Tank Backgrounds

[777james777]

I'm looking for a little inspiration for the background poster of my tank.
I could go all black, I think certain ones can give the illusion of depth to the tank, I do have the option of not having one at all but I do think the correct one can look nice.
Does anyone have any suggestions or perhaps pictures of there setup?

 

[Wills]

I like to stick to black or frosted these days. I don't mind some of the pictures but after time they can get water behind them and stain and they are a pain to remove.

Heres just plain black on my ADA 60F with black paint

And this is my 100 litre with frosted film on 2 sides

 

[Magnum Man]

I'm warming to the black...

in the past I always used a plastic film with a couple prints on them... the last one, I bought a roll of back when I was into tanks 15 years ago, I'm still using now, it has a salt water scene on one side & a planted freshwater scene on the other...

this is a year old picture, tank is not fully set up, but best shows the background

 

[777james777]

@Wills , im guessing that the paint is a permanent thing, I think after spending a few hundred on the tank I wouldn't want to paint it haha id be too scared.
I really like how certain things stick out of your aquarium, don't the fish jump out? I've seen quite a fed tanks like this with the suspended lights.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

I like black, myself. Frosted can look nice, too. Either tape a black trash bag to the back, or buy static window film.

Once I did a native Wyoming tank and stuck a topo map of Wyoming to the back. It looked cool but got old after a while. I'd rather let the tank setup speak for itself.

 

[777james777]

I'm warming to the black...

in the past I always used a plastic film with a couple prints on them... the last one, I bought a roll of back when I was into tanks 15 years ago, I'm still using now, has a salt water scene on one side & a planted freshwater scene on the other...

this is a year old picture, tank is not fully set up, but best shows the background

So this is just a plain black roll? I think the black ones give the impression of like "deep fresh water"

 

[Wills]

@Wills , im guessing that the paint is a permanent thing, I think after spending a few hundred on the tank I wouldn't want to paint it haha id be too scared.
I really like how certain things stick out of your aquarium, don't the fish jump out? I've seen quite a fed tanks like this with the suspended lights.

Paint is but you can scrape it off with a razor (like the algae on the inside) - I think the film is sort of just as permanent as you have to move the tank to take either off.

I have open top rimless tanks for everything but on the 100 litre puffer tank I have a D&D jump guard which is a mesh lid. The 30 litre doesnt have a lid but it does have a very thick roof of duck weed...

On my bigger upcoming tanks I have a perspex lid for one and I'll get a jump guard for the other.

Wills

 

[Essjay]

I got mine as a plastic poster type thing form Maidenhead Aquatics. They may not make the exact size but it's easily trimmable.

I attach mine with sellotape at the top and sides. When I changed to black it was a bit fiddly as the tank is 107 cm/42 inches wide, but with someone to hold the other end it was doable.

 

[Magnum Man]

I've never done the black... I'm just getting exposed to it since getting back into tanks... 15-20 years ago, they used to sell this colored frost "paint" that you painted on the backs of tanks... the LFS at the time had his all done in the blue frosting

this is similar to what I have used in the past... I bought a whole roll of a scene I liked back then...

Amazon.com

 

[Magnum Man]

on the tank I pictured, I have the non sticky vinyl film on that one, & it has 2 hang on tank filters on the back, one in each corner, that friction hold the vinyl in place... that tank has a work area behind it, & I just pull the vinyl out so I can see better while working on it, then just slip it in, behind the filters again, when I'm done working on it...

 

[bullgoose]

Was about to ask the same question.. I ordered a background online.. Then found black stuff while waiting so stuck that on.. Looks decent even though I'm yet to scape the tank. Only annoyance is I couldn't get the air bubbles out. Now I can't decide if I should take the black of and put the printed one on.. Are they considered tacky around here...?

 

[Essjay]

Only annoyance is I couldn't get the air bubbles out

That's why I now just tape the edges. When I used those plastic backgrounds with underwater plant scenes I couldn't get rid of the bubbles but it didn't show too badly with the pattern; so when I got a plain background, I didn't even try.

 

[bullgoose]

 

[bullgoose]

This is it. It ain't peel and stick so not sure best way to attach... Cello tape..

Probably it'll now disappear into a cupboard for a decade or two...

 

[Magnum Man]

The only time I've had issues with noticeable bubbles, has been with self adhesive backings...

I know this is not for everyone, but this background is laminated posters, which is easy to do... the reason I'm posting it, is because the bottom is purple vinyl tape, & getting all the bubbles out has been a big pain... still working on that as I get time, by poking them with a pin, so the air can get out, & pressing them out, towards the pin hole... some bigger ones need to be poked multiple times... but they can be pressed out, so you can't see them from the front...