What do you use for background?

[HarmonyAZ]

Do you paint the back of your tank black? Or use the pin-up poster type thing? Or what?

I've been using the poster things but just read at skepticalaquarist.com that that is tacky. :confused:

THANKS! :)

[Bwana]

I cut a peice of blue poster board, and taped it behind mine. Gives it a nice natural look, and a nice color for the fish to stand out against.

[emoore]

painted it black. I think it looks better than the posters. Plus you never have to worry about getting water in between the poster and the tank.

[Grassguy]

I painted the back of mine. IMO the poster thing is only tacky if YOU think it's tacky. Don't let other people push you around about how you decorate your tank, unless they can prove that it would cause damage to your fish. This would be a very boring hobby if everybody had the same taste in tank decor.

I prefer paint, but you do what you think looks best.

[NGerdes]

What kind of paint do you use for that?

[Grassguy]

Krylon

[NGerdes]

I had never heard of this until just recently, and I already have my tank in the set up process, and it would be difficult to move around in order to paint it. I guess I'll just go with the backgrounds. IMHO, I would rather use just the plain blue backgrounds. If you want to see plants and things, you should plant them, not paste them on the back of the aquarium. But like I said, that's just my opinion...;)

[HarmonyAZ]

Does anyone have a picture that shows how a black painted tank looks?

I guess you're stuck with posters if the tank is all set up, huh?

I didn't really like the plant-poster I inherited with the tank, so I keep an all blue one back there, with just some subtle statuary thing going on. But I do think the pictures are a little distracting.

Thanks!

[often dignified]

Even Wal Mart sells posters that are solid black or blue on one side, with plants on the other side. They don't look too bad... I use a plant background just so the tank doesnt look so empty.

[Bear]

A lot of the backgrounds you can get at a LFS are printed on both sides - sometimes with solid blue or black. I've got one on my tank with the black side out - looks pretty good and is easier to install on a tank that's already been set up than painting.
I'll try and take some pics this evening.

[emoore]

I'll try to post a pic of my tank when I get home from work. I just used a latex based paint that I got from Home Depot.

[dethjam316]

i just used black poster board cut to the size of the tank. it's cheap, so when its gets a little used...ie, water stains, etc., i just change it. i think it looks good for my plants.

[TKOS]

On 2 of my small tanks I bought a cheap vinyl table cloth and cut it up. I used a black one on another and on my 20 gallon that was given to me it already had the plant background so I just kept it. I plant the tank quite heavily so I like th eway it fills in any blank spots.

[hle_81]

i use blue wrapping paper on my 55 gal

[caz]

i use blue on my 75 gal, and black on my 55, both are the pin up poster thingys. but i think it looks just fine.

caz

[NGerdes]

I'm just hoping that my plants grow enough that I won't need a background...:D

[emoore]

Sorry, I don't have a pic that I can post (too large).

[ScottoMacD]

Originally posted by HarmonyAZ
Do you paint the back of your tank black? Or use the pin-up poster type thing? Or what?

I've been using the poster things but just read at skepticalaquarist.com that that is tacky. :confused:

THANKS! :)


Funny.

I don't see how one sites opinion on backgrounds can affect your opinion on the subject? If you like the backgrounds so be it. That's your taste. Nothing wrong with that.

I personally don't use them. I use to, but I don't anymore. Does that mean my taste use to be tacky and now it isn't?

I don't think that it was Wetman's intentions to force his opinion to change. He probably was just giving his opinion. This is of couse without reading the article. I have however read some of his other stuff and he certainly doesn't come off like that.

Anyway. I now use mirrors placed on the back of my tanks. It gives off a deep look and when maintained can actually make the tank look fuller. You can buy mirrors cheap at places like Walmart and then get them cut by a window or glass cutter for next to nothing. If you get the edges rounded (highly recommended I have the cut scars to prove it) it will cost a little bit more.

[HarmonyAZ]

Here's an excerpt from the article. It's funny he kinda slams mirrors, too.

"Though nothing gives a better impression of serene deep space than shadowless blackness, there are alternatives to a painted rear glass. I don't mean cheesy laminated photographs of classical ruins on plastic placemats filched from the Greek diner and stuck to the rear glass with mineral oil. (You thought maybe I didn't know!) Just as nothing behind the tank should distract from it, nothing in the backdrop should compete with the complete world you create inside the aquarium. Don't waste time building dry dioramas in shadowboxes to go behind the tank. Concentrate your design energy on what you build inside the tank. For years I used metallic green backing papers with a crystalline or leafy texture. I admit I even did a trick with an angled mirror once. I guess we all do that mirror thing, eventually. In the end, like all New Yorkers, I came around to Takashi Amano black...

Sometimes even the most preposterous plastic background printed on an endless roll has a reverse side that is plain blue, shading from light to dark. That's the only side to use!"
---------------------------------------------------------

I wouldn't have asked further about this if I didn't already wonder myself if there was an alternative I'd like better. I just don't have that decorator eye and I do sometimes need to rely more on the opinions of others who do. It's not that I'll ever do things their way despite liking the look of my way better, but that I usually like their way better so am then glad I looked into it!
:)

[ScottoMacD]

Funny at the store we have all our tanks painted either black or blue.

With some fish it works. But for the most part it becomes a hinderence in the selling aspec. The fish tend to get lost. Granted it isn't even close to being the same as having the home aquarium setting for the fish. I just never found the look to my liking.

EHHH! To each his own.

[Rometiklan]

On most of my tanks, the backs are covered with a black garbage bag.

On one of my 20 gallons, I use a laminated Playboy centerfold, a horizontal one...Christina Leanardi. :D

[177ichael]

I used black poster board on my tank and it came out well. It was also very inexpensive at $2 for 2 sheets. I bought some double sided mounting tape and it's holding nice and solid.

Click on link below to see before and after pics.

My Aquarium (http://mjchen54.home.comcast.net/)

[tricksterpup]

I personally enjoy using black cloth for my background. I have a few pieces of Black Canvas I use and it works perfect.

jim

[HarmonyAZ]

Thanks, everyone, for the replies. I finally got around to painting mine black and I LOVE IT! The cardinal tetras used to really blend into the blue background I was using. Now they look like neon lights. It's a great effect, and I'm really glad I did it. I pulled the tank away from the wall during a water change, and painted it with a flat black enamel paint and a small roller.
THANKS!
:D :D :D

[mack606]

I bought this background of a desert and sand and stuff that is probably ment for reptile tanks. Everybody laughs when they see it. I prefer stupid over tacky. :D

[emoore]

I'm glad you like the painted background. I will never use another kind of background.

[125gJoe]

Originally posted by HarmonyAZ
..... I finally got around to painting mine black and I LOVE IT! The cardinal tetras used to really blend into the blue background I was using. Now they look like neon lights. ...... I also prefer the color contrasts that seem to really come through with black backgrounds. I used the LFS black plastic and used cooking oil, or Pam (cooking spray) and it worked out great! I forgot who exactly gave me the advice, but it was here on AC..