Any idea's for backgrounds?

[qprneil]

Have you got any idea's what sort of background i could use for the back of my tank? At the minute my room is a pale green and it just looks so boring looking through the tank. I want to jazz it up a bit. I have got 6 glowlight tetra's and i know that a black background would show them off a treat but would it make the other fish (i.e Angel, guppies, gourami's, ruby shark) look dull?http://mysite.freeserve.com/qprneil/images/1-picture1.gif?0.40749797626767337"

[JamisonBWolsh]

You can let algae grow over the back of the glass...that would look natural. add CORK to the back of the tank. you can use SLATE or wood.......

[bettaman]

Right now I'm running a black background, in my opinion it brings out the character in any fish unless they're completely black of course. Like yourself I have a ruby shark along with clown loaches some tetras and white clouds, it brings attention to the fish. Took some getting used to though.

[JamisonBWolsh]

I have black background also...it is nice..

[jbcwilli]

I use a black background too. I t shows off the fish colours very nicely. Rather than paint or glue a black background on, I used a piece of black cloth , attached by velcro strips at each corner of my 125 gal community tank. I don't clean algae from the back surface, and it looks very natural and shows the fish very well.

:)

[JamisonBWolsh]

Try a Black background AND a bubblewall full of bubbles...sure looks nice.,..

[Anton Wernher]

You could always go with the natural look :)

http://cichlidinspiration.net3services.com/images/backgrounds/plastic/carl2_350x240_org.jpg

Photo taken from http://cichlidinspiration.net3services.com/show_backgrounds2.asp?id=10

[Sumpin'fishy]

I really enjoyed an article posted in www.duboisi.com . It's under "do it yourself projects", and titled "rock background with caves". It's a great step-by-step, and even though it's not ideal for angelfish, you could get some great ideas, like me!

[GVT]

I hang black cloth on the back and sides and then print pictures of rocks and plants to use.You will be amazed to see how much depth you can create by not putting the pics flat on the tank glass. Friends say my tanks look really deep! You can make caves and....well anything!

[Cichlid Woman]

Interesting, GVT! How do you do it? (Not apply it flat on the glass, I mean.) Can you post a pic or two? Or three?

-- Pat

[NJ Devils Fan]

You could also go with one of those natural looking backgrounds.

[Tyler718]

TnC posted one time about someone who used wall paper or something. It was black and had hints of white clouds in it, I found a wall paper like that at home depot and got it. It turned out real nice. They had a dark blue the same way.

[Mattimeo]

what I am going to do for 1 of my tanks is take a sheet of fibreglass cut to fit inside the tank along the back. I'll get a large amout on silicone, some natural coloured gravel of different sizes. First, I'll cover the back in a layer of silicone, then sprinkle on the largest size gravel, then the next size down and so on and so fourth. After, I'll build some clips to fit on the back of the tank at the top (hooks over the rim) and some large rocks/driftwood at the bottom to secure it.

[sChArF]

I use Black BG,s in my tanks you should not be able to see the BG due to all that plants.

But check out these nice Back to Nature background
http://www.african.uklinux.net/phpBB/viewtopic.php?topic=7548&forum=3
Those are very $$

Styrofoam backgrounds(step by step,material list,tips)
http://www.african.uklinux.net/phpBB/viewtopic.php?topic=1926&forum=8

more questions on Styrofoam backgrounds
http://www.african.uklinux.net/phpBB/viewtopic.php?topic=5997&forum=8

Problems
http://www.african.uklinux.net/phpBB/viewtopic.php?topic=7179&forum=8

[Twilight]

I saw a tank with polished aluminum...nice. My Mom has mirrored tile on the back of hers.

[wetmanNY]

Wow, Anton, thank you for that link!

[sChArF]

Styrofoam backgrounds

http://members.aol.com/reefland/backend1.jpg
http://www.african.uklinux.net/phpB...ic=5997&forum=8

Back-To-Nature
http://members.cox.net/robntoni2/tank2_new_0608.jpg
http://www.african.uklinux.net/phpB...ic=7548&forum=3

[GVT]

Hey Cichlid Woman! I'm from IL too! South Central!
I put the pics on the cloth, not the glass, and just let it hang, overlapping some of the pics and not pressing it to the glass.

[Serrateeth_2002]

I'll go with navy blue background but i like the textured backgrounds but i don't know about algae backgrounds because it may get out of control.

[Decz]

i mostly have black laminated backgrounds. but on one of my tanks, i have "tin foil" as the background, and i have a black light setup, with glowing plants. so at night, i only use the blacklight on the tank, looks sooo cool, reflects off the background and sand.

[cacti]

those styrofoam back grounds look fantastic. Are they expensive and how thick are they-(wondering if they take up much room?:)

[JamisonBWolsh]

VERY EXPENSIVE and handmade. Think on the lines of $400.00 I think thats what the thread that originally mentioned it was. Check out their website. WOW!!!!!

[slipknottin]

i dont think anyone makes styrofoam ones. the Back to Nature brand ones cost serious cash and are made of plastic.

I believe their is only one store in the US that sells them, as "back to nature" is based in europe somewhere.

[JamisonBWolsh]

http://www.on-the-rocks.se/england/index.shtml

Check out their website:

7 types of backgrounds

[cacti]

I also heard of people buying the flat natural rock patterned backgrounds and applying a thin film of oil between the glass and the background, so the rocky pattern is easily seen from the front of the aquarium. This I may try or the natural styrofoam. I love the rock type backgrounds.

[JamisonBWolsh]

Supposdly, if you buy them in pieces (modular) then they are cheaper. Im sure you can contact the european makers and order them.

[slipknottin]

the problem with the styrofoam backgrounds is that you need to coat it with an epoxy if you use concrete and concrete stain. if you dont the concrete will raise your Ph quite high.

I have made styrofoam backgrounds before, and i used them on African cichlid tanks, so there was no undesirable Ph shift.

[slipknottin]

heres a place that sells them in the US

http://www.herpsupplies.com/cgi-bin/perlshop/perlshop.cgi?action=thispage&thispage=page1.html&ORDER_ID=198358550

[cacti]

Thanks for the link Jamison, you have good taste in fish and backgrounds. Talk to you tomorrow. :D

[JamisonBWolsh]

They sell the smaller ones for 80.00 I see. Does the larger ones go for 400.00?? I swore I read that someplace....maybe for the bigger ones?

[slipknottin]

i thought i read over $400 somewhere too..

ill do some looking around.

[JamisonBWolsh]

Anyways, I know what I want for the holidays!!! Does these go INSIDE the aquarium or OUTSIDE? I wouldnt want to add it inside because it will take up too much room. I got some big fish.

[slipknottin]

they go inside... which is actually the biggest downside.

some of them stick out up to 8" from the back of the tank. in a tank like a 55 gallon, your using up almost all the space.

this site http://cichlidinspiration.net3services.com/

has a lot of info on custom backgrounds, installing the back to nature backgrounds, and some great pics.


edit- one other thing with those backgrounds, they are supposed to seal up to the glass, and not let water pass through them. Ive heard of cases where the water levels on both sides of the background were 8"+ different and it caused the background to crack. Many people drill small holes in the bottom to avoid this.

[JamisonBWolsh]

Ok..8 inches? I have a 60 gallon tank. That wont look good. I think maybe these backgrounds are more for the MUCH larger tank crowd... 300 gallons and more....

Thinking: If I add that to a tank thats width is about 18 inches...that leaves 10 inches width for swimming. NOPE my 8 inch (no named fish) will not tolerate that or my 8" orange spot pleco eithor

[angyles]

I've been using tin foil with wood and plants and stuff in front of it creating lots of camo. I recently got some really pretty light green marbly shelfing paper that I thought would work great, but as soon as I put it on I lost all of my depth. I'm yet to see any picture or wallpaper that doesn't look flat. it just seems to bring the back of the tank right up to the front. Foil adds reflection without drawing attention to itself.

IMO

[somefinnfishy]

I thought of the "glueing" slate and such to the back inside or out dont think it would stand up well:(
My dream is to stained glass the back a nature seen plants rocks.
Homedepot will cut to size acrylic mirrors:cool:

[O-man21]

I use nothing for my background. But I have it up agains a grey wall and I think it looks pretty good!

[cacti]

I would be interested in hearing from anyone who has used the beautiful thin plastic backgrounds that attach on the outside-back of the tank and have used the thin coating of oil on it between the background and glass making the background stand out and very easily seen from the front of the aquarium. I had heard of this idea before and wondered if it had caught on and become a popular idea???? :)

[saganco]

I'm doing something really TIME CONSUMING, but kinda radical and hopefully... awesome when done. I'm taking a piece of clear plexiglass and glueing flat slabs (about 1/4" thick) all over it with some "flourite grout" so the silicone doesn't show and get covered in algae which wouldn't be very pretty. I'll post pics when it's done.

Right now I'm soaking all my rocks so I can keep testing the ph - just don't know how long I need to soak and test before I can put together my "masterpiece background"! Any ideas on how long??

Thanks, Sharon

[jeffs99dime]

wow, this thread was brought back from the dead!

[coupedefleur]

If you want a lightweight outside-the-tank rock background, take a look at the different methods that model railroad folks use to do mountains and outcroppings. Some of them might be more waterproof than others. Your local library probably has books on model railroad scenery- or you can search the net.

Those cork tiles might also make a quick and easy background.