I Want To Paint Tank.....but......

[Kindredspirit]

Hey Guys~


Does anyone know if it would be ok to paint your tank with the fish in? I so do not want to empty it ...I am esp talking about the bottoms....since about 30 seconds ago, I realized I HAVE to empty them to paint the back!! http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_13_6.gif

I do not want any paint fumes creeping in and knocking out all my fish~Ryan said to use Latex paint as it peels off easy, when you tire of it....


Thanks!


Marie~http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/8/8_2_78v.gif

[Westie]

At your LHS(local hobby store) they have tamiya paint which is water soluable. Stinks like a fart but, thats about the extent of the damage to you and yours. And cleans up with H20! Lotsa colors too...

[Greg Richardson]

How much room between back of tank and wall? If a few inches you can buy those paint pads. Attach them to long stick. Paint. Takes longer. But if you are careful works fine.

Latex works fine. No problem painting while fish are in tank.

[Ryan]

Marie, I think the fact that it's the bottom of the tank makes it even less of a worry. So get to painting :)

[cobaltblue]

Im doing the same thing today Marie....;)

Picked up a mistinted paint cheap at home depot. 9.00 for a gallon. Actutally its pretty much the color blue that i wanted too. I doing the two sides and the back with a very small brush. Will take awhile and 3 coats, but will look good when done. I got latex, matte finish as jason had advised. Im not doing the bottoms at this time, as i dont want to empty out tanks either.
Good Luck

[Jarrod]

:idea2: Marie...what about takin something like construction paper and coverin the back of the tank with that and just scotch tape it around the corners of the tank?...Something like poster paper woild work or poster board...just a thought and would save having to drain and move the tank,

Jarrod

[traco]

I've done what Jarrod said. Got a light blue paper from office supply store and taped it to the back of the tank. Easy. Then painting the bottom with paint as you can reach under there, right?

Ah, the things we do for our fish, heh?;)

[Kindredspirit]

Westie~ I am not sure I wanna use anything that stinks!http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_33_12.gif lol!! But thank you anyways!


Greg~That is a good idea, cuz there isnt much room between the wall and tank...and i can leave all the fishies in....good! Thanks!


Ryan Ryan Ryan....http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/10/10_1_102v.gif
I am getting to it, dayumit thank you very much! lol!


Col~You don't have to empty out the tanks...for the bottom...juss crawl under and paint! Ya can crawl, can't cha?? lol!! sooooo, latex, matte finish...thanks....I would prolly have bought glossy....I will need luck as i hate to paint and I am fickle, so i wont like the color in a week!

Jarrod~ Been there, done that....doesnt work....esp on the bottom, and sides, they can still see themselves for some reason....I have background paper on it all now, but it always comes off and itz annoying....lol!

Barb~ Where's your smilies??? Im not seeing smilies, Barbara!! lol! You can just give them back then, woman.....so the paper thing worked for you? Okay Jarrod...lol...I will try that again...but i know it wont work for the sides and bottom...lol!




Marie~http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/10/10_1_102v.gif

[JMArtist]

So Marie, you want to paint?
Despite the fact I'm an artist, I simply bought a background for my tank.
I did paint a dark blue fading into a light blue for the angelfish tank on a piece of illustration board. I used acrylic paint, figured it's water resistant and I covered the back of the illustration board with shipping tape to further make it water proof should I spill water on it. Wouldn't want it warping.
I was going to do a similar background for the Discus tank, but never got around to it.
Also, while I paint on canvas and watercolor papers, I don't do walls, houses, boats or cars...I hire people for that stuff.
Mmm, the den could use a new paint job...what are you doing this week end Marie? You want to paint my den?

[alpine]

Mary, I just cut some formica left overs to match the back of the tank and went to Lowes and got some very nice Baby Blue paint . Painted the formica with three coats and taped it to the back f the tank.

roberto.

[Kindredspirit]

John!
Do I want to paint your den?? I hate to paint with a passion! http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/4/4_14_202.gif It always takes 20 hours longer than you 'just knew it would'! Well, i am going to paint only the bottoms, i decided... cruise around this site, babe... I remember putting you in parenthesis, for some reason.....in case you got mean again at me!http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/4/4_2_105.gif



Roberto~

Thanks so much for sharing! Tell me, why do most use baby blue backgrounds? I was in Pets Mart today, and noticed, that every single tank is baby blue background....why is that??



Marie!http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/7/7_2_109.gif

[Ryan]

Any light background would work really, I just use blue as preference. The discus seem to show up well on it.

The reason I paint the bottoms of tanks rather than use a background or paper is because paint adheres to the glass, getting rid of the reflection. This is also the reason to use flat, or matte, paint. Semi-gloss and gloss allow for a reflection. I didn't think it would be a noticeable one so I tried it out on an angelfish tank once -- they all swam along the bottom because they could see themselves. So only flat paint for me.

Ryan

[Kindredspirit]

Thanks, Ryan!

I am actually going out to get some tomorrow. Baby Blue~ Ryan, I just did my wc on the 55gal and I took some frozen, not live, unwiggly, bloodworms and I held it under water to see if they would come to me so I could pet them....



they didn't~


M~http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/26/26_34_1v.gif

[Ryan]

Do they stay near the bottom of the tank, Marie? Once you paint it they may feel more secure. It was like night and day when I moved them into a painted tank. They were like puppies, following my hand around and begging for food. Practically wagging their tails, even :D

[cobaltblue]

Feed them and they will come Marie. It took mine a month or more, but now teh dominant two or three come and bite chunks of my frozen bloodworms right out of my hand...very cool. I am going to try giving the most dominant one a backrub soon......lol

[Kindredspirit]

Do they stay near the bottom of the tank, Marie? Once you paint it they may feel more secure. It was like night and day when I moved them into a painted tank. They were like puppies, following my hand around and begging for food. Practically wagging their tails, even :D



Really? *******, that would be so cool... I would never get anything done as I would be sitting in front of the tank petting fish! I need meds! I am so painting tomorrow make no mistake....Yes, they do stay near the bottom, kinda like cruising back and forth....Ya know R, the babies are like afraid of nothing! They never dash, or trip out, or dart around and smash into the sides, like the others in the 55gal do once in a while~ I wonder if that will change? ...The discus in my 55gal look soooo big compared to the babies....


Col~I will keep at it.. I am starting to pick up the babies too...did i tell you I almost sucked one up in my Phython?? They are so small! A back rub?? lol!!http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/3/3_2_101v.gif I just want to touch one for a few....thatz not asking much is it??



Marie~

[justafishguy]

Be very CAREFUL with the paint you choose and give the room plenty of ventilation! I killed my whole reef tank in one afternoon painting the cieling of a bedroom. What a disaster...I learned a huge lesson though and lost about a thousand bucks in coral and rock.
Good Luck!

[JMArtist]

John!
I remember putting you in parenthesis, for some reason.....in case you got mean again at me!http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/4/4_2_105.gif

Marie!http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/7/7_2_109.gif


Me mean???
Never!!!!:angel:

[Kindredspirit]

Be very CAREFUL with the paint you choose and give the room plenty of ventilation! I killed my whole reef tank in one afternoon painting the cieling of a bedroom. What a disaster...I learned a huge lesson though and lost about a thousand bucks in coral and rock.
Good Luck!


Just!

Soooooooo ......you didnt kill any fish? The paint fumes, killed your rocks? And coral? I bet you didnt see that one coming....What would you do different next time? Do you think it was the type of paint or lack of ventilation? I am so sorry.... Well, I have a problem then, cuz my office is small and the only window has an air conditioner in it and doesn't open....as we added that for the afternoon sun is brutal.... So whatcha think??





JM...
Too bad you didnt live in Cali~ We would have tons of fun!http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/5/5_1_120.gif



Marie~


Marie~

[Greg Richardson]

Marie. I just painted my 55 with 7 in it the other day.

Painting sides and bottom of tank is quite easy.

That amount of paint even my wife doesn't say open a window so u safe. LOL!

I noticed you were thinking of leaving sides unpainted.

For viewing purposes I did that with my living room tank.

My bedroom tanks though are all painted except for front.

I definetly saw the difference. It helps with peppering that way.

If I didn't like to come around the corner from master bedroom and look through the side of livingroom tank as I go into it so much I'd paint that tank also. Just have back and bottom painted.

[cobaltblue]

Marie, i just finished doing the sides and backs of my 25g and my 33g. I am not painting my 90g as it is upstairs and is my show tank. The painted sides totally changes the whole look of the tank. It actually looks cleaner for some reason too. The fish in my tank seem to look a little bit lighter in color, of course that could be cause i freaked them out a bit while painting. I will try and post a pic of it after second and third coats...tomorow.

note to self....dont get baby blue paint on wifes new brown leather sofa....anyone know how to get latex paint off leather..i tried soap and water but it didnt work....man am i dead if i dont get it off before she sees it....HELP

[Kindredspirit]

Greg~ Thanks for the tips! I think I will paint the sides too, then....Ryan has said on numerous occasions that the change in his discus were obvious as they didnt hug the bottom anymore and followed his hand...I just wish I could get to the back easier! I do have a ceiling fan in here so I will put that on~


Col~I'm thinking you are toast, babe! http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/15/15_6_25.gif Do you have kids to blame it on? lol! Get a marker the color of the couch and dab it.......or........

Diamonds for Christmas almost always work!http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/29/29_2_22.gif



Marie~

[justafishguy]

The fish survived for some reason. I think you will be ok with the small amount of paint you are using. They do sell low odor paints too. You could look for that type.

[cobaltblue]

Marie,....thanks...ill go with the diamonds. I do have three small girls, ( age 6, 5 and 2) but considering they were all in bed, would be a tough sell. I think the diamonds are a safer bet. ( or ill be using that couch a little more often than the bed i think)..YOu think 1 carot studs would suffice or should i go
larger...

if worse comes to worse, at least i know she wont want half of my fishies...lol

[Kindredspirit]

Col~ I was just thinking about you and that couch!! lol! You have three, 3, girls? How many sisters do you have? I bet they are precious and to have a dad like you, how cool is that??http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_30_4.gif


Are you really getting her diamonds? I want a diamond, dayumit!! Take a pic of her face when she opens it and post in 'talk about anything' section...lol....

and your fishies are safe.....that is a good thing, ya
think?




Marie~

[cobaltblue]

Marie, i have three girls yes, and i have 8 sisters and 1 brother. yes, alot of estrogen around our family.

And yes, i am getting her diamonds, i was thinking of the BLUE variety...lol

[Ryan]

i am getting her diamonds, i was thinking of the BLUE variety...lol

She might kill you :( lol

Oh, and 8 sisters? You must have been miserable. I have 1 sister and I was always trying to think of ways to get away from her. hahaha

Ryan

[Greg Richardson]

Chris. Try really, really hot water. Soak it a bit with sponge.

You might try using a scrubbing type of brush or other item or just your fingernails in a spot where no one will see it to see the reaction of leather from scrubbing.

Everything go good there go back to your spot and clean it.

Other way to do it is go to hardware store. Buy Goof-Off.

Works great.

I would think if you did it quick and rinsed that area with fresh water you'd be okay leatherwise, but once again might want to test an area first putting it on and then rinsing it off.

[Kindredspirit]

Col~ EIGHT sisters??? No wonder you had three girls! Hope you are not counting on a boy, anywhere soon...lol! okay....the BLUE, variety?


am i missing something here?? lol!



Marie!http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_30_6.gif

[cobaltblue]

Marie , you know...blue diamonds....the fish, not the gem....

[Kindredspirit]

I so knew that!





I did~http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_35_1.gif



Well, see if I had been in this crazy hobby for many moons, like some of us, I would have known that....lol!


Marie~

[Discus_KC]

For those who hate to paint, try this !!!!

[Kindredspirit]

Great idea...............hmm.......http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/4/4_12_12.gif

[candyl70]

Too cute Jack!!


C~

[cobaltblue]

Is she for hire....i can send out a plane ticket to Vancouver....does she mind
rain? Wait, i have three girls....forget the plane ticket. Sorry.:D :D :D

[Greg Richardson]

In regards to poster board or wall paper backgrounds instead of paint.

Here's my story...........

I tried the poster board first while back. I liked the look.

Wallpaper is great idea also. So many choices.

But as time went on changing sponges on HOB or other activities like cleaning tank sometimes water driped behind.
Not much.
But after period of time your material does show the wear.

That is why I went to latex paint knowing that can get wet many times before ever showing damage.

If you have methods that don't entail drips now and then on outside of tank disregard this post and come help me. LOL!