Great idea for great stuff!!

zachxbass · #1 (**permalink**) 05-10-2008, 02:49 PM

OK, so i didn't feel like doing real work on my 55 gallon i am working on and decided to experiment w/ a ten gallon that is going to be my qaurantine. I wanted to make the background as a cliffside with a bunch of shelf like space to maximize the ground area available. Anyways instead of filling everything in w/ GS and then cutting out the shelf... i thought of a great idea. I filled the 10 gal w/ about 4-5 inches of water. then carefully dried the glass just above the waters edge. Then slowely added GS along a few spots on the water line. Since the GS floats i can easily make shelves that will stick out from the glass... This is just an experiment so i didn't add the silicone to make the GS stick better... but as of now it is sticking good. I figure when i am done i can just siphon/ dump out the water and be left with the GS shelves. Anyone else tried this? if so any problems? Let me know what you guys think.

I just did this a few minutes ago so i'm not sure if it will end up how i want it but it seems to be working great. I'll post results once it has time to dry.

pet-teez · #2 (**permalink**) 05-10-2008, 03:01 PM

It could just be because I am awake too early from the worst night's sleep since last time I had bronchitis but I'm having some trouble figuring this out, do you have a digi you could take a picture of this with?

-Cassie

Quote:

Originally Posted by zachxbass

OK, so i didn't feel like doing real work on my 55 gallon i am working on and decided to experiment w/ a ten gallon that is going to be my qaurantine. I wanted to make the background as a cliffside with a bunch of shelf like space to maximize the ground area available. Anyways instead of filling everything in w/ GS and then cutting out the shelf... i thought of a great idea. I filled the 10 gal w/ about 4-5 inches of water. then carefully dried the glass just above the waters edge. Then slowely added GS along a few spots on the water line. Since the GS floats i can easily make shelves that will stick out from the glass... This is just an experiment so i didn't add the silicone to make the GS stick better... but as of now it is sticking good. I figure when i am done i can just siphon/ dump out the water and be left with the GS shelves. Anyone else tried this? if so any problems? Let me know what you guys think.

I just did this a few minutes ago so i'm not sure if it end up how i want it but it seems to be working great. I'll post results once it has time to dry.

zachxbass · #3 (**permalink**) 05-10-2008, 03:06 PM

yeah, well my wife does... i'll try to get some pics tonight. basically there are just little shelves made of GS that stick straight out of the glass.

xm41907 · #4 (**permalink**) 05-11-2008, 12:13 AM

you may want to reinforce them with some extra GS to keep them from falling down later. Once you cover them and they are soaked with water in a humid environment, they might become too heavy to support themselves.

holidayhanson · #5 (**permalink**) 05-11-2008, 12:46 AM

Nice idea! I always feel the GS below the false bottom water line soaks up water into the BG...who knows what the effect of this will be after many years. I have been thinking of ways to make my GS BG stop about 5-6 inches above the false bottom. There is no need for GS to exist below the level of substrate as i feel it just fills up planting/ root space.

Post some pics of the results when you get the chance.

tkromer · #6 (**permalink**) 05-11-2008, 02:50 AM

I did exactly that in a fish tank a while back, to make underwater "ledges" in the background. It worked well and would probably work in a frog tank, but in the fish tank it eventually floated too much and the larger shelves broke loose. I'd reinforce underneath just a bit to be safe.

zachxbass · #7 (**permalink**) 05-11-2008, 07:47 PM

Well i didn't take any pics yet, but after removing the water the GS shelves turned out well.... I definately would need to put more foam on the bottom to reinforce it. There was a slight film left on the water line of the glass, But it came off easily. I took the pieces off so that i can put down the silicone first to make it stick to the glass better. I need more GS but once i get some more i'll definately get some pics on here to better show this method.

DizzyD · #8 (**permalink**) 05-12-2008, 04:06 AM

GS over stainless wire, try silicone or gorrilla glue to adhere the wire, just like a concrete mold. Might reinforce a little more. Maybe a piece or two jutting out from glass, attatched at the ends w/ more wire, and two supports that could be gs'd later, made into rocks or something. Oh, and that's one of the best ideas i've heard in a while! 8)