×
Retirement and forum shutdown (17 Jan 2022)

Hi,

John Howell who has managed the forum for years is getting on and wishes to retire from the role of managing it.
Over the years, he has managed the forum through good days and bad days and he has always been fair.
He has managed to bring his passion for fish keeping to the forum and keep it going for so long.

I wish to thank John for his hard work in keeping the forum going.

With John wishing to "retire" from the role of managing the forum and the forum receiving very little traffic, I think we must agree that forum has come to a natural conclusion and it's time to put it to rest.

I am proposing that the forum be made read-only from March 2022 onwards and that no new users or content be created. The website is still registered for several more years, so the content will still be accessible but no new topics or replies will be allowed.

If there is interest from the ITFS or other fish keeping clubs, we may redirect traffic to them or to a Facebook group but will not actively manage it.

I'd like to thank everyone over the years who helped with forum, posted a reply, started a new topic, ask a question and helped a newbie in fish keeping. And thank you to the sponsors who helped us along the away. Hopefully it made the hobby stronger.

I'd especially like to thank John Howell and Valerie Rousseau for all of their contributions, without them the forum would have never been has successful.

Thank you
Darragh Sherwin

3d back round

More
10 Mar 2010 01:11 #1 by fishmad1234 (Craig Coyle)
lads im thinking of making a 3 d back round is it really as hard as every one thinks i know ill have to get a bit of styrofoam and the tank glue but my main worry is painting it what paints are safe to use on it any info or advice is welcome and needed

at the end of the day it becomes nite

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
10 Mar 2010 02:17 #2 by sheag35 (Seamus Gillespie)
pond paint is your best bet, used it on my diy background and no probs with it

Fishkeeping the Only way to get wet and wild

currently 25 tanks, and breeding is the aim of everything i keep
location:Limerick

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
10 Mar 2010 02:51 - 10 Mar 2010 02:55 #3 by Dioza (Adam Bell)
Replied by Dioza (Adam Bell) on topic Re:3d back round
It's not hard at all, just time consuming. You will need the tank empty and completely cleaned too. My supplies were, styrofoam, cement, cement colouring (brown and black but depends what shade you want) tec 7 (silicone) measuring tape and kitchen knife. Altogether it took me about 2 weeks, but that was just maybe 5 minutes a night applying different shades of coloured cement untill i was happy with the results. You could bang it out in about a week, once you get it cut out and stuck in it's just a matter of adding cement untill you like the looks, thing is its ideal to leave about 20-24 hours between coats of cement.

As for it being fish safe, i had 6 tiger barbs and 5 corys in there for 2 months with no problems, it was only temporary untill i got my other tank planted. Now the one with the cement backing is cycling and i'm planning on keeping shellies in it. The one thing i will say about the background is it will raise the ph a little, which is why i think cichlids would be ideal for it.

Hope this helps a little, any questions just shout :)

Edit* forgot to mention i didn't seal it with epoxy or any paint, which just meant i had to flush it out for a few hours to lower the ph, it was off the chart at first. I changed the water alot and it lowered. It was time consuming but i think well worth it and i'd love to try another one at some stage in the future.
Last edit: 10 Mar 2010 02:55 by Dioza (Adam Bell).

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
10 Mar 2010 14:02 #4 by fishmad1234 (Craig Coyle)
well if it raises the ph thats not a bad thing for me as ill be keeping africans in it so not to hard to make where did you buy your supplys in any d.i.y shop was it think ill start it this weekend do you know the name of the cement you used thanks for the advice guys

at the end of the day it becomes nite

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
10 Mar 2010 14:21 #5 by Dioza (Adam Bell)
Replied by Dioza (Adam Bell) on topic Re:3d back round
Any builders supplier should stock the stuff, for the tec7 you might need to try woodies. Its aquarium safe and sticks almost too well so its worth getting. The cement i used is just normal grey cement comes in a brown bag with "irish cement" written on it. The immediate rise in ph will be massive, but after a few water changes will level off, right now mine is about 7.8 which is about 0.3 above tap water. Heres a few pics that might give you an idea of what i made.




Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
10 Mar 2010 14:35 #6 by fishmad1234 (Craig Coyle)
god thats breath taking that looks really amazing taken a back a bit bye how great that looks

at the end of the day it becomes nite

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
10 Mar 2010 14:37 #7 by fishmad1234 (Craig Coyle)
so its the cement that gives it that kinda rock face look and not that you carve every edge out of it

at the end of the day it becomes nite

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
10 Mar 2010 14:52 #8 by Dioza (Adam Bell)
Replied by Dioza (Adam Bell) on topic Re:3d back round
I just cut the foam so there was no sharp edges and try to get it natural looking, i bought a heat gun for 12 euro to try give it a rocky effect but there was no need and it was too hot. The cement can be mixed a little thicker to give you different bumpy areas. I also left 2 hallows that i now filed with sand and have a few plants in just to break up the rock a little bit. The cement is grey but if you add just a tiny bit of brown cement colouring you can get some nice shades. As i said, It took me an extra week trying to get the right shade that i was happy with. Or you could add a little, very little bit of black colouring and make different shades of grey.

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
27 Mar 2010 00:41 #9 by Vinny41 (vincent higgins)
i made this one last night,i used a bread knife to carve it that took four hours and i used blagdon pond paint (stone colour) and sprinkled on coral sand.i found the knife faster and better than soldering irons.it took another couple of hours to paint it.
Attachments:

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
27 Mar 2010 08:11 #10 by cardinal (Lar Savage)
Vinny
Very impressive piece of work,It will be nice to see it in a tank so please keep the pictures coming....
Lar

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
27 Mar 2010 09:32 - 27 Mar 2010 09:33 #11 by Viperbot (Jason Hughes)
@ Dioza & Vinny,

Lads those backgrounds are very, very impressive. The store bought 3D backgrounds havnt a patch on the work done here. Vinny, how big is your background? It looks like its six or seven feet. Would love to see a vid or a few pics of this installed.

Jay

Location: Finglas, North Dublin.

Life
may not be the party we hoped for, but while we
are here we might as well dance.
Last edit: 27 Mar 2010 09:33 by Viperbot (Jason Hughes).

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
27 Mar 2010 18:32 #12 by Dioza (Adam Bell)
Replied by Dioza (Adam Bell) on topic Re:3d back round
Very nice job Vinny! I look forward to seeing it installed.

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
27 Mar 2010 19:36 #13 by Vinny41 (vincent higgins)
thanks lads,I will be putting it in the tank in the next couple of days,its 8ft jay,will keep you posted.its the first one I've done so hopefully if I get the chance to do an other it will come out more impressive.

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
27 Mar 2010 19:40 #14 by fishmad1234 (Craig Coyle)
ive started my back round having trouble geting the right shape out of the strofoam looking maybe to start a new piece wont put pictures up as its a total mess at the moment

at the end of the day it becomes nite

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
07 Apr 2010 00:02 - 07 Apr 2010 00:59 #15 by Vinny41 (vincent higgins)
hi lads,getting back to you on the 3d backround,it turned out to be a bit of a nightmare but i wont go in to it now,had a slight change of plan and this is what i ended up with.i will be filling the tank on friday so i'll up some new pics as it goes on,its not as big as the last one,had to make adjustments so that the lights would not be blocked out,let us know what ye think, ta s971.photobucket.com/albums/ae194/vinny3...rent=3dbackround.jpg
Attachments:
Last edit: 07 Apr 2010 00:59 by Vinny41 (vincent higgins). Reason: add link

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
07 Apr 2010 00:21 #16 by Dioza (Adam Bell)
Replied by Dioza (Adam Bell) on topic Re:3d back round
Looks deadly vinny, very impressed. What problems had you? When i did mine i measured it to be a quarter inch shorted than the inside glass, didnt think that the tank had a rim around it that came in about 3 quarters of an inch the whole way round. Had to cut 2 inchs off and stick it in 2 pieces. Bit of cement up the joint and it was grand.

If you have a photobucket account you should add the pictures to that and link us to it, then we can see them larger. Makes a difference to see exactly how much hard work went into it ;)

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
07 Apr 2010 01:00 #17 by Viperbot (Jason Hughes)
Well mate, despite whatever snags you had that background looks awesome. The lights make it look even better. Great job ;) .

Jay

Location: Finglas, North Dublin.

Life
may not be the party we hoped for, but while we
are here we might as well dance.

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
07 Apr 2010 01:58 - 12 Apr 2010 22:13 #18 by Vinny41 (vincent higgins)
Last edit: 12 Apr 2010 22:13 by Vinny41 (vincent higgins). Reason: didn't work

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
07 Apr 2010 02:00 #19 by Denis (Denis Goulding)
Lokks cool, u planning on making some for the punters on line here...

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
07 Apr 2010 13:45 #20 by mickdeja (Mick Whelan)
i'll have 2 please, fairplay looks sweet.......

Follow me up to Carlow

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
07 Apr 2010 17:24 #21 by Frontosa (Tim kruger)
Nice backgrounds.What dept has the background.
Regards,Tim

Midlands - in the heart of Ireland.

Keeping and breeding : Frontosa Blue Zaires , Synodontis Petricola , Tropheus Red Rainbow (Kasanga) , Tropheus Moliro . Regulary fry for sale.
Community tank with P.Kribensis and different livebearers.

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
12 Apr 2010 00:56 #22 by Vinny41 (vincent higgins)
finally complete,here is the link to the finished product,pay no attention to the small filter on the front of the tank,im preparing it for a friend of mine,let me know what you think,thanks for the paint pete(aquapaws)s971.photobucket.com/albums/ae194/vinny3...=finishedproduct.flv

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
12 Apr 2010 06:09 #23 by mickdeja (Mick Whelan)
looks amazin man, fairdues to ye for all the time consumin work ye put in.

Follow me up to Carlow

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
26 Apr 2010 19:36 - 27 Apr 2010 07:05 #24 by Xaribdis (Lorcan O' Brien)
I see Vinny mentioned 'Blagdon Pond Paint'. Does anyone know where you could get some of that? I live in the Dublin area if there are any specific places.

Thanks
Last edit: 27 Apr 2010 07:05 by Xaribdis (Lorcan O' Brien).

Please Log in to join the conversation.

Time to create page: 0.075 seconds
Powered by Kunena Forum