Spray foam ! my experiences

[penthea]

Ive seen so many articles on the use of spray foam to make backgrounds, rocks etc , I have an uneasy feeling about this stuff despite my Cynops orientalis being housed for the last 2 years in a set up where all of what would be earth is made entirely from spray foam and my Triturus marmoratus set up being at least 30% spray foam ! I use a combination of black and clear aquarium sealant to coat all the foam which has coconut husk, sand and small stones pressed onto it whilst wet !

The newts have been housed in these set-ups for over two years are healthy, breeding, the water tests are all fine BUT despite all this I still have an uneasy feeling !

Im about to start work on another long term project which includes at least 5 different set ups and before i commit myself to using DIY spray foam on them all I would appreciate any comments/input anything no matter how small !

Thanks !

 

[esnailme]

If this is the great stuff foam, I have used it to make a rock wall for my seahorses.

I have read that once the spray dries it is inert.

In saying this when I built my rockwall, I pressed live rock into the great stuff foam which was mounted on a sheet of styrofoam.

I then applied a sealant/hardener (epoxy resin) that can be purchased at Walmart and/or Home Depot (this is a large hardware store)

While the sealant/hardener was wet I added crushed coral and empty snail shells.

Granted this was one of the most enjoyable projects, it took a lot of touchup work.

The great stuff and white styrofoam used by itself does not stand up well if submerged in water.

If your wall is going to be 100% underwater, you will need to allow the resin to totally dry.

The area where you are applying the resin will need to be well ventilated.

Once you are done sealing the wall, it will need to set for a specified amount of time.

I think I will stop rambling at this point........I am not sure whether you plan on submerging the foam or not in water.

hth


p.s. I can post the finished wall showing step by step pictures. Let me know.

 

[newtboyuk]

The foam should be inert once it is dry. II would also agree with the above regarding styrofoam/polystyrene - it will float unless stuck to the glass or wedged in.

In the following shameless plug, the background was made from polysytrene covered in DIY expanding foam and aquarium sealant/coco fibre. It is wedged in place under the horizontal strip of glass near the top of the aquarium and by a subtly placed piece of bogwood on one side.

http://www.caudata.org/forum/f1173-...round-15-gallon-newt-vivarium.html#post288531

Mark