The foam is called GoodStuff and Black Jungle Terrarium supply has a how to page on useing it for terrarium applications.

Have fun with the new tank. You should be able to find many more suitable plants because of the space you will have.

Mike,

I looked and couldn't find what you were talking about. (Isn't that your store, by the way? You lurk around at a lot of forums, don't you?) I looked on the how to page, and I did a search for Good Stuff, and browsed through the whole inventory list and didn't see anything.

It's called Great Stuff, not Good Stuff. Apparently it's.. err.. great.. Home Depot carries it for about $6 per can. Just about any hardware store should have it, it's very easy to get.

-DH

But what is the purpose of using it? Why not just place your wood pieces in the terrarium and put the substrate around it? Why do you need this stuff?

It sticks to everything. It's used more for creating backgrounds, waterfalls, drip walls etc. It's good for landscaping along the back wall where you might find it tricky to get substrate to stick. As it sets it expands to 3 times its original size, so it can get in to the cracks of your wood and hold it all together.

-DH

I thought it sounded wrong but I was half asleep, Great Stuff it is. I used it to create the vertical epiphyte wall in my terrarium and it turned out great. I used cork bark panels and filled in around them. I also imbedded a couple of pots to use for planting but they did not turn out as good as I would have wished because they had no drainage.

Back2eight I don't have a store or website I just spent a lot of time researching building a terrarium a few years ago and Black Jungles how to site was a lot of help.

Go to blackjungle.com and look at the pics, they take you step by step, the great stuff foam, when done correctly will give you a background so realistic that I have yet to see any other process even come close, and as mentioned in the other post, it is a great way to hide all the hoses and wires that can become a clutter inside the tank, you want your tank done realistic looking and done right? then this is the way to do it, Ive seen tanks with coco sheets glued to the rear and side walls, it looks good, but, it looks like a fish tank (rectangle) covered in coco sheets! The expanding foam gives you the option of cliffs, caves, ledges, you can place pots in place and hide them with foam, all kinds of options! I love the stuff! as for drainage, I placed drainage tube in place under the pot before I used the foam, as a matter of fact, I made sure everything was in its place and then sprayed the foam around everything, it holds stuff in place, and hides all the stuff you dont want people to see, go to blackjungle.com and see for yourself, you wont regret it if you do it step by step, it will look like a little chunk of the rain forest! =)

Hello
I've found this "stuff" ideal for making backgrounds
in several kinds of setups. It is easier, cheaper and has very few limitations. i'm using bunches of it on my new setup. With a bit of acrylic paint you can make it look like most anything you choose linmited only by your artistic ability.
It comes in several forulas that expand at different sizes and densities. Walmart is the cheapest place I've found to get it but they usually only have two formulas and no choice of colors depending on what you want not much of a problem.
I'd get a can and experiment with it. Make rock, roots vines whatever to learn how to control it . Definitely wear gloves, it is incredibly sticky and will adhere to everything and almost impossible to remove.
I would agree with the others on the Black Jungle site
as a method for using the stuff. they cover several drawbacks to the stuff and how to avoid them
i have been told that the stuff is a mild toxin and will deflate over time..My paludrium is going on 3 years and have had no problems including the paint.
gary

I use the silicone method, after the foam dries I just spread silicone on the foam (one small section at a time) and add my favorite texture to it, sand, gravel, coco fiber, whatever floats your boat at the time! =)