Fiberglass & Resin backgrounds?

[JaredJ]

Maybe it's just my laptop but I tried to search on this and really didn't find anything. Anyone have any builds on using fiberglass/resin as a background. I'm assuming it's ok, I just haven't seen any builds on it. I know the Baltimore Aquarium has some displays that have big fiberglass tree stumps in them.

I was thinking along the lines of possibly scuplting with the fiberglass with a final coat of resin covered in ABG mix so it sticks. Maybe the same as this ACE acrylic stuff?

[andyrawrs]

I'm not quite sure what the "resin" you are describing is, but I am fairly certain it is a plastic epoxy. Do a search on "epoxy" on here and you'll find a bunch of threads on epoxy backgrounds. Is this what you are looking for? For the most part, fiberglass is unnecessary (or difficult to work with) and so the community generally skips it. Other ways are used to sculpt, and then covered in epoxy resin.

Andy

[the_deeb]

To clarify, are you suggesting forming a mold out of styrofoam and then wetting out fiberglass cloth/mat over that to form a background? I've seen this done with aquarium backgrounds. Or are you planning to free form your wet out fiberglass into some sort of structure?

Fiberglass resin is usually a polyester resin and is a lot cheaper than epoxy resin. I've never personally worked with it but my understanding is that it's a lot more smelly to deal with than epoxy. It also doesn't provide a complete moisture barrier, though that probably isn't important in the context you're talking about using it in.

One concern with sculting backgrounds with fiberglass cloth/mat is that small fibers of glass can become exposed as your background wears over time and can potentially harm the inhabitants.

[JaredJ]

Originally Posted by the_deeb

To clarify, are you suggesting forming a mold out of styrofoam and then wetting out fiberglass cloth/mat over that to form a background? I've seen this done with aquarium backgrounds. Or are you planning to free form your wet out fiberglass into some sort of structure?

Exactly, but a little of both. I wanted to form a cypress root type tree out of the fiberglass and foam. After that dries and I add wires for vines and heated pvc, etc. then brush on a coat of resin and when that gets tacky press in the soil/peat mix and maybe some moss/lichen.

What I'm gonna do is put these 2 40g breeders side by side as verts on the same stand like twins. I want one tank to have a centerpiece butress root with alot horizontal branches for mounting broms and tillys. The other tank I'd like to do a kind of a rocky outcropping background with broms and other creeping plants mounted between the 'rocks'.

I just wanted to try something other that Greatstuff and I didn't want it to be as heavy as concrete or grout.

It also doesn't provide a complete moisture barrier, though that probably isn't important in the context you're talking about using it in.

But fiberglass resin is waterproof. I run nitro r/c boats and some kits we build get framed out of balsa and birch strips and covered in fiberglass. Water never penetrates the wood even if the boat flips.

I guess I'm just wondering why people don't use it more. I guess the expanding foam is less messy and easier. I wonder if I could use the Greatstuff and cover it with the resin?

[Arizona Tropicals]

Originally Posted by JaredJ

I wonder if I could use the Greatstuff and cover it with the resin?

If your plan were to use resin and press in a substrate and/or moss, why wouldn't you just use silicone? As others stated the fiberglass becomes risky if the background were to ever exposed any of it and resin would be rather unnecessary if you're not using fiberglass. Now if you were looking to make a mold for say a rock type of background and wanted to lay up glass to replicate this background for multiple tanks I could see the benefit of trying something like this, that is, with a gel coat layer to add an extra layer of protection from the glass coming through.

[Dendro Dave]

Working with large amounts of fiberglass resin can be dangerous can it not? You need gloves, goggles a mask and no exposed skin ideally if I'm not mistaken. Small amounts for a model or something may not be much of an issue but I read up on this stuff and supposedly it can do some real damage if not handled properly. Just FYI for anyone who might try using large amounts for a viv and not be aware.

[JaredJ]

I know the shredded stuff is pretty bad but the sheets of cloth are pretty harmless and foolproof.

I was thinking durability with the epoxy. I used silicone before with greatstuff and I had alot of erosion with constant spraying where after a few months I started seeing the foam start to become exposed.

[hoyta]

Its not the resin or cloth you need to worry about, its the catalyst needed to "kick off" the resin. As long as its fully dry, you should be fine. Remember, this stuff stinks to HIGH heaven!
I worked in a boat factory for 3 years, and still remember missing my nose hairs! If it works, I guarantee it will become popular on here. I would still let it dry, and then use silicone to get the stuff to stick to the formation.

[Dendro Dave]

Originally Posted by hoyta

Its not the resin or cloth you need to worry about, its the catalyst needed to "kick off" the resin. As long as its fully dry, you should be fine. Remember, this stuff stinks to HIGH heaven!
I worked in a boat factory for 3 years, and still remember missing my nose hairs! If it works, I guarantee it will become popular on here. I would still let it dry, and then use silicone to get the stuff to stick to the formation.

Ok I just re read the write up I saw, and it appears it was referring to fiberglass in general when talking about the safety issues, so maybe this doesn't apply to resin? Are there glass fibers in it that can irritate the skin?

[JaredJ]

Originally Posted by Dendro Dave

Are there glass fibers in it that can irritate the skin?

In the resin? No. It's just a thin 2-part mixture that's brushed over whatever you're covering before laying the fiberglass sheet on it. Then you brush over the fiberglass with more resin and it sticks and hardens. I had a link to a guy that built a nice viv with chicken wire background and covered it in fiberglass but now I can't find it. It turned out awesome.