I have a regular background in my 55 gallon, but it's starting to come off the back of the tank (I had it inside). I'm going to pull it out, clean the algae off it and tape it up to the outside of the tank. I was thinking however, of replacing it with a mirror background. One of the LFS here sells them. Does anyone have any experience with them and how hard they are to install? Are they something that'd be next to impossible to set up in a tank that's already running?
Any experience with mirror backgrounds?
- Thread starter chinnp
- Start date
No, I'm sure it's meant to go outside the tank.
Just a consideration, make sure that you don't have bettas or other highly territorial fish in there or it may stress them out.
Just a consideration, make sure that you don't have bettas or other highly territorial fish in there or it may stress them out.
i dont think mirrors is a good idea. most fish even playfulf ish will get confused and keep swiming up and down on the mirror side thinking the reflection infront of them si a fishy friend...
my clowns and gourami did this to just the glass cause they can see their reflection.
my clowns and gourami did this to just the glass cause they can see their reflection.
What I've got in there is:
3-4 cory cats
6 glo lites
6 Von Rio tetras
3-4 black skirts
6 Buenos Aires tetras
5 pygmy cories
6 Black neons
Like I said, it's a 55 gallon. I want to add about a dozen more pygmy cories (if I can find them again), 3-4 congo tetras and one or two black skirts to round out my black skirt school.
3-4 cory cats
6 glo lites
6 Von Rio tetras
3-4 black skirts
6 Buenos Aires tetras
5 pygmy cories
6 Black neons
Like I said, it's a 55 gallon. I want to add about a dozen more pygmy cories (if I can find them again), 3-4 congo tetras and one or two black skirts to round out my black skirt school.
the use of mirrors interests me too, and I have considered it too. I have an excellent refererence book, Baensch Aquarium Atlas 1, and I'll quote it's discussion of backgrounds to you....
" "Cute" decorations such and divers, seahorses and treasure chests are generally fround upon but the back glas can be made interesting and appealing. It should be coordinated with the rest of the tank. A blue seascape, for example, should not be used on a freshwater tank. The best back panels are made of durable printed plastic. Painting the glass, as is sometimes done, is not reccomended. Paint is difficult to remove. A homemade panel can be extremely effective and here is one idea:
Build a wood frame the exact dimensions of the tank. Attach a mirror to the frame, then spread a little glue over its surface in an abstract pattern. Sprinkle colored "sparkles" over the glue, leaving patches of mirror showing through. When it is dry attach the panel to the back of the tank. It will add visual excitement and an illusion of depth. You can also add strips of bamboo, dried grasses stones and such between the outside of the tank and the mirror"
I think this would be neat, but have yet to try it. Of course, Baensch doesn't describe exactly how to attach this to your tank....
" "Cute" decorations such and divers, seahorses and treasure chests are generally fround upon but the back glas can be made interesting and appealing. It should be coordinated with the rest of the tank. A blue seascape, for example, should not be used on a freshwater tank. The best back panels are made of durable printed plastic. Painting the glass, as is sometimes done, is not reccomended. Paint is difficult to remove. A homemade panel can be extremely effective and here is one idea:
Build a wood frame the exact dimensions of the tank. Attach a mirror to the frame, then spread a little glue over its surface in an abstract pattern. Sprinkle colored "sparkles" over the glue, leaving patches of mirror showing through. When it is dry attach the panel to the back of the tank. It will add visual excitement and an illusion of depth. You can also add strips of bamboo, dried grasses stones and such between the outside of the tank and the mirror"
I think this would be neat, but have yet to try it. Of course, Baensch doesn't describe exactly how to attach this to your tank....
I put a pure black background on a 45g once, used a little Vaseline to stick it firmly, and it pretty much turned the back into a mirror. Just a thought.
The cichlids did not like it at all so I swicthed to the blue side quicky.
The cichlids did not like it at all so I swicthed to the blue side quicky.
When I had my 55 gallon setup and I did half with a mirror. The fish never moved from that half of the tank. They all sat around looking into the mirror. I took the mirror down and they all went back to being normal.
one of my tanks gives a mirror effect whether it has a background or not and some of my fish won't leave it alone. Maybe paint will take the mirror effect out?