# Urgent: Pondtite question/problem



## Cypher69 (Feb 25, 2013)

G'day guys,
I've recently completed building a water feature using expanda-foam...it's like an upright tree trunk which has water trickling down.
I've painted the feature with non-toxic acrylic paint & then I sealed the whole thing with 3 coats of Clear Pontite.
Then I waited 7 days before I installed the feature into my viv lastnight, turning on the water-pump & letting it run all night.

This morning I found that the wet surfaces of the "tree trunk" appears to be milky-white in appearance, whilst the dry areas seem "normal".
The milky surface isn't slimey or sticky to touch & suffice to say the water is still crystal clear & doesn't seem to be contaminated (by appearance).

Is this normal for Pondtite & more importantly...would it be safe to put my frogs back into their new refurbished viv?

Cheers.


----------



## mad_at_arms (Feb 25, 2013)

I haven't had that happen before.
Have you followed the instructions on the back?


Wash with soapy water to remove pondtite residue.


Fill with water, leave it in for 2 days before changing water.


----------



## thomasssss (Feb 25, 2013)

I've had this before when I tried to seal a water bowl that was leaking as it was crap , I think it's because of water getting underneath the pondtite In my case it was because it wasn't a perfectly smooth surface and it left cracks and gaps , is your similar , I added a heap more coats something like 8 all up and it was still doing it (but it did help)so I ditched the bowl , only advice I can say would be to start adding more and more coats in an attempt to seal all the cracks and crevices


----------



## Cypher69 (Feb 25, 2013)

AAAARGGHHH!!! 

GROAN...I didn't wash off the residue.

I feel like a bloody fool.

Anyway, the funny/frustrating thing too was that my trunk started to float with the amount of water in the viv....Soooo now I have 2 reasons (Wash off residue & silicone trunk to base) to take it apart & DO IT PROPERLY.

Thanks Mad-at-arms.


----------



## mad_at_arms (Feb 28, 2013)

I think thomasssss may have a valid point also.
I personally grout or render any stuff I make as the pondtite doesn't seal well on flexible surfaces.
I have some terracotta water bowls that I sealed the inside surface with pondtite. If I soak it the bowl too long when cleaning the pondtite goes milky as thomasssss mentioned.


----------



## Cypher69 (Feb 28, 2013)

Yeah I ended up applying a 4th coat of pondtite, this time filling a spray bottle with pondtite & spraying directly into the nooks & cracks of the expanda foam feature.

I then thoroughly soaped the whole thing up & rinsed the residue off.
The feature is still "milky" in some areas but doesn't seem as bad as when I didn't wash the residue off.

Maybe because it's Clear Pondtite, the milkyness is more obvious than the black or sandstone coloured Pondtite...


----------



## J-A-X (Feb 28, 2013)

They're two different products. The coloured stuf is designed for flexible applications, the clear isn't. 
Once properly rendered the foam is no longer flexible. the render should allowed to dry THOROUGHLY naturally not by applying heat, then apply the pondtite as directed on the tub (at right angles to the last coat. ) 

You may have moisture still trapped in the paint ?


----------



## Cypher69 (Feb 28, 2013)

JaxRtfm said:


> You may have moisture still trapped in the paint ?



Yeah possibly maybe...
I mean the feature was completed (painted & pondtited) several weeks ago & I do admit to rushing some coats within hours of drying rather than waiting 2hrs inbetween so yeah big possibility of moisture being trapped.
It's my 1st time so I'll have a bit more patience with the next...inevitable...project.


----------



## J-A-X (Feb 28, 2013)

Patience is the hardest thing to learn  
If I could bottle it and sell it I'd make a fortune.

Any trapped moisture that has since disappeared will leave a small air pocket and with water running over it / sitting on it will pretty much cause additional condensation due to the temperature difference. 

Never shake / rapidly stir the clear pondtite you'll form bubbles creating extra headaches once it sets. Spraying could cause similar problems. Very gently brush it on, especially when applying to render .


----------



## swan91 (Feb 28, 2013)

JaxRtfm said:


> Patience is the hardest thing to learn
> If I could bottle it and sell it I'd make a fortune.
> 
> Any trapped moisture that has since disappeared will leave a small air pocket and with water running over it / sitting on it will pretty much cause additional condensation due to the temperature difference.
> ...



If its a particularly large render can you just lay the rockwall down on the ground and pour the pondtite evenly over the area and smooth with a brush? or is that not as effective?


----------



## J-A-X (Feb 28, 2013)

Each coat should be thin and even and at right angles to the last one. 
By doing what you suggest you'll get thicker layers at the back. And thinner layers at the front where most of the wear and tear occurs. 

Ill have mine in the same position in which it will be used, that way any 'thicker' areas will be where the water/urine will sit


----------

