Alternative to common substrates

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So i have been contemplating useing great stuff expanding foam to create a rocky floor for my tank. :study: I want it to look realistic but I also want to section it off to maybe 6 or 8 different pieces so that I can remove and clean them if absolutely necessary and then put them back together almost like a puzzle. I'm a little stuck as how to actually do that since everyone says once it drys it's impossible to remove. I'm also wondering whether to use the normal great stuff or the pond and tank great stuff that is a darker color . Would I be able to sprinkle on sand or rocks before the great stuff drys? Or would it just fall off ? If I can use the pond type of darker great stuff would I still need to paint and or at least seal it for my beardies health? :banghead: I'm kind of stuck in between the idea of an easy sandpaper tank Mat and how unrealistic I think it looks plus I wouldn't have as many creative options as a bioactive or even as a fake rock floor would . Any thoughts about it or even examples of what you've done ?
 

CooperDragon

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I haven't used that material so I can't be of much help. Could you attach it to tiles? That way you could place it at the bottom of the tank just as you would with a puzzle as you mentioned, but you could pull the tiles out easily for cleaning.
 

Echoplexic

Member
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That's actually not a bad idea :blob5: that's exactly the type of outside of the tank (box)creative ideas im looking for :p innovative solutions that are good for the beardie and make the slave humans responsibility a bit easier. Still curious if anyone has used great stuff as a floor instead of a background wall?
 

Gormagon

Extreme Poster
Actually great stuff has toxic properties and, should be used with caution in a closed environment. Curing time would be very important.
As for a way to make it easy to remove, wax paper is your best bet.
 

Echoplexic

Member
Original Poster
Yea last time I used Portland cement that took months to cure
:shock: I hope great stuff doesn't take that long
 

Echoplexic

Member
Original Poster
What about "sands alive " a copyrighted child's play sand it is water soluble and is nontoxic as well as safe for children to ingest.
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
Echoplexic":1qezgten said:
So i have been contemplating useing great stuff expanding foam to create a rocky floor for my tank. :study: I want it to look realistic but I also want to section it off to maybe 6 or 8 different pieces so that I can remove and clean them if absolutely necessary and then put them back together almost like a puzzle. I'm a little stuck as how to actually do that since everyone says once it drys it's impossible to remove. I'm also wondering whether to use the normal great stuff or the pond and tank great stuff that is a darker color . Would I be able to sprinkle on sand or rocks before the great stuff drys? Or would it just fall off ? If I can use the pond type of darker great stuff would I still need to paint and or at least seal it for my beardies health? :banghead: I'm kind of stuck in between the idea of an easy sandpaper tank Mat and how unrealistic I think it looks plus I wouldn't have as many creative options as a bioactive or even as a fake rock floor would . Any thoughts about it or even examples of what you've done ?

Be very careful with any kind of expanding foam , they all give off lots of very toxic fumes (including hydrochloric acid, chlorine gas, and other nasty fumes) and this will continue for a very long time even after the foam has "cured" and set and seems rock hard.
You need to find the MSDS for the material you want to use , if you don't know how to use / interpret the MSDS , PM me a copy of the URL of the MSDS and I'll take a look and interpret it for you.

Another issue is "pilling" , the dragon's nails will wreck the surface and pieces will come off that can be ingested by the dragon and post
>> poisoning risk
>> toxic risks
>> impaction risks.
 

Echoplexic

Member
Original Poster
I actually have another forum that I started to build the entire thing after a large amount of research. If you'd take a gander at it I'd really appreciate your input. Also I did look at it's properties, I thought I interpreted them correctly.
 
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