kinda odd question regarding paint..

Im not sure if this has/could be done so I thought I`d ask..I would like to paint the outside of the fuge section of my sump/fuge whit to help get the most of my light(ok no prob).BUT what about the baffel between sump and fuge could I paint that to?(would it be sfe to paint then submerge into the water). I would like to eliminate as much light bleed into the return area(next section over) as possible.. the sump/fige is not currently being used,I have to rebuild it because I just found that I used the wrong silicone...any advice is welcome..TIA

 

Just curious as why that would need to be done? Not sure it would really make a difference to anything in the tank or in the sump to paint it! maybe some one else thinks different but i think it would just be a waste of your time! hope that doesnt come out to harse and im not trying to be! some times its hard to convay tone in text

 

I am in agreement with Phil. If you wanted to, that is fine, but working with about 3W/gal with a light in the 6700K range......that's about all you need. The white would help in a situation where there was difficulty in obtaining light powerful enough to do the job, but the problem really doesn't exist.

 

lol no not at all lol

Thanks for the quick replies.yea that's what I figured. I was just kinda throwing out there at you guys just to see what people are doing...

 

I don't see a need in painting also,no paint, no risk factors.I check my return level by looking through the fuge section at it so I think painting would obscure your vision in some ways, maybe not but just throwing that out there.

 

I had considered painting the fuge section of my sump when I built a sump/fuge combo some time ago. The rationale was twofold: I wanted both to contain the light within the fuge section, to prevent possible nuisance algae growth in other portions of the sump, and--wanted to lower the impact of the light on in the otherwise dark room at night while the room was occupied (while watching TV, for example). At night, I like my darkness.

I planned to accomplish this by perhaps dipping the baffles in the same material that's used to coat tool handles like pliers; but I never did wind up doing it. This would have allowed me to run a fuge light at night fairly low to the water's surface while almost not lighting the rest of the room. It seemed like a good idea at the time. In retrospect, I'm a bit sorry I didn't do it.

 

RS you make a good point.that's what I was thinking I guess I did not explain my idea properly(my bad). I am on the fence with this tho...al the others make good points also..I will kick it around and see..I really didn't want unwanted algea in the return section...if I was to do as you stated.where could I find that stuff u spoke of..again thanks all for your thoughts..

 

the only paint i know safe for reef tanks is krylon fusion paint alot of ppl use black I am not sure of any other colors used. I am going to paint a section of my sump once I switch everything over to my new 240 a space for live rubble rock. I will have to redesign my whole sump as I want drawers in it now for filter padding. I have it ghett5o rigged now to catch detris .

 

if you've got to rebuild your sump/fuge when you put the baffle back in instead of using clear glass/acrylic why dont you just use colored opac acrylic that way theres no paint being used but you've still got the same effect as if you had painted it but you can still paint the outside of the sump/fuge around the area you painte as theres no water coming into contact with the paint

 

I guess the thought of paint thats going to be touching my water is kinda scary.