Flevapol method

[vugger#1]

I have been building the GS and silicone backgrouds on 5 or 6 viv's now. I like to have small water features in my tanks. The question I have is will the flevapol method hold up in a water feature or will it fall apart? I like the way they look. Any help you can give me would be great.

[Julio]

There was a thread goign around not too long ago regarding this topic try and do a search and see what you come up with.

[vugger#1]

Thanks, I have done a seach but haven't found anything related back to water features and the flevapol method. I will try again.

[Julio]

runny flevopol

[Julio]

Coloring 'flevapol' method?
flevapol- how long to dry?(UPDATE)

[vugger#1]

Thanks you Julio.
I have read those threads and I still don't understand if the background will breakdown if gets wet after it has cured. I can assume that the humidity of a viv is not going to be an issue because that is what everyone is make here. But can water run over it?
Thanks for your time, hope I am not being difficult? I tried this method with and binder made by Elmers and it did not like water at all.

[Julio]

No trouble at all, i dont' have amany water features, but there is only one way to try, that's by trying it out.

[vugger#1]

That is my plan as soon as I find the time.
I will post what I find. Thanks again for your time.

[VivariumWorks]

Go to Home Depot/Lowes/Ace

Buy two part epoxy, 15-20 minute or longer if you can. Stay away from the 5 minute, it works too fast.

Mix the Epoxy WELL.

Add in dry dirt/soil/coco peat, whatever you want.

Add enough to make the consistancy of your choice. I like a peanut butter consistancy.

Add the mix over your waterfall area.

Dump dirt ontop and press down into the wet epoxy.

Let cure for about a day, and wash off gently the dirt. You should have a permanent waterfall area that looks and stays there until hell freezes over. I've tried the Flevopol method twice with waterfalls running over them. Each time they worked for about two months, broke down, and collapsed. To answer your question, YES the Flevolpol method will degrade under constant submersion. Don't waste your time. Get some epoxy and save yourself the time, $, and headache. The epoxy when cured will not harm your critters. Its used all the time with no ill effects in this hobby. So long as your useing EPOXY and not polyester resin.

Bad thing about the epoxy is that it gets hot when it cures and can be a bit of a pain to work with due to the exothermic reaction making larger batches cure faster than they are supposed to, so watch out. Also if you don't get the dirt on before it cures it will look shiny. This isn't a problem to me as the water running over it makes this not visible.

I just did this method yesterday, for the 10th+ time. It works. Flevolpol may work for some people but in my experience it isn't worth the hassel, epecially for a waterfall area.

Good luck and for god's sake wear gloves!!!

[DKOOISTRA]

I second the response from "viv.works". i have a flevopol back wall and it works, but is slightly spongy. i would not use it for a water feature. as another option, i have about a 2" stream running thru mine, i used a piece of pvc, lined it with pond liner and covered with sylicone and river rock. i then "blended" the transition from the pvc to substrate with the black greatstuff pond liner and topped it off with real pieces of slate rock, i cut the slate rock down with a tile saw and topped it with moss. rainfrog has sad that ed has gotten a waterfall to work with sodium calcite i think it was. but with all eds posts that may be a tough one to find.
derek