# concrete background photos



## LongIslandCichlid

OK I am in the midst of a concrete background on one of my 150 gal tanks. I am on my 3rd coat of concrete on pink Styrofoam I have waited about 24 hours between coats. How long should I let the cement dry before I add water to the tank?

Don't worry photos will be coming soon.


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## Mcdaphnia

A few hours between coats would have been enough time. 24 hours can be a good choice since your free time each day may fall then. Some types of concretes cure underwater, but for others, a few days is better. Keep the concrete moist while it cures, with a mister or a plastic wrap.


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## LongIslandCichlid

ok here is some photos








this is 2 of the 3 150gal that my background will go in








took a little different approach to the back grounds by cutting the foam into individual "bolders"








carved the edges 








I had started the background and did only 4 feet last week to make sure it would fit ok so i had to come back and do the sides and the other 2 feet.
just a note if you do it this way you will only need about 5' 6" inches of foam for a 6' background the inside on the tank is about 5'11" and you will use about 5" beteen the "bolders" in space this is why I did it in two parts.








used a mop like paint brush for the first coat 








I found a empty one gal milk container worked best for me to mix the cement just cut away the front








now just let it dry overnight








I was going to lay some moon sand in the cement but it didnt look good so i am going to coat over it and just let the algae grow.








it's good to mark top and sides to help with the jigsaw puzzle when down ... mark the back not the front as I show in the photo the front gets covered with cement .....yeah was late and I was not thinking


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## LongIslandCichlid

I was thinking of putting a coat of fiberglass resin over the background to help keep the pH down since this is going to be an Amazon cichlid tank. Would this work or is this just a bad idea?


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## Mcdaphnia

LongIslandCichlid said:


> I was thinking of putting a coat of fiberglass resin over the background to help keep the pH down since this is going to be an Amazon cichlid tank. Would this work or is this just a bad idea?


 If you miss a spot, the alkalinity will seep out. It's not a bad idea, just very hard to cover 100%. Making your final coat a vinyl concrete like Thorocrete would be easier since you have a final coat anyway. Once the Thorocrete cures for five days, the excess alkalye should be minimal.


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## LongIslandCichlid

I am going to try the vinyl concrete as a final coat this weekend this should be enough time for the cement to dry.
thanks for the info Mcdaphnia


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## LongIslandCichlid

I was thinking of cutting a strip out of PVC for my return and cementing it to the rock next to it so it would like like a crack in the rock








any ideas on how i should do a return

few more photos 









sidewalls


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## The Kapenta Kid

LongIslandCichlid said:


> I was thinking of cutting a strip out of PVC for my return and cementing it to the rock next to it so it would like like a crack in the rock


A neat idea, but I question cementing it into place. I think all plumbing. especially returns, which can be so easily clogged with debris, snails. whatever, should be removable for cleaning and maint. It should be possible to wedge such a pipe in place rather than permanently cementing it.
Just my two cents.


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## LongIslandCichlid

I got them in the tank tonight just wanted to add a few more photos


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## orcy

looking good mate. now all you need is some substrate and water and it will look awesome


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## y ddraig goch

> now all you need is some substrate and water


Good spot orcy! Otherwise, there would have been this thudding and flapping noise when he added the fish....! :lol:

LIC - I can't make out the filter intake and return pipework now the background is in the tank. Is it to be added or did you do a brilliant job obscuring it? 8)


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## Deeda

Excellent job on the layout. Looks so much like real rock!!! And I like the color of it even though once the algae grows, it won't matter so much.


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## LongIslandCichlid

going to add better photos later but for now this is the return and intake spots


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## ajl10spro

GREAT JOB :thumb: Looks awesome!


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## DallasTx

Very impressive! :thumb: :thumb:


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## orcy

are you worried that the return and intake are so close together? perhaps they wont circulate the tank properly?


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## LongIslandCichlid

Yes, but I will have a few air stones and this tank in going to have the mag drive 2400 pump so the circulate should be good enough this system will also have a automatic water changer that will do about 15 to 20% a week. This tank will have itâ€™s own filter system the other two tanks will share the filter.


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## Havoc321

LongIslandCichlid said:


> going to add better photos later but for now this is the return and intake spots


That is one of the best jobs at hiding I have seen!

Super job on the whole thing


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## LongIslandCichlid

Thanks, every know and then something works for me.
some photos from above

return rock









intake rock


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## ringram

What kind of concrete and pigment did you use for that? I love the look. I hav a regular bag of Quickrete precision grout, not sure if this is the same stuff or not. Excellent job on hiding the equipment too! :thumb:

-Ryan


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## LongIslandCichlid

no pigmet at all, no need for it. with in a few weeks it will be covered with alage. I used a sand premix cement for the first 2 coats and a vinyl concrete patcher as a 3rd coat


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## LongIslandCichlid

my first update:
I found a great substrate for my DIY concrete background, tube of sand by quikrete. It is really crushed slate and rock but it has great color red, blue. greys and white. It MUST be rinsed well. Out of the bag it is very dusty
















my last dime








Could not match it better if I tried


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## HybridS130

DallasTx said:


> Very impressive! :thumb: :thumb:


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## Auntbeast

Can we just make the assumption that if I am posting it's because I want more pics? 

I'd love to see a full shot with gravel and such.

What amazes me about these backgrounds is that it is virtually impossible to tell the size of the tanks from the photos. They look so "complete" if you will. That is a 150g tank and it doesn't look like it to me, I'm sure in person it does, that's a heck of a tank, and you have two??? *green with envy*

What are your plans for the other 150? I mean, besides making me a beautiful background and giving the whole thing to me?  I'm not greedy, I'll take the tank you just finished. 

Fantastic job. I love the details, proportions, hiding properties, and you are right with the gravel, you could not have matched it any better if you tried.


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## PauloSilva

brilliant job man. i love the look of it all. that crushed slate mix u have is gonna increase the Ph though.


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## LongIslandCichlid

Sorry Auntbeast not a chance I would part with them also not to make you any greener but I have three 150 gal tanks. 








and a few 25gals











> brilliant job man. i love the look of it all. that crushed slate mix u have is gonna increase the Ph though.


yes. and that is a problem this tank was going to be a planted south American tank and the Ph is too high. @7.9. so now i to move it over to the right and use the tank for Fronts and move the other tank to the middle. and use that one for the South Americans my thought now is if the tank is heavily planted i wont need a background for it i am going to just paint the back black.


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## Havoc321

I'm always glad to see people with bigger and more thanks than I! It makes me feel less nuts/obsessed


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## Auntbeast

*positively green*

You must not be married. I'm afraid to even SHOW my husband those pics.

My pH is testing 8.5 out of the tap. I'm letting some rest a while to see if it lowers with time. Otherwise, I may have a bog tank I'll need so much peat.

Those slant front tanks look pretty cool. I can't wait to see your tanks when fully set up. Keep those pics coming!


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## dclaassen2004

I like those 25 gallons, do you have any more info on them? Who makes them, where did you get them, how do you stack them, etc.


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## Scatocephalus

dclaassen2004 said:


> I like those 25 gallons, do you have any more info on them? Who makes them, where did you get them, how do you stack them, etc.


They are from a complete rack system built by a company called Casco. He probably got them at auction or from a Petsmart that was going out of business.


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## iceblue

Great job LongIsland. :thumb: I really like the wrap around look. More focused imo.


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## MightyWarMonger

Verry nice great work now if you can just get it cycled and some fish in there you'll be in buisness


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## JWerner2

I feel like bumping this one back to th top just cause its cool :thumb: .

By now you should have some nice fish and decor for us to look at.


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