# Made a 3d BG, can i skip ph lowering if coat w pond sealer



## timmyb22 (Jul 18, 2013)

ok so i made a 3d background out of foam and concrete and im in the stages of trying to get my ph down back to my natural 7.6 its is currently at 8.6

now im willing to be patient, but im not sure if im doing the changes right?? i used normal off white concrete, i did 3 days of spritzing with water every couple of hours , then 3 days immersed in salt water, now im just soaking with fresh,

i did 3 more days of freshwater soaking, now i plan on doing full water changes every 24 hours, is this the correct protocol to get the ph down?

also,from some research i have been doing on the net, some people have skipped the ph dropping by coating the concrete in epoxy/resin,

i have some clear pond sealer, would this be effective in blocking the ph and chemicals leeching from the concrete as long as a i coated thoroughly?


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## matt duarte (Aug 29, 2013)

hmm im not sure.. I know people set up a sprinkler on it for a while...this is the reason I do mine differently... I cut the foam and shape it then seal it with drylock masonary waterproofer then paint it with quikcrete concrete paint...let it dry then stick it in the tank.. no need to soak it.. I just make the rock texture with a knife and paint it to match a rock.. heres some im doing right now









but it sounds like ur doing it right


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## timmyb22 (Jul 18, 2013)

oh ok thats interesting how you do it that way, but im not understanding how u don't have to soak it because the chemicals come from the concrete?


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## timmyb22 (Jul 18, 2013)

sorry mate didn't read your post properly, we cant get drylok in australia which sucks, trying to find a substitute


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## timmyb22 (Jul 18, 2013)

it worked no more high pH, 4 coats of pond sealer stopped the concrete from raising the pH


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