Aquarium background

RottoInspired24 · 10/07/2017, 01:57 AM

Hey guys,
I've got a second hand aquarium that's been setup for 6 months now. It looks great but the background poster that is taped to it is bugging me. I'm wanting to have a different background for it, but was wondering will it have the same effect if I was to paint the wall directly behind the aquarium rather than the aquarium itself? Has anyone done this and is happy with the results? Thanks

UTCReefer · 10/07/2017, 02:52 AM

I havent done that, but if you stop scraping the back glass it will eventually be covered in corraline. Or you could do what I do and grow GSP all along the back glass.

RottoInspired24 · 10/07/2017, 03:28 AM

Thanks for the idea! I guess Im wanting something in affect until I have any corraline to make a decision about how/where it grows haha but the rest of the room is a bright yet darker blue. So maybe I'll do it anyway and see how it goes. Guess I'll have to move the tank slightly while doing g a water change and getting it a bit further from the wall lol. ...and that's pretty clever with the GSPs.

billdogg · 10/07/2017, 11:10 AM

I've found it easiest to just paint the back glass with the color of your choice. I use black latex enamel in a can with a foam roller. 2 coats and call it a day.

EdgeN · 10/07/2017, 01:22 PM

Unless you plan on scraping the back glass on a regular basis, Coralline algae will take over... (pink, purple etc)

kfisc · 10/07/2017, 01:50 PM

A painted wall can be great. I had a 40 gallon breeder in a sunny, white-walled location and it was the best tank ever. I think the key is not so much the paint as the light source. Direct daylight with a white wall background for me meant the coralline, green star polyps and pretty much everything else loved it.

The big thing is minding the water quality.

mcgyvr · 10/07/2017, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RottoInspired24

but was wondering will it have the same effect if I was to paint the wall directly behind the aquarium rather than the aquarium itself?

No it will not have the same effect at all.
The color won't be nearly as visible/pronounced as if you painted directly on the back of the glass..
But you will certainly be able to see the color through the glass.. Its just not nearly what it would be if painted on the glass..

RottoInspired24 · 10/07/2017, 07:53 PM

Thanks everyone for the input. I think I'm going to paint the wall, then see how it looks and if I'm not happy with that then I'll do the back of the tank too. It'll just be hard to get a decent coat with the small gap I have between the tank and the wall.

ZenGuitarGuy · 10/08/2017, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billdogg

I've found it easiest to just paint the back glass with the color of your choice. I use black latex enamel in a can with a foam roller. 2 coats and call it a day.

This is what I did as well as well. Straight-forward.

MurphyLong · 10/10/2017, 11:44 AM

On my small tank, I put a mirror on the back glass, so the fish could watch themselves get freaky-tiki...

It lasted about a day before I got tired of seeing myself looking back at me when I was checking out the tank.

koz99gst · 10/10/2017, 06:15 PM

Black krylon fusion works great. Just mask off the top of the tank really good

Jekerry · 10/10/2017, 06:38 PM

We took the advise of poster board and love it. I bought 3 colors so we could test them. Ended up with black, but liked the blue and will use that when the board we have stars to look shabby. Great idea!

RottoInspired24 · 10/26/2017, 12:19 AM

Update: Ive just ordered an acrylic board in blue for the background, so much less hassle than painting or posters! Anyone done this?

RottoInspired24 · 10/26/2017, 12:23 AM

Also I took the poster background off of mine and it looks naked at the moment!.... Sorry if the photo comes through pixelated, it doesn't look it on my phone (Google pixel) but others have said it is for theirs.

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

Dmorty217 · 10/26/2017, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billdogg

I've found it easiest to just paint the back glass with the color of your choice. I use black latex enamel in a can with a foam roller. 2 coats and call it a day.

+1 I did this with my 220g and was very happy with the outcome.

sde1500 · 10/26/2017, 08:53 AM

Try choosing medium when posting pics on Tapatalk, not large or best. Your pics are absurdly large.

I used some jet black background from petco, works well enough for me. Next time I'd probably paint the glass though.

RottoInspired24 · 11/13/2017, 01:47 AM

Here is the updated photo with the new background. Does look darker than I thought it would but I do still really like it.

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

heathlindner25 · 11/13/2017, 04:39 AM

Move the heater,it's killin me.

RottoInspired24 · 11/16/2017, 04:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by heathlindner25

Move the heater,it's killin me.

Haha where do you suggest?

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

sde1500 · 11/16/2017, 04:18 AM

I'd say off to the right corner where the cord is coming from.

RottoInspired24 · 11/16/2017, 05:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sde1500

I'd say off to the right corner where the cord is coming from.

Is it fine to be on one side? I thought it had to be in the centre to get good spread of temp.

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

sde1500 · 11/16/2017, 05:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RottoInspired24

Is it fine to be on one side? I thought it had to be in the centre to get good spread of temp.

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

As long as you have water movement, you should be fine. So you have a powerhead on the right, and it looks like a canister filter on the back? Both providing water movement that should keep the heated water spread out.

devildog999 · 11/16/2017, 06:45 AM

Your best bet would be getting a hang on back overflow and put in a sump. Much easier to take care of a tank with a sump... I used to have a 55g without a sump and it was much more difficult and uglier. Love having my sump.

RottoInspired24 · 11/16/2017, 06:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sde1500

As long as you have water movement, you should be fine. So you have a powerhead on the right, and it looks like a canister filter on the back? Both providing water movement that should keep the heated water spread out.

Oh cool thanks for that!

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

genpetahhhh · 04/10/2018, 07:57 PM

Where did you get that sheet of acrylic and how much was it? I like the idea. How did you hold it in place?

10/07/2017, 01:57 AM	#1
RottoInspired24 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: Western Australia Posts: 81	Aquarium background Hey guys, I've got a second hand aquarium that's been setup for 6 months now. It looks great but the background poster that is taped to it is bugging me. I'm wanting to have a different background for it, but was wondering will it have the same effect if I was to paint the wall directly behind the aquarium rather than the aquarium itself? Has anyone done this and is happy with the results? Thanks

10/07/2017, 11:10 AM	#4
billdogg Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Grove City, Ohio Posts: 10,806	I've found it easiest to just paint the back glass with the color of your choice. I use black latex enamel in a can with a foam roller. 2 coats and call it a day. __________________ I'll try to be nice if you try to be smarter! I can't help that I grow older, but you can't make me grow up! Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef with 40b sump, RO 150 skimmer, AI Sol Blue x 2, and a 60g Frag Tank with 100g rubbermaid sump. 2 x Kessil A360w lights, BM curve 5 skimmer

10/26/2017, 08:53 AM	#16
sde1500 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Glocester, RI Posts: 3,336	Try choosing medium when posting pics on Tapatalk, not large or best. Your pics are absurdly large. I used some jet black background from petco, works well enough for me. Next time I'd probably paint the glass though. __________________ My build thread: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2548422 Current Tank Info: 65 gallon mixed reef, Eshopps sump and HOB overflow, RO-110int skimmer, Reefbreeder 32" photons V1.

11/16/2017, 04:18 AM	#20
sde1500 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Glocester, RI Posts: 3,336	I'd say off to the right corner where the cord is coming from. __________________ My build thread: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2548422 Current Tank Info: 65 gallon mixed reef, Eshopps sump and HOB overflow, RO-110int skimmer, Reefbreeder 32" photons V1.

10/07/2017, 02:52 AM	#2
UTCReefer Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: San Diego Posts: 652	I havent done that, but if you stop scraping the back glass it will eventually be covered in corraline. Or you could do what I do and grow GSP all along the back glass.

10/07/2017, 03:28 AM	#3
RottoInspired24 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: Western Australia Posts: 81	Thanks for the idea! I guess Im wanting something in affect until I have any corraline to make a decision about how/where it grows haha but the rest of the room is a bright yet darker blue. So maybe I'll do it anyway and see how it goes. Guess I'll have to move the tank slightly while doing g a water change and getting it a bit further from the wall lol. ...and that's pretty clever with the GSPs.

10/07/2017, 01:22 PM	#5
EdgeN Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: Overlook Hotel, CO Posts: 108	Unless you plan on scraping the back glass on a regular basis, Coralline algae will take over... (pink, purple etc)

10/07/2017, 01:50 PM	#6
kfisc Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 2,020	A painted wall can be great. I had a 40 gallon breeder in a sunny, white-walled location and it was the best tank ever. I think the key is not so much the paint as the light source. Direct daylight with a white wall background for me meant the coralline, green star polyps and pretty much everything else loved it. The big thing is minding the water quality.

10/07/2017, 07:53 PM	#8
RottoInspired24 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: Western Australia Posts: 81	Thanks everyone for the input. I think I'm going to paint the wall, then see how it looks and if I'm not happy with that then I'll do the back of the tank too. It'll just be hard to get a decent coat with the small gap I have between the tank and the wall.

10/10/2017, 11:44 AM	#10
MurphyLong HMFIC Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Eastern NC Posts: 331	On my small tank, I put a mirror on the back glass, so the fish could watch themselves get freaky-tiki... It lasted about a day before I got tired of seeing myself looking back at me when I was checking out the tank.

10/10/2017, 06:15 PM	#11
koz99gst Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Northern California Posts: 10	Black krylon fusion works great. Just mask off the top of the tank really good

10/10/2017, 06:38 PM	#12
Jekerry Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2017 Location: Rochester NY Posts: 205	We took the advise of poster board and love it. I bought 3 colors so we could test them. Ended up with black, but liked the blue and will use that when the board we have stars to look shabby. Great idea!

10/26/2017, 12:19 AM	#13
RottoInspired24 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: Western Australia Posts: 81	Update: Ive just ordered an acrylic board in blue for the background, so much less hassle than painting or posters! Anyone done this?

10/26/2017, 12:23 AM	#14
RottoInspired24 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: Western Australia Posts: 81	Also I took the poster background off of mine and it looks naked at the moment!.... Sorry if the photo comes through pixelated, it doesn't look it on my phone (Google pixel) but others have said it is for theirs. Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

11/13/2017, 01:47 AM	#17
RottoInspired24 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: Western Australia Posts: 81	Here is the updated photo with the new background. Does look darker than I thought it would but I do still really like it. Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

11/13/2017, 04:39 AM	#18
heathlindner25 Moved On Join Date: May 2012 Location: flowery branch georgia Posts: 3,644	Move the heater,it's killin me.

11/16/2017, 06:45 AM	#23
devildog999 That Guy Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: New Braunfels, TX Posts: 457	Your best bet would be getting a hang on back overflow and put in a sump. Much easier to take care of a tank with a sump... I used to have a 55g without a sump and it was much more difficult and uglier. Love having my sump.

04/10/2018, 07:57 PM	#25
genpetahhhh Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Wilmette, IL Posts: 89	Where did you get that sheet of acrylic and how much was it? I like the idea. How did you hold it in place?