# Great stuff backgrounds



## amfshovelhead (Oct 6, 2015)

Do the great stuff backgrounds last for a long time, how long could I get out of a tank with great stuff background and is it really that safe for the frogs... I read a few things and some say it's safe as others say it's not... I'm a fairly simple person just looking for the best kind of set up that's easy to maintain... 

Also I beard of horror stories that over time the foam separates from the glass, could I cute egg crate that fits the back of the tank and build of that then just glue that to the back...


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## dandrep (Aug 1, 2012)

Take a look in the Construction forum. In short, yes, GS is safe, especially after it is all covered. Yes, it can separate from glass over time, but you'll cover the glass with silicone, which hides the less than natural yellow color and gives the GS something to adhere to.


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## C los7 (Sep 24, 2015)

Get the black GS that what you don't have to hide the ugly yellow color.


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## amfshovelhead (Oct 6, 2015)

Thanks for the help


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## Encyclia (Aug 23, 2013)

Great Stuff works fine if covered properly. I would be sure to carve off the shiny surface with a razor blade or equivalent once it's dry. That will help the silicone or Titebond or whatever you used to cover it stick better. I and others on this board have had problems with the black version of GS sticking to plain glass. I would either make sure you anchor it to the glass with something other than the GS or just use the yellow stuff and cover it well. I will usually silicone pieces of wood to the glass to have them stick out through the GS then I use GS around them. They wood helps anchor the GS to the glass and vice versa. 

I have tanks that have been setup for 5 years with GS backgrounds and they are still going strong. Once you have plants growing on the background and get some moss and algae growing back there, you won't be worried about what shows through anymore.

Good luck!

Mark


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## zerelli (Sep 14, 2009)

I think you will find that since silicon readily bonds to glass that you will not need to do anything to the surface of the great stuff to get silicon to stick to it. At least I never have had to.


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## zachary.t.timoth (Jul 12, 2015)

Has anyone ever tried sanding the glass before applying the great stuff? I'm wondering if that would help it adhere to the glass without silicone. 

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## Rushthezeppelin (Oct 6, 2015)

zachary.t.timoth said:


> Has anyone ever tried sanding the glass before applying the great stuff? I'm wondering if that would help it adhere to the glass without silicone.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G386T using Tapatalk


I wouldn't want to mar up the glass in case I ever repurposed that tank. It's so much easier to do some spots of silicone or even siliconeing some bits of wood on for it to anchor to. Much less permanent than scuffing up your glass.


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## zachary.t.timoth (Jul 12, 2015)

Yeah that's true, especially on some of the bigger more expensive tanks. I'm thinking about trying it on a 20g I got during the dollar/gal sale. I won't feel bad about scuffing it all up.

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## amfshovelhead (Oct 6, 2015)

Thanks for the info everybody


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## Dendrobait (May 29, 2005)

I don't know how much GS everyone is using but it sticks to glass no problem for me...though I usually use the pond foam.

I find that GS works well sort of as girders for a variety of different backgrounds. Use it to fill in less obvious areas on a cracked cork background. I find GS very useful with clay backgrounds. Just spray the GS on in stripes to form shelves and structures that can then have clay patted over them without as much likelihood of collapse.


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## Rushthezeppelin (Oct 6, 2015)

Dendrobait said:


> I don't know how much GS everyone is using but it sticks to glass no problem for me...though I usually use the pond foam.
> 
> I find that GS works well sort of as girders for a variety of different backgrounds. Use it to fill in less obvious areas on a cracked cork background. I find GS very useful with clay backgrounds. Just spray the GS on in stripes to form shelves and structures that can then have clay patted over them without as much likelihood of collapse.


Funny you say that because most of the reports of it coming off glass are with the pond GS  It usually takes years but these setups are usually setup with long term in mind anywho so it's good to have a little extra insurance by giving it something to bite on.


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## Alextravis (Jun 14, 2014)

I try to do it in thin layers and let it settle each time for a while


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## Imperialterrib (Sep 3, 2013)

I don't use a background simply because the frog can bruise its nose on it. Not all backgrounds are like this but the rough jaggedy backgrounds can harm your dart frog, just from personal experience.


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## MasterOogway (Mar 22, 2011)

Imperialterrib said:


> I don't use a background simply because the frog can bruise its nose on it. Not all backgrounds are like this but the rough jaggedy backgrounds can harm your dart frog, just from personal experience.


Cus they certainly don't live against tree trunks, rocks, and other abrasive substances in the wild.....Just saying


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## DragonSpirit1185 (Dec 6, 2010)

C los7 said:


> Get the black GS that what you don't have to hide the ugly yellow color.


That's what black contact paper and black silicone is for 
The black stuff is like 4 times the price of the ole yellow stuff.


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