Painting the INSIDE of the back wall of my acrylic tank.

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rsanz

The Peacock Gudgeon Guy
Aug 22, 2006
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Hey guys.

This topic is for a freshwater setup, but it applies here since I know a lot of reef keepers have dealt with this type of thing, so please bear with me.

So I scored a 135 gallon, "reef ready" setup on Craigslist. I love it...except for the back panel of the tank. It is colored acrylic (not just an applied layer of paint to the back of the panel), so there is no way to easily change the color. It is a bright blue, and while appropriate for reef tanks, I'm not a huge fan of the blue for a freshwater setup. I'd like to make it black.

I've been doing a lot of research, and from what I've gathered Krylon Fusion is the way to go for painting things that go inside the tank because it bonds well to acrylic AND is inert once it cures. I don't mind waiting for it to cure. I can wait the 7 days.

But I worry about durability. I did a test panel with a piece of acrylic that I bought from Home Depot, and an hour after I sprayed it I could easily mark the paint with my fingernail. Does it hold up well to marks and scuffs after the full curing time, or will it get marked just as easily?

Is this my best bet to change the color of the background? I've already taped out the tank and am ready to paint, but am having second thoughts at the last minute. Any opinions out there? :help:

Thanks.
 

greech

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May 13, 2009
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It will mark just as easily after a month/year whatever. I have never read that Krylon Fusion (or any paint) is inert after it cures and wouldn't add anything painted to the inside of my tank.
 

Captnslapy

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Aug 25, 2008
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Krylon is the most recommended paint. I used it to paint my pvc filter piped in my 180. After a few months it was all scratched up. Just the fish rubbing up against it caused a lot of paint to come off. Oh and it's a fw tank. you might be able to darken the back up by painting the outside black. The more light that you can block the less blue that will show threw.
 

rsanz

The Peacock Gudgeon Guy
Aug 22, 2006
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Just came across something interesting where someone suggested maybe window tint. Would this: work on acrylic? Stick underwater? Be aquarium safe?

I wonder....
 

Captnslapy

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Aug 25, 2008
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I doubt it would stay on totally submersed under water. Unless you glues it on. Try a small piece and put it under water with some flow directed at it. Give it some time, who knows.
 

spudboy

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Jun 2, 2011
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Why don't you just buy a thin (2mm) piece of acrylic the same size as your blue panel and silicon it?
 

spudboy

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or epoxy it...or whatever you do to stick two pieces of acrylic together.
 

spudboy

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Dburgess1231

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