My Shadowbox Background Project

[euromomtx]

Wow Christian. I wish I had your search capabilities! lol
I wouldn't have to think it through all from scratch with so many people already having done so many great things with this.

 

[Christian J]

just a quick but important update.
I finally got the tank filled and running and it turns out the current design of the shadowbox is a FAIL!

Without the tank lights on it's beautiful but once the tank lights are on all you can see is the blue background.
If I want to have visible background rocks it may have to be something that's right at the back glass.

Maybe the strength of the background light needs to be adjustable? Too little compared with the tank's main light and there's no effect, while too much makes the tank's content look dark (like backlighted photograps).

Or maybe it's enough to shield the tank's back glass from the main light, like kcress suggested --at least if the background box light is not too strong to begin with...

 

[euromomtx]

Christian I no longer consider it a fail.
I was surprised how much changed with the light in the main tank but I am okay with how it turned out.
Once I lowered the main tank fixture the items in the background stood out more as well.
So I am no longer bummed out about it.
I've posted a few updates since that one.
I may make some small changes to the background after I get the 3000k bulb in to tweak it a bit but nothing major.
I put so much effort into softening the contrast and then once the main tank came on the contrast diminished a lot more than expected. I can just take the cut out out though and paint them with more contrast. No biggie
That's why it's all removable...

 

[tcoral]

Looks great! One concern I have though is that jaw fish are notoreous jumpers and that is an open topped tank

 

[euromomtx]

Looks great! One concern I have though is that jaw fish are notoreous jumpers and that is an open topped tank

no it's not
see here:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showpost.php?p=17399387&postcount=16

 

[roscozman]

Congrats for Aug 2010 Thread of the Month

 

[Christian J]

I put so much effort into softening the contrast and then once the main tank came on the contrast diminished a lot more than expected. I can just take the cut out out though and paint them with more contrast. No biggie
That's why it's all removable...

I see, I thought you meant that the background didn't glow properly with the main lights on. For me the most important thing is the illusion of endless water (as opposed to a solid blue wall) --are you happy about that effect? Something like this is what I'm after: http://alweb.homeip.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/monterey-jelly-fish-img_6652.JPG

Hmm, wonder if one can use ordinary aquarium poster backgrounds or printed photos for the rocks in the background box? If it's all blurred anyway maybe we don't see the difference.

 

[euromomtx]

Oh gosh yes!
The not being able to see much of my fake rocks is what bothered me. The blue fuzziness is just perfect. I love it.
That's what I meant when I said earlier that I like the blue glow too much to take it out and focus on the detail stuff.
All I wanted really is for the aquarium inhabitants to look less 'boxed in' and I think the frosted colored acrylic absolutely achieved that.
I can't wait to see what it looks like with different color bulbs.
It's the detail of the fake stuff that disappears as the tank light is brighter but the background glow and the fact that it is hazy and tough to make out where it starts or ends is definitely there.
I also love how it changes so much with different light stages.
I'll post pics of that on Thursday to show what I mean.
It looks very different under the moonlights, actinics, all lights, just the shadowbox.
That part is very intriguing to me and was unexpected but very welcome.

 

[troylee]

wow thanks for sharing and congrats on totm......that is really cool....

 

[canyousee]

Thank you for all the mistakes keeps the rest of us from making them, too many members only share the successes. The clear mesh lid is fantastic I have been looking for it for a long time can you tell me where you got it and how you got it to fit so well. Thanks again for the great idea.

 

[euromomtx]

Thanks. The mesh lid is home made. You can get screen frame parts at Lowes (brown, alu, etc.) and the little spline (or is it spleen?) tool.
I bought the clear mesh from a guy that buys it in 100ft rolls and resells it to other aquarists in custom sizes (because who can use 100'? lol)

 

[Christian J]

This tank uses spotlights and a rotating disco ball to get sun shaft effects: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeeVkaZmtYQ (about 1:50 into the video). A bit hard to tell from the video how well it works though...

 

[euromomtx]

a few pics from today:
dawn:

morning:

midday:

 

[bebereef]

Wow! at dawn the effect is super!

 

[gotmilkmailit]

Simply Gorgeous!!!

 

[velvetelvis]

That. Is. FAAAABULOUS!!!! :artist:

 

[cnl83]

I was trying to decide if I should go with painted background, adhesive vinyl or gel-ed on paper background when I realized neither one of them seemed all that appealing.
I sort of liked the black vinyl backing option the best since it would bring out the colors nicely but my temporary tank has a black back and it makes things seem so boxed in.
Then I came across this picture:

I knew right away that that was the winner. I love the illusion of depth this background gives.
Aaron who posted this on RC also had a schematic to go with it but no further info:

The schematic explains that the back portion is painted/airbrushed hardfiber board. He has rock models made out of cork in the foreground that he painted transparent blue and a blue T5 bulb above it.
That's it.

Somehow I didn't think I would have the skills to paint well enough to create that 'hazy in the distance' illusions so I decided to use a modified approach.

I am making a more traditional shadowbox with a frame, background and acrylic viewing panel in front.
My fake rocks in the distance will be thin slivers of spray painted pukani and paper.
Initially I thought frosted plexiglass would be the answer but was worried the frosting would render it too milky/white.
So the final winner ended up being tinted acrylic that I 'frosted' myself.

Here are some pictures of the test phase:

You can see one side is clear and the other side is treated with superfine steel wool. The steel wool side is definitely more convincing and hides the detail on my crummy painted rocks much better

here's a little detail of how the frame will be constructed so that the 1/8" acrylic panel can just slide in. If I get tired of the color I could replace it later.
The top board of the frame won't be screwed on. I want to be able to lift it off and replace the bulb, etc.

I think with a spray painted background and the pretty blue acrylic different colors of T-5 bulbs may give very different looks.
I'll try it out and take pics of course. I am imagining actinics to end up looking more deepsea in this arrangement, etc.

The box is for my Caribbean inspired 215g DSB tank.

Next up: pictures of the box, background, etc...

I dont understand how this makes that effect. Everything is in German, and I cant read the schematic. Anyone care to translate or make a new schematic? Id love to make this effect.

 

[euromomtx]

here you go

 

[billrob71]

Really looks great.

 

[DeepSeaBeauti]

This is cool, Just finished my rock cave. Now to give it almost reall depth, that would be sick.