# cheap Hagen Marina Foam 3D Rock/tree bark backgrounds?



## alumini (Apr 9, 2011)

Anyone seen these very cheap Hagen 3D backgrounds installed in aquariums ? If possible I would like to see pics , seem hard to find online. Maybe they look terrible with a plastic feel...

http://www.bigalsonline.com/3D-Backgrou ... 50&tc=fish


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## Number6 (Mar 13, 2003)

My LFS setup several of these when they were first released and I thought they looked good, but looked quite fake. I did not buy any... but I also had to nearly drag my wife and kids away as they were scolding me the whole while saying "now why can't your tank look that nice?"

There tank has fake plants, turquoise gravel, electric blue jack dempseys and would have those genetically modified zebra danios if I'd let them! My wife complains about my tanks saying they look just like the bottom of a pond or lake! 

Sorry, no pics, but hopefully the above gives you an idea whether you'd like them or not!


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## kingsofke (Apr 13, 2011)

I had the same problem that i couldnt find any details or pictures on these but they were selling at 10 bucks a piece on amazon. the only post i found showed that they are decent though the person posted that he had problem few days later when algae grew on them and fish started eating on them. the solution posted was that they dont have epoxy resin coating on them (as its costly) and he should have done that.

I took the plunge and ordered 2 pieces for my 55 gallon long aquarium and so far experience is decent to good. the shortcomings being that even 2 pieces are short for the aquarium on the other hand a 3rd piece would need to be cut in couple of pieces to fit in and that will be too much work and could easily destroy the whole work. the other problem being the pieces are exact replica so they dont fit side to side neatly and show a line in the middle.

I did bought epoxy from local store and coated them (20 bucks). however i am not satisfied with this because couldnt find the right epoxy and i am afraid this one will eventually come off, i just dont know how long. I just floated them down into my already running aquarium (lot of pushing as they are buyoant). I forced them back to the wall with couple of stones (really easy though, not much push forward. They tuck neatly beneath the edge of aquarium (very secure with the buyoncy force).

The epoxy at certain sites turned white which i actually liked as it was too uniformly gray and looked fake. Algae is also growing on it, partly due to reflected sunlight (unfortunately my living space is highly sunny). So far fishes have left it alone. The 2 inch chinese algae eater eats algae off of it without problems or isssues.

I have it setup for about 7 days.


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## kingsofke (Apr 13, 2011)




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## master chi (Jan 3, 2010)

alumini said:


> Anyone seen these very cheap Hagen 3D backgrounds installed in aquariums ? If possible I would like to see pics , seem hard to find online. Maybe they look terrible with a plastic feel...
> 
> http://www.bigalsonline.com/3D-Backgrou ... 50&tc=fish


did you check out the underwater treasues version of these? it's on the same page as the link you posted. they're pretty much the same thing but with more varieties . I think those would look nicer than the hagen brand . even though they are a little more pricey, it's still cheaper than a pangea or something like that.


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## Island EMT (Feb 28, 2011)

kingsofke said:


> I had the same problem that i couldnt find any details or pictures on these but they were selling at 10 bucks a piece on amazon. the only post i found showed that they are decent though the person posted that he had problem few days later when algae grew on them and fish started eating on them. the solution posted was that they dont have epoxy resin coating on them (as its costly) and he should have done that.
> 
> I took the plunge and ordered 2 pieces for my 55 gallon long aquarium and so far experience is decent to good. the shortcomings being that even 2 pieces are short for the aquarium on the other hand a 3rd piece would need to be cut in couple of pieces to fit in and that will be too much work and could easily destroy the whole work. the other problem being the pieces are exact replica so they dont fit side to side neatly and show a line in the middle.
> 
> ...


*I think your tank looks great. How is it holding up?*


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