Make your own aquarium or terrarium background
Do you want to make your own background for your aquarium or terrarium? You can make a homemade background completely to your taste so that it fits perfectly in your aquarium or terrarium. You can also make the background in the desired size. Here you will find some tips and supplies to get started with epoxy yourself.
Materials for making aquariums and terrariums back wall
- Aquarium kit
- Tile adhesive
- Styrofoam plates
- Epoxy casting resin (we recommend UltraEpoxy Art)
- Sharp knife
- A burner to prevent air bubbles when pouring epoxy
- Brushes, stirring sticks
Preparation
Take your time and make sure the epoxy has hardened properly before you continue. Check in between whether the back wall fits well in your aquarium, so that you can make any adjustments. Always use a kit that is specifically suitable for use in aquariums. You can order this from the better aquarium and terrarium web shops. Apply the first two layers of tile adhesive with white or gray tile adhesive and use dark colored tile adhesive for the last layer.
Step 1: Make the Styrofoam back wall
Make a wall of polystyrene that is as large as the back of your aquarium. If necessary, glue two plates together, since the plates are usually a maximum of 100 cm. Leave about 0.5 to 1 cm free on the sides, so that you have enough space to hide technology such as pipes, cables and/or pump. If necessary, take your pump into account (as in this example).
Step 2: Create natural shapes
This is the fun part. Draw a pattern on the styrofoam with beautiful and realistic rocks. Adjust the cutter to the right length so that you do not cut through the plate. Hold the cutter at a slight angle and follow the lines you have drawn to create the rocks. The deeper you cut, the larger the rocks will be. After this you can apply smaller patterns.
It doesn't have to be super neat, that's not the case in nature either. For finer details you can use sandpaper, a soldering iron or a hot knife. Remove all the styrofoam with a vacuum cleaner before you continue.
Step 3: Apply tile adhesive
Apply a thick layer of tile adhesive to the back wall with a brush. Do not apply the tile adhesive too thickly. Let it dry for 24 hours and repeat this process 2 times. Then you can apply the last layer with black colored tile adhesive. This will be the final color of the back wall.
If you want to add a little more life and depth you can apply a very thin layer of white colored tile adhesive or acrylic paint. When you do this, go over the rocks very lightly with the brush.
Step 4: Applying the epoxy
Once the tile adhesive is completely dry, apply the epoxy casting resin . Mix the epoxy and hardener according to the instructions on the product packaging and apply the epoxy generously to the back wall. Use a disposable brush for this. Apply a layer of epoxy of maximum 1-3 millimeters. Then let the epoxy dry for a few hours. Repeat this 2-3 times. Then let the epoxy harden completely for 24-48 hours.
Then shine a flashlight over the back of the back wall. If everything shines well, this means that the wall is waterproof. If this is not the case, apply another thin layer of a few millimeters.
Step 5: Attach to the aquarium
Place the back wall in the aquarium with silicone sealant from Pattex for example. Make sure it is firmly attached so that it cannot shift or float.
After following these steps you will have created your own unique and durable aquarium or terrarium background!
More information?
Do you have questions about making aquarium or terrarium backgrounds or other projects with epoxy? At itsOkay, several epoxy experts work with each their own expertise. We are happy to help you.
Please contact itsOkay customer service or take a look at the Epoxy knowledge center .