Also great for embedding branches and hidey holes in the wall for any climby critters! And you can pin climbing plants to the foam to hold them up before they attach. Such a cool and easy method
I did this with my tank! , PRO TIP for beginners. Exto- terra tanks can sometimes be faulty especially bigger ones like 67 gal. I learned that silicone does not stick to silicone. You'll have to scrape the existing stuff off around the bottom and redo it. Mine had a leak after about a month on the bottom near it's foot. Now I have to take the entire thing apart ( all my plants, dirt, drainage layers.. ) and redo it :')
I did some custom backgrounds in my other vivariums too, but never thought of putting the coco fiber and stuff on the still moist foam, instead I waited till its hardened and put silicone+coco fiber on it... This way is way better, at least less work! Thank you. Did you wait a bit between letting the foam rest and putting the coco fiber on it? Or straight after foaming up the bark, you put coco fiber on it?
I followed all of the steps less the egg crate and I could not get any of my fiber to stick. It was 100% dry. I actually put it out on a tarp and let it dry out for three days. It still would not stick.
I used to always do it directly to the glass and it works but it peels off too easily years down the road. Something as simple as trimming plants might take the whole thing off. I find it worth it to add the silicone, you don’t have to use egg crate. Just something for texture for the foam to stick to.
Will coco fiber also adhere to the 'gaps and cracks ' expanding foam? This seems awesome since you don't have to carve the foam and then reapply silicone. I just dont know how to manipulate the foam while it's curing to prevent it from expanding too much.
Bruh i just finished my brown anole aka anolis sagrei enclosure, wish i saw this beforehand Also for anoles i recommend 12x12x18 for two females or one male
Is the silicone and egg crate better than just foam? I’ve seen lots of your shorts and when making backgrounds you don’t always use silicone or egg crate
When using this method along with a water feature cause any issues. Or does the traditional foam sealing method need to be done when adding a water fall for example? Please advise , help needed .
I do this in Bioactive enclosures. Isopods and springtails are nature’s clean up crew. They break down mold, decaying plant matter, and animal waste turning it into nutrients for the plants to utilize. I have more videos explaining the progress.
@@warpedwhimsical I never got a response so I looked further into it and others told me theirs have lasted anywhere between 5 and 20 years so no certainty to how long they will last
I wish I did it this way, had some issues with the traditional way. Silicone still stinks after A MONTH my gecko is still living in a freaking plastic tub. I'm so annoyed. I have another gecko to give a tank makeover so I'll use this technique :)
How long did it take for the silicone to dry before you apply foam? I genuinely have been waiting three days with a fan on it and it’s still wet. I took the fan off to try and allow humidity to do it’s thing?? Pls help ! I’ve been watching videos preparing for this for years but maybe I used old silicone and it’s just never going to finish curing.
Are you doing a lizard? I have one and I used top soil for the back ground repot soil works fine too I’m not sure if it works with play sand though since it’s harder
@@EverEvolvingExotics can i ask how much you would sell this for? i’m trying to get into the terrarium business and i’m struggling to decide how much to charge. do you have some formula for material and time spent compared to price? i don’t want to overcharge people, but i also don’t want to get ripped off
Hell no! You gotta cut the foam. Also "more surface area for the foam to stick" is BS. All you need to do is wipe the background with surgical spirit and that'll ensure that it is the cleanest it can be and it will create more 'stick'. This video hurt to watch ngl.
I’m so happy it brought you so much pain to watch. I have lots more video examples if you’d like to cringe any more including some builds with the great stuff directly on the glass. This was for a client that paid me nicely, I didn’t want to skimp. He and his tarantula were happy which is what matters to me. I appreciate the feedback, Daniel. Keep being awesome!
@@teganmolyneaux5204 I never thought carving it looked as natural as the foam does naturally expanded. I love all the crevice too add plants. I used to do it the way all knowing Daniel was saying but this method works better for me. Carving and using silicone is the traditional way of making backgrounds. It works too, I did it that way for years.
