# Sealing expanding foam with silicon?



## MylesS (Jan 9, 2013)

Hello! 

Just wondering whether this would be okay to do? My Whites are having a home renovation. I've just used coco panels in the past and am new to this expanding foam business. Have done the research, but there's so many conflicting methods on the internet.

So if I spread silicon over the expanding foam and then pressed xaxim or ABG mix then this would be safe? Will it give a nice finish?

My idea is to have my 45x45x45 attached to my 45x45x60 and the bottom put out of one of them so it's all one viv. Has anyone done this before?


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## Muggs (Feb 9, 2011)

Hi, you just need to make sure that the foam is highly flamable and the sealant is aquarium safe. Other than that, the rest sounds fine.


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## Luke (May 19, 2005)

agree with the above, plus I like the idea of joining the two, if you do it keep us posted as Ill be watching with a keen eye : victory:


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## Wolfenrook (Jul 2, 2010)

Mike (frogman 955) joined 2 ENT vivs once, it worked well.

Ade


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## MylesS (Jan 9, 2013)

Cheers fellas, that clears it up.

Not sure whether to have the smaller viv on top or bottom but I'll keep you guys posted as to how I get on.

Does it have to be aquarium silicone? I'm on a strict budget and would prefer the regular stuff as it's cheaper.


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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

MylesS said:


> Cheers fellas, that clears it up.
> 
> Not sure whether to have the smaller viv on top or bottom but I'll keep you guys posted as to how I get on.
> 
> Does it have to be aquarium silicone? I'm on a strict budget and would prefer the regular stuff as it's cheaper.


Whichever silicon you use, make sure it doesn't inclujde fungicides- often used in bathroom and kitchen sealants. They are as poisonous to 'phibs as they are to mould. On the whole, aquarium sealants are safest.


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## bothrops (Jan 7, 2007)

I use expanding foam, silicon and bone dry coir for my amphib backgrounds and have no issues.


Couple of bits of advice:


Use proper aquarium sealant (dirt cheap, excellent stuff here )

Use black or brown and NEVER the 'clear' stuff. 


Make sure, whatever substrate you use, that it is absolutely bone dry before applying it.


Use a well ventilated area - the acetic acid fumes given off as the silicon cures is quite potent stuff!


A couple of my builds using this method

http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/habitat/837857-double-3x2x2-paludarium-completed-video.html

http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/habitat/908903-45cm-exo-terra-cube-paludarium.html





Not sure about the joining - I don't think the base of the exo terras would easily come out or stack. Plus I think a 45x45 x 115 tall, would look a little odd?


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## MylesS (Jan 9, 2013)

bothrops said:


> I use expanding foam, silicon and bone dry coir for my amphib backgrounds and have no issues.
> 
> 
> Couple of bits of advice:
> ...


Cheers for the info, that silicone is cheap as hell so thanks for sharing that.

Had a look at your build and they look awesome; might steal your idea for the reservoir area at the front.

As to joining them, you'll never know if you don't try! I'm pretty optimistic that it's going to look good with what I've got in mind and I can't back out of my plan now, not an option.

The biggest ball ache for all this is the plants, I live on the Isle of Man and dartfrog charge an arm and a leg for the courier service.


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## bothrops (Jan 7, 2007)

MylesS said:


> Cheers for the info, that silicone is cheap as hell so thanks for sharing that.
> 
> Had a look at your build and they look awesome; might steal your idea for the reservoir area at the front.
> 
> ...



You're welcome.


Good luck. Feel free to steal whatever you want - 90% of those builds are stolen from others anyway! :lol2:



Don't forget to take lots of photo's and post them here for us all to see - looking forward to seeing how it pans out.


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## MylesS (Jan 9, 2013)

I'll make sure I do, have gotten plenty of inspiration off this forum so it would be rude not to return the favour! Thanks :2thumb:


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## MylesS (Jan 9, 2013)

Finished after hours of toil!

Hopefully this skydrive link should work, it's still a bit of a work in progress as the lower level needs tidying up a bit.

Really chuffed with the way it turned out, the height doesn't look daft and my White's love it.

Thanks for all the help 

https://skydrive.live.com/redir?resid=EDE5772D303BBDDB!105&authkey=!AAUyW5PbIr9qXbI


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## my_shed (Jan 5, 2011)

Damn, always too late!! I was going to suggest a method I saw on Dendroboard, where someone wanted an exo terra viv footprint, but taller. They stripped the exo down to it's component parts and replaced the back, sides and doors with extended sheets of glass, then glued it all back together. Having removed the bottom plastic piece on an exo I can only imagine it was a pig of a job, but it looked ace when done. 

Anyway, I digress, yours looks great, when I've got all my snakes in the shed i'm going to be doing a tall column build for the corner of my dining room, and may take a little inspiration from this. How're you lighting it, may I ask?

Dave


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## MylesS (Jan 9, 2013)

Wow that does sound pretty smart. I ended up fitting them together with epoxy putty, the stuff's like concrete and I got quite a nice finish.

Thinking of flooding the entire bottom of the tank and having a sort of mangrove swamp in the lower level - anyone got any experience with this sort of set up? I think it would look awesome.

Lighting's a bit of an issue, because the fake rock is jutting so much the lower levels aren't getting much light.
At the moment I'm just using one 6700K fluorescent in there but have ordered another. Am going to invest in a T5 hood next payday :2thumb:


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## plasma234 (Feb 27, 2013)

That is an awesome piece of ingenuity, i wonder if i can pick up another 30x30x45 and stick it to the side lol?


Regards to lights, this guy uses these his vivs are 90cm tall and it looks like his are growing well. I don't know if you will have issues at 110cm though.


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