# Sealing Styrofoam ?



## archdemelo (Jul 15, 2008)

Hello all, i've decided to try and build my own background over purchasing an expensive pre built model. My plan is to silicone some slate to a pre cut styrofoam insert a few inces from the back of the tank to hide my intake and heaters etc. Here are my concerns / questions:

_1. Is the styrofoam i should be using the blue 4" kind found at home depot?
2. Do i need to cure the styrofoam using an epoxy or can it just be placed in the tank after the slate has been siliconed._

Those are my two main concerns, I've read a lot of related articles pertaining to diy backgrounds and found some great info. Just hoping to get some more experienced advice from the users here on the forum. Any suggestions or other ideas related to materials is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

The tank dimensions are 60" x 18" x 24" with a center brace...


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

You may be "happy" with the results from trying to attach slate with silicone to a foam base, but to me it would only be that low expectation kind of happiness, you know, when you are happy the guy only broke one of your legs.

I would lean the tank onto its back, glue the slate on with waterfall foam which is about the same color and appearance as slte so you can let a little of it show here and there with no "wardrobe malfunction". If you want it removable, spread a few layers of plastic kitchen wrap over the back of the tank first.


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## greenbirds (Jul 30, 2007)

I have had very good success with the method I posted in this thread:

http://cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/viewtopi ... &&start=15

Rock to styrofoam with Gorilla Glue, rock to glass with silicone. I did not try that blue stuff; just used the 1" thick white styro sheets they sell as a 6-pack for insulation between wall studs. If you want the rock spaced out more from the glass, you can silicone two pieces of styrofoam together. That has held fine also. So far, no falling rocks.

Only problem: my bristlenose plecos have messed up the gravel I pressed into the silicone on the visible styrofoam edges, so if you look hard you can see white in some spots. Would be easier to hide it with black silicone.


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## trigger (Sep 6, 2002)

My only fear is that the white styrofoam will soak up water eventually causing it to break up more easy. The blue sturofoam I know is much harder and has smaller cells. I'd trust that to stay better over time. I sealed all my styofoam backgrounds with epoxy resin. I did not attatch stones to it however, but just sand and concrete powder.


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## greenbirds (Jul 30, 2007)

That may be true, didn't consider that. In the 6 months mine has been setup, no break down. Then again, pretty much also the styrofoam surfaces are either sealed to rock, glass, or covered in a layer of silicone (where my gravel camouflage-gravel was pressed in), leaving little surface area exposed to water or the mouths of fish.


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## archdemelo (Jul 15, 2008)

i was also concerned about the breakdown of the styrofoam and was thinking of using the pink or blue kind but was told that the dyes in the coloured styrofoam can "leach" out over time when submersed in water.


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## Stickzula (Sep 14, 2007)

I would consider using waterfall foam to attach the slate to a sheet of acrylic. Same effect, but no styro to worry about. I would rough up the acrylic with some coarse sand paper before attaching the slate, just to insure good adheasion.


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## archdemelo (Jul 15, 2008)

i have finally finished the background and will post some pics really soon... In fact, here they are. Follow the link below...

http://gs98.photobucket.com/groups/l276/ECJ4WEDZ1O/

It is a photobucet group, all the photos i took during the process are in here, just seemed to be the easist way to do it...


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