rebekwl June 26, 2016 Share June 26, 2016 I've noticed for the most part, that people paint the backs of their tanks black or blue. I'm wondering if anyone has experimented with different colors of backgrounds on their tanks. My husband is on team black and I'm on team blue, but I'm thinking, why not purple? I'd like to use something other than black to add more depth, but it doesn't necessarily have to be blue. Has anyone tried any different colors that made the colors in their tank pop? Any thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madweazl June 26, 2016 Share June 26, 2016 The reason I use black is because I dont want to see it; I want the back of the tank to disappear. Since there are few black fish, everything else tends to really pop against it as well. I clean the back of my tank so it is algae free, this also helps it disappear (nothing to draw your eye in). Any other color is just distracting for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anemone June 26, 2016 Share June 26, 2016 Depending on your art skills and time you can spend on this, there are some fantastically beautiful ways to get greater depth on this RC thread. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1868825 Another option is to use a cling or poster board to try out the black/blue/purple choices to see which one you like best. Personally I am in the "black" camp just because I think it is forgiving if you don't always keep the back glass clean. But a dark blue or dark purple might be just as good in that respect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebekwl June 26, 2016 Author Share June 26, 2016 Great, thank you! I'll check it out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madweazl June 26, 2016 Share June 26, 2016 Depending on your art skills and time you can spend on this, there are some fantastically beautiful ways to get greater depth on this RC thread. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1868825 Another option is to use a cling or poster board to try out the black/blue/purple choices to see which one you like best. Personally I am in the "black" camp just because I think it is forgiving if you don't always keep the back glass clean. But a dark blue or dark purple might be just as good in that respect. Some pretty amazing stuff in there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WCorbin82 June 27, 2016 Share June 27, 2016 What I think could be really cool is to mimic a coralline algae background. This can be achieved with a sponge painting method. Including a base color (which is a solid color) and a sea sponge of different colors. Now that's how you would do it on walls (I'm a painter) but you can't on a tank because your base color will be what shows. So I would sponge on a few different colors (pink, purples) and let dry time in between and repeat until you get full coverage then deal with a clear coat (a couple of coats) so it's protected. Use all water base paint cause they are easy to clean and you can do with with sample paints at any home improvement store or paint store Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebekwl June 27, 2016 Author Share June 27, 2016 What I think could be really cool is to mimic a coralline algae background. This can be achieved with a sponge painting method. Including a base color (which is a solid color) and a sea sponge of different colors. Now that's how you would do it on walls (I'm a painter) but you can't on a tank because your base color will be what shows. So I would sponge on a few different colors (pink, purples) and let dry time in between and repeat until you get full coverage then deal with a clear coat (a couple of coats) so it's protected. Use all water base paint cause they are easy to clean and you can do with with sample paints at any home improvement store or paint store Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Interesting idea - I like it! My husband suggested something along the lines of the color of coralline algae, but I don't like the idea of a solid coralline colored background. This could work. I'll run it by him and see what he thinks. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebekwl June 27, 2016 Author Share June 27, 2016 Depending on your art skills and time you can spend on this, there are some fantastically beautiful ways to get greater depth on this RC thread. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1868825 Another option is to use a cling or poster board to try out the black/blue/purple choices to see which one you like best. Personally I am in the "black" camp just because I think it is forgiving if you don't always keep the back glass clean. But a dark blue or dark purple might be just as good in that respect. I really like the shadow box idea - awesome! It really looks like you're looking into the ocean, it's amazing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madweazl June 27, 2016 Share June 27, 2016 It would be covered in coraline in a year if you didnt clean it anyways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebekwl June 27, 2016 Author Share June 27, 2016 LOL true Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hypertech June 28, 2016 Share June 28, 2016 I put the seascape one on the back of my current tank. I like it. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=21123 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOSKN5 June 28, 2016 Share June 28, 2016 I really like black.. as stated before it's clean and makes the back disappear appearing to give more depth... I also clean mine regularly which helps with the clean look... Ultimately it's your tank so if you want to do neon pink i say go for it!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunWyrm June 28, 2016 Share June 28, 2016 (edited) I've seen some nice looking tanks with white backgrounds, which also makes the tank pop. Otherwise, I'm a fan of black (or even better, foam!). Edited June 28, 2016 by SunWyrm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L8 2 RISE June 28, 2016 Share June 28, 2016 I've used a mirror on one of my tanks and loved it! This is risky with some fish though because they may attack their reflection. I had it on a nano with nano fish so had no issues. You could also do black faded to blue at the top to give more depth. There's some examples online. One I have always wanted to try is a shadow box. Basically a couple inch thick box behind the tank with a clowded acrylic face up against the tank. You put a floresent light under the box and (if you want) some small rock structures in the box to add features. Again some examples online. The problem is it limits your plumbing options on the back of the tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebekwl July 2, 2016 Author Share July 2, 2016 I've never seen a white background, but googled it and they do make everything look super clean. Definitely something to think about! The mirror idea is cool too, never even crossed my mind. I've looked into the shadow boxes and they are really cool, you're right about the plumbing though, might be an issue. I'm thinking too, what if we do an opaque/textured tint and hang some LED's behind the tank for a back lighting effect. Or maybe even use rope lighting around the tank border in the back. Not as cool as a shadow box, but I do really like the pics I've seen with the light coming through the back of the tank. Thanks everyone for your suggestions! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebekwl July 2, 2016 Author Share July 2, 2016 I put the seascape one on the back of my current tank. I like it. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=21123 I do really like the seascape background too, wouldn't hurt to buy it. I think it's smart to go with something that's not as permanent as paint to begin with in case we don't like whatever we decide on. Definitely leaning towards tint or some type of cling background. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Rhoads July 2, 2016 Share July 2, 2016 I used window tint (available at any auto parts store) and am very pleased. It has been on my tank for around 4 years now and has survived two tank moves. If you go that route, be sure to take your time in applying it, and spend the extra work squeegeeing the bubbles out. Sent using my Windows Phone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anemone July 3, 2016 Share July 3, 2016 Jason, how dark do you recommend? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madweazl July 3, 2016 Share July 3, 2016 I used window tint (available at any auto parts store) and am very pleased. It has been on my tank for around 4 years now and has survived two tank moves. If you go that route, be sure to take your time in applying it, and spend the extra work squeegeeing the bubbles out. Sent using my Windows Phone. I did the same on the last tank and was really happy initially but I didnt let it dry completely and it peeled in a couple of areas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Rhoads July 4, 2016 Share July 4, 2016 Jason, how dark do you recommend? Good question. I think I went with 5%, and when the lights are on you can't see any of my white plumbing behind it. However, you can certainly go darker with good results. Mine is such that when viewed from the back (looking through the tint) you can see into the tank. This is helpful in the event that you drop something behind your rockwork Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
londonloco July 5, 2016 Share July 5, 2016 I've seen some nice looking tanks with white backgrounds, which also makes the tank pop. Otherwise, I'm a fan of black (or even better, foam!). Most of my tanks (sw and fw) are off white or light grey.....just my preference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now