[kenji226]

When building the background, do you build it so that it goes down past the substrate or stop it above and build the substrate up to meet it?

 

[SnakePaparazzi]

I like to leave an inch between the top of the substrate and the bottom of the background. This keeps water from wicking up the BG. When you add leaf litter, the gap will be unnoticeable.


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I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=34.022638,-117.120705

 

[kenji226]

Didn't think of a third option; that makes a lot more sense. Thanks.

 

[Ronny Ponny]

This keeps water from wicking up the BG.

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Hi,
I had the problem of water wicking up over a divider Rock between the Dry and the Wet sides of the Tank.

I made all the Rock work ,. including Background , Waterfall/Cascade and also a Rock Cover to fit over the Glass Divider separating the Pond from the Land.

Because the finish on my Rocks it very real like , after a week or two there was water getting into the Dry section..... it was climbing up over the Rock separating the Wet from Dry.

What I did was... paint a clear sealer over the Stone like finish of the Divider Rock to make it more Shiny so it didn't get a purchase on it and therefore didn't wick .

Here is a Picture of it .
Frog Habitat Wall etc picture by RonnyPonny - Photobucket

Just like a Stone Bird Bath or Pond ,... the Water will climb ... but with a Plastic one it won't.

Maybe doing the same with the bottom few inches of the Wall , might help.

Cheers Ron.

 

[frogfreak]

I actually want the water to wick up. I plant mosses there. I take mine all the way to the bottom. The water wicks about 3 inches.

 

[stephen-mcginn]

If it has a a false bottom I don't bother with it but if it doesn't then I leave like 2 inches with dirt filling it in or a half to 3/4 qrtrs of an inch for leaf... Or drylock the bottom to keep it from getting wet