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Dart Den

Serving the Dart Frog Community Since 2004...

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Great stuff pulling off glass?
#1
Anyone else have a problem with this? Ive been using the black GS for ponds. On my first viv the GS started pulling away and i eventually had to drop a shelf because of it.

Ive heard it could be from using to much gs directly on the glass and the gasses build up and push it off. So my 2nd viv i went lighter on the GS and then pushed air holes into it. That background fell completely off so i siliconed it back on with no problems since.

My 3rd viv i just siliconed the edges and it seems fine now but i want to know what the problem is? Why is it pulling from the glass? Should i use the eggcrate method and GS the egg crate so it can grab better? I've noticed the GS pops off the glass fairly easy with some pressure. Looking for some input.

Some additonal information here, i usually clean the glass with water before applying. Let dry. Then apply the GS with whatever features i am adding. Then i let it harden for at least 24hrs. Then apply the coco fiber ect. Everything is done in my garage.

Thanks for the input in advance!
Azureus - Imitators "Cainarachi Valley" - Leucomelas - Black Jeans
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#2
I have used gs in a majority of my vivs and I have had it pull away only when i didn't clean the glass before applying the gs and when I didn't let the gs fully cure.

I forgot to mention that when the gs is curing i keep it flat on the ground for at least 24 hours.
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#3
hmm maybe i titled mine up to soon, plus maybe a climate difference in our areas requires mine to sit longer. Idk thanks for the reply though
Azureus - Imitators "Cainarachi Valley" - Leucomelas - Black Jeans
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#4
I also had black foam (not GreatStuff... I think it was touch n go) peel off... I have never had the regular GreatStuff peel off though.
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#5
man i must just be out of luck or im not cleaning it well enough. Ill make sure the next one is extremely clean thanks guys. When you clean it, you use just warm water and paper towels right?
Azureus - Imitators "Cainarachi Valley" - Leucomelas - Black Jeans
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#6
If you silicone some egg crate to the glass it gives it something additional to grab onto... I always use egg crate for the false bottom and generally have some spare pieces from the sheets that I trimmed off.
Just a little tip.
Derek
1.5 kids and a bunch of frogs
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#7
DKOOISTRA Wrote:If you silicone some egg crate to the glass it gives it something additional to grab onto... I always use egg crate for the false bottom and generally have some spare pieces from the sheets that I trimmed off.
Just a little tip.
Derek

I second this method. I have taken apart a tank that I did this to and it was much more difficult to remove the foam. The egg crate had to be removed with a razor blade and the GreatStuff held strong to the egg crate.
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#8
thanks guys, that is what i will do from now on. I had a hard time locating some of that stuff last time i looked though. Ill just look harder =)
Azureus - Imitators "Cainarachi Valley" - Leucomelas - Black Jeans
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#9
Every Lowes I've been in has it, think I've seen it at Home Depot as well.
Derek
1.5 kids and a bunch of frogs
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#10
awesome, that explains it... the only lowes around here is like 15-20miles from my house and menards is only 3miles >.< bahhh lazyness lol
Azureus - Imitators "Cainarachi Valley" - Leucomelas - Black Jeans
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#11
From what I've experienced, I used GS (not sure which one) with GE II(2) silicone on my first tank that's been up for 5 months now. My second tank, I used DAP silicone since the Lowes near me stopped carrying the GEII and GS for doors and windows and within 3 days, the GS shrunk down really bad and didn't hold on the back. I found that Home Depot carries the GE II and was told to use the "gaps and cracks" (blue can) GS. I used this combo on my 40 I just got done building about 2-3 weeks ago and so far, so good. Also, humidity plays a big part in it. Also, make sure you put a decent coat of silicone on the back where ever the GS is going to be.
Jon
1.0.6 D. Leucomelas
0.0.2 D. Azureus
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#12
I never put silicone on the back before the GS.. could that be the problem?

Hopefully others could chime in... do you always put silicone on the back before GS?

That would make sense if your using the egg crate but what about GS straight to glass?
Azureus - Imitators "Cainarachi Valley" - Leucomelas - Black Jeans
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#13
I have built backgrounds with and without silicone behind it and had no problems with either... I always have silicone covering 100% of the background and I have silicone around all of the edges. I think the silicone that is around the edge adds additional support and prevents anything from getting behind it.
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#14
well hey this is turning into a pretty good thread about something i dont think is commonly discussed. Could be very useful for beginners and well.... me. Hah!

Thank you everyone who posted! I think i will be using egg crate to spray the GS on from now on. This should fix all of my problems.
Azureus - Imitators "Cainarachi Valley" - Leucomelas - Black Jeans
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#15
Ok...I'll join. No more inorganic stuff for me unless I can't help it. I gave up expanding foam a while ago. Don't like the man-made-ness of it and having to use silicone and other adhesives ect ect. I like natural. Pure and simple. Small tanks, I even just hand press ABG onto the backgrounds. Microfauna like the natural stuff so much better too.

When I make a few more vivs for my frog room 2.0....it'll be all tree fern panel or similar....maybe cork.
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"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana".
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#16
Interesting phil, how do you go about mounting wood features? Or do you simply just rely on heavily planting the tank? I have to make my Imi's a new tank soon. They're growing faster than i planned. I would definitely be interested in that method.
Azureus - Imitators "Cainarachi Valley" - Leucomelas - Black Jeans
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#17
I do use a 'dab' or two of silicone to hold some stuff- cork, wood features ect.

I guess it's damn near impossible to go 100% natural, huh ?
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"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana".
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#18
haha darn, i was getting excited for a second there. All natural sounded perfect. I guess limiting the non natural materials would be the best policy. Im definitely going to consider doing a build like this though. Im just terrible with plan selection. I was considering ordering a plant package from joshs frogs but idk. Thanks for the tips!
Azureus - Imitators "Cainarachi Valley" - Leucomelas - Black Jeans
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#19
It's like the 100% Biotope design.....we strive and strive and strive for it.

One huge pet peeve of mine - North American oak leaves. Ever see a beautiful dart frog vivarium with stunning broms and uncommon viv plants..and the...you look at the leaf litter, and it's all back-yard American oak leaves.

ahhhhh.....
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"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana".
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#20
Philsuma Wrote:I do use a 'dab' or two of silicone to hold some stuff- cork, wood features ect.

I guess it's damn near impossible to go 100% natural, huh ?

I'm not much for exotic adhesives in my environments either, but I figured as long as it's a glass box, I've already decided silicone is okay :-)

I do use a little bit of gorilla glue occasionally for spot items, mostly because it's a lot faster, and because once you open a tube of silicone, anything you don't use will go to waste (I've never found a way to store open tubes to where they were usable later).

I'm also getting fond of using a hot glue gun to mount epiphytes. (Although I'm convinced that "hot glue gun" is hobby-shop-speak for "hey, you're going to burn your fingertips!")
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