DIY Concrete & Foam Background

[@SerpaDesign]

I filmed this video months ago and never made it into a video. By popular demand you all wanted to see it, so here it is! I have more backgrounds coming up. If there's any other methods you want to see let me know and I will make it happen. Enjoy!

[@daratschan8355]

I'm sorry to bother I would love to watch the more realistic one but the link seemed to not work, could you fix that please because it does look amazing. Thank you in advance :) Edit: I found it in your playlist but still wanted to let you know the link is wrong

[@jessed1586]

How can you get moss to grow on the rocks? Thanks.

[@sohantirpude2455]

Any idea on how to colorize these background?

[@ninjakitty4228]

I would like to use this method for a paludarium. Is it suitable to rinse the finished product well as opposed to submersing it in water several times? My piece will be out of the water but subjected to constantly flowing water as it will be a waterfall feature in a tank WITH a betta, shrimp, and snails.

[@bensenigaglia755]

If you're working with foam like this regularly, I would strongly recommend sculpting tools from hot wire foam factory. They are extremely convenient both for the cutting and sculpting stages. They're basically hot knives but using wire which you can adjust the shape of. I'm sure there's probably other brands as well, that's just the one I'm familiar with having heard about it from a channel on here some years ago.

[@diamondmorediamonds2784]

TOOTHPICKS and hot glue is brilliant! ive had so many problems working with foam in the past to try and get it to stick together.

[@thatoneperson7.0]

I made one of these, but I built in a holder for a plant, and a hide. It works amazingly and my crested gecko loves it! It's held up well so far (made it around a month ago, got the gecko once the tanks was fully set up). Definitely suggest using this video to design one!

[@erikharvey900]

How is this holding up now ?

[@ToxickArt]

Has this held up 5 yrs later? Looks great as usual ❤

[@erikharvey900]

Yes I want to know as well I was thinking of trying this method but wondering about longevity.

[@johnnyaquaterra170]

My favorite channel. So useful, straightforward, and detailed. Love your stuff.

[@tmahar77]

Cool video. I like how you said "crooks and crannies"

[@phili799]

I find these backgrounds amazing as they are pretty expensive to purchase here in Ireland. Do you think you could list the materials required and where they can be obtained. It's not possible to find most aquarium building background materials here in the emerarld isle so I thought I might ask. Thanks Serp.

[@phili799]

Thanks Serpa things are a little clearer having watched the video in full. Do you think there is such a thing as aqua paint that can be safe enough to use in different types of backgrounds? Thanks again Serp.

[@arritoukiros7063]

I think you would be great in the caudata community. These set ups are awesome, and I think you would really enjoy having some aquatic newts like ribbed newts or rough skinned newts in one of your aquatic set ups.

[@MakhasYT]

Long time fan and subscriber! I am a new hermit crab owner and fallen down the rabbit hole of providing them proper care which is no easy task. I am hoping to use this method to create a "rocky area" that sits on or above the substrate that mimics what they might encounter near an ocean cove shoreline with rocks. I'm hoping to make some small cave hideaways and climbing spaces. I have watched your vampire crab video and was hoping you may do one for hermit crabs.

[@ThePsycomac]

I've looked around and stumbled upon this video. You have done a great job with the narration

[@martinusamsterdam7667]

Great video explanation, it has given me some great pointers since I'm planning to make my own for my Juwel 190 Led to make a great corner background.

[@CopenhagenDreaming]

Ah, 2017... When face masks were just for avoiding cementing your lungs!

[@theroastedninja8652]

I wanna do this in my shrimp tank. I’ll try it in my 10 project aquarium first, but this looks so intriguing. Scared to try it in an aquarium 😭

[@ToxickArt]

Just run the tank for awhile to leach the concrete. But I did it with fish and it was fine.

[@craigwalsh4632]

That was a great video very detailed step by step. I will definitely be checking out more of your channel.

[@SupremeGecko]

Excellent point about the Versa Tool. I will try this the next time I need to cut styrofoam. Thanks! Wally

[@matthijsdevries8179]

Hi, really liked this video and it made me think about doing something like this myself. Do you have any suggestions about painting stuff, to create a more wood like look? And if you used an epoxy coating, would there be problems with the Ph rising as well?

[@Syclopskitten]

I painted my tank with pet safe acrylic paints. It does need a finish tough because the paint itself was not waterproof.

[@entitysexotics3884]

Totally doing this for my leopard geckos enclosures. Thank you!

[@nick681]

Awesome video! Thanks for taking the time to make this!

[@luisfallier9823]

Cool Video! It looks stunning! I always fail when i try to do your backgrounds, so i'll just leave it to you at this point. 😂

[@prasadkola5384]

ԃʋɾƙ19

[@joaniekernohan7496]

Nice video! I made one for my lizard aquarium-should I seal it and with what safely? Thank you!

[@willarn1]

Great video. Very high quality. Suggestion: in addition to the detailed lengthy how-to videos which are very high quality but which I have to schedule time to watch if I'm at work or elsewhere and don't have 15 min, quick, short 3-4 min videos on a cool, simple terrarium design or some other very simple topic would be interesting as well, which I could watch immediately. A good example of these kinds of videos are in the Nicks Strength and Power KZbin channel. Simple, short videos that I can watch regardless of what I'm doing.

[@SerpaDesign]

It's a double edged sword because if I make short videos it leaves room for interpretation. Which then means I have to address a ton of questions. I try to make the videos as extensive as possible to remove any room for questions and to truly teach the given topic. On the other hand I probably would get more views if the videos were shorter, as your comment suggests. Generally I make a video as long as it needs to be, whether that's 5 minutes or 40 minutes.

[@drewfontenot4595]

🎉🎉wow great video all the way around 💯🪨👌

[@Syclopskitten]

I was using grout for my build (not sure if its different from concrete) and though it had to be sealed with some sort of finish to make it waterproof? Beautiful background and simple to do!

[@emilykaldahl1232]

You can add a sealer if you want to, but I guess the hydraulic cement is ok without. I think I'm going to add dryloc to mine

[@johnschweiger1079]

Dude top video not only are you giving me ideas for my enclosures but for my other hobby games workshop thank you

[@jacycyrpost1511]

Hi...stumbled upon this page and so happy I did. Building a background for our new bearded dragon and this is exactly what I had in mind. There will be a heat lamp in the enclosure with areas approaching 110F. I am thinking that the cement will protect the underlying styrofoam from melting but I was hoping you could indicate if my assumption is true. Thanks

[@Terrarium-Construction]

I reply for him but Your lamp must be at least at 15cm from the background. Cement is not thick enough to protect foam againt heat.

[@jjhill001]

If you are decently artistic and have some of the specific foam cutting tools you can make some very realistic looking foam backgrounds with the right cement mixes and even acrylic paint. The primary skill however is the patience to do it correctly. The method in this video is the best way to learn the basics of how all the products work. The one you make after this one can be really spectacular.

[@ashbrookdoodlebopsgautierw985]

jjhill001 what is a good cement that will stick to great stuff foam that's been sanded to roughen it up? I'm having a hard time finding the right kind

[@Stephiroth321]

I am currently in the process of putting together a project myself (4 ft. long tank). I am curious about instead of committing to securing the foam with silicone, if something like large velcro strips along the bottom of it would suffice to keep it anchored? I will be attempting this either way, but I just wonder what kind of issues could arise with it. I'm just not too keen on smothering my aquarium walls with silicone. Since there is a center bar of plastic along the top of the tank for two separate hoods; I will probably need to assemble mine in 2 or more pieces if I decide on a full-front-center sand fall wall (thicker to include sand trap). Or I may do one in the corner, still debating 😊 Lovely videos and set ups by the way, you're very easy to listen to 🤩

[@midnightbel]

Just stating that I don't think it would be strong enough. I used something similar to this, but used a foam background, great stuff, and grout coated in silicone. I attached the background via silicone to the tank (my first attempt) and within month and half it became so top heavy that the top end started coming off a bit. This was my bad for not going heavy enough on the silicone because unlike this video several others I saw said I wouldn't need much and to just do smaller outlines and fill in sections. Fast forward to my recent attempt on a much bigger scale and I used a bit more silicone with extra around the edges and it is holding fine. Going on about the month benchmark now. I can post an update if it fails. All in all, I don't think velcro will be strong enough to hold it up or secure it.

[@michaelwave9831]

You kinda sound like the guy from How It's Made, thats awesome

[@Baz-s1983]

Hi buddy can I mix coco fibre and spagnan moss in with the cement for texture thanks love the channel

[@Serel25]

This is brilliant! Thank you for such a nice video! Very detailed and to the point! ♥

[@savvygarcia7862]

Awesome video! Thanks a lot for making it! I'm totally doing this for my reptiles :D I was wondering though, can it be cleaned and how? I ask because for the future, if I wanted to repurpose the enclosure for a different animal...

[@reachrightround3659]

Just use watered down hydrogen peroxide

[@reachrightround3659]

Just pour it all over

[@reachrightround3659]

Or you could just pour as pure alcohol as U can get all over it

[@laughingc0w]

Another great vid! What’s your tip for disposing of and washing off concrete (from the brush, your skin, etc)? Worried the cement might clog up my pipes

[@Jonnygriz]

Fill a bucket with water and go outside. Clean the brush/tools before it sets up then dump the water out in the dirt

[@rachelhaines1987]

Great video. I am working on a outdoor rock fountain using expanding foam so im on the last stage which will be cement but i know theres a lot of different kinds out there what would you recommend that is cost efficient since it is a large fountain about 5 feet tall.

[@RAmBo111BHlood]

That turned out really nice. I hAVE been wanting to do something like this for my bearded dragon's tank

[@robinadil4324]

Very Creative 🙂😃

[@diallom9875]

so awesome thx took me all day to find a vid how to do this

[@iole96792]

Pretty cool but, I can't wait to see more terrarium videos, the reason why I subscribed.

[@Lampropeltis]

So if I'm understanding correctly.... once you rinse the concrete after it drys it's ok and nontoxic to put into a dry terrarium? I appreciate the videos.👍

[@SerpaDesign]

Yes that's correct. Just want to get rid of debris.

[@williamwatson9781]

old video, but you can also use regular rocks in your background IF you reinforce the structure of the tank to accommodate the extra weight pulling in on the tank

[@kennethyoung141]

Ty for all these amazing tips and tricks

[@jonghanma198]

I know this is an old vid, but if the foam is covered in the concrete is is heavy enough to sing on its own? in the case of building tunnels or free standing rocks id need them to sink. could a rock shaped out of foam and then covered with concrete sink?

[@FishmanEricRussell]

Love diy! Cool project. New sub

[@imattjolley]

I used this technique and then painted it with acrylic paint. I need it to be waterproof though. What clear sealant is the best in your opinion?

[@thomasharrison99]

If doing it with expanding foam how would you do it, would you spray the foam directly into the vivarium or do it outside of the vivarium?? I’ve been wanting to do something like this for my crested gecko for a while and I’m glad I’ve found your videos

[@SerpaDesign]

Your best bet would be to use a base piece of foam like in this video. If you poke it full of holes the expanding foam will adhere to it quite well.

[@waywatcher9779]

Sketch doesn't have to be perfect... as his sketch is 100x better than anything I could draw

[@andycowell608]

Tanner, have you ever done anything with different colors than just concrete grey? I have been looking at similar techniques using tinted Drylok, any thoughts on that? I'm looking at an aquarium background, and I'd like to maybe have some shading and contrasting roots in the background.

[@Helveteshit]

I've heard that plaster for drywalling could be used. But I do not know how friendly it is in regards to toxins etcetera.

[@nicoledickson7872]

Love this

[@IChroniclesofNerdiaI]

How long do you have to wait before you can epoxy coat it? I keep reading different things online... Some people say 7 days is fine, others are saying it takes a minimum of 30 days to properly cure.

[@Terrarium-Construction]

For myself I just wait 7 days maximum to apply epoxy after cement.

[@BillieRC]

Awesome!

[@newmexicoaquatics282]

Fantastic. Thank you for sharing!- Little Bobby

[@trogdo0r179]

Thank you for this, I was looking exactly for this video. keep up the good work

[@jevonwhiting9940]

Amazing videos man, So would be safe to use for a ball python

[@mohammedhyab]

Whats the effect of cement on the fish tank ? Or wash it for many times will be fine to use it in tank?

[@Gwyntomology]

A light dry brush of darker paint and lighter paint than the cement will make it look very realistic.

[@gabyi3646]

what is the difference between concrete and cement? you used both.?

[@jportillo9129]

Do you know any kind or brand of aquarium safe paint I can use instead of concrete? Also great video!!!

[@morgansmith7351]

You would have to have something to cover the Styrofoam like concrete or grout because the Styrofoam can be dangerous without something to seal it in and act as a barrier

[@kimsegers988]

You can seal in the styrofoam after the paint with epoxy resin. Make sure you mix it properly . And dot the background (make dots with the silcone) making an square or a any other closed shape will leave some space and air often in between the background and the glass.

[@kimsegers988]

But still you need a layer of concrete and tile glue for the background to be sturdy ... ;)

[@strider5119]

@@kimsegers988 Dots are bad if you have fish that like tight spaces. Fish will find their way behind the background if it isn't sealed

[@magical_spirit_wolf]

Could you use regular cement instead of hydraulic cement?

[@emilykaldahl1232]

You would probably have to seal it to make it waterproof with dryloc or something

[@ChefRVallin]

If I did this method but on the last step of the cement I added cocofiber for a dart frog, would that work? Mixing the cocofiber in the cement or adding it on top?? Any help would be greatly appreciated

[@cazportraits]

I would add it on top. If you put it in the cement you will lose the look of the coco fiber

[@kl9926]

What should I do if the dirt doesn't stick to the silicone?

[@dr224]

You are so patient. Wow.

[@ZyklnAeon]

Hello, I read a lot of things about cement and wonder how to use it properly. It's appear to be toxic and corrosive, can make skin burn and some kind of desease for us human and probably deadly for animals. I plan to make a rock scenary (with a waterfall) for my enclosure using cement but actualy not sure Do you have some recommendations?

[@chuckcheddar6225]

what kind of concrete did you use the first part i understand but got lost on the part where you added the different color sand can you please explain to me what i need to buy to create a fake rock background for my leopard gecko viv

[@itzhen7032]

Do you think this would work in a tank with fake plants??? This looks better than the one you can buy

[@SerpaDesign]

Of course. It wouldn't make a difference.

[@ambrosius4603]

It ain’t gonna work, since the concrete is just gonna make the ph go freakin crazy

[@ambrosius4603]

It ain’t no fun and trust me... I’ve been there

[@paulwilkinson8977]

@@ambrosius4603 not if you watercure it first lol

[@darklyngstudios]

Awesome video

[@retrogamedude]

Great video, thank you.

[@kagerms8680]

Ayos to pang enclosure s tarantula

[@luannalovell]

hi, I was hoping to use portland cement for my bearded dragons, have you tried that before? Great job by the way :)

[@luannalovell]

I forgot to mention, I have made steps this way b4, and to get the colour tones I found that if you mix two batches at the same time and add more colour to one its a quick way to get highlights :)

[@davidhudson4240]

Was this ok ti use with your beardies?

[@natedrawsthings]

I want to make a foam background for my emerald tree boa. I was thinking of making it look like the side of an ancient stone temple wall with carvings in it. Would this technique work for that?

[@FaTeDev_com]

when it comes to this technique your own imagination is the limit. But your carving detail could be lost of the cement sealing layer

[@hubetubetv380]

Hey bud, got a question... I built a 10 and 20 gallon vertical vivarium based off of your instruction however after about a month or so now I’ve noticed the door is bowing into the vivarium... is this normal, did it happen to yours too, how do I fix it or prevent it??? Thanks for the help and keep up the good work here...

[@hashtastic3537]

You probably went with acrylic which warps when exposed to moisture. He also recommends something called Lexan which will do a little better, but still warps with time and moisture. The only real way is to go to a hardware store and have some glass cut for your door. Just be sure you use glass cutting drillbits when you go to put holes in it.

[@hubetubetv380]

Hashtastic I watched the videos over again a while back and saw he suggested poly carbonate so I went back to HD and picked up a couple pieces and cut them to the size of the doors I needed... much better now no warping and way clearer...

[@hashtastic3537]

Lexan is the commercial name for poly carbonate. It can resist moisture quite a bit better than acrylic but it will still warp if it's not thick enough. They also make different grades, but that's depends on the store you get it from. If it's all you can get, get it thicker than 3/16 inch to help prevent warping.

[@hashtastic3537]

I used .93'' thickness poly for my last terrarium. Lasted about 2 months before I noticed gaps around the edges. Better than when i used acrylic, but still a problem for a terrarium.

[@hubetubetv380]

Thanks for the info, I will be converting a 40 gallon in the near future and will probably use glass at that time... do you know if there is .93 glass? so that I might change out the doors in the future... rather than replacing the entire front piece...

[@deadbob9]

Can you use a different foam? Are there any to avoid?

[@elizabethstein369]

I used this idea but the cement won't stick to the foam. It drys then just turning into dust wich blows off with a small amount of air.

[@Terrarium-Construction]

I suppose you do not use enough water. In mine I add a material to permits to the cement to be easier to apply ;)

[@SynchronisedMinds]

Very interesting ,thanks.

[@xkatrix]

Do any of your builds incorporate fans for airflow?

[@fabianramirez5276]

I’m making a vivarium with a waterfall and I want to know what kind of concrete is safe for dart frogs?

[@j_j_1979]

I'm making snake hides. I am using aluminum foil for the frame then paper clay on top, and last grout. You didn't use sealant, is it not necessary? Is there a benefit between cement/concrete vs grout?

[@gatortarantula4706]

Could I just use white drylok if I wanted to make my foam look like white bricks like in Greek architecture @serpadesign?

[@hkiceman001]

Can you show me how to buy or made a hot knife?

[@glenndaya]

I have multiple cages with tile gleu and i still hate it extremely heavy and after a year or 2 of starts to smell because of the animals do poop and it gets in the concrete so i do not reccomend it and its impossible to get it out and re do it . Now that Being said it looks great and good for snakes and lizzards to shed its

[@oliviawhite9951]

Does anyone know where to get the foam?? I’ve looked on amazon, eBay, and even Etsy and couldn’t find the right size of foam I need. Can anyone help????

[@KendrasPlace]

Did you ever find the foam? I was going to get done from home Depot, but it wasn't wide enough.

[@MsPoliteRants]

Can... it work with plaster instead? I plan to make a desert background so it will not be submerged. Thanks!

[@morgansmith7351]

Plaster would mold much quicker as it is not meant to be exposed to water and I dont think its animal safe

[@antonylawwin5619]

may i know what material did u used for making this background

[@MmmDnBbitch]

Lol, it's said, there is no such thing as a stupid question... A phrase obviously coined before the invention of KZbin... 😕 SMH

[@akwlb2]

Watch the video buddy

[@dgreegui]

is there anyway i can stick the background without silicon ?

[@SerpaDesign]

Not really. Silicone is the best option.

[@sirpfa]

I want to colour some of the stones of my fish tank. What colour is safe to use?

[@Terrarium-Construction]

I reply at his place but acrylic paint is safe.

[@sirpfa]

Please put link of the video of your ultra-realistic that you referee to as previous video

[@keketennessee9116]

Great job

[@adhytblank742]

Where i can get sketch of rock formations at online? Can u suggest me?

[@shareehshakkir9925]

Does it do any change to the water parameter (anything harm for fish)?

[@Kazeteiru]

He mentions in the video that it can raise the ph, so you want to soak the background and keep changeing the water until the ph levels out

[@PS-bn6sh]

Nice :)

[@Falconurbex]

When using this for a fish tank how do u make the concrete safe for fish

[@TheyCallMeAni34]

Finish the video guy

[@ilyadrannikov_8017]

Cool video )

[@AntsMierenAvonturen]

Amazing video as always! Greets Ant's Mieren Avonturen

[@mitchellcoleman5716]

Half of the silicon will have trouble drying. try to never trap the silicon away from air for curing

[@blankplanet]

Hey serpa could you mention some artists who's music you use in your videos?

[@theserpentscave5812]

Dam nice stuff.

[@fabianabos6702]

if i want to make a custom background do i need to go bioactive?

[@goldfishghosts1919]

Nope, completely your choice

[@zicovi542]

Is it possible to add wood to it and if it is possible how do i need to do that?

[@simonediamante7556]

Can i use it in crested gecko viv?

[@etwrecipe]

what did you exactly use for the second coat?