DIY Aquarium Rock Background Using PVC and Foam

[hollabacknow8557]

will this be safe in a saltwater tank?

[brimi925]

@hollabacknow8557 I cant say as i have never used in in saltwater ( all my tanks are freshwater) But i know others have used it in saltwater . But i have no personal experience.

[brimi925]

I havent had any issues with flaking, but the foam is non-toxic when dried anyway. When moving the panels once i rubbed off a small piece of the foam which came off. I simple left it alone and algae grew over it making it look natural again.

There are lots of options and many are non-toxic to fish once dried. Check out some sites which cater to outdoor goldfish ponds. They will have foams and fish safe epoxies, etc.

Good Luck!

[TheBladesunited]

Yeah......and Happy New year to you & your family :-)

[TheBladesunited]

Im also thinking of applying marine epoxy resin over the top of the paint once cured, just to stop anything flaking off and getting eaten by the fish which does worry me. Any advice you give is appreciated! Thanks!

[TheBladesunited]

Antel A1 Pond Paint is a universal water based epoxy resin coating designed for easy and safe application. A1 Pond Paint possesses most of the properties of conventional epoxy resins with many additional advantages, particularly its tolerance of damp application conditions. A1 Pond Paint is applied in the same manner as ordinary emulsion paint and dries quickly to form a tough, easily cleaned coating, providing a waterproof barrier. The coating is non toxic, resistant to oil, & mild chemicals.

[TheBladesunited]

Thanks for your comment Brimi925. Im in England so wouldnt be able to use the foam and paint as you which you sasy are safe and have worked for you. Im worried about chemicals from the foam even after its hardened. Ive found some pond paint which comes in several different clours and its listed as :-

[TheBladesunited]

Ive just today bought a new tank and i was going to buy one of those pre-made 3D backgrounds BUT they are about £100. Im very impressed with this and am considering making one myself ! I really like the caves idea. Well done ! Thanks for posting and giving others like me ideas.

[brimi925]

@TheBladesunited Glad you liked it. It has been over 2 years since i made this and it is holding up perfectly. I am about to build one for another tank and will post a video of the finished product. The fish love it. If you have the time i would recommend it over those expensive premade backgrounds. The caves give them little territories to enjoy and swim through which i think is nice than the flatter premade ones.

[smoth7]

that is really cool!

[kisafb]

Awesome!