Background Colors With Certain Color Discus

[poconogal]

I currently have a black background with black gravel. It looks very dramatic, and my Cardinals and Albino BN Plecs look spectacular against the black. I also have a Red Melon and Golden Pidgeon, both of which look great against the black, although it has brought out just a tiny bit of peppering on both. The other 3, a BD, a blue based Eruption Leopard and a BD Red Scribbled have darkened against that background and don't show up well at all. Sometimes I can hardly see them, they blend so well. I also currently have a Coralife 50/50 bulb (50 daylight/50 actinic for more subdued lighting) from my previous tank set up.

I'm trying to figure out what color will work better with all of my Discus. Or perhaps a different bulb will help? I have nice, healthy SILK plants, so lighting for plants is not an issue.

Your thoughts, please... thanks!

Connie

[Timbo]

black works well for saltwater fish or a reef; for discus....well, you said it yourself, they will tend to try to blend in and dark discus are usually not as attractive

light blue seems to be the favoured color for a background...i use the same bulbs as you btw

[poconogal]

black works well for saltwater fish or a reef; for discus....well, you said it yourself, they will tend to try to blend in and dark discus are usually not as attractive

light blue seems to be the favoured color for a background...i use the same bulbs as you btw

Tim, I've seen a sort of medium blue and dark blue, but not a light blue. Do they make light blue backgrounds, or is it just light blue painted ?

Connie

[AmberC]

Connie,
I have a blue background on my tank which looks dark for some reason when I am looking at the tank (shadows I am thinking) but in pictures it comes out so light blue and looks so great.

Amber

[Mack]

A solid white backing looks great as well. I use 1/2" styro from the local home improvement store in my fishroom. Looks nice and I hope it helps with insulating the back of the tank against the cold basement wall (probably not much though).
Joe

[poconogal]

A solid white backing looks great as well. I use 1/2" styro from the local home improvement store in my fishroom. Looks nice and I hope it helps with insulating the back of the tank against the cold basement wall (probably not much though).
Joe

Joe, I never even thought of that! My tank is 24" deep. Is there a size to fit that? And, my tank is right by the A/C vent (nowhere else to put it), so it gets the blast of cold air, and in winter, a blast of hot air. I had to close the vent, but the stryo should help with that. It would probably look good with the black gravel, too. Hmmmmmm.

Connie

[poconogal]

Connie,
I have a blue background on my tank which looks dark for some reason when I am looking at the tank (shadows I am thinking) but in pictures it comes out so light blue and looks so great.

Amber

Amber, The flip side of my black ground is a nice blue. I'm going to try that, but I wonder how BD and their derivatives would look against blue, know what I mean? Actually, I think I was going to PM you yesterday after looking at your tank pics to ask about what color you had. I liked it. But then I had to do work, darn it.... HAHAHAHA, so couldn't get to send you the message.

Connie

[AmberC]

lol Connie.. well.. I had BD's (Two of them) in my tank with the blue background and I thought they looked great against it. I think maybe it comes down to personal preferece too.. I will see if I can find a picture..

Amber

[poconogal]

lol Connie.. well.. I had BD's (Two of them) in my tank with the blue background and I thought they looked great against it. I think maybe it comes down to personal preferece too.. I will see if I can find a picture..

Amber

Oh, that would be great, thanks Amber.

[AmberC]

Ok.. here is a pic after I had decided to replant the tank. I had gone BB for a while.. so the tank is bare (except the algae! yuck! lol) but you can see my BD against the blue background...

I'll see if I can find a better pic too
Amber

[AmberC]

here is another.. after a few plants went in (OMG.. this is gonna make me cry. I so miss these fish.)

Amber

[AmberC]

One more..

[lhforbes12]

Wow! That was a great looking tank Amber! I love that large driftwood piece.

[Trog]

Nicely done Amber! Those tanks and fish look Fabulous!

[alpine]

light blue backgrounds look ver nice in tanks with blue diamonds