# 220 with DIY backgroud



## geniusvsinsanity (Oct 27, 2014)

Never been one to post much on sites and forums, but I've been off and on this site for years so I guess I'm due. Picked up a used tank from the LFS here. 220gal with dual overflows that was originally set up for salt, as you can see in the pics. Little rough as far as cleaning goes, but overall it was in good shape and I didn't have to redo any of the seals thankfully. Please excuse the mess that is my office in the first couple pics. I wasn't exactly planning on having a tank delivered that week, but when the opportunity arises I hate to pass it up.






Decided to go with two Fluval FX6 canisters rather than a wetdry or sump. I have a sump on a reef tank in the other room and they are just a lot louder than the canisters. Nothing fancy for plumbing them in, just used the overflow bulkheads and some 45 degree PVC fittings with hose clamps. No leaks and affective. :thumb: Left the hoses long enough that I can pull each canister out of the stand for easy servicing. 



Those of you with tanks this size or bigger know they are a bear to move and too heavy for one person to lift, so I made a quick and cheap mock up of the tank in the garage with a sheet of composite board from home depot. $6 and I didn't have to work upside down on a ladder as I made the background. Made it so much easier to work and shave individual pieces and still keep a solid perspective on how it was coming together as a whole. 




All rough shaping done at this point, figured it was time to dry fit everything before I covered in concrete and siliconed all the pieces in.


Back to the garage for the concrete application. I tried using the drylock on an earlier background and I wasn't happy with the texture, so decided to go back to just basic concrete coverage. 



Let everything dry and cure for a week before siliconing into the tank. Gave it another few days/week or so for the silicone to cure and filled it back up. Went with pool filter sand for substrate and just a couple small java ferns tucked in as well o help camouflage the overflows. Lighting isn't quite as blue as it shows in the pics. Using a 4 bulb t5 set up form homedepot. 4x10k 54watt bulbs with two being actinic. Hoping it will be enough for the plants and to grow a decent bit of algae on the rocks as the tank will house a colony of tropheus. 




Hope you like it. Let me know what you think of if you have any suggestions for next time. Thanks.


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

I think you did a very nice job on the DIY background though I find that smaller 'rock' at the top of the tank makes it look a bit odd. I also like the pieces on the floor of the tank that look like exposed rocks.

Do you remember how many coats of cement you used to cover the Styrofoam? Did you mix it so it was runny like paint or a bit thicker?


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## felixcat74 (Oct 30, 2014)

very nice


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## JimA (Nov 7, 2009)

Looks great, will look even better once you get some growth on it. You need some more rock though, something similar like river rock maybe to break up the massiveness of the background. Rule of thirds....


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