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:

• In the Victorian era in the United Kingdom, a common design for the home aquarium was a glass front with the other sides made of wood (made watertight with a pitch coating).
• 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.

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:

• nematocysts - The cells at the tip of an anemones' (corals) tentacles which "sting" when touched.
• pelagic - Refers to living in the water of the ocean above the bottom. Pelagic organisms have the ability to swim around or move in some fashion. "Pelagic" is also used to refer (usually) to eggs that are basically at the mercy of the ocean currents. Benthos and benthic refers to living on or under substrate at the bottom of the ocean. Sessile means the organism is attached to the substrate.

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:

• Chemical Filtration: A method of filtration that uses chemical processes to clean the water. Examples of this type include activated carbon and protein skimmers.
• Algae: These plant-like organisms grow whenever they have water, light and nutrients. There are many types - from annoyingly resilient green or brown slime, to macro-algae that resemble normal plants, to coralline algae which is an attractive accent in reef tanks. Some things commonly thought of as algae are actually cyano-bacteria, like the "blue-green algae" spirulina.

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:

• pinnate - Feather like. The 'pinnules' which are found on many octocorals are small side branches of the polyp tentacle which give it a 'pinnate' appearance.
• Anal Fin: Single fin mounted vertically below the fish.

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:

• Buffer: A substance added to the aquarium water to raise the alkalinity or adjust the pH. Several different types of buffering materials are available. Some can be used to raise or lower pH, and some can raise alkalinity without affecting pH.
• Symbiotic: A phenomenon where two different organisms live together in a mutually beneficial relationship. Both organisms provide each other with food, protection, or some other need. The most famous example is the anemone and clownfish, where the anemone provides protection to the clownfish within its stinging tentacles, and the clownfish provides cleaning and scraps of food.

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:

• strontium: This trace element is necessary for corals, clams, and other creatures with calcareous skeletons to grow. It is most commonly added as strontium chloride SrCl2.
• Phytoplankton: Microscopic plants found drifting in seawater.

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:

• gonochoristic - Species with sexes separate, each individual has either male or female reproductive organs. See also hermaphrodite and gynogenetic.
• Sump: The low area of water in an aquarium system. The sump is the reservoir below the dry section of a wet-dry or trickle filter. The water level in the sump varies with evaporation.

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