Black Paint Or Stickon For Background

[festo]

Hi,
want a black background for tank,is it best to use acrylic paint?
or is a stickon background ok,
how do you do yours?
or any other suggestions that would help me.
thanks everyone.

 

[Christoff]

I got a black background and stuck it on with veg oil. Just put a few drops on the back of the tank, spread it across the entire surface, squeeze the air out and job's done! Really good looking finish.

 

[waterdrop]

I've got a black background that I made by getting a sheet of stiff black "foamboard" (I'll call it for lack of knowing perhaps the real name, its a little thicker than single-layer cardboard and very flat) at an artists supply shop. I simply cut it with a single-edged razor to fit the outside tank back exactly, and I tape it on with tape.

Its probably not as good looking as Christoff's. Over time it eventually did warp (as I knew it would) but not as soon as cardboard type things would have. It also doesn't have as "tight" a feel at the glass interface, but the idea was the live plants would mostly hide the background.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[festo]

I've got a black background that I made by getting a sheet of stiff black "foamboard" (I'll call it for lack of knowing perhaps the real name, its a little thicker than single-layer cardboard and very flat) at an artists supply shop. I simply cut it with a single-edged razor to fit the outside tank back exactly, and I tape it on with tape.

Its probably not as good looking as Christoff's. Over time it eventually did warp (as I knew it would) but not as soon as cardboard type things would have. It also doesn't have as "tight" a feel at the glass interface, but the idea was the live plants would mostly hide the background.

~~waterdrop~~

thanks for your ideas

 

[OldMan47]

For a nice looking job that is not a hazard to your fish, you could always use tempora paint to do the job. It does not produce the toxic fumes you get from other paint but you need to protect the finished painted surface from, of all things, moisture.