# Fake Rock Face Build



## Meefloaf (Apr 22, 2013)

Hey guys, My name's Joe and I live in the UK. I've been on this site for awhile watching a few threads and taking in as much as i can to help me with my future frog projects.

Basically, this years project is going to be a 100x60x60cm ENT tank, I'm currently struggling to get my head around how to create the visual i want to, I originally planned to use eggcrate to create rock terracing so i could have little pockets of greenery dotted around the rock face. Where i live there is inspiration all around, this is from the side of a motorway aha! and it's along the lines of what i want to achieve and hopefully it'll help you understand my thoughts










I'm toying with the idea of having say one rock section of the back left and then a crevice seperating it from the right hand side, asif a waterfall used to run there. this will allow me to run my drainage water area through here like a dried up stream bed (on my last build i had help from Frogfreak Glenn and ran it across the front). My other problem is, I'm used to building the jungle style viv's so i have the need to cram things into the empty vertical space. was thinking of having a raised stump jutting out of the rock on the right hand side, having the stumps roots trailing out over the right hand side (hiding and climbing) and some across the little 'stream' etc. I won't be having a running water feature.

Basically guys, i really need help to sort out this rock building part of this viv and if there is anything you can suggest to help achieve whats in my mind. I would love to be able to cast some rock faces around where i live but finding suitable materials that wont harm my frogs has been hard, here in the UK we have different terminology, which can be a nightmare. LOVE that zoo-poxy stuff you guys have over there

Cheers guys, look forward to your suggestions and pointing me in the right direction, would also love to see some of your vivs which could help me think "ahhhh, stop over complicating things Joe" lol

Joe

p.s here's my first build, housing 2 Leucs, (got three more in quarantine and rearing atm) was a real big learning curve


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## Meefloaf (Apr 22, 2013)




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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

Well I don't know much about casting real rocks to make fake ones, but there are a lot of vids on youtube about it. 

You can use expanding foam like great stuff (carve and paint it), or black waterfall/pond expanding foam (just carve it unless you want brown/red rock).

Another option is using other types of foam and carving/cutting them then covering them in grout, or titebond or something. Expanding foam is polyurethane so you can paint it, but most types of styrofoam do not react well to paints which is one why we coat them in cement, grout, titebond etc..etc...

if you are willing to buy some fake rock here are some options, but I don't know if they ship overseas...

Swimming Pool Waterfalls, Garden Ponds, 3D Aquarium Backgrounds | Universal Rocks 

Some threads of mine that may give you some ideas...

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/pa...lated-rippling-water-fx-light.html#post545275
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/pa...ng-backgrounds-model-train-hobby-sources.html
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/pa...6-dryad-viv-concept-life-size-girl-box-9.html

Also searching amazon and ebay for 3d aquarium backgrounds, fake rock, faux rock, etc..etc... may come up with something useful.

Model train stores sell molds or fake rock very similar to your picture...
Model Railroad Miscellaneous Scenery

Taxidermy supply stores also have many fake rock and wood options...
Artificial Rocks

Do a dendroboard search for "foam rock background" and you should get several helpful threads (I did)


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## pa.walt (Feb 16, 2004)

have you gone on any u.k. frog/viv sites and asked this question. probably would have better luck.


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## Meefloaf (Apr 22, 2013)

I have indeed, but most UK frog peeps tend to go for the 'jungle in a box' kinda vibe, mainly I was looking for some inspiration or if any european guys on here might be able to help.

I may drop Vivarium Works a message about his stuff and what postage would be *prepares to cry* lol

And Dave, yeah, how i stumble on that zoopoxy stuff, that looks like fun to play with


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## fullmonti (May 10, 2013)

I am doing a rock wall you may find helpful.

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/me...3898-jims-display-paludarium-my-first-12.html


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## pa.walt (Feb 16, 2004)

maybe you could a search for ideas by trying dutch sites.


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## VivariumWorks (Feb 27, 2008)

With what you are looking to do, casting will be your best bet unless you have good sculpting abilities. I say this mostly because you want the focus of the tank to be the rock work, rather than the rocks being just an accent, or is a substrate of sorts to be grown/covered over so the texture and realism isn't a necessity. If you know what you want, and you want it to look real, molding/casting is the only way to go without being/hiring a sculptor. 

However, with molding and casting you'll need to be ok with finding the rocks you want to replicate, then mold them in the field, bring the mold back home, and cast into it. Either in the tank or outside it. It's a bit more work than spraying some foam and carving it, but it actually takes much less time overall. In one weekend I can have an entire background, regardless of size, molded, casted, cured, and ready for plants/animals. I'll be doing this with two large builds sometime in the spring to showcase this point. 

The principle back-draw of molding/casting is the cost and that you have to either get some rocks and pile them up to make a model, OR you have to go find them and make it onsite. I prefer the latter as it makes for a fun hobby, and I like hiking about. I do have some molding/casting kits I've been working on for a while now that could help with this, but as I'm sure you've imagined, shipping can be a bit of an issue as I'm stateside. I'm not too familiar with the options you have on your side of the pond, but I know guys do it out there. Too many badass backgrounds made in Germany and Denmark to have not been molded.


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## Meefloaf (Apr 22, 2013)

Cheers for the reply man, yeah, shipping is a nightmare, i've often wondered if it'd be cheaper if sent from my uncle in florida and sent as a "present" (I'm not well versed in international shipping).

the Europeans have some crazy builds, the dutch and german guys are years ahead of us in England, i'm new to it, but when first putting out the feelers I mainly came across european and american sites. As far as i'm concerned we've still a bit to get everyone together, i live in Cornwall, which is the bottom end of england and i only know of three people here who keep frogs, the nearest meet for me is birmingham area and is 5hours away lol.

however, where i live, inspiration and casting opportunities are all around, like i said, my only issue is getting materials which won't effect the frogs

Cheers
Joe


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## pa.walt (Feb 16, 2004)

pangea and back to nature are from over there if you wish to buy a background. or you could get some ideas on what type of "rocks" they sell.


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## Meefloaf (Apr 22, 2013)

been looking at these recently



















it's almost perfect, but, i'd need to add lower level rocks to stop it looking a bit flat. they do sell singular rock ledges too, which i was even thinking of making the usual back ground and have these bursting out

vivarium ledges for reptiles


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## Meefloaf (Apr 22, 2013)

i have messaged the company who make the fake backgrounds above about the possibility of one with more pronounced rocks etc.

I am however still interested in casting or making my own molds. we have a method over here when making fake rock which is to cover a carved bit of foam in Rockoflex (like grout i guess) and then this is covered in elastopur which is an epoxy resin. this would make it rather heavy i believe. is there anyway i could make the background say using rocks on a piece of wood, apply the epoxy and pop it off ? 

very hard to find info on the process (using uk products). there seems to be a few companies around but how they got to the stage of being able to produce them, is i guess a secret


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## Dendro_Enthusiast (Jan 21, 2014)

How will you grow plants on it? Whats the price for one of these custom made ones?


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## Meefloaf (Apr 22, 2013)

for the one i posted in the size i need, roughly 80 to 100 £. 

the plants thing is the issue i am having with getting one, as i will have to cut holes in it etc. the idea was to the rock work having little pockets (or islands) of greenery, 'mind your own business' and a few ferns, then planting up the other part of the viv. the species i intend to keep are low humidity and live on rock faces


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