# How difficult is it to remove a silicone/Great Stuff background?



## peiji (Sep 16, 2014)

Hypothetically, if I ever want to completely redo the viv, is it feasible to tear the whole thing apart and start over? Or will you never be able to remove the Great Stuff once it's cured?


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## JPccusa (Mar 10, 2009)

You can scrape the glass with a blade.


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## Mohlerbear (Feb 20, 2014)

I did last week. Just rip it out lol. It's not like you're going to use the same GS. Then razor blade the stuff off the glass. Bam!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## reptiles12 (Jul 18, 2012)

I literally ripped out a full background in one piece last week you shouldnt have an issue


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## peiji (Sep 16, 2014)

Cool. Thanks. Is there anything that would dissolve Great Stuff from wood so you can reuse the wood?


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## Greasy (Sep 1, 2011)

Try making your background out of the tank on eggcrates (make sure to weight it down so it doesn't puff out of the back tho) and use small beads of silicon on the upper corners to hold it in place (don't silicon it to the back, use the silicon to hold it place from the front). This way when you want to redo the tank, all you need to do is cut free the corners. I never liked the idea of siliconning the whole back to adhere GS. Seems like a real PITA to scrape it all off and it would probably lower the resale value of the tank as well.


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## peiji (Sep 16, 2014)

I like that idea. It's actually probably cheaper as well as long as you have extra eggcrate.


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## JPccusa (Mar 10, 2009)

Acetone dissolves GS but you may be better off getting new wood instead.


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## FwoGiZ (Jul 8, 2008)

IceDragon said:


> Try making your background out of the tank on eggcrates (make sure to weight it down so it doesn't puff out of the back tho) and use small beads of silicon on the upper corners to hold it in place (don't silicon it to the back, use the silicon to hold it place from the front). This way when you want to redo the tank, all you need to do is cut free the corners. I never liked the idea of siliconning the whole back to adhere GS. Seems like a real PITA to scrape it all off and it would probably lower the resale value of the tank as well.


I would really be scared that the background would come off... silicone doesn't really stick good to eggcrate... it sticks real good on glass and GS tho.
How long have you had BGs like that IceDragon? How big are they?

I've tryed different methods...
IME, GS directly on glass isn't a good idea because at any time your BG could fall off, or slightly start peeling, letting frogs go behind and potentially get stuck...
so obviously removing it at that point should be really easy but it doesn't make for a solid safe background.
Then I tryed spreading a thin film of silicone all over the areas where I would be putting GS, let it dry then apply GS. If you do this, you will give up before actually removing the whole thing!! This method is pretty much permanent!! That's what I do for all my vivarium now. I do not plan on reconstructing any of them tho...

acetone will dissolve GS but I wouldn't clean wood with that stuff and use it again in a viv... Just get more wood! I hand pick mine every spring on shores... they're free and I get the nicest pieces...!


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## darkspot716 (Sep 4, 2008)

ive done the eggcrate method on several large tanks, when i wanna make background panels as opposed to siliconing/GS right to the tank. just make sure you very meticulously sew some screen onto the back( glass side) of the eggcrate. then flip it over and gs into the little squares. that way the screen prevents the gs from coming through and gives you a fairly smooth surface to silicone to the glass.


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## peiji (Sep 16, 2014)

darkspot716 said:


> ive done the eggcrate method on several large tanks, when i wanna make background panels as opposed to siliconing/GS right to the tank. just make sure you very meticulously sew some screen onto the back( glass side) of the eggcrate. then flip it over and gs into the little squares. that way the screen prevents the gs from coming through and gives you a fairly smooth surface to silicone to the glass.


I'm a bit confused. Sounds like you're saying after doing the eggcrate background method, you would still silicone the whole thing to the back? I thought the eggcrate method was supposed to alleviate the need to silicone the whole background so it's easier to remove. Will siliconing the front of the GPS corners to the glass not work?


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## peiji (Sep 16, 2014)

Is regular window screen mash okay? I don't know what it's made out of. I wouldn't want to taint to the water or anything.


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## Greasy (Sep 1, 2011)

FwoGiZ said:


> I would really be scared that the background would come off... silicone doesn't really stick good to eggcrate... it sticks real good on glass and GS tho.
> How long have you had BGs like that IceDragon? How big are they?


Ah, let me clarify. The only silicon I used was to attach peat and for the 2 upper corners, the bottom is held back by the substrate. I basically did what darkspot did, eggcrates as a base and a screen on the back. I applied the GS directly to the eggcrates, the squares provides a high surface area for it to attach and acts a bit like a spine. I don't see it coming off anytime soon. 

When applying the GS to the eggcrate do it in layers and make sure you do it on a flat surface, i would suggest adding weight to it while it cures to prevent it from puffing out the back, mine did and I had to use a razer to flatten the back. Also for really thick areas of GS do it in layers and let it cure for a week or so. It contracts a bit and may pull in the eggcrate. I had to cut slits and fill with scrap GS foam to relieve pressure(see pic). 

I actually didn't have the silicon beads on the corner at first as it fit really snuggly but after a few months it contracted a bit more and started to lean forward so I added the silicon to hold it back. I haven't had any problem since and as long as you don't glue in heavy driftwood/rocks on the background near the top, it should be fine.

Everything was done outside of the tank, background size is 3feet tall by 2 feet wide. I had it set up for about a year and a half now.


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## Judy S (Aug 29, 2010)

instead of regular screening material, use the fiberglass screening that is used to make pet friendly screens...it does not rust...you can use it over the eggcrate seperating the substrate material from the drainage area as well....would love to get the details on how the "branches" were constructed...look really good.


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## peiji (Sep 16, 2014)

Thanks for the tips so far. I had actually started my background before the last couple of posts came in. I did use regular screen but I just ripped it off after a few hours and it seems to be doing fine. I can always clean up with a razor after it fully cures. I'm surprised it takes a week to cure. I thought it only took about 48 hours. Right now, the panel fits really snuggly because of the foam expanding on the edges even though it's really heavy with a couple large pieces of Mopani wood. However, I have a few ideas how I can keep it in place without silicon even if it contracts. 

I was wondering if you could share or point me to a previous post of how you created those fake branches that show in the pics and if you could post a final tank shot of how it looks.


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## Greasy (Sep 1, 2011)

I made the fake roots similar to how you would start a paper mache project. I used a wire and bent it to a shape I liked, then I wrapped some newspaper and tape around it to bulk it up a bit for the GS. Slowly layer GS on the wire, use wax paper to prevent it from sticking to things. Once everything is cured carve it down. Its not apparent, but in both previous pics they are not permanently attached to the background. I made them both independent. I didn't glue them in until everything was done and coated in peat. However, when I was making the background I did have the fake roots placed where I wanted them, covered in wax paper. This way you get a perfect size hole. 

I ment to get a tank journal up at some point... This was my first tank, so I have been doing a lot of trial error trying to get things to grow properly... Right now I'm suspecting my LEDs lack in the red spectrum, hopefully the shop will have the chips I want, to swap out my current ones later this month...


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## Judy S (Aug 29, 2010)

LOVE the mache approach....opens up a whole new approach... I've done the heated PVC branches, taken pieces of foam and inserted them onto wire, and a couple of other methods as well......but I LOVE your method...simple, no noxious fumes, carveability...what the heck is there NOT to like....if you could make a quick video, or a step-by-step...would be wonderful....am subscribed for sure...thanks oops...dumb ...this thread is about removing GS...please start a different thread...


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## Greasy (Sep 1, 2011)

Judy S said:


> LOVE the mache approach....opens up a whole new approach... I've done the heated PVC branches, taken pieces of foam and inserted them onto wire, and a couple of other methods as well......but I LOVE your method...simple, no noxious fumes, carveability...what the heck is there NOT to like....if you could make a quick video, or a step-by-step...would be wonderful....am subscribed for sure...thanks oops...dumb ...this thread is about removing GS...please start a different thread...


Haha, thanks. Unfortunately I didn't document making them, honestly I wasn't to sure if it would work myself. I took a bunch of 3d/sculpting classes back in the day and thought that some of those techniques might work. But there isn't much more to it then what I stated. I'll clean up my tank a bit and start a journal sometime this week so you can ask questions there. Don't want to derail this thread too much. heh.


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## peiji (Sep 16, 2014)

i would just like to see the final result of the branches. Wood decor can be expensive, concrete decor takes forever... I'm curious how realistic this looks.


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