Diy 3d Background Aquarium Guide

This diy 3d background aquarium step by step guide is for those who can't afford an expensive pre-made background, rather need instructions on how to build one themselves for less than a hundred dollars.

Random Aquarium Facts and Trivia:

• Only 1 in 100 salmon eggs will survive it to adulthood.
• Filter Medium: Any substance used in water filtration systems to remove organic wastes and impurities from the water.

What You Will Need

A diy 3d background aquarium project will include thick styrofoam sheets available from any home improvement outlet for under ten dollars. Free styrofoam for a diy 3d background may be obtained from merchant shipping bays.

Random Aquarium Facts and Trivia:

• Most marine aquarium inhabitants are endemic to tropical reefs and waters in Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Red Sea.
• Mollusks: A group of soft-bodied invertebrates that includes snails, clams and squids. Most mollusks have some sort of hard external shell.

Those vested in a diy 3d background aquarium project will also need a cutting tool, 100% silicone sealant, simply concrete mix (i.e., Quikrete), paint brushes, wire brush, hair dryer, 100% latex paint, epoxy resin (details below) and safety gear.

Before you begin your diy 3d background aquarium project, have a general idea of what you want it to look like. Check our aquarium photo gallery for ideas, or view some actually paper-variety aquarium backgrounds at our store (links open in new window).

Random Aquarium Facts and Trivia:

• Conspecific: Refers to animals of the same species.
• Undergravel Filters: A filtration system that provides both mechanical and biological filtration. It consists of a plate that is placed underneath the gravel. Water is pulled down through the gravel where it is filtered and carried back up into the aquarium.

Tip: A stunning diy 3d background employs shadows, colors, ridges and rock shelves for effect. Remember to add contours, hollows, chambers, caves and holes both for aesthetics and fish enjoyment.

Let's Build!

This phase of the diy 3d background project includes carving your styrofoam as you see fit.

My diy 3d background aquarium project
(Click on Picture For Closer View)

Random Aquarium Facts and Trivia:

• Omnivore: Animals who eat both meat and vegetables, like Ocellaris Clownfish.
• Hydroid: A colonial coelenterates having the polyp phase dominant.

As you manipulate the styrofoam, bear in mind that your puzzle-like blocks will need to fit around (and in front of) your aquarium's filter, heaters, aerators, etc. and be small enough to allow maneuvering into the tank.

Once you're satisfied with the styrofoam appearance, it's time to texture the diy 3d background aquarium mold with the ready mix Quikrete. It may be mixed and gobbed on with a simple paint brush. Make sure to allow 24 hours between applications. 

Random Aquarium Facts and Trivia:

• ozone: A gas, O3, which is very reactive. It is used as a sterilizing agent to kill bacteria and small organisms in the water. It is used in an ozone reactor or protein skimmer. It is important not to use too much ozone, and to filter ozonated water through carbon before returning it to the tank, as excess ozone can harm fish and other creatures.
• Pelvic Fins: Paired fins behind or below the pectoral fins.

After the concrete has cured, we'll paint the shell of the diy 3d background aquarium. Rust Oleum's stone texture American Accents line of paint can create a realistic rocky appearance, though most any paint will do since we are going to inevitably seal the shell with fish-safe epoxy resin. Let us, however, err on the side of caution and use 100% latex paint (theoretically bio-safe). Make sure it says "100% latex" on the label, not just "latex". Allow sufficient dry time.

Next, and lastly in the diy 3d background aquarium project, we'll seal the shell with two-part water-proof epoxy resin designed for craft projects. 100% latex paint is not suitable, as it will break down under water eventually. Only epoxy resin for crafts projects will work.Super Glaze Parks Epoxy Resin from the Home Depot, for example, can be purchased for $20 and brushed over six square feet (get details on the product here). It comes in two parts--a resin and an activator--which must be mixed in equal parts and applied as soon as possible over the shell of your diy 3d background aquarium. Make sure to coat the underbellied of your caves and crevasses completely, leaving no naked styrofoam for your fish to eat.

Implementation:

By now you should have a fish-safe diy 3d background aquarium ready to be attached. Apply silicone to fill in any awkward cracks, keeping in mind that leaving some undisturbed can lend to the natural appearance. Allow one week minimum for your diy 3d background aquarium project to dry.

Random Aquarium Facts and Trivia:

• live bearers: Fish which produce live young rather than laying eggs. These freshwater fish include guppies, mollies, platies, and swordtails.
• Only 1 in 100 salmon eggs will survive it to adulthood.

To finish, affix you 3d aquarium background inside your aquarium however you like, ensuring that fish cannot get trapped behind it and that no hoses or air tubes are hindered. Depending on the size, your diy 3d background aquarium slate should be heavy enough that it won't require weighting down, rather some sort of rudimentary brace to keep it from falling over.

Finally, fill your tank with water and monitor PH levels closely. They should initially be high. Perform several water changes to rinse away any trace foreign chemicals from your diy 3d background aquarium, simultaneously adjusting PH. Err on the side of caution here, allowing up to a month before adding aquatic life.

Summary

Random Aquarium Facts and Trivia:

• Ozone: The very reactive form of oxygen which is commonly used in conjunction with a protein skimmer to enhance skimming and kill bacteria (O3). Ozone must be used carefully as too much can be toxic to fish and invertebrates.
• Osmotic Stress: An adverse reaction caused when the salinity of an animal's environment changes drastically.

We hope you've enjoyed this diy 3d background aquarium article. Feel free to browse the site for tons more aquarium resources. And don't forget to check out our bonus fun corner including free