davez104 Posted August 18, 2004 Share Posted August 18, 2004 I am attempting to build a background from styrofoam, not sure if I'm tackling it right or not but having a go anyway. I am using a cement based adhesive designed for tiles, I know people use quick drying cement so figure this stuff should be ok. I almost have it finished but was wondering if I should coat it all in some kind of clear stuff to seal it or just leave it as is? I know it should be soaked for a while to leach any chemicals out of it but don't really have the room for all the fish to go, so was also wondering if hosing it down a couple times a day for a few weeks would achieve the same result? What do you reckon? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ducksta Posted August 18, 2004 Share Posted August 18, 2004 You dont have a bathtub to soak it in? Or a neighbours bathtub? I would be very wary in your position. Definately wouldn't want anything nasty finding its way in viz a DIY job with harsh paints/sealants/cement used. If it were me I would give it a couple of coats of pond lining paint, thick coats, as this should seal all the nastys on the inside, and keep all the goodness on the outside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davez104 Posted August 19, 2004 Author Share Posted August 19, 2004 Hmmmm, bathtub? Might run that by the missus, I am already grinning just imagining the response! Could be worth a shot though. Would really like to soak it for a bit, then seal it with something. All the fish I have that are worth something are in the 8 footer that the background is going in so would hate to lose any of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slotha Posted August 24, 2004 Share Posted August 24, 2004 Hi Dave, some tile adhesives contain a mould resistant product. Try and get some info on what has been put into it. I used cement and then gave it a couple of coats of Silasec to seal it. Worked alright so far Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
torchy Posted August 25, 2004 Share Posted August 25, 2004 Hi Dave, I too have just been making a styrofoam background but wasnt a huge fan of the fact that the cement would leach and may even crumble if hit with enough pressure, the solution i found was pond sealer which is Ph neutral and gives the rocks a protective cover, does give them a bit of a gloss though. If your interested in the pond sealer they sell it at Bunnings in SA for like $20 for 1 litre which was more than enough for my purposes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
23Skidoo Posted August 25, 2004 Share Posted August 25, 2004 If you wanna avoid the gloss effect, maybe dusting with clean sand while the second coat is still wet? It should impregnate easily (the water-proofer we use at work has this done to it to make it non-slip) and even give sandy effect rather than the blue/green these roducts usually are. Maybe even go for a heterogenous sand like river sand. just a thought Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davez104 Posted August 25, 2004 Author Share Posted August 25, 2004 Is this pond sealer clear?? The background looks the part so don't realy want to change it, so would be good if I could just cover it with something. How much area did you cover with 1L ? I have 8' x 2'. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
torchy Posted August 25, 2004 Share Posted August 25, 2004 Yea it is clear, its a white sorta liquid when u first put it on but it dries clear, the sand idea seems like a winner, though with it being clear u may get the colour of the sand shining through, may be best to try that on a test piece...the brand i used was Crommelin, if you are after more information they have downloadable guides on their site as well as product descriptions http://www.crommelin.com.au/waterproofing.php - look at 'pond sealer clear' http://www.crommelin.com.au/diy.php - for the guides As regards how much you'll need i couldnt tell you, im preparing mine for a 4x2x2 but im not filling in the whole wall just making 2 large rocks for the back ( cover about 3.5 ft)and a few smaller rocks to litter the bottom. Though the 1L i've got is only half uses and on the first coat there was a bit of waste (it has to be thinned out). Bare in mind there is also a 4L container but that is $60. 8x2 should produce a pretty cool background. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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