Reptile & Amphibian Forums

How does everyone glue on there background... I'm going to start constructing my viv tomorrow and would like to know if i just glue my oak bark background to the bare glass wall,or what?

One way to do it is to fill the concave back part with Great Stuff, which will expand a lot. Let it dry, and then saw the entire back part level so you have a flat surface. This can be done with a serrated kitchen knife. Then you can use clear GE silicone I, made for windows and doors, or similar, to stick it to the glass. Just run a bead around the outside and cross a few beads in the middle and mash it against the glass. It will stick, but you may have to prop it until the silicone begins to cure. I just happen to like the texture and flow of the GE silicone I. You don't want to get the type made for caulking bathrooms. The other way is to attach the bark with the silicone around the edges and then stuff the concavity with something like sphagnum moss, or even tamp some substrate down into it. I have found this to be problematic when frogs, especially the small ones like imitators or shy ones, burrow into it out of sight or reach. It works well for the bolder and larger frogs, however.

I recommend the silicone method rather than other glues, because you CAN strip it off cleanly if you need to make changes, but it also adheres well.
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Patty
Pahsimeroi, Idaho

Dendrobates: auratus blue, auratus Ancon Hill, tinctorius azureus, leucomelas. Phyllobates: vittatus, terribilis, lugubris. Epipedobates: anthonyi tricolor pasaje. Ranitomeya fantastica, imitator, reticulata. Adelphobates castaneoticus, galactonotus. Oophagia pumilio Bastimentos. (updated systematic nomenclature)

Make sure you clean the back of the tank before you glue to it. I use vinegar and then rubbing alcohol. I have fonod out the hard way that if you don't clean it the great stuff will not stick for long. If the tank is new it might not be a problem but if it's a tank that has held water for any period of time there will most likely be a lime scale residue. I like the alcohol because it evaporates very quickly. I know that GE Silcone I was not dangerous to fish in the past, but they may have changed the rescipe so make sure it does not have any mold inhibitors in it as this in ussually arsinic and your frogs will not like that.

You have a point there. This is why we have eschewed the type made for bathrooms and sink caulking in the past. I've used it recently on some new tanks. The recent product does say it inhibits mold when cured by "Bioseal" technology. It doesn't however say what this is, and has no list of ingredients other than 100% Silicone. I know this has been discussed on Dendroboard, as well, but I haven't read any absolute conclusions about whether it contains arsenic compounds. I should think they would be required to list this if it does.

In any event, I haven't yet heard of anyone having problems with it to date. One does need to let it cure before introducing animals and plants--if "cure" is even the right word, because there are fumes produced. Usually at least 72 hours is what is generally recommended.

There is a so-called "aquarium safe" silicone product that one can find at pet stores, but this is really expensive, and the only stuff I ever found was in a smallish squeeze tube rather than a caulk gun tube, was difficult to work with, and didn't go very far.

As far as I know, everyone is still using the GEI, or a comparable DAP product.
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Patty
Pahsimeroi, Idaho

Dendrobates: auratus blue, auratus Ancon Hill, tinctorius azureus, leucomelas. Phyllobates: vittatus, terribilis, lugubris. Epipedobates: anthonyi tricolor pasaje. Ranitomeya fantastica, imitator, reticulata. Adelphobates castaneoticus, galactonotus. Oophagia pumilio Bastimentos. (updated systematic nomenclature)

Isn't great stuff and silicone poisoness??????????You should use nontoxic silicone and other stuff.
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Aninmal crazy you can never have too many Amphibians and Reptiles.I want more

1-Pixie frog "Tank" 0.0.1(I say it is a he,Yet to find out)
1-Fantasy frog "name to come yet" 0.0.1
1-Pac-man frog "name to came yet" 0.0.1
2-Bearded Dragons "Salt and Pepper" 0.2.0
1-Western hog nose "Piglet" 1.0.0
1-Cat "mom-ma cat" 0.1.0 (Stray we took in)
2-Catahoulas "Barney and Lilly" 1.1.0 (Wifes)
2-Fire belly toads "??" 0.0.2(sons)
2-Guinea Pigs "Nemo and Bush" 2.0.0 (Daughters)
1-Love Bird Margret(Wifes)0.1.0
1-Cockateal Frank 1.0.0
1-Fire belly toad "?" (Daughters)
1-Kenyan Sand Boa 0.0.1(no name yet?

Both Great Stuff and Silcones have volitile fumes that can be irritating or harmful when applying them. However, the MSDS doesn't list any safety precautions for the cured products. The GE silicones that contain BioSeal to prevent molds has been somewhat controversial among dart keepers, since it is a proprietary formula is not listed on the tube. Although we've been using this for years without apparent problems related to it, since new labeling has revealed the presence of BioSeal, (which was always there, we just didn't know it,) some hobbyists are now worried about possible long term effects. Some of the DAP silcone caulks have FDA approval and should be completely safe.

Great Stuff is stable after it cures and should be no more toxic than Styrofoam at normal temperatures. One would not want to burn any of these, however. I've used it underwater in an aquarium section of a paludarium, and the fish have shown no ill effects after several months. For the past couple of years it has been widely used by dart hobbyists, especially for building backgrounds and as a filler.
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Patty
Pahsimeroi, Idaho

Dendrobates: auratus blue, auratus Ancon Hill, tinctorius azureus, leucomelas. Phyllobates: vittatus, terribilis, lugubris. Epipedobates: anthonyi tricolor pasaje. Ranitomeya fantastica, imitator, reticulata. Adelphobates castaneoticus, galactonotus. Oophagia pumilio Bastimentos. (updated systematic nomenclature)