Background question - paint or not??

I’m trying to figure out what to do about my tank background. I read in the Paletta book that some people actually paint their backgrounds. I looked through some of the tank pictures on the forum and some have a background and some don’t.

I always had a blue background on my FW tank (that flimsy stuff) and liked it except for the fact that no matter how much I taped it, it always found a way to come off (during filter cleaning, etc).

Has anybody out there painted their background and were you happy with the results? I figure I get a one time shot at deciding before the tank is up and running in a week or two - once I start painting, there's no turning back!

 

i spray painted the back of my tank black everywhere except the overflow area so i can see into it.

 

We spray painted ours & it looks great.

 

I painted mine black with plain 'ol latex paint and a short napped roller brush. turned out great IMO. FWIW, the latex you could remove with a razor blade... it's adhered well, but also fragile to sharp scraping. but being on the back of the tank there's really no chance of screwing it up once the system is up and running.

my only complaint is I couldn't get JET black in latex, they just mixed down to a deep dark graphite black. if you want jet black, spray paint will be your friend here for sure.

regardless just make sure you thoroughly clean every spec off the glass, and paint away! (oh, paint the OUTSIDE of the glass... probably obvious, but important enough to mention it anyway )

 

I had a window tinter friend of mine black mine out with tint.

 

I love the look of the painted glass, looks clean cut, and water never gets behind it like the stuff ya tape on.

 

Nice paint job WFO! That tank looks so much better with the blue back.

 

I painted mine black with a couple cans of spray paint. Looks great. I was nervous, I understand, but it was totally worth it.

 

To paint or not to paint? That is the Q. I think its a personal pref., I have never painted any of my tanks, I prefer for coraline to grow all over the back glass. In some cases, corals even grow on the back glass. Luna

 

Use a blue backing and tape it to the back of the glass. Then take a light and shine it against the back of the tank. What this does is gives your tank a sense of depth and really offers a unique change than just using a one colored backing!