DIY Backgrounds

[Lisa Baines]

As many of you know I have pretty much finished my 4ft tank conversion.

In that thread I was thinking about backgrounds, So I thought I would start a new thread for that idea

Suggestions so far were to hand paint a background in reverse (colin) or look into transfers (linda-i think!)
On another forum it was suggested to use fern tree back grounds/panels and that has inspired this following idea

I figured that at about £10 a panel (x5) this would be on the expensive side.

So what about using a thin piece of polystyrene sheet cut to right size, blathered in PVA glue and stick stuff like bark chips, coir substrate, moss, those bristles you get on the end of sweeping brushes. Basically odds and ends I have kicking around so the only thing I would need to purchase is the polystyrene... which aint gunna break the bank lol!

would PVA glue be safe??? I figured if it was safe and edible in small doses for kids it would be ok for inverts, however correct me if im wrong. or would silicone be better for a warm humid environment?

Your comments would be much appreciated

[matthew spooner]

i would say use silicone rather than pva. u can buy backgrounds for fish tanks that are like sticky back plastic with scenery all over them that u jus stick onto the back of the tank, might be a cheaper option for ya

[Steve McIntyre]

Hi Lisa, for a cheap background but 'natural looking' you can use unvarnished cork tiles (from B&Q). Also, go to the £1 shops and get some coir hanging basket liners (I think you get 2 for a pound!). they're a green colour so you can experiment with these and the cork tiles for some great effects! I've also used (still am) small pieces of bark, (which I found on the beach) and stuck these onto the cork tiles! Various sizes of stick, twig, whatever, can also be used to give it a basic 3 D effect.

[Craig Mackay]

Could you not use some kind of rainforest poster to put on the back similar to the backdrops you put on the back of fish tanks? Simple & effective. The only problem I can see with a 3d background will be that it'll allow the scorps & crickets to climb and maybe escape from there own tank if there are any gaps between the dividers and the lid.

[Rich.Harrington]

Try to avoid the fern panels, to start with they are very very expensive for what yoru getting, you never know what (if anything) will sprout, and to top it off they are cut from living parts of forest, and despite what the sellers advertise i'm still not convinced its eco sound.


If you want to get into a 3d background then try making the back with expanding foam (the stuff plumbers use), lay the tank on its back so the foam doesn't run, it will create a few natural bumps and curves as it rises. Then simply throw pva/sand/coir and anything else you want into a big bucket, mix and apply all over the foam. Once dry repeat 2-3 times and you will have a background that is not only almost totally waterproof, but solid enough to withstand any curious digging spider, along with being totally sterile.

If you want a few plants up the walls, then just dig out a few holes before the pva, then after just pot into them the same way you would a hanging wall in any garden etc.

A good tip also is to first cover the back and sides of the tank with black silicone, then once all the foam is done just scrape away any excess to the level of the foam, this stops any bits of water seeping into the back and going stale.

[Lisa Baines]

that sounds fantastic, many thanks for all your idea's and tips.

really appreciated I can see myself getting a bit carried away lol