Painting tanks...again

[roclement]

Hello All!

I know we have been down this road before...I am about to take the plunge and paint my tanks...blue is the color I have chosen, any toughts on particular brands, color variation, spray versus brushing?

I am looking for run-of-the-mill paint that I can find at Home Depot, and would preffer to spray on versus brushing.

Any input would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks...once again!

Rodrigo

[Terrybo]

Here is a link to a recent discussion with lots of pictures!

http://forum.simplydiscus.com//showthread.php?t=40837

Terry

[crookedantler]

IF you decide to spray,be VERY careful not to get overspray inside the tank.I used a baby blue spray from True Value and I'm sure Home Depot carries it also.I painted the sides,bottom and back and my fish seem to really like it.I guess they feel more secure or something.I had 2 that wouldn't eat and as soon as I put them in the painted tank,they began eating.

[oodi]

IF you decide to spray,be VERY careful not to get overspray inside the tank.
Exactly!!! Garbage bags work great for masking off the areas where you don't want paint!

Judi
:)

[Cosmo]

Home Depots around here don't sell spray paints... local law maybe ??

When I painted my tanks I got a soft blue, and the paint guy at HD suggested that I use a primer coat of the same color first and then put paint on top of the primer... used a brush and a small 4in roller.. first coat was ...mmm difficult... but the second coat went on easily ..

Jim

[The Discus Shop]

Hey Rodrigo,

I bought white paint from Home Depot for exterior uses (I forgot the brand but the container is half green half white with a house on the front =D)

I also bought one of those small plastic rollers that you can find in the paint aisle as well because the plastic packaging that the roller comes in actually turns into a handy paint tray. Anyhow, it wasn't hard at all to roll on the paint as long as you tape the tank edges and mask off the right areas. For that I used regular black tape, just because it's more elastic. Anyhow, I only applied one coat of this - and for me it was enough because it doesn't turn the glass solid white looking from the outside in, but rather it's more of an evened-out opague white covering kindda like those privacy glass panels people use for shower doors (cookie sheet intensity I guess). But for the discus, when the tank light is on it appears completely white from inside the tank which makes my fish really secure. You can see pictures of a tank with this paint under my thread about my fish changing color after being fed new stuff under food/nutrition. The first pic there is a tank without any paint on, so u can compare the difference.

HTH

Dennis

[Glenn]

Try going to a paint store and look in the miss tints I bet you can get a gallon for 10$ use a 4" roller they work better than spray paint

[roclement]

The forum comes through again! Thanks everyone for all the info!

I am going with a latex based paint with a baby blue color, am going to use a 4inch roller to apply it. I will take pictures of the process wich should be fun since I am very non-mechanically enclined...

I will start with the 150gl since it is currently empty undergoing repairs, if all goes well I will start moving fish around and doing one by one.

Wish me luck!!!

Rodrigo

[mench]

I for one don't paint my tanks anymore..say ya got tired of the color,it is a pain to remove the paint...I also like the lite blue...so to Home Depot I go get some thin lite blue foam insulation...4 ft high by about 25 ft long..it fold sup into a 4 ft by 2 ft sections...I then cut to size and install on the back of the tanks with good ole duct tape....nice lite blue background and ya have some insulation value....

Mench

[roclement]

Hi Mench!

Interesting approach and good idea, I will look into it when I go to HD, maybe I will do that instead of the painting thing...
Thanks!

Rodrigo

[Northwestcoastdisc]

hi everyone

I agree with Cosmo ( Jim) and Glenn,

I was working at Seastar Aquarium systems. I had been paint many glass tanks for their bussines. I would use is 4 inches of roll with indoor or outdoor paints. The indoor paints and outdoor paints are more safe than oil paint or etc. They are no toxic which use for baby crib ;) The paint can wash off by water.

I ve been paint my breeding tanks, grow out tanks, biggest tanks, my fish are happy and no problems.

HTH

Duncan

[allan_mark76]

SPRAY PAINT.

I use plastic bags and tape to cover the areas I don't want painted. I then flip the tank so the opening is facing the floor and spray paint away. I then let the spray paint settle and dry for 48 hours in the sun. Then you are good to go. Hope this helps.

:bounce: