Mirror???

V

val

.
Oct 18, 2002
250
0
16
61
Eastern Shore, Maryland
Would it be safe to put a mirror in an aquarium? I'm designing an all-glass aquarium for a friend and he would like to put a mirror in the tank (it would look pretty cool) but I;m wondering if the backing of the mirror has any level of toxicity.

Thanks...
 
I'd think you'd need a mirror that's rated for submersion. I'm guessing not all mirrors are created equal. I can imagine a cheap backing flaking off. If the mirror glass is strong enough to support the pressure of the water, you could make it a wall, with the actual backing side outside the tank.

Can you place the mirror outside of the aquarium, stuck to a regular glass back wall, rather than actually within or part of the aquarium? That would reduce the unknowns here.
 
Last edited:
Danny-O said:
Can you place the mirror outside of the aquarium, stuck to a regular glass back wall, rather than actually within or part of the aquarium?
Click to expand...

That sounds like the smartest way to me.
 
Danny-O said:
I'd think you'd need a mirror that's rated for submersion. I'm guessing not all mirrors are created equal. I can imagine a cheap backing flaking off. If the mirror glass is strong enough to support the pressure of the water, you could make it a wall, with the actual backing side outside the tank.

Can you place the mirror outside of the aquarium, stuck to a regular glass back wall, rather than actually within or part of the aquarium? That would reduce the unknowns here.
Click to expand...
Do they make mirrors "rated for submersion"? How could you tell? I've put a mirror on the back of the tank like you suggest, but it did little for me. In the tank, though, the mirror is dynamic and it catches the light in interesting ways. I have the tank set up with the mirror and it looks great, but we haven't added any fish yet.
 
How did you attach the mirror? Nothing looks good on the outside back of the tank unless it's got a very good seal against the glass.
 
Maybe you could get one cut just to the inside of the outer side panes and seal it on the front of the back panel and in the bottom and side cracks. Then you would have it in front of the back panel so you get the full effect of the mirror. And no water on the back. That's how I would do it anyways.
 
I think that's the idea, we were just offering other suggestions that avoid taking any risk. The question being asked is, is a mirror/what kind of mirror is safe to use inside an aquarium. Most mirrors are made using silver or aluminum as the reflective substance over a pane of glass. That is then coated with a clear waterproof paint. My big concern would be just how waterproof the coating really is.
 
I'm fairly sure that the actual reflective part of a mirror is behind the glass. So you look through the glass first, then the reflective metal of the mirror, then back through the glass. So if you had the back of the mirror sealed off from the tank, water would only come in contact with the glass.
 
Now if you were just going to set the mirror in the tank, I see where the concern is.
 
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