3-D BACKGROUNDS, ANY NEGATIVES?

[Susie]

I am looking for advice from folks who have used 3-D backgrounds for awhile. Especially the kind that have space behind them. My questions regard the drawbacks of a 3-D background like what about the water behind the background? How do you keep it from overheating, stagnating, growing algae, etc. I have my ideas but am looking for more. How about deterioration and algae on the front. Any other negatives that anyone has encountered. I am thinking about buying one. I realize that I could acquire a very nice discus for that money. Just need to have some facts to help me make up my mind.

[dirtyplants]

Yes it would be nice to see how these backgrounds hold up after about a year.

[DonMD]

I used a 3-d background in a 125 gallon tank for about a year. It had several screened pass-throughs for water, and all the filter plumbing was behind. It looked and worked great, but I gave it up. Why?

Even though I made a very thin python for vacuuming behind the background, it was a PITA. Junk will accumulate back there, unavoidable. So, you have to clean back there. Also, it took away a lot of room in the tank, so I was really limited to about 8-9 big fish. Also, it eventually gets covered with algae. You can't clean it like you can glass, as so it kept getting darker and darker. The only solution was to cut down severely on the amount of light. So I sold it on Craigslist (and posted it on Simply: http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?109210-Pangea-Rocky-I-3-D-Background-N-Virginia&highlight=), and am back to a simple glass cage.

Been there, done that.

[Susie]

Wow, thanks so much. You have pretty much confirmed my fears. Hope we hear from others. I'll look up your original post.

[kkdiscus]

Thanks for the thread. I was wondering too on the dirt that will accumulate behind the background and how do you clean it.

No No for me for sure...

[ZX10R]

I second what Don said same issues after some time it was just to big of a pain to keep clean. I used a soft brush on the background trying to keep it clean it worked but it was a nonstop job. I was amazed at how much gunk collected on it and behind it I finally ripped it out.

[Susie]

I think I will put my money into beautiful wild discus and just paint the back of my tank. Thanks for your comments.