You can use Living Background to create a rocky desert setup for desert dwelling tarantulas, reptiles and other creatures by sculpting and then allowing it to dry out completely. Normally you would never let Living Background dry out completely because it is extremely hard, if not impossible to re-wet but in a desert setup this is not an issue.
.
1. Start as usual by sculpting your background and if you have enough material you can even sculpt the tank bottom and even the rocks themselves with Living Background.
.
2. If you wish to incorporate areas of live desert plants or grasses and soft dirt for your inhabitants to burrow in, leave open pockets / holes that you can fill later with planting mix, sand, peat or coir.
.
3. Leave the sculpted rocky desert tank open to the air and allow it to dry out completely. It will become nearly rock hard and turn a chalky gray color when completely dry. The time it takes to dry will depend on your local temperatures and humidity. In cooler humid areas it will take longer to dry than in hot dry areas. As the material dries it may develop awesome realistic cracks.
.
4. While drying the Living Background material may shrink slightly and pull away from the edges of your tank. Fill these areas with with leftover moist Living Background or just with some wet planting mix, peat or coir.
.
5. If you have left pockets / holes for plants or burrowing animals, once the background is completely dried you can add the planting media, peat or coir to your burrowing areas.
6. Add your plants if you will be using any, and allow them to establish for at least a month before adding any animals.
6. .