Woohoo! Another question

Ok I have stocked up on a bunch of Expanded Poly Styrene, and have a a fogger and water pump at the ready.

Now I read just about everything I could dig up on foam based backgrounds, but I want to know what people have been using to seal their back grounds up? I was planning on doing a few thinned out coats of cement/concrete over the foam, to get a better/smoother texture and more of a rock look, but what to use over the cement/concrete as a sealing agent, something with as long a life as possible, and good adhesion as well as being critter safe once it is cured.

Any recommendations? I looked at the West Systems two part epoxies (kind of expensive, and kind of a hassle), and other easily available items such a Thopsons' Water Seal (cheaper, easier to get locally less hassle).

Thanks Kindly
Dan

What are you putting in the habitat? Yes the West system is kind of pricey. There is no easier solution really. I've recently read about people using the two-part epoxy paint that is used for garage floors probably cheaper. For mine I used automotive epoxy which is considerably cheaper. Don't use it if it is to be in contact with a water feature though.

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Mike
"Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time, and always start with the person nearest you." - Mother Teresa

I'll be putting Anoles in this enclosure. I'll have to look into the epoxy floor paint.

As far as the routing of the "water feature" I haven't decided completely on that yet, had a couple of ideas in the back of my head, but I was concerned about the possibility of anything in the sealer coming into contact with it, and possibly leaching out, or just being undermined by being wet from water traveling over it.

I am using a product called Habacrete from HerpInvert | Cages and Supplies For All That Creeps and Crawls, Slithers and Jumps. check it out. Haven't used it yet but will in next week or so.

Man. I'd like to see your results with that stuff. But at $8 a pound. I'll stick with regular mortar with an acrylic compound additive.

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Mike
"Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time, and always start with the person nearest you." - Mother Teresa

I've been doing similar research, and on the pdf sites, most of them suggest silicone slathered on and coco fiber pressed in (before the silicone has a chance to set). Brown GEII silicone seems to be the consensus.

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~~Steph

"This I believe: That the free, exploring mind of the individual human is the most valuable thing in the world." John Steinbeck

Thats exactly what I do, but its not a rock look. Looks more like bark. Let me know what you figure out. I would love to start an enclosure with a huge water feature over fake rock. I have a friend that builds custom aquariums. Let me shoot him a message and see if he can recommend a "how to" site.

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My name is Liz
Do what's best for the animal, not what's best for you.

Well I am going to be a rebel, I have ordered so FoamCoat to cover my styro base (which with then be covered with latex/polyurethane) we'll see how thta goes.

If anyone is interested hotwirefoamfactory.com