# Caulk alternatives for backdrops



## hamhock 74 (Mar 6, 2012)

I can't for the life of me find caulk without mold/mildew inhibitors or any food grade caulk in Canada, so I was wondering what alternatives can be used to seal/ hold peat moss or coir on styrofoam?

I was thinking aquarium sealants but it would cost an arm and a leg and that stuff stinks to high hell, what else ca be used?


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## Kungfujoe (Mar 6, 2012)

also aquarium sealants are very think and hard to put dirt or substrate on. well atleast the aquarium silicon i work with. You can try an epoxy. Just a thought, Ive used water proof epoxy and or 2 part solutions that can be used. Infact a friend of mine worked on most of the enclosures for monterey bay aquarium and thats what he used. Ill look up which ones were used and ill get back to u.


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## sethshaun (Mar 6, 2012)

Try Tightbond III .... It's a waterproof alternative to GE II. Takes longer to dry but once it sets it's not going anywhere. I would let it dry for a week before misting the tank though. 

http://www.titebond.com/titebond_wood_glues/Ultimate_Wood_Glue.aspx


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## SamuraiSid (Mar 7, 2012)

I use LePage Press-Tite Green Cement Adhesive, bought a 746ml container for around $8.00cdn at Rona.
http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/brow...9P/LePage+237+mL+Contact+Cement.jsp?locale=en

Its ridiculously cheap compared to caulk. I left a piece of styrofoam submerged for 9 hours, and the water didnt penetrate 3 layers of this stuff. I dont intned on letting it come that close to water in the enclosure itself, so for all intent and purposes its "water proof". 

Drill a few holes halfway through a piece of 2x4 as a base. Stab each piece of styrofoam with a skewer so you can get maximum coverage of the styrofoam. Skewers sit in drilled holes.

It applies pretty much like paint. i did one coat, let sit for 20 minutes. second coat, let sit for 2 hour. third coat and immediatly apply substrate. Dry over night, hot glue into enclosure in morning, let sit for 2 days, it looks good. Been using it for the past month in two avic avic sling enclosures in a Robc style, and so far the T's are doing just fine, so Im "assuming" its completely safe.


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## Kungfujoe (Mar 7, 2012)

Ok, I contacted my friend from monterey bay aquarium and he said he uses great stuff foam and waits for it to dry then coats it with PolyGem.


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## hamhock 74 (Mar 7, 2012)

Thanks for all the replies however searching all the major hardware retailers online, I could not find the Tightbond III or the Polygem. I think I'll try the cement adhesive, but when it says non-toxic those that apply to inverts or just hairless upright monkeys? Or am I overthinking at this point. Anywho I think we should keep this thread going in case there are people in other parts of the world who use different products that are tarantula safe sealants and they want to share.


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## sethshaun (Mar 8, 2012)

I found Tightbond III at Lowes by the Gorilla Glue.  It sells in gallon jugs and smaller bottles. 
You could also try a cork bark mosaic. Randomly silicon pieces of cork bark to the glass. Leave small gaps in between the pieces 1/2" - 1".... stuff sphagnum moss or even clay in the cracks. Or leave the cracks empty and paint the back of the tank an earth tone. Silicon IME is a much longer lasting background adhesive than Great Stuff. Some people silicon the back wall before they apply the great stuff. I have had some great stuff separate from the glass after a few years. Never with aquarium silicon. 


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## *Self_DeFenCe* (Mar 8, 2012)

A tube of GE II is 7$ and you can cover many backgrounds. It's by far the best and most reliable way to have a nice background.


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## hamhock 74 (Mar 15, 2012)

Alright, here's the end result, sorry for the blurriness I had to take the picture from an angle due to the glare. It's a large faunarium.


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## SamuraiSid (Mar 16, 2012)

That looks very well done. Did you end up using the cement adheive, or did you find suitable silicon? Also, you have a variety of moss'. Where did you get them?


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## hamhock 74 (Mar 17, 2012)

SamuraiSid said:


> That looks very well done. Did you end up using the cement adheive, or did you find suitable silicon? Also, you have a variety of moss'. Where did you get them?


I went with the cement, thanks for the tip, the moss was from Michael's. It came prepackaged in a variety of 3 mosses and a lichen.


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## sethshaun (Mar 17, 2012)

Nice! Hope you bought enough supplies to do the rest of your enclosures.....you're going to want to or at least that's what happened to me. 


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## axle37 (Mar 30, 2012)

i was going to use great stuff to add some shape to my background and then use the tight bond or something similar to add the coir,bark,and moss. this a good idea?


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## SamuraiSid (Apr 1, 2012)

Im not familiar with tight bond, but otherwise you can use the great stuff.


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