Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I remember reading son some website how to make a background with some sort of spray foam or something like that. As most of you know, I now have a lot of extra driftwood, and I wanna make a background with it. Basically, I just need a walkthrough of how to make a background. Thanks.

-Ty

The foam you are referring to is called "Great Stuff," and there are about as many ways to use it as you can invent. It's actually designed as a spray-in insulator and expands as it comes out of the spout, then continues to expand a bit before it hardens. I have used it a lot to fill in behind my cork bark backgrounds, since cork bark is invariably somewhat concave on the inside, and I don't want my frogs getting behind this. It remains relatively soft and foamy on the interior, so is easily punctured to hold epiphytes such as the stolons of Bromeliads like Neoregelia sp. Or it will also hold your drift wood, as it sticks well to glass. There are a few tricks to make it look more natural. While it's still wet and expanding, you can sprinkle it directly with sand and small pebbles, most of which will adhere. I think many people let it dry, then coat it with some silicone, then stick coco fiber or other material such as long brown sphagnum, or even other organic substrate to the silicone. In my experience with it, you don't have a lot of control over what shape it takes, and since it sticks to everything it contacts, it can't be molded or sculpted into shapes as it's being applied without making a super mess. I've thought of using oiled vinyl gloves for attempting this, but have yet to try it. It pretty much does its own thing and ends up in rather graceful, puffy rounds with some drips and sags that look natural enough, like a lava flow. It does come in different colors, none of which however, are very natural or attractive alone, so I use the lightest possible that comes out off white, then becomes yellowish. It seems to be perfectly safe to use, although I have always let it cure a long time before introducing animals.

I'm hoping to be able to post some pictures soon of the new 180 gallon paludarium where I've used a lot of "Great Stuff" foam for banks between the land and into the water without bothering to disguise it. The tannins in the water are gradually staining it and it is beginning to harbor various algaes, so I'm doing photos of the various stages over time. At present, it doesn't look all that "natural."
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Patty
Pahsimeroi, Idaho

D. auratus blue, auratus Ancon Hill, galactonotus orange, galactonotus yellow, fantasticus, reticulatus, imitator, castaneoticus, azureus, pumilio Bastimentos. P. lugubris, vittatus, terribilis mint green, terribilis orange.

Ok, thanks. I called Home Depot, and they said they had some of it, so I'll be goin down there pretty doon to get some. I'm planning on using driftwood and a little gravel in it to make it look cool. I've got PLENTY of extra driftwood, so I should be ok with that aspect. I'll have a lot of ledges and stuff. I hope it looks as good as I plan.

www.blackjungle.com has a great step by step.

Also, if the driftwood is not cypress and just some you collected then DO NOT USE IT. This is very important. Most woods will rot if kept wet and destroy your set up.

Also another tip is to keep the black silicone warm when using it. If its too cold it will be too lumpy and hard to spread around. GOod luck

Ok, instead of black, I'm using white like Patty. Also, the driftwood I'm using is some that I bought a long time ago, not the stuff that I collect myself. If my tank looks as good as I'm planning, then it's gonna be killer. I'll be using some Riccia Fluitans in the ground, and probably a little Java Moss in the background, plus lots of bromeliads mounted in the bakground. I hope this setup works. I know leucs like to climb, so I'll be putting plenty of driftwood ledges in the background.