# Cheap, quick treetrunks



## Dane (Aug 19, 2004)

This is a process I have been using for a few months that results in professional looking backgrounds with minimal effort. Based on the BJ method.

1. (Optional) Start with about 2" of black silicone on the rear sides of the enclosure that you intend to cover with the background. Because these tanks were for customers, I also added a curved silicone blackout on the top.









2. Curve a piece of foam sheeting (3/4" thick) cut to about 1.75 times the width of the enclosure. 









(Optional) Silicone around the top of the sheet to hold it in place. You can skip this step, and keep the background removable if desired.









Add planting points if so desired. These were made by slicing a hydroponic pot in half.









3. Great stuff. I just use a single application, and for thicker spots, I just overlap extra foam. I also play with the foam a little as it cures. Once it has skinned sufficiently (~1hr) I squeeze small vine shapes in, or compress areas that look too puffy. Using this method requires a lot less GS than trying to cover a flat background.









4. Coat with silicone/coco, mortar/grout, or clay.


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## kheckeroth (Dec 28, 2008)

Looks great =)


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

Nice...looks like it would make a good drip wall. You could install several planters and even poke some holes in the foam and fill the back up with sphagnum moss and it would be like a refugium for springtails and woodlice, and they could crawl out the holes onto the wall. 

If you made a little dam on the floor in front of the tree trunk, you could fill the area back to the glass with gravel, make a small pond in front of tanks and the water coming down the drip wall would go into the gravel and not leach tannins into your front pond. (This is assuming a front pond and false bottom that share the same water pool)... As long as you don't mist to the point of saturating the soil very little should drip into the false bottom and front pond water stays clear. Just a few ideas. Being a vert though, you may not wanna give up floor space for pond. I'd definitely do a drip wall though...just Tom's aqualifter pump is all you need


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## Boondoggle (Dec 9, 2007)

Very cool idea Dane. Have any pictures of them planted? Do you ever have issues with frogs finding their way behind the foam?


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## Julio (Oct 8, 2007)

pretty sweet, but how much room does it take up?


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## Nicholas (Mar 16, 2010)

Thats a great Idea!... Thanks!!!


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## Dane (Aug 19, 2004)

Boondoggle said:


> Very cool idea Dane. Have any pictures of them planted? Do you ever have issues with frogs finding their way behind the foam?












The foam sheet seals itself around the sides pretty well, as long as it's cut evenly. The top could be an issue if you don't run a ring of silicone around it, or stuff some moss in.

Julio, that just depends on how big the foam is sized. I have to keep it narrower on the 10s, but for 20 verts it can bow out a little more.


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## Arizona Tropicals (Feb 15, 2010)

Looks great, I'll be trying this on my next build ... could become a favorite method. Simple and looks natural!


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## Boondoggle (Dec 9, 2007)

Thanks for sharing. This is how I will do my verts in a few months. Any tips on mounting broms since the backing is hollow and thin?


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## Dane (Aug 19, 2004)

Boondoggle said:


> Thanks for sharing. This is how I will do my verts in a few months. Any tips on mounting broms since the backing is hollow and thin?


Anything with a stolon will hold fine if pierced into the foam.


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## Venomos (Jun 26, 2009)

That looks great! I might have to try one or two like that!

Thanks for the quick easy idea!


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## HX (Jun 4, 2007)

Great stuff!
I like the simplicity of it.


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## JrayJ (Mar 11, 2010)

That might be my next one.


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## chinoanoah (Mar 9, 2009)

Clay attaches to GS well? Should you rough it up a bit before applying clay, or take off the top smooth layer?


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## BlueRidge (Jun 12, 2010)

That's awesome Dane, I'm gonna try that on the other tank with my 40b verts. I was wondering how to do a trunk, I can do this and glue some wire/pvc to make big roots. Nice!


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## frogorf (Jul 16, 2008)

Great tree trunk! It looks awsome! quick question how long of a window do you have to sucessfully manipulate the gs foam after it has "skinned"?


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## Dane (Aug 19, 2004)

frogorf said:


> Great tree trunk! It looks awsome! quick question how long of a window do you have to sucessfully manipulate the gs foam after it has "skinned"?


It isn't too long. You'll have about a 45 min duration for it to be mold-able, between when it's too sticky to touch, and too stiff to really work with. 

Noah: You are correct, roughing up or carving the GS would help the clay stick.


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## BlueRidge (Jun 12, 2010)

Well, I'm trying to use the blue stuff and it doesn't seem to work well. I believe it's too stiff, it keeps snapping as soon as i bend it. I'll have to find some softer board.


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## Dane (Aug 19, 2004)

JaredJ said:


> Well, I'm trying to use the blue stuff and it doesn't seem to work well. I believe it's too stiff, it keeps snapping as soon as i bend it. I'll have to find some softer board.


I should have clarified, the sheeting I used was the softer, white styrofoam.


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## BlueRidge (Jun 12, 2010)

Dane said:


> I should have clarified, the sheeting I used was the softer, white styrofoam.


LOL.. I think I finally worked that one out after breaking about 3 sheets.


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