[Keroppi]

So I just finished my 29 gallon (this is my first real tank). I have been waiting for the whole thing to cure completely and the smell to disapear. I have been airing it with a small clip on fan. Anyway it was finally starting to go away and I went ahead and added water to the false bottom- watered the plants a bit and went to mist the whole tank- unknowingly the nozzle was set on stream and to my horror it left a huge ugly yellow bald spot!! So I decided to test a few more areas and the same thing happened! So it seems to me that if the background can't hold up to that how will it hold up to them climbing all over it - daily misting etc. ?

Every time I think about it I just want to scream!! But now that I have started to think clearly again it seems I have a few choices- tear the thing out and start from scratch, wash off as much as I can and re-silicone it with a thicker layer and use black silicone this time so if it does the same thing again at least it wont be ugly yellow! has anyone ever had this happen? Do any of you use the black silicone and if so, where do you buy it... Thanks...

Eve S.

 

[RSines]

I have had similar issues with coco bedding siliconed to 'Great Stuff'. Once you peel the old layer off, score the background with sandpaper or some other rough object to give the silicone more to stick to. This should solve your problem.

-Richard

 

[Rain_Frog]

This is why I am not fond of the coco silicone method. IT doesn't take much to rub it off with your finger nail. If you ever have to sterilze a tank, just redo it as scrubbing is the only way other than expensive ultraviolet light purifiers for ponds. That method is only good for spots inbetween driftwood and between coco panels, if you follow the tutorial from Black Jungle.

Epoxy is the best solution. I have been using it with some pretty satisfactory results, however, NEVER use extra hardener, and make sure its thoroughly mixed. I called West Systems and verified that adding more hardener will kill your fish/ frogs, as amine from the excess hardener becomes suspended and makes its way to the surface.

I was sent a data sheet from West System on how to water proof something for drinking purposes or anything containing water. If you'd like to read it, I can send it to you, and anybody else interested in epoxy resin use.

 

[joker555]

All that work! I had something equally crappy happen when I used weldbond instead of silicone, I had largish bits of hardened coco coming off in chunks!

As with the silicone, chances are these were just spots that you forgot to put silicone on in the first place. I always make sure and blow on it from really close up to see if there are any spots that I missed with silicone. In my experience, the silicone latches on pretty well to GS, so the fact that you saw a "yellow bald spot" tells me these spots were probably covered in coco and never got coated. I wouldn't jump the gun on anything until you do a really thorough job of the wall and it still starts coming off.

Dustin

 

[Keroppi]

It is comforting to know that it is mostly the method and not a blunder on my part that makes the coco background easily damaged. I really thought I had just screwed up. By touch I can tell that the bald spots did have silicone so I guess I will patch it up with the help of some sandpaper!

I am very interested in the epoxy method but I have only seen it mentioned here and there. I would love to take a look at that sheet and I will start doing some research on that method. If there are any websites out there that you know of it would be great if you could point me in the right direction.

Thanks to the three of you!


eve s.

 

[Rain_Frog]

You can start by buying a quart at 20% off from James Town distributors, plus some fast hardener. http://www.jamestowndistributors.com.

For frog, fish, and water tanks for drinking, you must keep the resin to hardener ratio greater, more resin than hardener, not the other way around. (regardless of what people will say) Like I said, more hardener will have free amine that is deadly to us and animals.

It makes some pretty cool looking rocks.

 

[Keroppi]

Thanks! perfect starting point!

eve s.

 

[Jordan B]

Deven from Terra5Designs (http://www.terra5designs.com) sells a producy specialy made for this, called vivarium mortar.