Hi, just wondering how do one attach the black textured styrofoam backing onto a tank without using silicon? I intend to plant most of my plants before introducing the moss-tied backing. If I do not want to use suction pads (it leaves a gap and thus a potential death trap for fishes). Has anyone any suggestion or exp with regard to the aforementioned? Thanks.
Hi, just wondering how do one attach the black textured styrofoam backing onto a tank without using silicon? I intend to plant most of my plants before introducing the moss-tied backing. If I do not want to use suction pads (it leaves a gap and thus a potential death trap for fishes). Has anyone any suggestion or exp with regard to the aforementioned? Thanks.
Hi, just wondering how do one attach the black textured styrofoam backing onto a tank without using silicon? I intend to plant most of my plants before introducing the moss-tied backing. If I do not want to use suction pads (it leaves a gap and thus a potential death trap for fishes). Has anyone any suggestion or exp with regard to the aforementioned? Thanks.
Hi, just wondering how do one attach the black textured styrofoam backing onto a tank without using silicon? I intend to plant most of my plants before introducing the moss-tied backing. If I do not want to use suction pads (it leaves a gap and thus a potential death trap for fishes). Has anyone any suggestion or exp with regard to the aforementioned? Thanks.
Passion through Apisto
Cut the styrofoam according to the size of the tank with a little more allowance, stuff the styrofoam towards the back of the tank using suction cups. You have to insert the styrofoam into the back of the gravel, it's impossible to force down the styrofoam. No matter how hard you try it'll float back.
The above metion method works only with braces you can actually use the braces help too.
If your tank doesn't have braces u may want to use those Clips black ones and clip the styrofoam to your tank but still you have to push the foam into the back of the tank and into the gravel.
If you are not planning to disturn the plants then i have no clue on how to tie something styrofoam into the water colume and not floating up.
If you do have other methods do share with us.It's really painstalking for you to insert the foam after everything is setup, it'll take you longer then 3hrs and you have to disturb yr tank gravel in huge amount.
Cheers!
Benetay
If you examine closely, my tank is installed with the black styrofoam background. No silicon, no sucker pads, no glue, no nothing. I juz cut it to size and rest it below the brace. It's very easy when the tank is not yet setup (no water, no gravel).
The foam will float up pressing against the brace which makes it quite sturdy. It's quite difficult to do once your tank is set up. Had much trouble with my previous 3.5 tank, but not impossible.
Passion through Apisto
It's possible just that it'll mess up your tank quite alot after you have fully planted yr tank.
SHerwin very strong support using braces right =)
Cheers!
Benetay
my tank has no braces. thinking of using a no. of clips - those that people use for mahjong table or those clear plastic ones in the market to hold the styro in place. whatya think?
Passion through Apisto
yes it will hold but still the bottom of the styrofoam has to be supported with weights and the only good way is using the gravel. It's very dangerous for risking this kind of issues here.
You may be lucky nothing happen what if the styrofoam decided to float upwards once you place it down. Your tank will be in a mess.
So a safe way will be siliconing the foam to the back wall.
Cheers!
Benetay
maybe you can think of using steel mesh bent into L shape.
depending on the size of the tank you may need more.
long side is to secure the styrofoam by fishing line.
short side is to sit on the bottom of tank and the gravel will add weight to weigh down the styrofoam.
the only problem is you have to start with a bare tank.
thomas liew
Passion through Apisto
without braces you still can use the weight of yr gravel to hold it down just use more gravel at the back just like sloping it higher.
Like sherwin stated it's not impossible []
Cheers!
Benetay
Hi
Are you guys referring to the brown-coloured, wood-like textured background which is selling at Sam Yick for $55 plus (2" X 1 1/2&quot. I didn't know it's made of styrofoam and would be so problematic after the tank's been setup with water. I thought it's a plastic stuff. I am planning to do as anakin and was in fact just asking Sam Yick this past Saturday how much they will charge if they did it for me (for a 5 footer), that is... the textured board, plts and workmanship for tying the plts onto the board (they have a nice one for their angel tank in the 2 storey showroom).
What if we stick it down during a massive water change leaving only one third of water in the tank. After having it in position, fill up the tank again. That way, the buoyancy force will be greatly reduced and it won't be so messy
What do you guys think, uh?
mike
Elmike,
This is the black rocky styrofoam thingy we are refering too.... I hope from this pics, you get the idea on how I did.
Anakin,
For a braceless tank, you can try what Tawauboy suggested. Another way would be sucker pads. Use it in place of the brace to hold the foam down. Would not recomend those big big clips as it looks quite unsightly.
Thanks, Sherwin. Indeed, a picture paints a thousand words!
Yup, it looks the same as the one I saw at SY. FISH! It's made of styrofoam and cost over $55 per pc?? Will it get chipped off easily like the normal white styorofoam? Are you guys sure it's styrofoam and not plastics of some sort, in the first place? Maybe I'll take a closer look and poke and palpate around the next time I'm there[
mike
Sherwin
I see you don't have any plts on your styro background. You're using it purely as a backdrop which would have been equally well served at much lower cost with using a wall-paper. Any particular reason why you're not tying any plts to it? which I think would make your back wall look more natural and less drab. I must say I was quite impressed with how the guys at SY did theirs and hope to be able to copy that[]
mike
Corkbark
Simon,
Did you rescape or it's an old pic of your 4ft?
Elmike,
In my last tank I tried moss to it... Very very tedious work. After sooooo much effort, the moss slowly died on me. Follwowing that, algae invaded the remainding moss hence I have to remove all the moss. Somehow the moss found it comfortable and decide to stay on the foam background. Is was very unsightly, at first but it soon covered the whole background which made very nice and natural. It would look something like what Simon has for his 4ft. That's why I'm leaving plantless now.
There are plastic background thingy on the market which come in various colour like blue, brown and black (I think). Most of the time I see it comes with the new tank package. Those are hard and normally custom made to fit the tank size. Prolly the reason why it cost more.
Simon's corkbark will look much better/natural than the foam type. But of coz the price will look "better" too. I bought the foam thingy for $10/pc.
old picture (during setup)
simon, love the effect of the ferns and mosses on your corkbark. nice!
btw, C328 is selling the black styrofoam backdrop at $15 in pack of 2 pcs of 2'x1.5'.
mok, seriously.. i didnt plant any fern.. the moss was previously submersed.. but they decided to get dry[
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