# 3D background...........my first attempt



## Tiwaz (Apr 14, 2011)

I am totally new to the cichlid thing but when I saw these backgrounds being done here I had to try.

rough pattern 








cut and laid out on backerboard








after rough shaping








final shaping








First coat of drylok








After second coat stood up and I turned the flash off so that the shadows could show.









I still have to colour it , but its a start.


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## DanniGirl (Jan 25, 2007)

It's a good start! (I like the bottom rock- second one from the right) What colors are you going to use?
Are you going to put a black backround in the back of the tank?


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## Sav505 (Apr 26, 2005)

Looks a lot like the one I had in my 180. Good job!


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## juststayinthecave (Dec 23, 2010)

I agree the second from the right and the rock above it are excellent work.


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## Tiwaz (Apr 14, 2011)

Thanks, 
I ts painted now mostly browns with some tan and a hint of green. There will be a black background on the back of the tank but this back ground will sit 2 inches or so off the back wall and the openings will be small caves built into it.


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## Tiwaz (Apr 14, 2011)




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## Tiwaz (Apr 14, 2011)

Here are the "caves" with a coat of drylok








Siliconed in place , I forgot to take a picture but the inside of the cave is painted to match the front of the background.Here you can alos see the fittings for the outflows. Water will flow from the caves into the tank and return to the pump via the openings covered in mesh.








Mesh over the openings









I'll get some pics from the front once this has all cured.


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## MalawiHombre (May 5, 2011)

Looks like a good start. I think i would have gone for a little bit more depth or detail in all of the rocks, like you did in the rock everyone is talking about, but it looks pretty good.


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## Tiwaz (Apr 14, 2011)

In hind sight I would have done that as well, but in all honesty those two rocks were a complete after thought. My other issue is space, because the tank is only 13" and I need 2 1/2" behind the BG for the pump and filterI fwas loosing space in front awfully quick. I am hoping that with a few plants, rocks and a piece of Driftwood or two I'll be able to get depth that way.


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## hbbyhorse (Oct 15, 2010)

I think it looks great! Can't wait to see the end result


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## Tiwaz (Apr 14, 2011)

test fit into the tank








the filter setup (crappy cell phone pic)








Tank up and running








In the last shot the tank has had water in it for 5 days. I have been using 'Cycle' to help it along before adding fish.
I have to read up on this fishless cycling thing.


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## DanniGirl (Jan 25, 2007)

Tank looks fantastic! I like the color of the substrate, it really ties everything together. 
:thumb:


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## hbbyhorse (Oct 15, 2010)

Absolutely beautiful! Love the different colors in the filter system


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## Tiwaz (Apr 14, 2011)

Thanks


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## R-DUB (Jun 3, 2007)

Nice build!


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## Guest (May 17, 2011)

> I have been using 'Cycle' to help it along before adding fish.
> I have to read up on this fishless cycling thing.


cycle does nothing unless there are fish in the tank


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## Tiwaz (Apr 14, 2011)

m1ke715m said:


> cycle does nothing unless there are fish in the tank


Yeah, I was coming to that same conclusion.
So am I better off buying some Tetras and keep using Cycle or starting over and trying to do a true fishless cycle?


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## natedgg (Apr 9, 2011)

How are you ever going to clean the filter?


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## sam6 (Feb 21, 2011)

nice tank :fish:


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## Tiwaz (Apr 14, 2011)

natedgg said:


> How are you ever going to clean the filter?


The scrubbies are easily removed, as is the pump(there is one more sponge filter on the pump itself.

Hopefully once it is up and running, I won't have to rinse out the filter media too often. If that doesn't pan out I some other ideas, (there is enough room for a penguin 350 behind the background). If thats the case the pump will revert to circulation only.


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## Tiwaz (Apr 14, 2011)

sam6 said:


> nice tank :fish:


Thanks


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## Guest (May 17, 2011)

use a filter or a sponge filter thats already on an existing tank.. or buy a sponge filter and put it in an existing tank thats already got a good culture for idk 3 or 4 days... put it in the new tank add fish.. it cycles immediatetly... *** done that so many times when i know ima set up a tank i jus buy a sponge before hand.. i have mad sponges running in a bunch of tanks jus cuz im in teh middle of setting up like 5 tanks


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## natedgg (Apr 9, 2011)

Tiwaz said:


> The scrubbies are easily removed, as is the pump(there is one more sponge filter on the pump itself.


I was wondering if you could give me a "top-down" picture of this setup. I'm interested in doing something like this, and that perspective would be nice to see. If it can't be done, then how wide is the gap between the back of the tank and the background? I'm thinking it's about 3 inches?

Looks good.


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## Tiwaz (Apr 14, 2011)

m1ke715m said:


> use a filter or a sponge filter thats already on an existing tank.. or buy a sponge filter and put it in an existing tank thats already got a good culture for idk 3 or 4 days... put it in the new tank add fish.. it cycles immediatetly... I've done that so many times when i know ima set up a tank i jus buy a sponge before hand.. i have mad sponges running in a bunch of tanks jus cuz im in teh middle of setting up like 5 tanks


My only other tank is a 5G with a Aquaclear 20 on it that tank has 4 blackskirt tetras in it. They have been quite happy for the last 3 yrs in there so I won't sacrifice them to cycle this tank. I have taken wtaer from that tank and squeezed out the sponge from there into the new tank. I have also moved the tank decorations(resin cartoon shark) over to help out.

This morning the tank had the following
ammonia 0ppm
nitrite .5ppm
nitrate 5ppm
ph 6.6

Last night I had .5ppm ammonia and .25 ppm nitrite

I am getting kinda lost as what to do.


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## Guest (May 17, 2011)

adding fish slowly 2 or 4 if they are small every 4 or 5 days and using cycle should cycle your tank in like 2 weeks... i always just buy a new sponge filter and put the existing sponge filter from another tank in the new tank and the new sponge filter in the old tank.. and i have of course canister filters.. the sponge filters are just backup i have 3 or 4 times the amount of biological you should normally need can never have enough u know


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## iwade4fish (Jan 5, 2009)

all nitrites are bad nitites, but do as m1ke said, use a mature sponge to seed the new ones. Heck, ask the pet store if you could clean their sponge filters...but then you get any nasties they have.

Just always have spare biological media because....

*YOU CAN NEVER OVERFILTER*


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## bbtran72 (May 19, 2011)

that looks amazing..how much time did you put into this build?


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## Tiwaz (Apr 14, 2011)

bbtran72 said:


> that looks amazing..how much time did you put into this build?


Thanks, I had 4-6 hours (plusdrying time) into the background and another 2-3 for the caves and plumbing.


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## Guest (May 20, 2011)

do you guys wanna see pics of the ones this guy made for me?


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## bbtran72 (May 19, 2011)

I had a spike in my new tank couple days ago too, but thankfuy it went down a little amd i also did a 25% water change. Now i am going to attempt to do this also maybe not as thick of styrafoam


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## Tank Hoarder (Jun 20, 2011)

This looks amazing! Nicely done and a great looking final product!!! One question though. What was that material that you used to make your background out of? I'm looking for an alternative to styrofoam.


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## Agridion (Sep 8, 2010)

Tiwaz I like how you built the filter into the backdrop so that you didn't waste the space that wasn't used for caves!



Tank Hoarder said:


> I'm looking for an alternative to styrofoam.


Have you thought about using a light weight concrete?


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