My Shadowbox Background Project

serpentman, in the "before" shot it looks like the corals are mirrored in the back glass, but in the "after" shot the mirror images seem to be gone. Is that correct?
 
NanoReefWanabe said:
yeah like you needed to make your tank look any sweeter to begin with...just incredible, cant wait to see what else you come up with for it...
Click to expand...
Thanks! If I'm not evolving, I'm regressing. Definitely have some more ideas.....

Christian J said:
serpentman, in the "before" shot it looks like the corals are mirrored in the back glass, but in the "after" shot the mirror images seem to be gone. Is that correct?
Click to expand...

That is correct. There is still a minor reflection when the back glass is perfectly clean but its barely noticeable.
 
I should post a quick update on the midday washout syndrom (because the fix was so easy).
I noticed some of my LPS seemed a little sunburned on top so I decided to replace one of my daylight bulbs with a blue bulb (according to the Grim Reefer's T5 suggestions my 6 bulb fixture had too many white bulbs anyway).
Just switching out that one white bulb for a blue bulb changed the lighting enough to where the background rocks are now visible even at full midday mode.
Being used to a fairly white tank it took some getting used to the more blue but all of the critters seem to be happy with it and I am pleased with the result.

Another advantage of this easy fix is that it didn't change how the tank looked in dawn and morning mode (which I liked just the way they were) unlike more bulbs in the background box which might have destroyed the dawn look.
 
euromomtx said:
Hi!
be sure to post a link to your thread! :)
In the end I used 800 grit with a random orbit sander. I didn't have much control with the sander so I wanted to us e the finest grit possible.
I got my retrofit 1 bulb fixture from ReefGeek.com
Click to expand...

A link to mine, thank you for letting me post it. :wave: Don't want anyone thinking I'm trying to hijack your thread.
 
euromomtx said:
been adding a little more to the tank.
Here's another pic of dusk/dawn :)
theglow.jpg
Click to expand...


just wanted to tell you, i think it came out AMAZING... cant imagine it looking any nicer. i feel like im diving in the florida keys in this pic. hope to someday replicate something similar to yours if i ever do upgrade to a large tank.
 
This thread makes me want to redo my entire rockwork so that I can put a shadowbox on it.

You went from having a reef aquarium to having a reef opening up to the deep blue sea. The only thing wrong is that it is now scary and I expect a Great White shark to come cruising up through the middle at any moment. ;0)
 
acrylic

acrylic

Hey I have been thinking quite a bit today about creating my shadow box for my 150. In regards to the acrylic, did you try with clear, white and light blue sheets? When you got it, did you spray paint one side only and grit the other side?

That is my main issue on starting. Just needed to know how to do the acrylic. I have the rest of the ideas already in place.

Please explain how I get my acrylic done for the illusion.

Thanks for your time.

K
 
euromomtx said:
I meant to post a supply list of stuff and sources that worked well for me!

acrylic sheet 1/8" light blue (sanded it myself) - got it from Allied Plastic Supply in San Antonio but I am sure any acrylic provider would be able to get it.

retrofit single bulb T-5 fixture - got it from www.ReefGeek.com. They've been super helpful too. I am not a DIY-er, especially when it comes to electric stuff but the kit was easy, complete and tech support was outstanding.

GE 3000k daylight bulb - that one turned out to be my favorite to really bring the glow from all blue into turquoise/ocean like - got it from ReefGeek as well.

hardboard - very cheap. Lowes in our area doesn't carry it but Home Depot has it for a 4' by 8' sheet for around 6 bucks.

sanding disks for by random orbit sander in 400 and 800 grit (I had a hard time finding this but I hear automotive supply may carry this type of fine grit) - I got it from http://defusco.com/

Spray paint: my favorite colors ended up being Bahama Sea by Krylon (Walmart) and Night Tide by Valspar (Lowes)

Hope it's okay to post this type of stuff but it took me so long to find everything I thought it might be helpful to have a start.

If anybody does anything -even or especially if it's totally different- I'd love to see it! :)
Click to expand...

Hi! Thanks for your interest in this. I hope you will post a picture when you are done!

I got light blue 1/8" acrylic and sanded it with a orbital sander on just one side. No paint on the acrylic but paint on the board behind it.
 
I know this thread is a couple weeks back but was mentioned in a "Cool background ideas?" thread that was discussing various concepts. This is by far the greatest idea for backgrounds and is bookmarked as a thread to remember when I do my large tank build I'm saving up for next year;) Thanks for the inspiration and I hope that this revives the thread and gets some more projects posted that took the shadowbox concept and ran with it! :bounce1:
 
This background idea is awesome, my question is how much of a pain is it to keep the back glass clean so you still get the effect once the corals have started to grow in?
 
Justin I arranged the corals and rock work towards the sides (corner overflows) and kept the center fairly open for the jawfish (sand area) so I don't anticipate for them to grow over the center area.
I just use a scraper on a stick (I think the brand I use is JBJ). Pretty easy.

If you get a chance James Fatherree wrote an article on some testing they did on aquarium backgrounds and it demonstrated how much light is eliminated in a tank not just by painting the back but even by algae growth etc. so I would keep my glass clean either way.
:)

Just as a side note I got AI LEDs for the tank now and sold the ATI Sunpower. LOVE it! Could totally see replacing the lighting in the shadowbox with LED but of course it really doesn't matter what's in there since it's so diffused.
 
Is that article anywhere online to read? I just read this entire thread and AWESOME. Thanks for trying all the options I would have tried.
 
I think it's available through Tropical Fish Hobbyist Magazine.
I got a personal copy but am worried it would violate some kind of copyright rule so I am hesitant to post it.

By the way I just came back from a local Theater Supply Store with some Apollo Gel Sheets. I am going to use them to make a very simplified version of a shadowbox on my new 60 gallon seahorse cube.

I got two different colors (comes in gazillions of colors) and also picked up some diffuser sheets (since I can't sand the Apollo Gel Sheets)

There will be no fake rocks or anything. This time around I am just looking for that endless water look and the glow. Nothing elaborate. :)
 
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