happyclam
New member
Imagine this:
A fiberglass display tank with an internal, faded black plastic covering that is scratched to heck and stained with algae deposits.
I would like to cover this with a fresh, clean background inside the aquarium. Ideally this backing would be removable for swapping and easy cleaning outside the aquarium. I was directed to a flexible plastic "posterboard"-high impact polystyrene sheet- which apparently is commonly used when printing signs and for building models & enclosures:
https://www.interstateplastics.com/...5823-2p&dim2=48&dim3=96&thickness=0.020&qty=1
Originally I was looking for just a matte blue background, but it appears to be only available in white. Which got me thinking, if it's white and can be printed, why not print on ocean background on it? Perhaps something like this:
I think I could integrate an image into the aquascape with careful placement of rock, corals, and sand. If I do it right, it could produce a life-like background that creates the illusion of endless expanse that you get when diving a patch reef in a sandy lagoon. I saw a similar attempt at a public aquarium for a Malawi cichlid display and it looked amazing. However, concerns for this project:
-Can I find a background image with good enough resolution to be able to enlarge to ~ 4' x 6'?
-Where would I get this printed?
-Would the ink stay fast on the material in a marine environment?
-Is it durable enough to handle cleanings to remove algae?
I'm curious to hear your thoughts!
A fiberglass display tank with an internal, faded black plastic covering that is scratched to heck and stained with algae deposits.
I would like to cover this with a fresh, clean background inside the aquarium. Ideally this backing would be removable for swapping and easy cleaning outside the aquarium. I was directed to a flexible plastic "posterboard"-high impact polystyrene sheet- which apparently is commonly used when printing signs and for building models & enclosures:
https://www.interstateplastics.com/...5823-2p&dim2=48&dim3=96&thickness=0.020&qty=1
Originally I was looking for just a matte blue background, but it appears to be only available in white. Which got me thinking, if it's white and can be printed, why not print on ocean background on it? Perhaps something like this:
I think I could integrate an image into the aquascape with careful placement of rock, corals, and sand. If I do it right, it could produce a life-like background that creates the illusion of endless expanse that you get when diving a patch reef in a sandy lagoon. I saw a similar attempt at a public aquarium for a Malawi cichlid display and it looked amazing. However, concerns for this project:
-Can I find a background image with good enough resolution to be able to enlarge to ~ 4' x 6'?
-Where would I get this printed?
-Would the ink stay fast on the material in a marine environment?
-Is it durable enough to handle cleanings to remove algae?
I'm curious to hear your thoughts!
