new to building pauldariums with a 30 gallon long

[beth2]

We are re-arranging our tanks. I have a 30 gallon long tank I want to make into a toad, fish setup.....firebelly toads, and eventually fish....
My questions: if I were to use expanding foam to build a background/land masses what do I use to color/cover the foam so it looks more natural? One idea: I have a ton of java moss...will it grow on the foam if it were covered with sand?
I have small children so I want something that will be easy care (low maintenance, easy to keep clean) but natural looking.
Im trying to read through all your posts to glean what I can, but I dont have a ton of time to sit at the computer....any suggestions? is there a thread that is straight forward with simple steps to building land masses with foam? What foam type is safe to use? Or do I seal it over with something?

Lastly, what type of easy care filter can I use that is easy to hide, but easy to access?

thanks for any help!

[beckdg]

i'd say a hob like a whisper 30/60 and regular packing type foam and morter mix is the way to go for you. you can make a groove that the intake will fit into and use fiberglass window screen or filter sponges to keep your pets from falling into the hidden area. the java moss should do well under those conditions and should even do well under the filter spill. this way just about everything will be hidden from view inside and it will be as maintenance free as possible. i personally use filter blocks inside mine instead of the bags they give you for them though. it affords me to not have to go to the store and buy new ones every couple of months. i just buy the biggest one i can find for under $10 and cut it into pieces that just fit. you can also use different sizes for each side and/or in layers. the point is i get much better filtration for cheaper longer and with less hassle as all i have to do is dip an wring a couple of times instead of having to locate a store that has them in stock.

there are other ideas and i am sure you have a design in mind... if so the better you convey/explain it the better you'll get suggestions that work with it. yes java moss will grow on sand... and just about anything else under water.

for the expanding foam the one thing that seems to be universal is silicone... you can cover it with other methods, but many include more work... and a learning curve that doesn't seem to come natural to most humans... in other words it can be a very frustrating battle.

[beth2]

thanks for responding....I am not clear though on the type of filter you use....
We are planning on using styrofoam and sculpting it to look like rock/land and covering that with cement then coloring it to look natural. we found plans to build it on an aquarium site.....I am looking for an easy to maintain filter that can also be used to form a water fall...I would house it within the styrofoam background......will post pics as we make it....thanks for any input.
Do I need to use aquarium sealant to glue the styrofoam together and to glue it to the tank? Will any kind of general cement mix do for covering the styofoam?

[beckdg]

Tetra Whisper Internal Power Filters at PETCO

this is the type of filter commonly used to hide inside for a spillway/waterfall... it is very easy to get to things as opposed to others... the reason i suggested a hob is the same reason i suggest this type... lift the top and your media is right there... no hiding the filter in a cabinet you have to pull it out of before disassembling. you can wrap it with wax paper and spray your foam and crete around it to make a nice groove for it to fit in depending how you do it and provided you take into consideration water still has to get to the bottom.

type of filter usually is determined by your build or your pocket... sometimes by just what you fancy. some even just use fish or waterfall pumps... waterfall pumps are a lot cheaper for what you get usually and they're exactly what you get in the decorative waterfalls you can find at walmart or home depot. for ease of use and so you don't have to design a filter the above filter should do great.

morter would be what you are looking for for cement... it has no rocks in it... some people use habacrete because it is inert, but it is expensive and ordering online recently has proven to be an issue for some people.

another thing you could use is grout for bathroom tiles... you can get it colored or you can purchase the color seperately which can also be used for the mortar.

either way you should leach the chemicals out for a while (a few weeks) before putting anything in there with crete. most report that vinegar helps neutralize the ph of mortar during the leaching process.

to keep the foam together silicone will really help... ge1 or ge2 should be alot cheaper than aquarium sealant (you can also find different colors) just make sure your tube says 100% silicone... toothpicks should really help to keep your structure together while the silicone is drying. another helpful tip... many people use soldering irons and heat guns (carefully) to shape, cut, texture and/or seal their foam.

here is a link that should help:
Lizard care, and fake rock wall landscapes

i also wanted to mention that many people use mod podge for coloring/sealing, but i don't know how well it stands up under constant running water.

if this jumps around a little and don't make any sense please excuse me... chasing kids and running from the wife right now.

[Gold3nku5h]

Yeah, there should be a sticky thread in paludarium construction called 10 gallon brackish crap tank or something, thats all you need to know basically, and will most likely be the easiest to do.

[beth2]

I posted this thread in teh wrong section...our tank is basically a vivarium I think...the builing of it is located in the vivarium section callled 30 gallon fire belly toad/fish set up attempt #1
thanks for your tips....

[Tom Highum]

The toads are toxic and could kill the fish.