Using a background...get ready, dumb question coming!

[holbritter]

Do you have to use those printed backgrounds on your tank? I mean, I know you don't "have" to do anything, but are there benefits besides decorative?

I have a 55g hexagon, with only one panel against a wall. I was thinking it might look a little odd with only one little panel having a background.

Any suggestions? Thanks :)

[Rbishop]

I paint the backs of mine tanks. Some have colored plexi-glass panels to change with the room layout.

[dest]

I don't think you have to use background for it. Haven't seen any hexagon aquarium with background :)

If i were you i would leave it as it is!

[SmallFishi]

Well I don't have a hexi tank but I used bristol board 50 cents for my background if you are looking to hide your wires etc you could try it as it's cheap and if you don't like it you havnt' lost anything.

[wataugachicken]

i stole some black garbage bags from work. they make decent background material.

one benefit is that having a background on several sides can make the fish feel safer. if the tank is in a high-traffic area they won't get spooked so much. i'm going to do the back and sides of both tanks, that way i can sneak up on my shy fish and get a peek of them. dark backgrounds like black or dark blue hide tank hardware (heaters, wires, filter intakes), making it look less cluttered.

[holbritter]

Hey thanks for the ideas :)

I was searching for pics of hexagons to get ideas, and couldn't find any either.

If I do decide to use something, it will definately have to be something I can change easily.

Decisions....decisions!

[holbritter]

if the tank is in a high-traffic area they won't get spooked so much. i


hmmm...didn't think of that. Yes, it's in a high traffic area, but there are only 3 of us, and we don't get much company, so I think it should be ok.

[Brian Anderson]

for the back of a hex, if its one side against the wall, you could just use 18"/23" w/e plants across the back area. that might look good. idk if any one has thought of this, but if you have a lot of wires you want to clean up....wire loom! just put the close and put wire loom around them. it will look like one wire going down instead of 10. idk maybe there is something wrong with that, and thats why no one does it. idk i use it on my car engine because im in the "tuner" crowd.

Edit: for those that dont know what im talking about (click picture)
http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/6097/picture133hs9.th.jpg (http://img225.imageshack.us/my.php?image=picture133hs9.jpg)

[Waylander]

I've got a piece of black paper blu-tacked to the back of my 15 gallon. Works a treat.