# 3d Background help.



## MalawiWowi (Nov 16, 2013)

Hello,

I am wanting to take a spin at my first 3D background. I have recently got a 220gallon and am setting it up for Frontosa's and don't want to just paint the back. I have searched and searched and seen many different ideas yet I haven't seen a clear cut DIY tutorial. Here is what I know so far please feel free to give me pointers or things I have wrong.

I will start with the pink foam board from Home Depot. I am getting 1 inch panels and will silicone spots where I want more depth together with 100% silicone. 
I then carve out my design with a dull knife picking at it and adding textures with a razor and pick. Lightly sand with coarse and fine sand paper depending on texture needed. 
After it is all done I start with the Drylock process. I want to tint the base coat with a charcoal color. 
Here is where I am a little uncertain. 
I take it that I get me some quickrete cement color(charcoal) and mix it with the drylock? Do i place a layer of drylock by itself on first? *** heard to use sand on the first layer?
Then after I get the dark charcoal base color all the way around, how do I dry brush? Do I mix up come drylock with different colors in different bowls and dip my brush, wipe it off good, and just lightly brush each color on? And when I get it the way I like it is it done? OR do I need to seal it all again with something?


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## Steve C (Oct 9, 2011)

A better way to get nice texture rather than sanding is to use a heat gun. You can pick one up cheap at any Harbor Freight store (around $15) and it is well worth it because it will add some very nice texture for you. You can do as you said with tinting the Drylok, but I found the best way I like to do it is to use Krylon Fusion paints and dry-brush those on rather than tinting each individual batch of drylok. So what I do is I coat the whole thing with a coat of Drylok, then let it sit over night. Then recoat with a 2nd coat of drylok and sit again. Then I come back and coat the whole thing with black Fusion paint. The reason I do that is the black will add darkness to the low spots giving more visual depth when I dry brush the next coat of drylok.

So after you have your two coats of drylok on and your one coat of black fusion, then I go back and I drybrush the whole think with drylok again. This gives it the grey color but leaves the low spots darker/black because of the base of black paint. Then after that dries then I use my brown, dark matte green and any other earth tones and I do my dry brushing with those colors. After all that dries then I use white and I dry brush all the high spots to give the look of where the edges of rock have been worn off. After that I then seal it with Pond Armor. The pond armor is a optional step but one I have found to be very wise for long run durability.


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## MalawiWowi (Nov 16, 2013)

Thanks so much for your help Steve! Do you have any pictures of what you have done? I take it the pond sealer is clear?


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## MalawiWowi (Nov 16, 2013)

I have also wondered about this option which uses pond foam straight on the glass. Thoughts?


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## Steve C (Oct 9, 2011)

MalawiWowi said:


> Thanks so much for your help Steve! Do you have any pictures of what you have done? I take it the pond sealer is clear?


Sure, here's a few of them I have done to look over. There's a few more somewhere on here but these are the latest ones.

29g- viewtopic.php?f=30&t=294153
55g- viewtopic.php?f=30&t=294049
265g viewtopic.php?f=30&t=255398
55g viewtopic.php?f=30&t=235265
29g viewtopic.php?f=30&t=268121
55g viewtopic.php?f=30&t=251053

I've never used the pond foam in a can that you posted. Might work well, but I can'y say much about it as I have never used it myself.



> I take it the pond sealer is clear?


Yes it is a two part epoxy coating that is clear. It's pricey ($75 is the cheapest you will find it) but I like to use it on all my BG's now myself.


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## MalawiWowi (Nov 16, 2013)

Opinions needed This will be behind my 3D background build that I am about to start working on for a 220g Frontosa tank. The picture shows a view that would be like looking at the back of the tank. The FX6 intake and one heater will be in the PVC Gutter and completely sealed off from the rest of the background. It will pull only water from the tank into it and back out. The Filter Sponge pieces will be in a 4' x 2' x 1" area. The Submersible pump will be around 300gph so that I can get more BB to grow on the Filter Sponge pieces. Also the other heater will be inside another PVC gutter piece. But not sealed so that is does not burn the foam. The Aquaclear 110 will be used for polishing and holding a ton of Pothos vines. I want so much vine so that it takes up the entire area above the canopy and below the ceiling.. about 6'x2' Also I think I will run fishing line through all of the 1" Filter sponge blocks, just in case I ever need to pull them out. I do not think they will need to ever be cleaned but maybe a few years from now I may want to. They will not be used to trap particulates. Only to grow Bacteria on. In addition, there will be a 1650 gph circulation pump used on the side of the tank just pointed at the waters surface. It will be on the same side as my FX6 intake.

This will be my first try at a 3D background and I think I may be biting off more then I can chew lol. My momma always told me to be the little train that could though so I like a good challenge. =)


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## MalawiWowi (Nov 16, 2013)

And the Background project begins =)


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## MalawiWowi (Nov 16, 2013)

After highlights and dry brushing.


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## Steve C (Oct 9, 2011)

Lookin good bud nice work!


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## tomas2010 (Aug 31, 2013)

wow, looks great 
I like the foam one as well but not sure if it could stick to the glass? at least for long.

One silly question though 
whats the dry brushing technique?
I like the effect so much I may even make new background lol


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## MalawiWowi (Nov 16, 2013)

Steve C said:


> Lookin good bud nice work!


Thanks Steve =) I was a little worried about it all and after starting it I have found out it really isn't that hard, the foam does the work for you. The when it came time to color it I was surprised at how easily it was done aswell. The great thing is if you mess up you can always paint over it haha. I have a question for you though. I am going with the pond armor you suggested. I think it brings alot of benefits. Does that make the background look different or is it so clear you really cant tell its on there?


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## MalawiWowi (Nov 16, 2013)

tomas2010 said:


> wow, looks great
> I like the foam one as well but not sure if it could stick to the glass? at least for long.
> 
> One silly question though
> ...


Thanks Tomas! =0) I don't know about the sticky spray foam but i am sure with so much surface contact it would be hard to get off... And dry brushing is where you get a brush and load a little paint on it then wipe it all off on a rag or piece of cardboard, then dab it onto the piece your working on. You can do different colors to make a nice effect, Like I used plain white drylok to highlight the edges of this rock, then use a mix of gray and white and drybrushed just above the edges to create a more realistic look. Without it the white edges looked kinda fake. =) Hope this makes sense lol


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## MalawiWowi (Nov 16, 2013)

I also redesigned my hidden bio-filter. I think it was a little to much because there was no real way to secure the background onto the tank unless it was the type you buy. So now I am going with something like this. Anyone have any thoughts?


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## Steve C (Oct 9, 2011)

MalawiWowi said:


> Steve C said:
> 
> 
> > Lookin good bud nice work!
> ...


It's clear so it won't change the colors or anything like that. The only thing it changes is it adds a slight sheen of gloss, but that is more noticeable out of the water than in the water. Once it's in the tank and filled it's not really noticeable.


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## tomas2010 (Aug 31, 2013)

> dry brushing is where you get a brush and load a little paint on it then wipe it all off on a rag or piece of cardboard, then dab it onto the piece your working on. You can do different colors to make a nice effect, Like I used plain white drylok to highlight the edges of this rock, then use a mix of gray and white and drybrushed just above the edges to create a more realistic look. Without it the white edges looked kinda fake. =) Hope this makes sense lol


Thanks for help, yes, it makes sense  as long as... you have painted the whole thing in black first? then used drybrush to highlight edges etc.
I hope I am right lol
I will try first with some leftovers from my background
and if I like the results I will go with new background 



> The only thing it changes is it adds a slight sheen of gloss, but that is more noticeable out of the water than in the water. Once it's in the tank and filled it's not really noticeable.


I agree, I used pond sealant (in UK) it makes your background look "wet" when dry  but once in the water you cant really tell.
You can check my background (link in the "links to DIY backgrounds) at the top to see the difference.


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## MalawiWowi (Nov 16, 2013)

"Rockin" out the background. =)


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## MalawiWowi (Nov 16, 2013)




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## MalawiWowi (Nov 16, 2013)




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## MalawiWowi (Nov 16, 2013)

Man I think I got corpal tunnel from dabbing this thing! LOL Cant wait to get done with it. I have done vacuumed twenty times!! LMBO


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## MalawiWowi (Nov 16, 2013)




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## MalawiWowi (Nov 16, 2013)




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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

The background is looking great, it won't be long until you can appreciate all the hard work and see it with water and fish in the tank.


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## tcald429 (Dec 27, 2012)

That came out great, I wish was that artistic, I attempted my first 3d background a few months ago and it came out no where near this realistic.


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## MalawiWowi (Nov 16, 2013)

Thanks Deeda and Tomas! =) I cant wait to get the tank up and running! I am so done with the so lovely smell of vinegar! lol


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## MalawiWowi (Nov 16, 2013)

Do you guys think pool filter sand would look right? I am thinking about going with Black sand? Has anyone ever used blasting sand?


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## MalawiWowi (Nov 16, 2013)




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## StangG20 (Aug 12, 2013)

that looks terrific. i wish i had that kind of ability!


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## jeffkro (Feb 13, 2014)

*** seen a lot of 3D backrounds online and I got to say you have talent.


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

Background looks incredible. Well done =D>


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## MalawiWowi (Nov 16, 2013)




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## MalawiWowi (Nov 16, 2013)

Iggy Newcastle said:


> Background looks incredible. Well done =D>


Thanks Iggy! =) I have to give some love to Steve for helping me Thanks alot Steve! =)


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## MalawiWowi (Nov 16, 2013)

Thanks StanG20 and Jeffkro! =)


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## MalawiWowi (Nov 16, 2013)

Surface rock module for hiding powerheads and/or circulation pumps. 
















Before...








After...


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## MalawiWowi (Nov 16, 2013)

We have water! Oh yeah!!!


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## MalawiWowi (Nov 16, 2013)




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## MalawiWowi (Nov 16, 2013)




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## MalawiWowi (Nov 16, 2013)




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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

Something to be very proud of. Pumped to see fish in it...


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## Steve C (Oct 9, 2011)

Came out very nice. Wont be long now till fish are calling it home :thumb:


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## MalawiWowi (Nov 16, 2013)




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## MalawiWowi (Nov 16, 2013)




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## MalawiWowi (Nov 16, 2013)




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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

Looks sick. Please post a pic without the glare


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## MalawiWowi (Nov 16, 2013)

Iggy Newcastle said:


> Looks sick. Please post a pic without the glare


Thanks! I will catch one Monday I got 6 more Mobas coming and will shoot one at night =)


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## MalawiWowi (Nov 16, 2013)

Here is a short video that I made the day I put the first group of Mobas in.


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## MalawiWowi (Nov 16, 2013)




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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

It looks incredible!


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## MalawiWowi (Nov 16, 2013)

Iggy Newcastle said:


> It looks incredible!


Thanks Iggy it means alot! =)


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## MalawiWowi (Nov 16, 2013)




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