Inexpensive Black Background

[Logzor]

I can not move my tank. It is too close to the wall to paint or spray.

I have considered the window tint from home depot but it is very expensive and not opaque enough. I have also considered black poster boards, but this is too cheap and will not have adhesion or any gloss.

Is there any cheap contact paper that is dark? What have you used (include pics)?

 

[stuccodude]

HOME DEPOT OR LOWES SELL BLACK WATERPROOF PAPER FOR LATH AND PLASTER(NOT FOOFING) AND ITS DULL BUT WHEN ITS BEHIND YOUR TANK ITS A NICE BLACK, GOOD LUCK

 

[stuccodude]

I MEANT (NOT ROOFING)

 

[elegance coral]

If you have about an inch or a little more behind the tank you can paint it with one of the small rollers designed to pint behind toilets. The roller is only about an inch in diameter and they have a long skinny handle on them.

 

[CBehr]

tiny roller would be my suggestion too

 

[MCary]

You can smear the back of your tank with vaseline, then apply a rolled black aquarium background available at any pet store. Squeegie out the excess and all air bubbles. A credit card works well. The background will look like its in the tank.

Tryed to find a good example using this technique. This is my girlfriend's Discus tank. Best I could find at the moment.

Mike

 

[lloydkeller]

I used light covers from home depot they come in sheets easy to cut to shape then painted black looks great

 

[pete620]

I'm planning on using one of these for my 65 as it is already set up, and I don't want to risk painting a full tank.

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_searchItem.aspx?SearchText=background&parsed=1

 

[xinumaster]

I used a black abs sheet that I bought from a local acrylic/plastic store.

 

[victor_c3]

I know this isn't the advice you're looking for, but a 55 gallon tank wouldn't be that big of a deal to drain, empty its contents, paint, then refill. It'd be a good all-day project, but it would give you a chance to not only paint the tank but to do a thorough tank cleaning.

A thorough cleaning did wonders for my aquarium when I did this about 4 months ago. You would just be adding the extra step of painting the tank. If you do this, just make sure that you have more than enough containers to hold your tank's contents and plenty of pictures of the rock formations to help you get the tank back to where it was.

Also, if you do go this route, be sure to tape and cover every surface of your tank that you don't want covered with paint. I also would recommend using krylon semi-flat black and do at least three coats.

Don't be scared of doing a little extra work to get the tank exactly the way you want it! You won't regret it!!

 

[spazthecat]

How about just a black trash bag? I used one on a tank once and it was kind of cool. It wasn't smooth so it had some depth. Kind of nice.

Andy

 

[dmarie120]

A black piece of material works great too. I get the $1 a yard kind at WalMart.

 

[lakwriter]

the aquarium background at the LFS is usually about $1.99 a foot and they have black. Just tape it on.

 

[lakwriter]

the aquarium background at the LFS is usually about $1.99 a foot and they have black. Just tape it on.

 

[Toddrtrex]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11993104#post11993104 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by lakwriter
the aquarium background at the LFS is usually about $1.99 a foot and they have black. Just tape it on.

That is what I am using. And the one I got is two sided, blue on one side, and black on the other. I personally prefer the blue, but each person is different.

Here is what it looks like on my tank.

 

[bkmorris]

what kind of paint is best to use on the back?

 

[Logzor]

Yeah I might try something simple like the trash bag or cheap fabric. The texture might make it looks pretty neat. I will experiment with some stuff around the house.