water and animal proofing styrofoam

[townsley4]

Hey I've looked around the web and here and I've seen some pretty impressing work. im gonna build a terrarium/paludarium for my anole up top and tree frogs or fire belly toads and some fish around the water. I thought about even making it 2 story, with like a platform 3/4 to the top of the tank. But idk yet. But I have a question...I want to make a styrofoam background. How do I go about painting it and making it waterproof because the bottom of it is going to be in the water. do I just cover it with quickcrete cement and add coloring? and is that it? Or do I need some kind of sealant stuff? Any info would be appreciated!! Gonna get started soon as I hae info.

[beckdg]

follow my links and instructions through the following... Blue/Pink foam board

there should be 3 threads and various links to get you through several questions.

[townsley4]

hey thanks i remember seeing that video a while ago now that i got done watching it. but after u put the concrete on, can u paint it? or would paint not stick to well? and would you have to seal it? i have some concrete sealer stuff that i put on a chimney for a job i once did. it goes on white but dries clear. it keeps water from getting in the brick nd freezing and pushing the bricks out. its in a huge container...would this stuff be toxic u think?

[beckdg]

Originally Posted by townsley4

after u put the concrete on, can u paint it?

yup... with the right stuff... check out our stickies.

Originally Posted by townsley4

or would paint not stick to well?

shouldn't have issues sticking... maybe covering.

Originally Posted by townsley4

and would you have to seal it?

probably better to use a non toxic acrylic or epoxy paint than seal something.

Originally Posted by townsley4

i have some concrete sealer stuff that i put on a chimney... would this stuff be toxic u think?

i think it might... look up the msds

[townsley4]

ok cool, thanks for the info. i made a practice rack wal today with rock ledges out of pink foamboard. im going to get all my supplies tommorow from the store. so you think acrylic paint will hold being in the water all the time? also..where can i get some cement coloring..so im not looking all over the place tomorow.

does anyone keep fire belly toads or tree frogs? im just curious on how much water i about need for tree frogs and tree frogs. i was going to put around 4-5" of water. because i want to keep some fish in it. the water hieghth will dertime on how i set the rest of the tank up. thanks

[beckdg]

no problem. me personally, i'm not 100% sure of the acrylics. other people are quite convinced though. check out the sticky called something like "my method for building rock walls" it's been in the recent posts a lot lately.

cement coloring should be on a shelf near smaller packages anywhere you buy cement. make sure to check near fixers, primers, fillers, etc. where the packages are smaller... not where the 50# - 80# bags are sitting.

firebellies are typically said to be better between 3" and 6" of water. tree frogs would require less of course. 4-5" should be fine. not to sure i'd mix tree frogs with fire bellys so make sure to house them individually for a while at least.

[townsley4]

Hey I just thought about something. Since I'm going to using egg crate to build a land part, how am I going to hide the eggcrate on the front and sides. Since the egg crate box that will form the land part withh be higher than the water, how would I go about hiding the eggcrate? In the front and side?

[Deacon240]

You have two options, paint the outside of the tank with acrylic paint or to line the inside of the tank with black silicone. After doing black silicone once I'd do paint. I could still see through the silicone for some spots and also when I tore down the tank it was a pain to remove the silicone.

EDIT: You could probably use some thick construction paper... I'd have to cut it super careful so it wouldnt drive me mad.

[townsley4]

hey i got soem stuff today, but i have a question on the silicone i got. its the only clear type silicone i could find. i went to home depot and lowes. its ge premium waterproof silicone window/doow/attic/basement. is this stuff toxic? also, the only cement coloring i could find was brown. i got quickcrete quick setting cement. how long does it take for this stuff to set. the container says 3hrs lol.

[Deacon240]

Make sure the silicone does -NOT- have mold inhibitors.