I picked up these materials the other day for my project: Styrofoam, Drylok, GE Silicone I, Cemente Color (Buff, Red, Charcoal), I already had cutting tools
I will explain my process and if you see anything wrong with this process, let me know so I can save time and money
First I Siliconed a few pieces of styrofoam together to get the thickness needed to hid my filter that I will be carving around (to stay hidden from view)... I let this sit with weight on top of it so no air gaps would be there. I am currently at this point in my process...
Next I will begin carving my desired 3D BG that I hope I fall in love with... I will sand any rough edges to ensure no fish get damaged. (I do not own a torch and might be a good thing
Then I will cover the BG with Drylok and let it set for a day or two... After that, I will mix my colors to get a desired paint color that I will like. And paint one coat let dry... 2nd coat, dry... Final coat and dry....
After the painting process, It will be time for me to Silicone the BG to the Glass tank. Once I do this, I will put weights on the BG to hold it in place and let it sit for two days...
Finally, I will fill the tank up and do daily water changes for a week... Then fill the tank and let it cycle taking readings every few days to see when the cycle has completed.
Hopefully, best for last --- Enjoy the Tank
If you see anything wrong please let me know, I look forward to your input.