Painting Back Glass

[jmifland]

I have a 90 gallon aquarium and I am currently doing a leak test. I was wondering if it is possible to paint the back glass with a roller instead of having to take it outside and use spray paint. I live in an apartment with my girlfriend and I would prefer not to call someone over just so that they can come over and help me move my aquarium to the side walk to do some spray painting. Would it be possible to open all the doors and windows and just spray paint lightly within the house and just sit outside until it isn't toxic anymore?

 

[cj7jeep81]

I painted mine with a roller, and some black enamel (think that's what I used). Took quite a while. What I learned was to be really patient. Get the glass clean, then start painting. At first, it will look really bad (doesn't want to adhere). Wait 15-20 minutes before you put on the first coat, otherwise, you'll just smear it around.

Took me a while to learn that. Lay down a coat, wait till it tacks up, put on a second coat, wait till it tacks up, put down a coat, etc.

 

[JustinGr]

Yes, but most house latex paints won't stick to glass, it will peel off at some point.

 

[jmifland]

I would like the paint to stick for as long as possible. Is there a paint that works better than another that should be used for this type of application. I was reading something on eHow about putting down a coat of something that sticks to the glass and will allow the paint to have a better surface to adhere to.

I am also looking into a background image now but since I'm at work my searching abilities are very limited. I really like the following image but I'm scared it might look weird once it is actually placed behind the aquarium.

http://www.aquariumpetsupplies.com/...ckground-24-in-high-sold-by-foot_5593_500.jpg

It is the bottom one with the edge of the reef looking view. Similar to what it looks like in Finding Nemo.

 

[cj7jeep81]

I'm pretty confident that my paint will last a really long time. It is not very durable (easy to scratch off), but if it doesn't get hit/messed with, I don't see it falling off on its own.

 

[JustinGr]

Salt creep will eat it over time. I had hundreds of tanks in my store, and the salt will eat anything... Including paint LOL.

As for the background, it is a temporary item. Once coraline grows wild all over the back glass, you won't see it anymore.

 

[jmifland]

I didn't even think about that. Once I get the tank full of water I don't plan on fixing any messed up paint so hopefully the coralline will grow faster than the salt eats at the paint. I just don't want to initially see the four cords from the two led lights and the two cords from the powerheads.

I will be painting this weekend so hopefully I come out successful. Thanks for the help!

 

[Palting]

Nothing lasts forever. Krylon paint seems to be the favorite in this forum. I just went to Lowe's, looked at the available choices, and picked a brand that actuially stated "GLASS" as one of the surfaces it was good for. It has been over 3 years, and the paint is still as good as new.

As to the original question, can you spray paint inside the house, I spray painted the tank in the basement. I do have a lot of windows and they were all open, all the doors were open, I set the HVAC to run continuously, and I wore a mask. The basement was then off limits to everyone for the next 24 hours. It worked. It certainly was easier than lugging a 150 gallon tank out of the basement, paint it, then lug it back down a day later.

BTW, wherever you spray paint, make sure to cover the WHOLE tank, except the areas you plan to paint of course.

 

[jmifland]

I will probably just go with the roller method. The apartment isn't too large and I don't think black spray paint will mix too well with white walls. Any stray spray may settle on the walls giving a peppered look in randomly places which I want to avoid. Definitely don't want to lug it around but I can tilt the aquarum away from the wall and do some rolling every couple minutes and then leave the house for a couple hours if need be. I painted the inside of the stand white and it didn't effect anyone in the house so I think I will be good. I want to make sure the back overflow area is clear still so I will have to tape off that entire section.

 

[NTP66]

I just replied to a similar thread in the newb section, but why not try using black poster board instead? $2 in material, takes all of 3 minutes to install, and looks great. Worked well for my 90g.

 

[neuro]

Use vinyl. the backside can be covered with a sticky black vinyl, like mines was.

No paint, no mess.

 

[silverA3]

I would also have to agree on the black poster board. Much easier, much less of a mess, and when you sell the tank you're not having to scrape the paint off before you sell it.

 

[Midnightt]

I've been debating about painting for a while too. Just figured that i would get a limo tint and use that. Tinting a flat surface is fairly easy. A little water, a little baby shampoo, a spray bottle and a squeegee.

I had to have the tint re-done on one window in my car and they guy had to get a clothing steam to get most of it off. Looked like a pain to remove.

 

[reefer91]

Use vinyl from a sign shop. Easy, cheap, removable with ease

 

[maceface]

Yes u can roll it on..use enamil paint. It wont stick as well as spray but the enamil will help protect it.

Im not a fan of just placing a black material behind it..it will eventually shift, get water between it or bugs and dust.

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2

 

[NTP66]

Yes u can roll it on..use enamil paint. It wont stick as well as spray but the enamil will help protect it.

Im not a fan of just placing a black material behind it..it will eventually shift, get water between it or bugs and dust.

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2

It won't shift if you secure it to the glass well. This would also help prevent bugs and dust. As for water, yeah, if you spilled water on the back of your glass, you might have to spend $.99 on a new poster board.

 

[Mtwreef]

I used spray paint it was valspar for plastic worked really good all ready has an adhesion promoter built in I did a test on the glass lid that came with the tank it stuck very good hard to scratch the only way I could harm it was scrapping with a new razor blade and that was hard to do it went on quick, easy and even