DIY Backdrop... Ideas?

Yes when you buy pond paint you wil see that you get one that has Menbrane in it and one that doesn't. The membrane does something funny according to someone, think its clumpy or something.

The brans I used was FLASH HARRY fibre flex. Same stuff they use to seal roofs etc but it clearly says it can be used for KOI Ponds.

The paint have fibres in them wich gives it some texture too.

You should be able to get some at Builders and they might have more.

 

membrane is fibers in the paint to repair cracks.. so the membrane-less ones will give u a smooth coat..

 

OH!!! That explains it @ Shihr . Thanx il be taking the mebraneless one then. Il check at builders.

 

Weird @shihr , mine says membrane free but do have the fibres.

 

i forgot what u have to ask for.. mine did too.. but i do rem them asking if i wanted them or not and i think i did ask for the one with membrane.. i defn do know that they do have one without fiberes..

 

Let me help you guys out here a little bit because you not only confusing members, you starting to confuse ME. (and I deal with waterproofing on a daily basis!)

When purchasing acrylic waterproofing, you get 2 types:

With membrane and membrane free.

With membrane means you need to buy the membrane as well. Apply one coat of waterproofing paint to the surface, lay the membrane into this paint, and apply another coat of waterproofing paint on top of it. It is recommended to do a third coat. This waterproofing will NOT waterproof ANYTHING without the membrane. The membrane is the part that binds the paint.

Without membrane is actually false advertising, because waterproofing NEEDS a membrane to bind to. What the manufacturers have basically done is shredded the membrane (in a sense) and added it to the paint. (It's not really the membrane, but often a fibre type addition to the paint.) This paint you apply one coat in one direction in a 1-3mm layer, then a second layer at 90degreed to the first (1-3mm) and then a final layer in the same direction as the first coat. (1-3mm) The paint needs to dry and cure between coats. (between 12-24 hours). It is NOT smooth at all, as it contains the fibre in it.

99% of water proofing failure is due to application, and not product failure. The first one HAS to have membrane, and the second one HAS TO HAVE 3 coats (1-3mm min each coat) applied at 90deg angles to each other.

Lesson over.

Oh... PS.... acrylic waterproofing is NOT suitable for roof slabs, koi ponds etc. It is actually a "cheap and nasty" product and needs CONSTANT maintenance. For koi ponds I would advise marbelite. For normal ponds, a bitumen based product, and for roof slabs, "Torch on". (A rubber mat that is melted onto the slab).

 

Thanx @Zoom. Now that you are here, what paint do i use when painting my DIY polystyrene rock, after my 2nd coat of cement is completed the leaching process and is ready to go into the tank...??

 

Hmmm.... if you wanting to keep the cement look, you will need to find a clear epoxy. (expensive)

 

Epoxies cost a R1200 for 5l (comes with Hardener).

And according to the DIY pages, its only needed to seal the cement. If you dont use the epoxy, you can leach out the chemicals in the cement with water changes over a few months. Im going this route, what paint can i use to paint on the cement? Surely the guys that make these Backgrounds professionally, use some non toxic water proof paint.

Epoxy makes the Styrofoam glossy, and i havent seen a glossy rock in nature.

 

So you wanting to give the cement a more natural look... not just paint the whole thing over. I've heard of people using Oxides in their cement mixes.... someone on the forum made one a few years ago that came out really good..... not sure who tho.

 

check out the thread posted by Khalid called eco paint...

saying this because i was thinking that if i don't like the black long term i can paint over it with this eco paint,though im liking the black for now...the lady ronelle is quick sending a email about uses and colours and prices

am still working on mine...looks like will be completely epoxied by the end of this weekende

 

And i suppose oxides are safe? If so, then thats my only option then.
Check out this tank...do you think the rocks are fake?

Thats right, they're fake. But ok this guy had it done at a company that makes that stuff...

 

I really wouldn't know if the oxide is safe. All I know is the guy mixed it in with his cement... and then the whole thing lay soaking for weeks before being used.

 

Here's the thread I was thinking of... Sailing Derrick made it....
http://www.tropicalaquarium.co.za/showthread.php?559-DIY-background

Here's another one with similar idea by Linchpin
http://www.tropicalaquarium.co.za/showthread.php?1713-Another-DIY-Background

 

Aquarium safe paint? try Dala's acrylic craft paint - about 12 bucks for a small tub at any craft/art shop...works for me in a 14 liter paludarium with some pretty sensitive fish... paint it on - let it dry...and Voila...instant natural colour if you have some artistic flair and some common sense...lol

 

Thank you Zoom and Azurekoi. I will begin my DIY background this weekend. I now know everything i need to know about it.........atleast i think so. And thats good...

 

@azurekoi - I just came from Dekro paints. And the guys there dont recommend it for my tank, since its water based and will degrade eventually. They've recommeded me a really cool masonry waterproofing that comes in two parts, Cobond liquid mixed with the Masonry WaterProofer. This comes in colours so and is safe for pond use. So il be using that...