background build

[envirosci]

I'm about to working on my first vivarium's background base layer. What do you commend me to do?
I have seen people using clear silicon to stick a white foam board on the glass (as base layer), then spray expanding foam on the board.
I have also seen people putting black silicon on the glass then spray expanding foam on the dried silicon.
And also there are people who just spray expanding foam directly onto glass.

And also, are expanding foam and/or black silicon easy to be cleaned off glass?

Thanks .

[bronzie8]

Welcome, I love this forum. I am starting my second FBT Viv, I have the false bottom finished and ready to make the background. In the first one I used GS and silicone, it did turn out really nice and I like it but is costly. It is a 44 Hex tank, 5 tubes of silicone @ $7 a tube and 4 cans of GS @ $5 a can. I am starting a clay background made with "Special kitty" litter, i can be purchased at Wal Mart for around $5 for 20 lbs. Get the non scented clay litter, not clumping. Put it in a bucket and cover with water, you should be able to work it into caly by the next day. There are a lot of threads in this forum about this technique, it looks great and is very inexpensive to do. Look for kitty litter background or clay background. Have fun, I hope this helps.

[bronzie8]

Oh yes, you can clean silicone off off glass with a razor blade, you should be able to do that with the foam also.

[envirosci]

Thanks a lot ^^

And what's GS?

[bronzie8]

GS is "Great Stuff" expanding foam, like you would put around doors and windows for drafts. That is the foam that is used on backgrounds. That can be sprayed directly on the glass and then carved as you like.

[envirosci]

Oh hey, ^^ I have that. I just didn't know pros would call it "GS."

[skinnycartman21]

I can tell you from personal experience on the silicone that it does come off of glass fairly easily. If it is already cured (completely dry) you will probably have to use a razor blade. Place it flat or at a slight angle on the glass and scrap or slice it off. This may also work with the foam but it might leave a residue on the glass. I hope this helps you out a little bit.

[envirosci]

Yes, the information definitely helps a lot ^^
Thanks tons.

[WannabeVivMaster]

I laid the tank on it's back. I placed rocks, logs, plant pots on the back glass. I then sprayed the great stuff foam directly on the glass and around the rocks, logs and plant pots (once the great stuff cures, it will hold all those items in place)
After a couple days of curing, I put black 100% silicone on the great stuff. I then pressed in coco fiber/dried sphagnum moss into the silicone. Gives it a fail proof awesome natural look! Use black or brown silicone in case you miss some crevices with the coco fiber. Make sure you use 100% Silicone.

[envirosci]

cool, sounds good. But do you think I should put a thin layer of black silicon on glass first, then put the GS?