# Question on DIY Background with Quikrete



## AnimalNstinct (Dec 7, 2010)

I've been gathering everything I need to do a DIY Background and waterfall for the vivarium I'm setting up. 

I plan to use foam and then coat it with cement, but when I went to the hardware store the only stuff they had was Quikrete Anchoring Cement and I was wondering if that would still work? 

I realize it's going to expand when it cures, which I can live with, but I just want to make sure it's safe to use and if there is anything different I should do when using it? 

I also wanted to ask about soaking it? I read that after I coat and paint everything that I should soak it in a bath of vinegar and water for a few weeks. Is this going to be necessary and if so, any tips on how long and how much vinegar to water I should use? 

Thanks guys


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## AnimalNstinct (Dec 7, 2010)

anyone have any kind of idea?


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## the_deeb (Apr 21, 2008)

You may want to consider using tinted Drylok instead of cement. It's easier and completely intert after it dries, so no need to deal with vinegar curing etc. See my build thread (link in my sig) for an example.


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## Boondoggle (Dec 9, 2007)

Hi Animal,

I actually prefer "Quikrete Anchoring Cement" for backgrounds over foam. I water it down into a paste, then paint it over deeply grooved styrofoam with a small cheap paintbrush. It dries fairly quick, you can do quite a few coats a day. I usually do 3-6 coats total, then water down the last coat and add some cement colorant for a final wash. Keep it wet for a week or two and it becomes pretty hard.

I've never done a vinegar wash and even with waterfalls it hasn't affected the pH appreciably (I tested my water over the course of the next month). I have been told that its because the quick drying cement doesn't affect the pH like other cement based products. I can't personally confirm that specifically, but based on my experiences with that product I wouldn't hesitate to use it again.

Jerm


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## myersboy6 (Aug 23, 2010)

is it self leveling?? I used a quicrete that was self leveling and mixed it very thin. laid down a piece of cardboard and poured it all over my waterfall and moved it around so the whole waterfall got covered. Then i did another coat and mixed in a little black grout to make it dry a little darker and did the same thing again. then after that dried i soaked the whole waterfall in vinegar till it didnt soak it in anymore. let that dry and soaked it again. I repeated this about 3 to 4 times. this kills any bad chemicals that might be in the concrete. Then when you install the waterfall you have to treat your water and lower your PH because it will be very high. either do lots of water changes or let it sit for a couple weeks and treat with a PH leveler and keep checking it till you bring it down to anywhere from a 6.5 to 7.5


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## Boondoggle (Dec 9, 2007)

myersboy6 said:


> ...then after that dried i soaked the whole waterfall in vinegar till it didnt soak it in anymore. let that dry and soaked it again. I repeated this about 3 to 4 times. this kills any bad chemicals that might be in the concrete. Then when you install the waterfall you have to treat your water and lower your PH because it will be very high. either do lots of water changes or let it sit for a couple weeks and treat with a PH leveler and keep checking it till you bring it down to anywhere from a 6.5 to 7.5


Not to nitpick, but vinegar doesn't actually kill any bad chemicals. It's a safe-ish acid used to counteract the high alkalinity of concrete (hydroxyl ions from sodium and potassium hydroxides if I remember). If properly neutralized with vinegar or frequent water changes, then further buffering shouldn't be needed. 

Your are right about checking it, though. You won't really know whether your pH is negligible or dangerous without testing.

Here is an interesting "How-To" that pretty much contradicts my earlier statements about not needing to adjust the pH. I'm not sure why my pH was ok from the get-go. Maybe it was the incessant spraying over 2 weeks, hard to believe.

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/diy_aquarium_background3.php


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## jlb (Oct 15, 2006)

One of the best cement over foam builds I have seen here, IMO.

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/members-frogs-vivariums/22002-60-gallon-construction.html


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## myersboy6 (Aug 23, 2010)

sorry about that i must have miss read about the vinegar part. I just knew it was something important to do. And that 60gallon build is what made me make my waterfall out of cement. except i applied mine very different because mine was out of my tank. Wish i had my camera back when i did it cause i would of made a build thread on it. but my waterfall turned out pretty awesome!


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