# My First Custom Background Build



## 55105 (Jan 27, 2015)

I wasn’t planning on documenting this build but what the heck... Maybe it will help motivate me and might help someone out in the future.

I've been avoiding doing a custom background because I don’t have a lot of free time. In fact, I really should be working right now! But... My frogs are important and I can't wait to see them in their new home!

I picked up a used 18x18x24 Zoo Med on Craigslist for $60. Other than some mineral spots on the glass it was in very good condition.

I'm using the egg crate false bottom with 3D printed stands and a drain I designed you can find here

So far I've gotten a layer of black silicon on the back, the cork is in and foamed which is going on 24 hours of curing. I decided to go with the black pond foam which costs $15 a can but is suppose to be a lot easier to cover.










I'm not so happy with the arrangement on the right middle. I feel like the straight cut breaks it... Hopefully I can cover it up.

I still have to trim! I started trimming today but the foam hasn’t cured through. I ended up with a bunch of black gloop on my fingers.

For lighting I'll be using the Quad LED


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## tardis101 (Apr 11, 2012)

Nice job. I've made my own backgrounds on my last two tanks. I have tried using the cheaper brown great stuff foam and the $15 can of the pond stuff. I like the black better cause when you cut into it it's easier to hide mistakes.


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## CaseyWagner (Aug 3, 2015)

Where are the lights from? I like the look of them.

Wish I'd noticed your link
to the Rasp Pi Viv sooner. I've got a bunch of Arduino stuff coming


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## 55105 (Jan 27, 2015)

I tried to post it here but for some reason it wasn’t working...

It's 4 Jungle Dawns on a 3D printed stand I designed

Here's the file for printing.

It does require (potentially irreversible) modification. You have to remove the bases and wire them with a power cord.


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## 55105 (Jan 27, 2015)

Don't know if anyone here can use this but it's a slightly more water resistant cover for the DHT22 sensor.

I've lost quite a few these sensors due to misting. I hope with this design I can get a bit more life out of them.










Here's the file


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## kromar (Jun 6, 2015)

ah thats a cool idea to create a custom cover that can resist finer misting.

whats the idea behind the design? just smaller openings in general or also only openings at the bottom part or so?


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## 55105 (Jan 27, 2015)

kromar said:


> ah thats a cool idea to create a custom cover that can resist finer misting.
> 
> whats the idea behind the design? just smaller openings in general or also only openings at the bottom part or so?


Sorry, I should have explained... The original cover is nice but probably not meant to be in this type of environment.. Since there are front facing vents the sensors are exposed directly to misting.

I believe they need cross ventilation for accuracy which is why I added the side vents. The bottom vents seemed the best option to keep water out. I also made the opening for the wires very tight.

Also having a vent free surface I'll probably cover it in coir texture which will help conceal it.


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## 55105 (Jan 27, 2015)

Got the texture on! I'm debating if I should do any touch ups or just call it good...


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## thane (Sep 11, 2014)

Touch ups where? I wouldn't worry about any minor imperfections as the background will eventually get overgrown with plants anyways.

The only thing I might recommend is after the background is all dried and cured, jam some sphagnum down in those cork tubes and under any openings in the background where frogs might get in. It looks like yours is pretty well sealed all around, but you don't want one getting behind the background and they can fit into pretty tight spaces. You can put the sphagnum in some water for a minute, then wring it out really good, so it's just slightly damp and it will be easy to work with than if it's dry.


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## skoomd (Dec 24, 2013)

thane said:


> Touch ups where? I wouldn't worry about any minor imperfections as the background will eventually get overgrown with plants anyways.
> 
> The only thing I might recommend is after the background is all dried and cured, jam some sphagnum down in those cork tubes and under any openings in the background where frogs might get in. It looks like yours is pretty well sealed all around, but you don't want one getting behind the background and they can fit into pretty tight spaces. You can put the sphagnum in some water for a minute, then wring it out really good, so it's just slightly damp and it will be easy to work with than if it's dry.



I agree, I never touched up any of my vivs, even if there were pretty obvious spots. I just stuffed moss into the cracks that got missed and applied moss with a wire to bare spots that were sticking out.


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## 55105 (Jan 27, 2015)

Thanks! I'm glad I said something. I was thinking the exact same thing.


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## 55105 (Jan 27, 2015)

Impatience got the best of me...

Last night I pulled some old broms and pups out of my other vivs and started planting.

I still need to get glass for the top. I bought a piece of 16" x 12" from Lowes and it broke before I even took it out of the packaging... 

If anyone is interested, I thought I'd offer up 3D printing / design in trade for some cool plants or supplies.


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## thane (Sep 11, 2014)

You can usually get some 1/4" glass (plain, not tempered) cut from a local glass shop for cheap. You'll want to request they sand the edges a little (or do it yourself) so it's not razor sharp.

Tank looks nice so far. I don't have any neoregalia so I can't give any great advice, but some of those might get pretty big, so might end up having to remove or trim some of those eventually.

I'm assuming you intend to add more plants, I was just thinking it could use a little more greenery, maybe some vining stuff. Also you'll want to have some more hiding spots on the ground - a coco hut or two, or I used a cork stump cut in half, and maybe some additional leaf litter.

I know there had been some talk of 3D printing backgrounds, I think in the construction section, but not sure what came of that. I'm not creative enough to think what else could be 3D printed, but if you come up with something could always put it in the "wanted" section in the classifieds for trade.

Keep up the good work,
Thane


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## 55105 (Jan 27, 2015)

There will be lots more plants! Hopefully I can make it up to the nursery some time this week.

So far I have a cork log and a huge seed pod.










I have some coco huts I might add if I can find room.


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