GS+Silicon+Eco Earth = Fail

sporkinator · #1 07-25-2009, 02:19 PM

Well I'm a few months in on the conversion/construction of an old stand into a vivarium for my 3 crested gecko's. All the Great Stuff foam is in place and has cured for days. I've been slowly covering areas with silicon then immediatly pressing dried Eco Earth to it and letting it dry/cure in that spot for days until trying to add to the same spot. Well I'm noticing that the silicon is not holding the ecoearth very well, on one wall I"ve had to do touchups in spots but I can still see some places that just blaintenly look like black silicon dusted in eco earth and when I press that eco earth in I use much more than should be needed and then press down firmly, some patches look great and some don't. I'm wondering if anybody had some tips/tricks or would reccommend a different adheisive?
Any help would be much appreciated.
Should I get actual coco fiber? Eco earth is a finely grounded form of plantation soil and coco fiber.

beckdg · #2 07-26-2009, 12:43 PM

go thicker with the silicone... also make sure the eco earth is completely dried. maybe do smaller areas at a time to ensure the silicone is sufficiently wet still. remember thick gobs hold more coir.

sporkinator · #3 07-29-2009, 04:26 PM

thanks for the tips, I've been using completely dry eco earth, I'm doing small areas and I lay the silicon on thick, what Im doing now is after I've applied the eco earth I spend a good 5 minutes pressing down the eco earth and after a day or so I brush away the remains and it seems to be holding well now. Look nice and thick.

beckdg · #4 07-30-2009, 01:57 PM

no problemo... glad to help.

draconis321 · #5 08-01-2009, 01:35 AM

Hi there I'm new to terrarium but I was wondering if you post some pics so I can see what you are doing I'm doing something similar but with a 125 gallon but I still haven't found out how to actually make the foam like good if you could post some pics I'd be very greatfull

Colleen53 · #6 08-03-2009, 08:53 PM

I have built 3 vivaruims in the last year with GS and have found out when I scrape the shiny layer off and then use the silicone....it sticks/adheres much better Colleen

draconis321 · #7 08-04-2009, 03:30 AM

pics??

Colleen53 · #8 08-04-2009, 10:33 AM

Colleen53 · #9 08-04-2009, 10:36 AM

Index of / has much more info for you. Don't know what type of pics you are looking for, but here is a recent pic of one of my vivaruims I created using GS. Hape this helps....Colleen

sporkinator · #10 08-08-2009, 12:20 PM

very nice vivs, I'll post some pictures of mine when I have it completed and after it's grown in for a few months