Back of Aquarium Color

jshuste · 08/16/2007, 06:11 PM

I will be setting up a 90 gal. reef with a All glass Aquarium. I am debating painting the back either blue or black, leaning towards black. What shoud i use to do it?

Aimforever · 08/16/2007, 06:29 PM

I used Krylon Fusion black spray paint. I would definitely suggest black. I know everyone has their own opinion, but I think blue looks horrible. If you have decent lighting, black will help fish and corals color stand out more. Blue just confuses all the colors and looks really fake IMO.

InLimbo87 · 08/16/2007, 06:30 PM

I've never painted a tank, but I vote black. I just feel that any other color distracts from the tank itself.

Scrandrew · 08/16/2007, 06:31 PM

I used a dark blue and it looks great. My thoughts on either color is that you will see any scratches and or dirt against the background on either color. FYI...

A~

Scrandrew · 08/16/2007, 06:33 PM

Also FYI - I did not paint the tank, I used a piece of dark plastic (it was some sort of asphault based material that is completely opaque, and I would not use anything else.

A~

Der_Iron_Chef · 08/16/2007, 06:41 PM

Definitely black. I don't understand why people choose those bright blue backgrounds. It looks like the inside of a bright blue tupperware bin.

I have no information to give you regarding paint...just had to complain in regards to aesthetics

pass1over · 08/16/2007, 07:21 PM

I painted the back of my 75gal and my g/f painted the back of her 29gal black. I used to have teh blue background plastic material on my 55 and the black is so much better.
I got a small can of paint at home depot and a brush. It was oil based self-leveling paint.

Put the side you want painted horizontal to the ground and lay on a nice coat. I let it dry for a day then put a lashlight inside the tank and it showed me where it was a little thin, touch up accordingly.

I agree on the color, black makes fish/corals pop out more, theres enough blue in the tank from actinics

LOVE it!

AZDesertRat · 08/16/2007, 07:27 PM

In no time at all blue looks dirty while black hides any growth on the glass well.

flyguy7150 · 08/16/2007, 08:04 PM

try a background first so you can see what it looks like and you can change

bigginapk · 08/16/2007, 08:53 PM

I have had both blue and black and needless to say the black hides more growth on the tank and blue is too fake looking !!

ACBlinky · 08/16/2007, 09:07 PM

I've tried medium blue, dark blue, graduated dark to darker blue, and black. Black wins hands down IMO. A reef is basically a riot of colour and shape, and you want a background that won't compete with the beautiful things you want to highlight.

tripinpn01 · 08/16/2007, 10:27 PM

i have a acrylic tank that came with a blue background and i didnt really like it so i painted it in the inside with krylon fusion, not entirely black but you can actually see the blue faintly in some areas and let me tell you, it looks sick.

Lil Shark · 08/16/2007, 10:32 PM

As another piece of the puzzle, I'm a psychobiologist and I know that blue and green calm fish. So depending on what you feel you might want to switch.

AquaKnight · 08/16/2007, 10:34 PM

I just used some limo tint (2.5%) on my 125. Really like it and it's far less permanent.

Scissorhand · 08/16/2007, 11:06 PM

FYI, I saw a poll on this before and people voted overwhelmingly for black.

I voted black.

As long as you don't use fake photos of reefs, or worse yet, of David Hasselhoff looking back straight at you, I think you'll be fine.

Lil Shark · 08/16/2007, 11:12 PM

mmmm the hoffman and a flame chalice all in one tank??? that might just be heaven....

AZDesertRat · 08/16/2007, 11:22 PM

Every plastic background I ever used ended up getting moisture and salt creep behind it and looking like....well you know what.

Is looking sick good or bad? I'm old so you have to excuse me!

Scissorhand · 08/16/2007, 11:42 PM

lol... sick = good nowadays. People often use more derogatory terms to imply the bad type of sick.

08/16/2007, 06:11 PM	#1
jshuste Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 142	Back of Aquarium Color I will be setting up a 90 gal. reef with a All glass Aquarium. I am debating painting the back either blue or black, leaning towards black. What shoud i use to do it?

08/16/2007, 06:30 PM	#3
InLimbo87 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Central FL Posts: 3,197	I've never painted a tank, but I vote black. I just feel that any other color distracts from the tank itself. __________________ We are forever responsible for that which we tame... Current Tank Info: 90 gallon

08/16/2007, 08:04 PM	#9
flyguy7150 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Pembroke Pines Posts: 895	try a background first so you can see what it looks like and you can change __________________ Leo Click on my red house to see my 90g RR tank :) Tons of pictures, tons... Click!!! Current Tank Info: 90g AGA Reef Ready, 6x54w T5s w/ SLRs, 29g Sump/fuge, OR 2500 Return, Octopus NW150, 2 x TLF Phosban Reactor, Koralia #1, #4, MJ Modded

08/16/2007, 08:53 PM	#10
bigginapk bigginapk Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Astatula, FL. Posts: 445	I have had both blue and black and needless to say the black hides more growth on the tank and blue is too fake looking !! __________________ ----------------------------------------- BIGGIN Current Tank Info: 75G reef with the works

08/16/2007, 09:07 PM	#11
ACBlinky Premium Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Peterborough, ON, Canada Posts: 4,954 Blog Entries: 20	I've tried medium blue, dark blue, graduated dark to darker blue, and black. Black wins hands down IMO. A reef is basically a riot of colour and shape, and you want a background that won't compete with the beautiful things you want to highlight. __________________ "The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea." - Isak Dinesen Current Tank Info: 150g mixed reef, 30g sump/refugium, LED lighting, 100lbs LR, coral beauty, flame angel, blue & yellow tangs, gobies, damsels, 6-line wrasse, lawnmower blenny, dottyback, clown pair, rabbitfish, shrimp, crabs, CUC.

08/16/2007, 06:29 PM	#2
Aimforever Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 281	I used Krylon Fusion black spray paint. I would definitely suggest black. I know everyone has their own opinion, but I think blue looks horrible. If you have decent lighting, black will help fish and corals color stand out more. Blue just confuses all the colors and looks really fake IMO.

08/16/2007, 06:31 PM	#4
Scrandrew Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Gouldsboro, Pennsylvania Posts: 244	I used a dark blue and it looks great. My thoughts on either color is that you will see any scratches and or dirt against the background on either color. FYI... A~

08/16/2007, 06:33 PM	#5
Scrandrew Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Gouldsboro, Pennsylvania Posts: 244	Also FYI - I did not paint the tank, I used a piece of dark plastic (it was some sort of asphault based material that is completely opaque, and I would not use anything else. A~

08/16/2007, 06:41 PM	#6
Der_Iron_Chef Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Calgary, AB, Canada Posts: 841	Definitely black. I don't understand why people choose those bright blue backgrounds. It looks like the inside of a bright blue tupperware bin. I have no information to give you regarding paint...just had to complain in regards to aesthetics

08/16/2007, 07:21 PM	#7
pass1over Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Melrose, FL Posts: 170	I painted the back of my 75gal and my g/f painted the back of her 29gal black. I used to have teh blue background plastic material on my 55 and the black is so much better. I got a small can of paint at home depot and a brush. It was oil based self-leveling paint. Put the side you want painted horizontal to the ground and lay on a nice coat. I let it dry for a day then put a lashlight inside the tank and it showed me where it was a little thin, touch up accordingly. I agree on the color, black makes fish/corals pop out more, theres enough blue in the tank from actinics LOVE it!

08/16/2007, 07:27 PM	#8
AZDesertRat Moved On Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: NW Phoenix Posts: 16,621	In no time at all blue looks dirty while black hides any growth on the glass well.

08/16/2007, 10:27 PM	#12
tripinpn01 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: oc Posts: 786	i have a acrylic tank that came with a blue background and i didnt really like it so i painted it in the inside with krylon fusion, not entirely black but you can actually see the blue faintly in some areas and let me tell you, it looks sick.

08/16/2007, 10:32 PM	#13
Lil Shark Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: New Hampshire/Maine Posts: 19	As another piece of the puzzle, I'm a psychobiologist and I know that blue and green calm fish. So depending on what you feel you might want to switch. __________________ “Do not tell fish stories where the people know you; but particularly, don't tell them where they know the fish” ~Mark Twain Current Tank Info: 29gal Biocube Reef, 29gal Seahorse Tank, 350gal reef

08/16/2007, 10:34 PM	#14
AquaKnight Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Emerald Coast Posts: 2,030	I just used some limo tint (2.5%) on my 125. Really like it and it's far less permanent.

08/16/2007, 11:06 PM	#15
Scissorhand Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Pho 54, SoCal Posts: 3,066	FYI, I saw a poll on this before and people voted overwhelmingly for black. I voted black. As long as you don't use fake photos of reefs, or worse yet, of David Hasselhoff looking back straight at you, I think you'll be fine.

08/16/2007, 11:12 PM	#16
Lil Shark Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: New Hampshire/Maine Posts: 19	mmmm the hoffman and a flame chalice all in one tank??? that might just be heaven.... __________________ “Do not tell fish stories where the people know you; but particularly, don't tell them where they know the fish” ~Mark Twain Current Tank Info: 29gal Biocube Reef, 29gal Seahorse Tank, 350gal reef

08/16/2007, 11:22 PM	#17
AZDesertRat Moved On Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: NW Phoenix Posts: 16,621	Every plastic background I ever used ended up getting moisture and salt creep behind it and looking like....well you know what. Is looking sick good or bad? I'm old so you have to excuse me!

08/16/2007, 11:42 PM	#18
Scissorhand Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Pho 54, SoCal Posts: 3,066	lol... sick = good nowadays. People often use more derogatory terms to imply the bad type of sick.