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:

• Marine fish-keeping is different from its freshwater counterpart because of the fundamental differences in the constitution of saltwater and the resulting differences in the adaptation of its inhabitants.
• Invertebrates: Animals with no backbones. This group includes mollusks, crustaceans, worms, corals, and composes a large number of reef inhabitants.

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:

• head and lateral line erosion - Also known as hole-in-head disease and lateral line disease. A fish with this condition will develop holes in its' head and sometimes along its' lateral line. The main cause is nutritional deficiency, especially vitamin C. Stress and poor water quality also play a role. Untreated cases will cause disfiguring or death. To combat and cure, ensure good water quality and provide vitamin enriched foods, especially vitamin C.
• The world’s smallest fish is found on the island of Sumatra. The species Paedocypris, a member of the carp family, grows to just 7.9 mm long at maturity. A related species was also found in Borneo and it’s called P Micromegethes.

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:

• Aragonite: The substance that makes up coral skeletons and coral sand. It's a form of CaCO3.
• Reverse Bohr Effect: The effect that occurs when lactate builds up in the blood of certain invertebrates and pH decreases, increasing the affinity of hemocyanin for oxygen

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:

• The finest Caviar comes from a freshwater fish - the Beluga Sturgeon.
• Bleaching: A process by which corals expel their colorful zooxanthellae and turn white or pale.

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:

• Fish sleep with their eyes open.
• nitrite: NO2, this is one of the steps in the nitrogen cycle. It is toxic to most creatures, and should be at un-measurable levels after a tank has cycled.

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:

• The finest Caviar comes from a freshwater fish - the Beluga Sturgeon.
• Mantle - Large, pigmented fleshy portion of tridacnid clams that is exposed to the light by gaping of the shell valves. Also called siphonal tissue. Also, the coral tissue in fleshy polyps (e.g. Catalaphyllia).

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:

• pH: A measure of the concentration of hydrogen and hydroxide ions. The pH of a solution measures how acidic or alkaline it is. pH values range from 0 to 14. A neutral solution has a pH of 7. A pH less than 7 indicates an acidic solution while a pH greater than 7 indicates an alkaline solution. pH can be regulated in the aquarium by using buffering materials. pH and alkalinity can also be maintained by the use of kalkwasser.
• comensalism - one of several types of symbiotic relationships between the individuals of two (or more) different species In a comensal relationship one species benefits while the other does not (see symbiosis).

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