LFS foam background

[bigsittingrock]

When I was in Tucson in Feb. I checked out a fish store there and their display tank in the back was foamed on the back wall. Did they foam directly to the back or did they make a foam wall. It looked cool and I am wanting to do the same to my new tank. I don't remember the name of the store but it was awesome.

 

[jhendu]

You are refering to Southwest SAltwater and the foam is applied directly to the back. I did my 110 in a similar fashion. It was quite easy to do and I have enjoyed the results. Don't listen to the skeptics who say "is there any foam in the ocean?" (zoakeeper ). It's not for everyone but I have been happy. If you do it I recommend doing what I did. I used silicone to mount squares of eggcrate to the back glass to provide some better anchorage for the foam. The foam will want to float so I like the extra strength that the squares provide.

 

[bigsittingrock]

What is the eggcrate for? Could I just put it directly on the acrylic and sprinkle sand on it for texture?

 

[jhendu]

By mounting the eggcrate to the back wall with silicone then spraying the foam on the back, you are providing the foam a better surface to attach to. See this picture for what I'm talking about. Without the eggcrate you are trying to attach the foam to a perfectly slick surface. It will work, don't get me wrong there, but the foam will try to float as it is very bouyant. The extra anchorage helps combat this by giving the foam something more robust to adhere to. If you will have rock along the back of the tank against the foam, then that would likely be enough to combat the float tendency. Many others have foamed the back with no anchors and had no problems. Others have had their foam start to peel away. I can only speak on my behalf when I say that I have had zero problems with my current method.

<a href="http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y174/jhendu/?action=view&current=DSC04925.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y174/jhendu/DSC04925.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

[SWSaltwater]

There is a detailed write up on it in this months or last months FAMA magazine by Bob Goemens....

http://www.fishchannel.com/fama_portal.aspx

 

[bigsittingrock]

Thanks for all the info. How many cans did it take for you to do all that?

 

[ynnhoj86]

shuskins, you should tell about your tank =P

 

[jhendu]

It took about 6 cans but I put it on waaayyy thicker than I needed to. I'm sure I could do it in 5 next time.

 

[cerreta]

Hey, all I am working on da Artsy Cube project again and need to buy one can. Does anyone have some leftover? I would like to spray teh tank today.