# Concrete Background Question



## Malawi_Junkie (Nov 26, 2009)

:-? Want to seal the concrete for my DIY background, does anyone know of a safe product? I have read about people using Drylok, but this is latex based and would prefer to use something water based. I looked at some sealers but they seem like pretty gnarly stuff in way of chemicals. Alot of time and effort into this background and want it to last for a long time. I have heard of the concrete coming off after a while and not being preferred when keeping Plecos.
Need a safe sealer. Help! :-?


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## R-DUB (Jun 3, 2007)

Drylok is fish safe. It can be used to seal ponds and water containers. Pleco safe I am not sure of. I heard plecos can even rasp off concrete. So I would doubt that drylok is any better of a pleco proof coating.


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

Malawi_Junkie said:


> ....., but this is latex based and would prefer to use something water based..... Help! :-?


 In coatings these two terms are used interchangeably. All latex paints are water based, and I can't think of any water based paints other than latex and acrylic so if you want water based but not latex, you are pretty much stuck with acrylic paint.


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## Malawi_Junkie (Nov 26, 2009)

You're correct, latex is water based paint, I should have been more clear that I'm interested in a concrete sealer. I have already applied 2 coats of concrete and wish to seal it after my 3rd coat is complete with coloring. Water based sealers are actually absorbed into the concrete and then water evaporates leaving concrete as one solid mass vs just painting it. I was just wondering if anyone knew of or has used a fish safe concrete sealer.

Dry fit after 2nd coat of concrete. Will apply 3rd coat with color and hopfully a sealer after attaching with silcone.









Looks like more research on sealers will be required.
Thanks for your feedback


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## Wolffishin (Sep 9, 2009)

I still think Drylok meets your requirements (water based, latex paint for water proofing/sealing concrete/cement).

You'll just have to tint it as you go or paint it afterwards to give it some character.

If you are looking for something clear then a resin is probably the only option and it will make your rocks look plastic and shiney IMO.

If you don't seal 100% of the cement make sure you let the alkalines leetch out so your pH doesn't go nuts.


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## Malawi_Junkie (Nov 26, 2009)

This is for a 220gal tank which means alot of concrete so I plan on curing under water for at least 2 wks with several water changes until PH comes down. Drylok is an option an still on the table but I was reading about some people using marine grade clear fiberglass sealers for their concrete koi ponds with great success. Apparently they are completely clear and leave a natural concrete look. I definetly appreciate your interest in my project.
What do you think about my rock design, this section is the main background ( 61" long )between overflows but also have a 9" x 18" boulder that will be suspended from top glass support and 2 more boulders for the sides to cover my overflow boxes. 
These are not stuck down yet and I keep rearanging them, any suggestions?


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

Malawi_Junkie said:


> This is for a 220gal tank which means alot of concrete so I plan on curing under water for at least 2 wks with several water changes until PH comes down. Drylok is an option an still on the table but I was reading about some people using marine grade clear fiberglass sealers for their concrete koi ponds with great success. Apparently they are completely clear and leave a natural concrete look. I definetly appreciate your interest in my project.
> What do you think about my rock design, this section is the main background ( 61" long )between overflows but also have a 9" x 18" boulder that will be suspended from top glass support and 2 more boulders for the sides to cover my overflow boxes.
> These are not stuck down yet and I keep rearanging them, any suggestions?


Concrete curing is exothermic, gives off heat and consumes oxygen, so the curing process is out of the water in a humid atmosphere for about a month. As concrete curing approaches 100%, it goes slower and slower and will take years to finish. Once you submerge it, you are cycling it and the curing is inconsequential.

* As in cycling, you want to do as few water changes as possible. Many people extend a process that should take about two weeks with no water changes to a months long agony by doing incredible numbers of water changes.*

Before submerging it, rinse off any exudate. You can fishless cycle by adding ammonia to the tank, or indirectly by adding high protein food to the tank which breaks down into ammonia. I add some Gambusia which basically could care less about temperature, pH, etc. Just feed them and the tank will fill with fry. I throw lots of oak leaves into the tank. It will stain the concrete a brownish color with a naturalistic uneven saturation. It soaks in to dark brown in some places and hardly at all in others. Too bad it's not summer. Cycling it outside means you get free food (mosquito larvae) for the Gambusia.


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## BigFish77 (Feb 1, 2009)

I think that your background looks better than the first attempt you made in another post. IMO, I would do some more shading and color contrasts so it does not come out so grey. THe set-up style looks ok, rock work wise, but you need to vary your color some more so it does look so mono-tone in the tank. I have never done a DIY BG before, so you are doing better then I ever will. So of the BGs I have looked at on here become a giant piece of mono-tone grey or blackish. Take the time to add some detail now before you finish. In addition you could have made some rocks not so smooth to create 3D detail more. I am not hating, you have doen a great job, just my 2 cents.


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## mightyevil (Oct 23, 2008)

I liked the first one one better 

As far as coating it...I would use the Drylok and put like 6 coats on it if you are worried, I doubt that a pleco could go through 6 coats of latex in its lifetime, just my opinion.


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## Malawi_Junkie (Nov 26, 2009)

Thanks for all the great feedback.
This is only my second coat and no color has been added as of yet. I have quikcrete colors charcoal,buff,and brown which I will apply on the third or fourth coats after I can settle on rock placement. As far as 3d effect this thing is over 8" thick in some places, pic doesn't show this very well.
Drylok looks like the most affordable solution to sealing it so probably go that route. Applying 4-5 coats playing with color in 4th and 5th coats

I will be doing a fishless cycle, the leaves is a cool idea I had never heard of before. Plan on filling and running with my powerhead for 3-5 days with water softner drain and repeat then fill and run for about 10 days and see where I'm at. What are the benefits of adding Gambusia to the tank?


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

Gambusia are a species of fish that can sail right through the nitrogen cycle. They are the alternative to the fishless cycle, but afterwards you do have lots of Gambusia, and they don't make great feeders since they may be small and look like a guppy, but they are more than a match for some cichlids.


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## BigFish77 (Feb 1, 2009)

cant wait to see it all finished.


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## Malawi_Junkie (Nov 26, 2009)

OK so I decided to rearrange and add some new stones. Still trying to get a more natural look.










What do you guys think. and I know they need color haven't gotten that far yet.


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## caseyof99 (Aug 5, 2009)

heck yes, looks like it'll be much easier to concrete/seal. I think it looks alot better too. Simpler and more natural looking.


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## mightyevil (Oct 23, 2008)

Much better :thumb:


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## BigFish77 (Feb 1, 2009)

I like it only thing for me is on the right side I would flip flop the 2 newest rocks, so the larger looking boulder is on the bottom, while the smaller on is on top. Nice job.


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## Malawi_Junkie (Nov 26, 2009)

Thanks Guys.  
I've been playing around with these rocks for days and my wife thinks I'm obsessed.

I will post more pics after they're coated. I still need to buy my Drylok


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## BigFish77 (Feb 1, 2009)

It like art, you want a master piece. My wife thinks I am crazy sometimes, especially when I had 100 pounds of rock to stack in my tank, which I removed every other weekend for a large water change. Things would be removed, turned, and re-stacked multiple times before I was exhausted or just happy....


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## Malawi_Junkie (Nov 26, 2009)

:lol: I know where your coming from, Mbuna tank in my bedroom has about 150lbs of stone in it which I rearrange about every six months or so.


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## Malawi_Junkie (Nov 26, 2009)

:lol: I know where your coming from, Mbuna tank in my bedroom has about 150lbs of stone in it which I rearrange about every six months or so.


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## scales77oi (Apr 17, 2009)

for this being a background, once its in standing position, if the "rocks" were not glued down they would fall. not a very naturalistic occurance for rocks to be suspended in water, or glued to another rock. if it were me, i would think to place the rocks in a fashion that would most likely occur in nature, as if you took all the rocks in the air and dropped them so they all pile up "naturally". start with a base of bigger rocks and as naturally as you can stack it up to the top with smaller and smaller..........if your after depth then make some of the larger rocks "fatter"....just my opinion


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## Malawi_Junkie (Nov 26, 2009)

In the pic they appear flat but they are actually stacked and each rock is supported on top of another. They look like they are floating but they are not. Shading with color will add the depth, rocks are over 8" deep even though they appear flat. New pics coming soon


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## Malawi_Junkie (Nov 26, 2009)

Rearranged some rocks and added some new ones. 3rd times a charm.
Was able to dry fit it in the tank yesterday. 
made 2 Side modules to cover overflows and floor boulders.
started experimenting with some color tonight. 
Anyway here are some pics of progress so far.














































Still working with the color but looking good. Final color coat tomorrow


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## Malawi_Junkie (Nov 26, 2009)

Ok so here it is with some color applied. Used quikrete liquid cement coloring,Charcoal and buff to mix up several different shades in the Drylok


































Looks like I will be able to install tomorrow.


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## Tinga (Nov 27, 2009)

That looks AWESOME! I Likes..


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## BigFish77 (Feb 1, 2009)

3rd times the charm lets see it in the tank!!! :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:


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## Malawi_Junkie (Nov 26, 2009)

Here it is in the tank. still have a few rocks to silicone over the joint, unit is 2 pieces in the back with seperate modules to cover overflows.


















this has taken much longer than I thought it would.


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