a plan and back up plan and if both dont work oh well

another q. It seems titebond 3 is not available here, unless i order. I dont have patience to wait for couple + weeks. So what titebond can be substituted with?
im not exactly sure i want to do sillicone.

[Lija]

Are you pressing something over the glue or silicone? Peat, coco fiber, anything? If so keep in mind any bit of water that gets on it will slowly wick it's way across your background. If you are going to press anything into the top cover layer I would leave the area around the waterfall clear and cover that space with moss.

This needs to be clarified for challenged people who doesnt speak tanks. Yet
what does this mean exactly.?

[deranged chipmunk]

We shall see lol usually im good at convincing things do my way lol i have a plan and back up plan and if both dont work oh well

another q. It seems titebond 3 is not available here, unless i order. I dont have patience to wait for couple + weeks. So what titebond can be substituted with?
im not exactly sure i want to do sillicone.

You can use gorilla glue (really messy and nasty) or Elmer's wood glue.



Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world ~ Nelson Mandela

[Lija]

That one? "Probond Max" Wood Glue | RONA

found titebond, of course same store that is far and used to have black foam. i think ill just go and get it,
q - what size if the bottle do i need to cover area of my tank. 947ml? Home Hardware - Titebond

[deranged chipmunk]

The probond would work fine. I have no freaking clue how much 947ml is (whacko metric people!!), but I would buy 2 small bottles to start with.


Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world ~ Nelson Mandela

[DigitalPunk]

I bought 1 of the bigger bottles back 4 tanks ago and still have some left in it. lol and wtf is a ml? :P

[Lija]

Lol the majority of people in a world use metric system, that makes non metric people whacko, not the other way around

that bottle is about a quarter of a gallon - yay? Oh no?

Paul i love measurement of how many tanks ago .