Painting backgrounds

[Mr Gumby]

Hi folks,

I'm prepping for moving my tanks to a different room.

The tanks will be lined up against a wall and I'll be painting the backs black but are there advantages to painting the sides as well?

thanks

 

Gareth

 

[BlueLineAquaticsSC]

I e heard of people who keep rows of things like cichlids or bettas painting the sides to minimize stress so they are not always trying to fight each other through a glass wall. I’m not sure if this actually makes a difference 

[Mr Gumby]

Thanks @BlueLineAquaticsSC I only keep nano fish so aggression isn't much of an issue 

[Tanked]

Good question!   There might be an algae reduction.  Two sides of my75 face a blank wall.   The narrow side is kept clean.  At night, the fish will spend a lot of time staring at that side of the tank.  It is assumed that they see their own reflections as another school.  Painting the sides might get the same results.

[Mr Gumby]

On 12/1/2023 at 2:55 PM, Tanked said:

Good question!   There might be an algae reduction.  Two sides of my75 face a blank wall.   The narrow side is kept clean.  At night, the fish will spend a lot of time staring at that side of the tank.  It is assumed that they see their own reflections as another school.  Painting the sides might get the same results.

Interesting, I wonder if my cpd's would come out more if they thought the school was bigger?

[mynameisnobody]

@Mr Gumby seems like you have a cool experiment on your hands. 

[Tanked]

My wall isn't black, so you could use any solid colored piece of cardboard, or black paper.  you could also try a mirror on one side of the tank.

[Lonkley]

Slightly hijacking the question, what type of paint? I know I've watched Cory explain it before, but don't remember where. I though he preferred Matte Oil based with a spongey applicator?  Or am I making that up?  Brand?  For Glass.

 

[Galabar]

Black backgrounds will reduce the presence of algae.  So, if you have tanks next to each other, painting the sides would allow you to not have to scrape/clean them.

[Milliardo Peacecraft]

@Lonkley. I've used this spray on my 75 gallon aquarium and have been quite pleased with it so far.

[Tanked]

On 12/1/2023 at 10:30 AM, Lonkley said:

Slightly hijacking the question, what type of paint? I know I've watched Cory explain it before, but don't remember where. I though he preferred Matte Oil based with a spongey applicator?  Or am I making that up?  Brand?  For Glass.

 

On the outside you have several options.

Flat/matte finishes are usually preferred. 

Oil/enamel paints are solvent based, take longer to dry, are harder to clean up, and hold up better.  They will also stink until the solvent evaporates.

Acrylic paints use water as a solvent, dry faster, and are easier to remove if you change your mind.   Once dry, and cured, they are waterproof up to a point. 

You can brush, spray, or roll the paints on, but a foam roller makes it really easy if your aquarium is already set up and close to the wall

Krylon Fusion seems to be the most commonly mentioned paint for the inside or outside.

I've been told that Plasti Dip works really well, but I have no experience with it.

[Kit Craft]

On 12/1/2023 at 10:30 AM, Lonkley said:

Slightly hijacking the question, what type of paint? I know I've watched Cory explain it before, but don't remember where. I though he preferred Matte Oil based with a spongey applicator?  Or am I making that up?  Brand?  For Glass.

 

I used acrylic and it peeled after some months. I could have done something wrong, or there could have been a scrape and water got underneath it, idk. I ended up going back to poster board on that tank as it is so close the wall it was the easier solution. If I had to do it again, I'd use another type of paint. 

[nabokovfan87]

On 12/1/2023 at 1:51 AM, Mr Gumby said:

The tanks will be lined up against a wall and I'll be painting the backs black but are there advantages to painting the sides as well?

If the tank is beside a door or window I prefer to close off those sides to keep the fish from spooking themselves.  It also helps with algae from ambient light.

 

On 12/1/2023 at 11:12 AM, Kit Craft said:

If I had to do it again, I'd use another type of paint. 

Same experience with me with acrylic. It just peels. I much prefer vinyl film. Others recommend using spray paint.

[govsfabshop]

I painted the RIght side of my 125 black, the side glass was fairly hazy anyway and the tank wont be viewable from that side in the room anyway. I dont have fish in there yet but i figured it would give a decent lower light corner for the shy. I have a sponge filter, a tidal 110 and power head all on that right side and it nearly disappears into the background