Backgrounds: 5 Types of Backgrounds to Consider for Your Vivarium
Once I have an enclosure, I most often begin working on the background first. I find that building backgrounds is where I spend most of my time in general, and by a long shot. But it wasn’t always that way. Some of the methods below are very approachable and quick to pull off something that’s still stunning.
In this guide we will go over several common ways to approach vivarium backgrounds. I’ll give you an overview of each, and link to some tutorial videos. Let’s go in order of difficulty, starting with the easiest of all, no background at all!
No background
Skill Level: ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
Don't dismiss this as a possibility, as there are impressive vivariums without any background. Just look at the two posted above.
Keep in mind the animals you are housing. Emerald Tree Skinks, for example, are popular lizards and love to climb. Personally, I wouldn't consider a vivarium for these guys without a background on at least two sides. They use it to climb on excessively and have been known to try and jump through the glass.
Pre-made inserts
Skill Level: ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
Many main-brand glass enclosures come with foam inserts. Although they are not particularly attractive or useful for refuge or growing plants, depending on what you're housing, they can get behind the background or even tear it up and dig through it. Many people simply throw them away.
If you want something just as simple but more durable or better looking, there are other options. Some companies hand make inserts and sell them online. They look much better, are more durable, and can be made to custom sizes, but you'll pay a premium for that. Universal Rocks and Aquadecor are both top-of-the-line. They even sell standalone branches and rocks, so you can have everything match and look cohesive.
Another option is to buy backgrounds on Etsy. I haven't tried this myself, so I can't recommend specific shops or attest to the quality and durability. If you've tried any of these, let me know about your experience.
Don't expect plants to grow on these, however. Although the material is quite durable, it's not at all porous and does not retain moisture or allow plant roots to penetrate. For this reason, I personally think the best fit for this type of background is lizards and snakes that would otherwise destroy a delicately planted enclosure.
flat backgrounds
Skill Level: ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
If the inserts aren't for you, the next method is almost as simple. We'll call these flat backgrounds for lack of a better term.
A handful of materials work well, such as coco fiber mats or tree fern panels. You can simply cut or break them into shape and silicone them to the rear of the enclosure. The benefit of this over the previous method is that these materials will hold moisture and provide space for plant roots to establish.
Tree fern tends to be better at growing plants, but it's also much more expensive. To make it look more natural (and spread the cost), you can break the panels into pieces and silicone them at various angles, almost like a puzzle. This will help avoid too many right angles in the background, which can make it look less natural.
These backgrounds may start off rather plain, but with high humidity and a bit of patience, the background can get covered in plants and mosses, eventually hiding various gaps and cracks.
Overall, this is a simple and effective approach that you can pull off with very little time and effort.
Pumice rock
Skill Level: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
This method is more popular among terrariums than vivariums. However, I think it can work just as well for setups with “low impact” critters in vivariums like poison dart frogs or small tree frogs. Pumice is a lightweight, porous volcanic stone. It’s about a quarter of the weight of granite, and the pores will hold a bit of water.
The rocks are typically cut in half to create lots of surface area when siliconing them in place. Since they’re such a soft rock, you can actually cut them easily with regular metal tools. Featherock (a brand of pumice) recommends using old or dull tools you don’t mind getting scuffed up.
After the rocks are siliconed into place, all of the gaps are then crammed with sphagnum moss. The best part about this is how much moisture the background can retain. Vining plants and mosses will thrive because it’s so porous. Being all natural materials, it has natural feel, too. Patience is key while the plants grow and surfaces are covered.
I haven’t used this method, but as I alluded to previously, I suspect that many reptiles like lizards and definitely snakes would dislodge the sphagnum moss, so just be aware of what tank mates you’re going to introduce.
Check out Planted Glass Boxes to learn more about this method. He even has a paid video course about it. See his pinned stories for more info.
Expanding Foam
Skill Level: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
The most popular method is using expanding foam (Great Stuff is the most common brand). It comes in an spray-foam can, and you can apply it to the back of the enclosure to create a base layer for the background. You’ll mostly likely want to use branches in your designs (called hardscape, which we’ll cover later), and expanding foam is great way to secure them into place as well.
Once you have that base, you can further carve and shape it to the desired look shape. Foam is easily carved with a simple utility knife, or even a wire cutter if you’ll doing lots of carving. Once you have the desired shape, you’ll want to make it look more natural by covering the raw construction material.
Apply layers of silicone in patches, and then press dried soil into it. I’ll will be making videos to show you more in depth. This gives it an earthy texture. What I love about this method is you can sculpt it to any shape you desire, and it can be easily modified in the future.
However, there are a couple of drawbacks to consider. One of the biggest drawbacks, especially if you live in a small apartment like me, is that it can be messy and time-consuming, especially if you're making multiple backgrounds. It also helps to have an artistic eye, but don't let that hold you back!
Another drawback is that the surface doesn't retain water, making it difficult for plants to root directly into it. One solution is to use cork bark sheets to cover larger areas and then use foam to join various areas together. You can even use expanding foam to hold small plastic pots in place throughout the enclosure to aid with planting.
Utilizing plenty of cork bark and branches has the added benefit of making the enclosure feel more natural, too.
Bonus: Faux rock
Skill Level: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
At the master class level, the most realistic and intimidating backgrounds are created by hand painting foam that is coated with concrete. I haven't even experimented with this method yet, in part because it can get extremely messy, and I’m limited on space.
The basic premise is similar to the previous method, starting with sculpting foam. Foam sheets are stacked, cut, and glued to quickly and cheaply fill in large areas, then carved back to the desired shape. Expanding foam is used for more detailed work, such as filling gaps and attaching hardscape.
What sets this method apart is that instead of using a layer of silicone to apply some sort of substrate, it involves coating the foam with concrete. Fast-drying concrete, such as Drylok, is mixed and applied to the foam to give it a more natural and durable texture. When the concrete is still damp, patterns can be etched in for further refinement.
Many people start with a natural base color by mixing in color additives into the concrete. Afterwards the final shape is painted to look natural using a whole assortment of techniques, ranging from airbrushing to filling spray bottles with heavily watered-down paints.
For some truly incredible vivariums using this method, check out the works of Daniel Konrad, Tino Anttila, and Mr. Monkey.
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Creating a vivarium background can be a fun and rewarding process. With various methods available, there is no right or wrong way to go about building one. Whether you choose to keep it simple or opt for a more intricate design, the key is to start with what you're comfortable with and build your skills over time.
Don't be afraid to experiment and try new things. With some patience and creativity, you can create a beautiful and functional vivarium background that both you and your pets will enjoy.
Help me improve these guides by reaching out with your questions and comments.
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