Backgrounds

[tom_os]

what do people recommend as they best background for a tropical tank with black sand with live plants etc.

i have one at the moment which is like under a river view but i think it looks a bit tacky. can anyone recommend anything?

 

[veil92]

A lot of people prefer to paint theirs black or blue. Looks a lot better than it sounds!

 

[rossyboy]

I used Juwel 3d backgrounds. They can be a bit over-priced but do make a big difference. Here's my african setup with the Juwel black background-

 

[shroob]

If you have the money and are prepared to spend it then 'Back to Nature' backgrounds are, in my opinion, the best you can get.

Website

 

[minxfishy]

Plain black background, brings out the colour of the fish really well.

 

[jimmyringo]

I have a plain black background.Bought a piece of matt black card in Easons,cost about £1,and stuck it on the back.Can't beat that.

 

[Inchworm]

I like plain ones best. The reflective ones are pretty but cause a lot of problems if you plan to take pictures.

 

[Truck]

dont go for 3d back grounds that are in the tank, they will have the first layer pecked at by most fish and then your left with a white back ground (not good), and they can cause problems if the fish ingest this stuff!!

 

[rossyboy]

dont go for 3d back grounds that are in the tank, they will have the first layer pecked at by most fish and then your left with a white back ground (not good), and they can cause problems if the fish ingest this stuff!!

Eh?

Whered you get your info from fella lol?

If you buy Juwel ones, as above in my pic, the material is black through and through. Secondly, i've used these backgrounds for a few years in different tanks, fish have never 'pecked' away at them lol.

Sounds like you've just been getting cheap imitations that are dyed on the surface!

 

[Truck]

ive used the juwel ones, and i didnt find them anygood, however it is the cheaper ones which can get the first layer taken off and the juwel ones can too

 

[stang1]

I've also used Juwel backgrounds with no problems whatsoever. I have one in my Malawi tank and one in my Plec tank, no layers taken off and no fish deaths.

 

[kenny fish fanatic]

trucks right ross if you see it getting picked at and your fish get fat,they will die,they cant pass the( polistirene,)spellings rubish,wouldnt have it in my tank,looks brill but its leathal,makes your fish have a long slow death.there was a thread on the other week about it,,kenny

Hi kenny fish fanatic

Please give us some more information, or a link to that thread? That sounds just terrible!

 

[Eclecticoldsod]

I prefer a lighter background, as I think the plants and fish stand out better against it. What I do is to use cheap whitewash on the outside of the glass, and do a really bad paint job – thick in places, with some thinner areas and a few [horizontally] streaky places with almost no paint at all. When dry, I add some blue watercolour paint to the whitewash and go over it again (once more, thin and streaky). Finally, I add a bit more blue and fill in the last few bare bits...
It might take a bit of practice to get the effect you want, but the materials cost almost nothing, and if you don't like it, you can wipe it all off with a damp sponge.
Of course, if you want to be really adventurous, you are not restricted to using only blue..!

 

[Truck]

personally i prefer invisible backgrounds with an illuminated back light

 

[tom_os]

personally i prefer invisible backgrounds with an illuminated back light

what do you mean. have you got a pic?