# Avatar-inspired vivarium build



## Equidoc2013 (Nov 28, 2011)

Hey guys,

I need some advice from people who have used various forms of cement to build backgrounds before. I'm building a 29 gallon viv inspired by the movie Avatar. It will mimic the rainforest of Pandora, and will have a rock wall with waterfall. I constructed the background with Polyfoam from Hobby Lobby. A picture is attached. I was planning on using underlayment cement like the guy on here who built the fantastic 60 gallon viv, but underlayment cement is impossible to find. I bought some quickcrete mortar mix and tested it on a different background for another viv I'm building that isn't as special to me as the avatar tank.  The quickcrete was a nightmare! It doesn't want to stick to the polyfoam, and I had to apply it so thickly (by hand, impossible to paint on) that the original architecture of the foam was completely lost. Does anyone know what would be best to use that can be applied thinly, so that I will be able to see the shapes I carved out of the foam? I don't mind if I have to cure it with vinegar, I was already planning on that for the cement anyway, and I will be painting it with acrylic paints to seal it. Any advice is greatly appreciated!

-Alyson


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## VivariumWorks (Feb 27, 2008)

If you want to retain much of your original carving you will need to go with an epoxy, or possibly the drylock paint. I've done the epoxy plenty, but I can't personally vouch for the drylock paint. (The high VOC content is partly why I don't mess with it.) 

Using grout or cement in thin layers can be done but keep in mind the thinner it is more likely it will chip, crack, or flake off. And of course the whole 4 week+ curing will still be a factor.


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## dope.fatboy (Nov 7, 2011)

ARMORSTONE - POLYGEM, Inc.


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## batrachotoxin (Oct 26, 2011)

VivariumWorks said:


> If you want to retain much of your original carving you will need to go with an epoxy, or possibly the drylock paint. I've done the epoxy plenty, but I can't personally vouch for the drylock paint. (The high VOC content is partly why I don't mess with it.)


There are multiple Drylok products but the one ZB uses in the Josh'sfrogs video seems to be the latex based product. I must admit that I deduced this solely by freeze framing the video and then comparing pictures of product.

IN GENERAL, latex based products will have amines (stinky chemicals) in them. they do stink but won't jack you up or get you high like an oil based product would with what would normally be called "VOCs" or volatile organic compounds.
So there is a drylok compound that would certainly give you a high "VOC" exposure, but thankfully it seems that ZB used the latex one. I haven't read the labels yet, but would bet that like most latex based products it is stinky amines, which are actually preferable to VOCs as far as health issues. they also disappear pretty quickly when it dries.

Now, if only someone that has actually used the stuff will post instead of me rambling with my suppositions!


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## Equidoc2013 (Nov 28, 2011)

VivariumWorks said:


> If you want to retain much of your original carving you will need to go with an epoxy, or possibly the drylock paint. I've done the epoxy plenty, but I can't personally vouch for the drylock paint.


Thanks! I like the drylok idea, but could you give me a specific product name for the epoxy so I can look it up? Googling "epoxy" has gotten me nowhere.


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## batrachotoxin (Oct 26, 2011)

I think dopefatboy did just that in this thread already


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## Equidoc2013 (Nov 28, 2011)

batrachotoxin said:


> I think dopefatboy did just that in this thread already


Could you be a little more specific?


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## zBrinks (Jul 16, 2006)

batrachotoxin said:


> There are multiple Drylok products but the one ZB uses in the Josh'sfrogs video seems to be the latex based product. I must admit that I deduced this solely by freeze framing the video and then comparing pictures of product.
> 
> IN GENERAL, latex based products will have amines (stinky chemicals) in them. they do stink but won't jack you up or get you high like an oil based product would with what would normally be called "VOCs" or volatile organic compounds.
> So there is a drylok compound that would certainly give you a high "VOC" exposure, but thankfully it seems that ZB used the latex one. I haven't read the labels yet, but would bet that like most latex based products it is stinky amines, which are actually preferable to VOCs as far as health issues. they also disappear pretty quickly when it dries.
> ...



Yup, that's what I used. I've had friends use it in aquariums for years with no issues, so I decided to give it a try in vivaria. As long as it is allowed to dry completely (I typically wait a couple/few weeks), it seems to be safe.


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## BethInAK (Jul 12, 2011)

I would use the dryloc (latex based) for that if you wanted to use the existing texture. Its thin, like thickish paint and will keep your details.


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## Equidoc2013 (Nov 28, 2011)

Thanks everybody! Just bought the drylok, we'll see how it goes!


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## B-NICE (Jul 15, 2011)

zBrinks said:


> Yup, that's what I used. I've had friends use it in aquariums for years with no issues, so I decided to give it a try in vivaria. As long as it is allowed to dry completely (I typically wait a couple/few weeks), it seems to be safe.


do you color the drylock or just leave it the grey color?


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## soldier (Sep 7, 2011)

Ive used the drylock on a avatar viv to make floating mountains and quikrete makes a cement dye that you can use in it and works amazingly! Just be sure to pour some of it out and mix a little due till desired color then put a few coats. I then painted it to get depth


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## Equidoc2013 (Nov 28, 2011)

I'm hoping it will be easy to paint with acrylics because I have some pretty intricate paint work in mind.


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## zBrinks (Jul 16, 2006)

B-NICE said:


> do you color the drylock or just leave it the grey color?


 I use a cement dye.


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## Thetrooper81 (Mar 21, 2011)

I hope you know that I blame you for the idea that struck me when I read Avatar-inspired vivarium! It may cost me an arm and a leg, the entire spring and possibly my relationship, but I'm gonna have to try now!!! ARGH!


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## Equidoc2013 (Nov 28, 2011)

Thetrooper81 said:


> I hope you know that I blame you for the idea that struck me when I read Avatar-inspired vivarium! It may cost me an arm and a leg, the entire spring and possibly my relationship, but I'm gonna have to try now!!! ARGH!


Tell me about it! I had set a "No more vivs!" rule when my friend suggested I name my Azureus Jake and Neytiri because they looked like the people from Avatar. That's my favorite movie so when he said that the wheels started turning and I couldn't resist lol. It's not going to have floating mountains but I will be using non-toxic glow-in-the-dark acrylics on a few artificial plants and on the cliff background to emulate the bioluminescence of Pandora's forest at night. It should look awesome! I'll post pics in a couple week when it's done.


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## Thetrooper81 (Mar 21, 2011)

The floating mountans is exactly what I was planning...I think I may figured out how to support the weight..but will need some thought/experiments!


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## Equidoc2013 (Nov 28, 2011)

Well if it helps, somebody else on here built a floating mountains viv, so you can see how they did it. Just type "floating mountains of pandora" into the search bar.


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## Equidoc2013 (Nov 28, 2011)

Hey guys, I finished the tank. Thought I'd post a video for anyone who was interested. I think it turned out great! Not quite what I was envisioning, but I think the tank I had in mind is a lot bigger than what I had in front of me, so not everything could fit I do feel like I was able to incorporate a lot of aspects from the movie however, and anyone who has seen Avatar will recognize these things. 


Avatar-Inspired Dart Frog Vivarium - YouTube


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## VPardoel (Apr 2, 2010)

To be honest this isn't my kind of tank.

But the floating things and the blacklight effects look really nice


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## yours (Nov 11, 2007)

Awesome! I love the glow in the dark notion, and the architecture is soundly executed! Well done 

Now if you'll excuse me, I believe there is an extended blu ray film I need to immerse myself in! *grin*


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## Equidoc2013 (Nov 28, 2011)

VPardoel said:


> To be honest this isn't my kind of tank.
> 
> But the floating things and the blacklight effects look really nice


I don't mind you being honest. I've never seen anyone on Dendroboard do this type of tank, so I don't expect it to float everyone's boat. It doesn't really fit the "Great stuff/cocofiber BG, bromeliads, jewel orchids, and creeping vines" mold for a dart frog vivarium. This tank was an artistic expression of my interpretation of the Pandoran rainforest and as such was designed to please myself moreso than others.


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## Equidoc2013 (Nov 28, 2011)

yours said:


> Awesome! I love the glow in the dark notion, and the architecture is soundly executed! Well done
> 
> Now if you'll excuse me, I believe there is an extended blu ray film I need to immerse myself in! *grin*


Thank you!! Haha yeah I really wanna watch Avatar again now that the tank's finished. I certainly watched it enough times during the planning phase!


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## chesney (Jan 18, 2007)

Very artistic! It's so much like the movie...especially under the backlight. I think a pair of Azureus will look awesome in there!


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## Equidoc2013 (Nov 28, 2011)

chesney said:


> Very artistic! It's so much like the movie...especially under the backlight. I think a pair of Azureus will look awesome in there!


I can't wait to see how they light up under the blacklight!


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