# Background falling off!



## johnyrocks (Jun 25, 2011)

My great stuff background is coming off on the sides! I can't fix it. I'm really worried it will fall off and kill my frogs and plants! It came off the right side very fast and soon following it's now coming off the left! It hasn't reached the very back wall yet, but it might be next. Here's pictures to show you what I mean. Will it fall off? Thanks! I'm just really worried that if it gets to the back i'll have to restart. I didn't put silicone on before I put the GS on. I put the GS on in 2 layers, letting it dry for an hour between spraying.


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## nschmitz06 (Feb 20, 2011)

Next time I would let your layers dry overnight. It allows the GS to cure properly. If you put a second layer on too fast then the first layer doesn't dry effectively and could never get a proper hold to the glass. I used silicone to hold the GS on the back and that has worked great, as well as being aesthetically pleasing. is there a way to squeeze some silicone back there and push it back onto the wall? Of course a quarantining of your frogs is probably recommended. Hope this helps--


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## johnyrocks (Jun 25, 2011)

nschmitz06 said:


> Next time I would let your layers dry overnight. It allows the GS to cure properly. If you put a second layer on too fast then the first layer doesn't dry effectively and could never get a proper hold to the glass. I used silicone to hold the GS on the back and that has worked great, as well as being aesthetically pleasing. is there a way to squeeze some silicone back there and push it back onto the wall? Of course a quarantining of your frogs is probably recommended. Hope this helps--


I've heard it might be humidity. No, I can't get any silicone back there, and there'd be fumes, it's all planted and set up with nice roots, taking the plants out is not an option. I'm really confused why this happened. I used 2 cans, the first time there was barley any gs on and the second time it expanded to about 2 inches thick and in thick places about 2 3/4 inches. I really don't want to rip this off and kill my expensive plants. I've had this happen much worse before, using big gap filler which expanded to 5 inches! If it completely detaches ill take it out, with the plants still potted, cover it up to keep humidity in, and make a new background. I'm really concerned and if anyone has had this issue please help.


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## johnyrocks (Jun 25, 2011)

Should I just spray more gs where it happened? This has happened with all my GS tanks.


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## nschmitz06 (Feb 20, 2011)

Spraying more GS IMO wouldn't help. I would try to get some silicone between the glass and the falling GS. One thing I noticed when I used GS in my tank was that if there is a high humidity then the GS expands more. Since you built that second layer so fast the first never fully cured, and if any humidity leaked back there it might of expanded and pushed off the glass? Try securing the wall back onto the glass, and if you can't get that to work maybe add a log or something in the viv that will brace it from falling. Otherwise I think the best thing to do is remove and start over. A little trick you might want to use next time is to silicone some egg crate to various parts of the background and then when you add the GS it will secure the crate as well as the glass making it much more structurally stable.


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## johnyrocks (Jun 25, 2011)

nschmitz06 said:


> Spraying more GS IMO wouldn't help. I would try to get some silicone between the glass and the falling GS. One thing I noticed when I used GS in my tank was that if there is a high humidity then the GS expands more. Since you built that second layer so fast the first never fully cured, and if any humidity leaked back there it might of expanded and pushed off the glass? Try securing the wall back onto the glass, and if you can't get that to work maybe add a log or something in the viv that will brace it from falling. Otherwise I think the best thing to do is remove and start over. A little trick you might want to use next time is to silicone some egg crate to various parts of the background and then when you add the GS it will secure the crate as well as the glass making it much more structurally stable.


I might do that. I've had this happen REALLY badly before. It was supported with the tiny bits of GS still sticking, but still seamed pretty stable. It seems to of almost stopped, but I am prayin that it won't spread to the back! I have over 120$ of plants in here.


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## MeiKVR6 (Sep 16, 2008)

This is no help to the OP - but spreading a silicone layer on the glass before foaming it with _window & door_ great stuff foam helps reduce the risk of this happening. Custom Foam Background DIY

William - An easy fix that actually won't look too bad is to tightly stuff wet sphagnum into all the cracks. It can eventually green up, too - and it'll keep the frogs out of the holes.


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## johnyrocks (Jun 25, 2011)

MeiKVR6 said:


> This is no help to the OP - but spreading a silicone layer on the glass before foaming it with _window & door_ great stuff foam helps reduce the risk of this happening. Custom Foam Background DIY
> 
> William - An easy fix that actually won't look too bad is to tightly stuff wet sphagnum into all the cracks. It can eventually green up, too - and it'll keep the frogs out of the holes.


Actually I have spagnum in my backyard, don't worry, I washed and boiled it first, it doesn't seem to mind being boiled lol but it still lives through it. I started shoving silicone/peat covered tubing into the big visible gaps and shoving in lots of spagnum into smaller gaps. Thanks! By the way, what's the OP? lol ^.^


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## MeiKVR6 (Sep 16, 2008)

^^ No problem at all!  OP = Original poster


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## BR5 (Dec 7, 2009)

William: I have 17 viv's and of most the earlier ones look simular to yours when viewed from the back. I've never had one come loose and fall forward, doubt there's actuall enough clearance to allow this to happen. On one tank, that's probably over 7 years old the frogs actually get back there.
Brian


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## johnyrocks (Jun 25, 2011)

BR5 said:


> William: I have 17 viv's and of most the earlier ones look simular to yours when viewed from the back. I've never had one come loose and fall forward, doubt there's actuall enough clearance to allow this to happen. On one tank, that's probably over 7 years old the frogs actually get back there.
> Brian


How'd you get them out? Could you? Or did they fine a way out? I've been patching up spots with spagnum all day and there's still a few spots to go.


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## Feelin Froggy (May 12, 2011)

Slightly off topic and may need its own thread but have you tried different kinds of GS? I use the pond kind and havent had any problems...


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## johnyrocks (Jun 25, 2011)

Feelin Froggy said:


> Slightly off topic and may need its own thread but have you tried different kinds of GS? I use the pond kind and havent had any problems...


I've used every kind of GS but for pond and stone and window and door. Even fireblock (I doubt it's even frog safe lol!) And they all did this.


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