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ok tell me if im crazy but ive always wanted a background like this but cant afford to buy one..

i was considering putting a background together using styrofoam following instructions on this link
http://www.sydneycichlid.com/content/?page_id=86

as my tank is running and there is no chance of pulling it apart to install this would it be possible to empty the tank say 1/2 to 3/4 of the way and glue it on the back of the tank using silicone (only of the empty part of the glass) leaving to dry for say 5 hours or whatever the directions on silicone tube say.. then refilling the tank again ?
i was reading on anther forum about someone doing this successfully with a different type of background (not styrofoam)

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Truth doesn't always win friends but it influences them

Hi,
The short answer is "No." Partially emptying the tank and
gluing the background into the tank will release the acid
(formed during the curring process) into the tank
atmosphere, and it will get into the water decreasing the
pH drastically. It would be better to attach it to the
outside back after you finish it and allow it to cure
somewhere else other than the fish room. By the way, the
curing time for that silicone is a bare minimum of 24 hours
depending upon how thick you apply the beads of glue.
Thicker beads than 1/16 to 1/8 inch take the curing time
to 48 hours and more.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

firstly, i have a styrofoam background like that but it looks like root systems. i got mine at the LFS for only $10, there was also one light brown coloured rockwal one and a black rockwal. it looks great.
secondly the silicone needs to be an aquarium safe type, i used sellys glass sylicone(it has Safe for Aquariums clearly maeked on it), it will take around a week for the silicon to cure properly and be safe for fish.
so you would have to completely empty your tank for a week.

i thought the answer was going to be no but thought there was no harm in asking

coop where did you get this background so cheap?
the only ones i have seen are $100+

thanks for your replies...

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Truth doesn't always win friends but it influences them

You might be able to swing it if you got a few of the suction cups designed to hold heaters and attached them to the background then to the back of the tank....it might hold....
although the styro will make it kinda hard.

Just a thought.

^_^

I got mine from a shop called petstock. how big is your tank, mine is a 55gal. i cant believe they would sell a styrofoam background for $100, styrofoam is cheap as chips. sure they arnt made of resin? they can cost a fair bit i believe. if it is styrofoam bakgrounds its a huge rip-off.
where you at? im down the south coast of NSW.

hi guys

these guess make great back grounds

http://www.juwel-aquarium.de/en/bersicht188.htm

see what u think

I'm all in favor of DIY backgrounds.
I made mine myself, using styrofoam, poly urethane foam, epoxy resin and pigments.
It took me some 15 months, but boy it's worthwhile:

http://community.webshots.com/user/ericweggeman

Of course, the tank needs to be empty to do this ...

Coop- i think they are the resin ones.. i havent seen any styrofoam ones... i live in sydney so i think the south coast would be a bit of a trek for background..

babel.. good idea... might look at that... though im not sure how you would attach it,,, at least you could easily remove it...

tin foil- that is a really good looking background! very creative! how do you remove the algae?

we dont have any juwel stockists here as far as i know.. though that does look an easy option and ive read about ppl who have successfully installed them with the tank still running

i think in a couple of months im gng to strip the tank (i have a unknown black worm issue) and in that time im going to construct one of these backgrounds. any hints/tips to help me would be good.. also is it safe for bristlenoses to suck on these things ?

also where do you put the heater?

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Truth doesn't always win friends but it influences them

tin foil- that is a really good looking background! very creative! how do you remove the algae?

I don't
I have a spotted algea eater which feeds on the green algea and which, by now (it's been in there since April) has gotten very fat.
I managed to keep the algae at it's current status by arranging the lighting so that it does not grow any more than this.

As for the heater; in my tank it's located behind a "blind wall". The right hind corner has sort of an "overflow" where I also take out the water for the (external) filter.
The water is extracted past the heater, through the filter and then back into the tank.
... works like a charm ...

so i take it the background is safe for algae eaters to much algae from?

i think when i construct it ill do it in a way where there is a little curve for the heater to be placed in.. as well as the filter intake and out flow(??) hoses.

decided im gng to make this a long term project so that i can make it all come together in a day or two when i place it back together and restart the tank.

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Truth doesn't always win friends but it influences them

so i take it the background is safe for algae eaters to much algae from?

mine is; it's covered in 4 layers of epoxy resin, making it rock hard.

Most standard backgrounds are "algea eater safe", but watch out with the styrofoam ones.
Large (chinese) algea eaters can easily suck pieces out of them.
Once styrofoam is placed under water, the space between the little bulbs will fill up with water and the styrofoam will slowly fall apart (this process takes months, even years). A large algae eater sucking at it, will speed up the proces very much. (Look at it as "mechanical wear"; the fish simply tears pieces out of the background)
That's why mine is covered in epoxy resin.

The Juwel backgrounds are definitely "algae eater safe".