Hi all!

I am having trouble with the mortar....I called the guy who sold it and he said I put it on too thin or used too much water so it is not working correctly. The problem Ihad was after I put it on the filter and let it dry for a week...I wetted it to test it out...and to try to get the suction cups to stick. Anyways the mortar was coming off and getting to what it looked like when I mixed it! I was so shocked and called him right away.

so instead of buying more mortar...I was thinking adding eposy or some other type of sealent would work...to seal it since I have most of it for the pools...in water and I don't think it is going to hold up. Is there any type of safe epoxy paint or other type of sealent could use to seal the mortar? Would that work? I would do like a clear or grey....but I really just want a clear to seal it off from the water and the crabs. thanks for the help.

I went to home depot and bought some grout sealer...I am not using it anytime soon; I wanted to check here first. It says penetrating sealer GROUT SEALER repels stains and mildew, penetrating sealer, outperforms silicone sealers.
Ingredients: water, C.A.S. #7732-18-5; Copolymer, C.A.S. # N/A
technical assistance call 800-272-8786.

what do you think?...will it work to seal the viv mortar? I also got some regular mortar to add to the viv mortar..but I am unsure if that will be safe or work also. I need to do something, I just don't know what will work.
I figued the epoxy will be too thick? and Dave said it is rubbery when dry like silicone? I just don't know what I should do.

I was thinking the penetrating sealer would do the trick, but I am not sure if it is safe...especially under water?

No don't use it. Anything that is mildew resistant has added chemicals in it that are dangerous. If you use an epoxy it will harden up quite well. You can check out the West system.
WEST SYSTEM Epoxy

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

i have also heard of people using the garage floor paint, which is really epoxy. I'm sure you have seen the commercials with the little sprinkles you can add at the end.

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

Yes, but not all epoxies are created for safe use in water conditions. I have a supplier that carries an epoxy that I use. However I have checked it out with the manufacturer to ensure it's safety. It's a Canadian product so I won't go into which it is. They carry two products of epoxy named G1 and G2. They told me one was safe to use but the other was definitely not.
Make sure if you're using a product that comes in contact with a water feature that your herp can drink from. That you check it out. Simply asking the place you buy it from doesn't qualify.

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

ok great thanks! so here are some more question =) it the west system eposy colorless? I mean at this point I don't care so much...but to keep the mortar looking like rock I was hoping for something to seal it and keep the "look" of the mortar there. I just don't know what it looks like is all =) I think I am going to get the west side epoxy...then.

ok what about using regular mortar not the viv mortar I used before is that safe? I wouldn't need it since I am getting the epoxy...but if I wanted to add some texture to the wall and levels...and maybe seal it with the epoxy? would that work?

last question for now: how much is epoxy usually run? (at this point I am not too concerned) I was told it usually comes in a BIG bucket for like 60 bucks...and I don't need so much...ya know. I hope I can find some small container of it. Also is it hard to paint on..cuase I was told it is really thick and sticky and I just have no clue. All I know is I need to fix these pools safe and pretty =)

thanks so much you all for the help and for putting up with my questions and stupidity.

well reading more into the west system...I will need 105 epoxy resin (34.95) and mix it with 206 slow hardner (16.25)...for a 20-25 minute pot life..to give me time to put it on everything. I think that is right. i wonder if I can get it shipped to me. The closest place that sells it is White Marsh about an hour away, so maybe I should get it shipped.

I guess it is worth the money. I just am not sure I want to go and buy more the the viv mortar and still have the same problem...even though looking at this price it will cost the same or more with shipping for the epoxy =) I can use the regular mortar and coat it also which will give me more to add on to the viv mortar. What do you think? Will it work?

if figures that things wouldn't go right for me =) oh well...I can fix it.

I'm sure they'll ship it to you. They might have a dealer that is closer. Products like epoxy they will not air freight though because of it's explosive properties.
Regular mortar will work fine. You need to cure it very thoroughly though before applying the epoxy. Also I believe there is a way to extract some of the lime in it before applying the epoxy. I'm not sure on how to do that though.

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

come to white marsh, you can meet the frogs and I'll make you dinner

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

awww Liz you are ao great! I would love to meet the frogs! I love frogs and a free dinner wow I really do have friends lol! you all are just the BEST!

so I guess I will check to see if white marsh will ship since it is closest...if not then I will check with the place on the site.

I guess then I am getting one of the smaller 105 epoxy resin
and the smaller 206 slow hardener.

is that right? I will order and finish up the morter while I wait for the shipment.

If I was smart then I would have done the plain mortar to begin with since it is so much cheaper and then just sealed it...but who was to know I would have messed it up so badly haha...I think it was just the thinner parts coming off...the other half is pretty hard...unless maybe the batch I got didn't have enough of whatever makes it hard to begin with? I just don't know. I can only say I want to be safe and seal the darn thing. I am spending more then I expected on this "little" project...but it is going to be worth it in the end..when ever that is =)~

you know I should post pics of what I have so far and then maybe you can suggest some things to me...I do know now that I have more mortar I can make the wall more BUMPY like =) I have part of it flat and I think it would look so much better with it thicker in areas and have it look textured. I just want to make sure it is less on the floor level and more on the higher areas...so I don't loose floor space. =) I am trying to keep as much digging area as possible.