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:

• Live Rock: Rocks removed from the ocean that usually have a variety of sea life attached to them, including sponges, algae, coralline algae, worms, and starfishes. Live rock is commonly used in reef aquariums because it contains bacteria that can help filter the water through nitrification.
• Livebearers: Fish that give birth to live young instead of laying eggs. Livebearers are often quite easy to breed. They are freshwater species, the most well-known being guppies, mollies, platys, and swordtails

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:

• Carbon dioxide: The gas CO2 is a necessary nutrient for plants, and can be used to lower the pH.
• In the United States, aquarium keeping is the second-most popular hobby after stamp collecting.

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.

Diy

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:

• protogynous hermaphrodites - begin life as a female but able to change sex to a male if the need arises.
• oviparous - Producing eggs which are fertilized, develop and hatch outside the body.

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. Just envision rocks and caves and start chewing until the surface begins to resemble a rocky wall. Tip: obtain a wire brush and grind with it randomnly to create authentic looking pits and contours. Remember to use your spare styrofoam chunks for caves, shelves and ledges. Silicone them firmly to the styrofoam surface and rough them up after they've anchored properly to create a natural look. Caves and troughs are optional, yet can make your background more authentic.

Random Aquarium Facts and Trivia:

• symbiosis - a close ecological relationship between the individuals of two (or more) different species. Sometimes a symbiotic relationship benefits both species, sometimes one species benefits at the other's expense, and in other cases neither species benefits.
• 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:

• Caudal Penduncle : The part of the body which attaches the caudal (tailfin) to the body. The surgeonfish's spines are located on the caudal penduncle.
• DLS: DLS (double-layered spiral) is a material made by rolling up a polyester pad and plastic wire mesh. It is used in both biological and mechanical filters.

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:

• Chlorine: A substance used in municipal water supplies to kill bacteria. Chlorine is toxic to fish and invertebrates and must be removed from water before it can be added to the tank. A number of products are available for this purpose.
• Metal Halide: Metal halide lights are a type of light bulb which burns very white and very bright. They require a special fixture and ballast. They are the closest thing we have to artificial sunlight, and are typically used on reefs and planted tanks.

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:

• Sessile: An organism that is not free to move about. It is usually permanently attached to a substrate of some kind. For example, a rock.
• Water Clarifier: A chemical additive that clears up cloudy water created by bacterial blooms or particulate debris. They should not be used as a primary method of keeping your water clear - this should be handled by using appropriate filters, cleaning regularly and doing regular water changes.

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 trivia and games.