Creating a false rock background

[VeteranBreeder]

Hi everyone,

I was thinking about those large tanks in aquaria and zoos, and how they often have really realistic 3D backgrounds that resemble stone. What's the material they're typically made of? And more importantly, is it something we can replicate ourselves for our own tanks?

[squidman]

Yeah, lots of folks create their own 3D backgrounds. Styrofoam is the go-to material, as it's super easy to carve and shape into the desired form. You can then paint and seal it for a more realistic look. I'd personally recommend using magnets to attach it to the tank, so it's not a permanent fixture. However, many people do opt for silcone, attaching it directly to the tank. A quick Google search for 'diy 3d aquarium background' should yield plenty of helpful results and tutorials.

[Avalon]

I actually made my own 3D background. I recall creating a thread about it, but it's probably buried a few pages back in my posts.

I used styrofoam sheets, bonding them together with silicone to form a block. Then, I carved out my design using a razor blade and a heat gun. After that, I applied a cement mixture to give it some texture. It was surprisingly straightforward, but unfortunately, I wasn't too thrilled with the end result. I'll try to dig up the thread for you, but it seems to be nowhere to be found.

In hindsight, creating a 3D background is indeed one of the simpler DIY projects, but it only looks good if you execute it well.

[Avalon]

I managed to score the styrofoam by chance, found a bunch of it in a dumpster behind a furniture store - they just toss it out, crates of the stuff, completely free.