Critique my aquascape Dean's Trigon 350

[ian_m]

Are you 100% convinced the ply will survive the damp and water, especially once the plants cover it ? Varnishing ply in a damp environment is a no no as well as the wood can no longer breathe and black mould patches will form under the varnish.


Local shop had a similar tank with plant covered back wall and they used waterproof boarding designed for bathrooms. Expensive stuff is expanded foam with formica decorative finish and cheaper is resin bonded MDF with Formica decorative finish. All 100% water proof and easy to drill for screws to attach netting and plant holders to keep the plants under control. Also used acrylic sheet designed for secondary double glazing as a back wall.

 

[Andrew Butler]

Varnishing ply in a damp environment is a no no as well as the wood can no longer breathe and black mould patches will form under the varnish.

Surely if the Ply is dry before you varnish it and the varnish seals the ply completely then you shouldn't get any mould under the varnish?

waterproof boarding designed for bathrooms

+1 This is excellent stuff; Altro whiterock is the leading brand.

 

[ian_m]

Surely if the Ply is dry before you varnish it and the varnish seals the ply completely then you shouldn't get any mould under the varnish?

Unless it is marine ply which is waterproof, which can be varnished no issue. If normal ply maybe varnish only the wet side and you should be OK. But basically you should think and take care, normal wood/ply does not like continuous water or damp, regardless what you coat it with.

 

[Andrew Butler]

normal wood/ply does not like continuous water or damp, regardless what you coat it with.

I'm not trying to start an argument here Ian and unsure where you get your knowledge from but I disagree.
Surely you would be better off treating all sides and edges of that piece of ply so it was protected; assuming you used the right product and done it in the correct way?

 

[ian_m]

Surely you would be better off treating all sides and edges of that piece of ply so it was protected; assuming you used the right product and done it in the correct way?

Basically, as the ply itself is not waterproof, unlike marine ply or similar, you will never be able to 100% seal the wood against water ingress from continuous immersion or damp. The slightest imperfection, screw hole, stress crack, rough edge, imperfectly applied seal will let moisture in which will soak into the wood producing the black mould patches one sees quite frequently when varnished wood is used in incorrect places.

 

[dean]

The ply is just a back support
(it hides the lighting wires)
the main riparium section is going to be made from black acrylic so it matches with the black back of the aquarium

Hopefully the water will drip from tray to tray as they will be layered up the wall

Thinking of putting green mesh all over it to promote climbing and somewhere for moss to colonise


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ian_m]

the main riparium section is going to be made from black acrylic so it matches with the black back of the aquarium

Well that's sorted that worry then...

 

[sciencefiction]

I can't wait to see it developed