# 3d backgrounds recommendations



## epicseller2012 (Mar 1, 2014)

Do anyone have any recommendations on where to get 3d back grounds from?


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## ahawk (Nov 4, 2016)

I bought one from Universal Rocks, and am extremely happy with the look.


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## epicseller2012 (Mar 1, 2014)

Beautiful thank you.
Can you tell me about the maintenance for the background? Is it cleanable? I sometimes have black algae and green spot ..


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I do not scrub or scrape my backgrounds (I have them in 4 tanks) unless the algae grows too long off the background. I don't get green spot anywhere but the glass.

If I get an algae epidemic, I treat with hydrogen peroxide and within a day/two it lifts right off.

You can scrub with a brush if it is attached securely...but unless it's out of control, I let it grow on the background and rocks.


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## DrgRcr (Jun 23, 2009)

If you're handy and have a little bit of artistic sense, make your own. It's not too hard and you can tailor it to your liking. I made this one for my 210g.


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## lwdelmont (Aug 9, 2015)

DrgRcr said:


> If you're handy and have a little bit of artistic sense, make your own. It's not too hard and you can tailor it to your liking. I made this one for my 210g.


looks great. What did you use and how?


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## joeyo (Jul 2, 2012)

I recently bought a 3D background that I really like. Mine was 72x24, and a beast to install because of my tank size. That pet place was the best value IMHO. I was going to build my own, but time & curing are two things I didn't want to deal with. There are a couple Mfr out there that do a great job, but costs can be high. Good luck!


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## JimA (Nov 7, 2009)

I went with a partial style and psc'd it together, it's from Designs by Nature, great product I am going on 6 years now.


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## spas (Feb 3, 2012)

I have use Universal Rock backgrounds in the past an the issue I have with them is the amount of waste and detritus builds up behind them over time.

I switched to Aqua Decor - by far the most realistic background you can buy! It is siliconed directly to the glass so no dirt can build up behind it. In addition, unlike Universal Rocks, you cannot scratch your glass when installing it. You have to very careful installing universal rocks backgrounds as they will scratch the glass if not careful.


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## CharlesMTF (Oct 20, 2003)

Is Universal Rock a hard material? I thought they were flexible? Or, actually, I thought I saw in a video someone demonstrating the flexibility of the background, for putting inside a tank. Though, its possible maybe it wasn't Universal Rock that I saw?


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## wryan (Dec 6, 2015)

CharlesMTF said:


> Is Universal Rock a hard material? I thought they were flexible? Or, actually, I thought I saw in a video someone demonstrating the flexibility of the background, for putting inside a tank. Though, its possible maybe it wasn't Universal Rock that I saw?


Could be that Universal Rocks uses some grit in their coating ... which would allow it to be both flexible and abrasive at the same time.

Seems like I saw post to that effect at some point or another.


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## Aquariguns (Jan 15, 2015)

I have two tanks with Universal rocks backgrounds and rocks in them, they are fantastic. The material is rigid enough to hold its own weight and be substantial, yet it will fold and bend enough to be able to manipulate it into position. The poly/vinyl material they use has real sand and rock added into it to give a real deal appearance. I have had a Texas wall style in my 72" 125 gallon for a couple years now, it actually looks better as time goes on with a little algae growth.
Here are a couple videos in action, one from when I set it up and the other after a couple of years.


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## The Glassfields (Nov 27, 2021)

Aquariguns said:


> I have two tanks with Universal rocks backgrounds and rocks in them, they are fantastic. The material is rigid enough to hold its own weight and be substantial, yet it will fold and bend enough to be able to manipulate it into position. The poly/vinyl material they use has real sand and rock added into it to give a real deal appearance. I have had a Texas wall style in my 72" 125 gallon for a couple years now, it actually looks better as time goes on with a little algae growth.
> Here are a couple videos in action, one from when I set it up and the other after a couple of years.


Do you get buildup of funk in the water behind it? I am about ready to pull the trigger and get the Texas rock one. I want to put the heaters back there too so I'm looking for a way to pull the water out from the back into circulation. Maybe a powerhead or something.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I have the intakes behind the background. There is a 1-2" space back there. There are holes in the background in front of the intakes. The water flows through the space behind the background so it stays clean and fresh. Fry like to live back there and every once in a while I net them and put them back in front.


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## The Glassfields (Nov 27, 2021)

DJRansome said:


> I have the intakes behind the background. There is a 1-2" space back there. There are holes in the background in front of the intakes. The water flows through the space behind the background so it stays clean and fresh. Fry like to live back there and every once in a while I net them and put them back in front.


Thank you. I plan to drill a hole on the left in the cave so one of my pickup tubes can be on the tank side and I'll do what you did on the other side. I also plan to put a heater on both sides and hope to not have any fry. Just trying to set it up correctly now that I am older and can afford to.


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## james1983 (Dec 23, 2007)

The Glassfields said:


> Which background did you have? I'm looking at the Texas wall but worry about gunk build up behind the wall. I plan to run my filters and heaters back there and am worried about it getting nasty.


I have the slim design, so all of my heaters and filter parts are still in view. My tank was already up and running when I got the background, I just scooped out the fish and put the background in a filled tank. The slim version is pretty thin, it doesn't stick out past the black rim of the tank and it's pretty flexible.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

The placement of the heater is important...in all cases (background or not) it has to be placed where all the water being taken into the filter flows over the heater. With a separate heater, and intake behind the background this means the heater also has to be behind the background alongside the intake. I have done this with success.

Now I have inline heaters so the water actually has to run THROUGH the heater after it leaves the filter.


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## The Glassfields (Nov 27, 2021)

DJRansome said:


> The placement of the heater is important...in all cases (background or not) it has to be placed where all the water being taken into the filter flows over the heater. With a separate heater, and intake behind the background this means the heater also has to be behind the background alongside the intake. I have done this with success.
> 
> Now I have inline heaters so the water actually has to run THROUGH the heater after it leaves the filter.


 My plan is to put some holes behind the intake in the wall and have the heater on the other side. So that all you see is the intake covers, the tubing and heaters are behind the wall. That way it pulls junk from in the tank and the warm water from behind the wall at the same time. Ill place both Inkbird sensors in the main tank area so that the temp not behind the wall where the heat is. This sound good?


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