Back ground grout question !!

[Jonny]

Ok so I'm don spraying my background and etc gonna let it sit for one or two more days to fully cure , now I'm gonna be ready for grout . So I wanna practice with the grout more !!

Is there a special or better grout you guys reccomened to use ? I was told to stay away from the premixed stuff cause it doesn't not hold up o alot of damp/wet conditions ?

And someone in here told me to spray vinigure on the grout to cure it ? Do I do that after a day when it's hard or add it in with the water when I'm mixing it ?

Also I wanna stick some moss on my back wall how do I do that wait for the grou to cure first or do it as it's wet ? Or for the back ground I'm guessing I use fake moss cause really moss would die .. Any kind of fake moss works as well ?

[brp4e.]

if your spray foam is like great stuff you will need to sand it or carve it. You spray vinegar on the grout when it is dry, to stick moss onto the background you wait till it is dry then you silicone it on. You can use the exo terra brick moss that you get from the pet store.

[Jonny]

Now sand it I was told drywall sand paper I'm not sure how much but like what grit like 100 grit or something I'm guessing you wantbit real rough correct ? Also any kind of grout works ?

And I was told java moss works good buy isn't that real moss ?

[brp4e.]

real moss is fine, just get the dried kind. The sand paper has to be a really fine sandpaper.

I dunno what grout to use, I dont use grout. I use quikrete concrete resurfacer or you can use quikrete vinyl patcher. Ask beckdg what to use.

[Jonny]

Ok I'll ask him thank you and does the stuff you're saying you use work better ? I want to use something to make it look like rock so I thought grout

[brp4e.]

grout/thinset mortar/concrete patcher they all work fine, you just have to find one with the right properties. For my rock wall that im doing i used quikrete concrete resurfacer and it looks pretty real. Visit this link to see it my rockwall and waterfall set up

[beckdg]

take a quick look over this thread: Thinset Mortar for fake rocks?

also click on my favorite link in my signature. V V V DOWN THERE V V V

there is also this link for ideas: Lizard care, and fake rock wall landscapes

your best bet considering your application is probably something waterproof. a waterproof grout is easy enough to find. shouldn't be an issue getting one at just about any local hardware/building store. not everyone carries everything so call around first to save yourself some time.

the reason i say "your application... and... waterproof" is because you mention java moss. there is 3 things necessary for it to grow but it looks absolutely astounding in the right application. ferts (most, if not all of which will be provided by your water source and animals residing within) are important. light is important, but easy with the right commonplace knowledge. it's all about the right spectrum for your application. after that you figure out your intensity. most importantly is water. java moss cannot be dry or it dies. it must stay constantly wet therefore it should be put underwater, beneath a nozzle on a dripwall, at the top of a waterfall, bottom of a streambed, ... you get the point.

vinegar should only be necessary for products including lye. ie. mortar or concrete substances. it is not a bad precautionary measure in the case you don't have means to test your ph. if you do test some tap water then pour it in your viv. test the ph of the water in the viv in the morning or after mixing it up pretty well. dropping your pump in the viv for about 5 minutes should mix it more than enough to give you good results.

for your great stuff all you need to do is scuff it. no matter what rock like product you use (mortar, grout,...) the first layer probably won't cover all the way. if you check out that video in the other thread closely you might notice when he shows the closeup you can see some pink vaguely. as you apply subsequent layers the bond will cover more area better. usually everything is covered quite well on the second coat. each coat makes the structure stronger with the cost of losing fine details in your original structure so thinner mixes are better.

this is why it's better to use a powder because some mixes are not exactly water soluble when they're premixed and if they are you're paying for added weight and water at every step along the way. like shipping, packaging, manufacturing... so that guarantees that not only do you get a product you can work with but you don't pay extra to ship water from one distribution center to the next. it's a win win imo.

btw, here's a quick update on that crabitat... now that i know how i want it i'll be cleaning, stapling and siliconing and i'm done... yay.
100_1731.jpg

100_1732.jpg

[Jonny]

Ok thanks I'm doing more test peaces now with the concrete hopfully I works now once it done you should be able to stand in it with out cracking it correct or no ?

[beckdg]

if i stood on mine it would shatter. it's more than enough for most smaller animals though. concrete resurfacer or leveler is the only things i can think of that could take human weight when it's less than 3" thick. even at that thickness most concrete is actually pretty brittle. it shouldn't have to take a couple hundred pounds though unless i missed something.

also if your viv will be made of glass i personally would shoot anyone who even thought of standing in it if it were mine.

i'm thinking you may be making this for a pretty large animal. do you mind if i ask what?

i know when i go to the condo down the shore they have a fake stucco finish that's made very similar to what you're doing and looks pretty tough. honestly though i can put my thumb right through it. now where the strength comes in is if i were to throw a drunken idiot at it it wouldn't budge. it's simple high school physics really.

but no, do not stand on it at this point. if you need something that strong i can give you better instruction.

oh, and the reason i made a background for my hermit crabs was to cover that crack. it was already there.

[Jonny]

Ah ok I was just wondering thought I was doing it wrong !! Ok I'm gonna start. It tonight and should be done in a week cause I have three sides to do inside te tank then I'll post photos !!! thanks alot guys sorry for all the question I want to get it right and I hve dart frogs going inside the tank