# Clay Backgrounds



## Bcs TX (Sep 13, 2008)

I have already GS my background and was wondering if anyone has tried the "clay" method over the GS. It seems it would be easier than the silicone/coco fiber method.

-Beth


----------



## Otis (Apr 16, 2006)

The clays I'm aware of which are used as backgrounds are sodium bentonite (kitty litter) and calcium bentonite. Sodium bentonite is also used as a pond liner and is much more affordable, but does not contain calcium which some froggers use in hopes of having it work its way up the food chain to the frogs. There has been a few threads on this somewhat recently, so you will be able to find more information there. 

All the tanks I have made recently have been with just sodium bentonite and peat. I do not see what the benefit of using great stuff first is though. The clay will stick better to glass than GS, and is strong enough to hold large pieces of wood, cork, rock ect. so you can use it as a foundation or just a coating depending on how much depth you want the tank to have. Since you have already GS'ed your tank, you can either apply the bentonite first and then the peat on top, or you can mix the two. Either way will work, but be conscious when you mist, because if the peat is just covering the bentonite it will come off gradually. Mixing the peat in with the clay will give you a more consistant result, and then if you are still not satisfied with the color you can add more peat on top, or add red art clay or infield conditioner for color. 

Here's the one bentonite tank I have a picture of


----------



## Bcs TX (Sep 13, 2008)

Will give that a try. Have you used the clay method on top of the GS?

Thanks!
-Beth


----------



## zBrinks (Jul 16, 2006)

Ive done clay on top of GS, and it does hold up - you just need a pretty thick, .5-1 inch layer of clay on top of the GS. So far, plants seem to love it.


----------



## Otis (Apr 16, 2006)

Bcs TX said:


> Will give that a try. Have you used the clay method on top of the GS?
> 
> Thanks!
> -Beth


I have not. But as Zac*h* said, the bentonite should stick so long as its moist enough.


----------



## Bcs TX (Sep 13, 2008)

Ok have my GS carved and wondering if you can form the clay a little and also if it will fill in the gaps (I assume it will due to the thickness) but wanted to see what everone's experiences were.
Thanks!

-Beth


----------



## DKOOISTRA (May 28, 2009)

My question on clay is this. how high can you go? i can see doing it in an 
18" tall exo or something like that, but if you were to do a 20 gallon vert (or bigger) with it, how well should it be supported? I like the idea and will be trying it shortly on a 20 i have lying around. Also, does the clay stay soft and maliable, or will it harden like using the flevopol method does?


----------



## Otis (Apr 16, 2006)

Bcs TX said:


> Ok have my GS carved and wondering if you can form the clay a little and also if it will fill in the gaps (I assume it will due to the thickness) but wanted to see what everone's experiences were.
> Thanks!
> 
> -Beth


Yes, you can do this. Mark Budde did something similiar in his imitator tank with kitty litter and it worked just fine. It doesn't expand a lot in my experience, I have read that sodium bentonite can expand multiple times its original size but I have not noticed any expansion in the tanks I have used it in. So if you put some in cracks with the hopes that it will expand to fit them, you are probably better off initially fitting it to size. 



DKOOISTRA said:


> My question on clay is this. how high can you go? i can see doing it in an
> 18" tall exo or something like that, but if you were to do a 20 gallon vert (or bigger) with it, how well should it be supported? I like the idea and will be trying it shortly on a 20 i have lying around. Also, does the clay stay soft and maliable, or will it harden like using the flevopol method does?


Sodium bentonite does not need a support from below to stick on glass, you can build shelves with it in a high tank without having to worry about it falling off. Just to give you an idea, you can lightly toss moist bentonite onto glass and it will stick. So, if you spend the time onto condense and mold it on the glass you shouldn't have to worry about it falling off.


----------



## zBrinks (Jul 16, 2006)

I've done an 18x18x24 exo terra, and the background holds up fine. Nice and 3D, too. The more you knead the clay previous to using it in-viv, the stronger it seems to hold together.


----------

