DIY Aquascape

[chatyak]

Since your building this outside the tank you want you can scrap the epoxy putty and cement and just use pond foam and if you want extra structure you can still drill the rock and incorporate your fiberglass/abs/acrylic rods. No ph swings, material is light and easy to shape, easy to blend with rock and very adhesive.

http://youtu.be/BqTEmM25XSM

All good input. I decided to buy the fiberglass driveway markers and some Quikrete Hydraulic Water Stop Cement

and it is very solid.

I also want to use foam and epoxy/sand to cover up gaps etc... but all the epoxies I saw said not safe for drinking water.

What kind and where can I buy this foam and epoxy in Canada? I went to Michaels craft store ...

 

[chatyak]

This is the stuff I linked to earlier.
Cures in water . They also sell nylon rod

http://www.marcorocks.com/aquascapesupplies.aspx

Trying to save on shipping Did see that though... looks good.

 

[chatyak]

Do I need to use Beckkets black pond foam and pay $15 a can if I'm going to use Epoxy and sand anyway? I could just use Great Stuff foam since I'm using sand and epoxy regardles..

 

[antbreon]

you wont be disappointed using foam

gf is cutting egg create for wall in her fresh water tank as i type..

then she wants me to make one for the 65 fish only tank...she has me going tanky again ..i got over this sickness ..along time ago ...then she discovered fish good thing i love her...

 

[chatyak]

The cement doesn't work very well. It says 4 1/2 parts cement to 1 part water and it's just sloppy and very hard to work with - and iti didn't even harden that much - it's all dry and flaky and breaking over everything and I had to shake the rock like a mad man to get most of the parts out... hopefully it hardens well over the next couple days.... I also used epoxy in the holes in the rock and that works much better when combined with the fiberglass... so it looks like epoxy + fiberglass rod + foam/epoxy resin + sand is how I'll do it... this is what I have so far... will cover up the rod parts with pond foam and sand.... darker grey is cement - greener color is epoxy... pics taken with ipod touch.

 

[chatyak]

... and I can't find z-poxy or Bob smith industries finish-cure epoxy anywhere here!! All I found was Aleenes 2 part liquid epoxy at the Michaels near us and it said it wasn't drinking water safe... does anyone know where to get these in Canada so I'm not forced into high shipping thru the border? I also can't find pond foam here... just normal great stuff... :headwally:


EDIT: I have just found a place (they have website too) that sells bob smith industries and z-poxy epoxies/resin/hardener here in Canada. Feel free to PM for the link for all us Northern folks