How do you make a BB tank look "cool?"

[CammieTime]

I have learned the hard way that BB is the way to go.

Now, I want to put a nice 75 gal BB display tank in my family room...but how do I make it look cool and not like a flooded sink?

Since the tank will be more or less a piece of furniture, and my wife has to give the OK, I want it to look as attractive as possible but still be BB. Can I put some sort of decoration in the tank that is colorful?

[White Worm]

Paint the bottom underneath a sandy colored textured paint, sides and back a light to medium blue and add some driftwood or potted plants. Thats what I would do, lol :)
Keeps the tank clean and looks good at the same time.

40067


I have learned the hard way that BB is the way to go.

Now, I want to put a nice 75 gal BB display tank in my family room...but how do I make it look cool and not like a flooded sink?

Since the tank will be more or less a piece of furniture, and my wife has to give the OK, I want it to look as attractive as possible but still be BB. Can I put some sort of decoration in the tank that is colorful?

[Patr1ck]

I have learned the hard way that BB is the way to go.

Now, I want to put a nice 75 gal BB display tank in my family room...but how do I make it look cool and not like a flooded sink?

Since the tank will be more or less a piece of furniture, and my wife has to give the OK, I want it to look as attractive as possible but still be BB. Can I put some sort of decoration in the tank that is colorful?

I dont have a BB tank but this thread has one that looks really cool. Check out MMorris' post/pics http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?t=67739

Patrick

[Roxanne]

There's no reason you can't use fake plants/driftwood...just have to make sure you clean up underneath it properly...so no old food gets caught & rots in the tank...you could also try different coloured lighting..one of my tanks has a white light & a blue light which contrasts nicely at nite....thoughts...:)

[mmorris]

How do you make an empty basket look "cool"? Stuff it with puppies or kittens. Noone will say `what a boring-looking basket.' How do you make a barebottom tank "cool"? Stuff it with discus.

[Eddie]

How do you make an empty basket look "cool"? Stuff it with puppies or kittens. Noone will say `what a boring-looking basket.' How do you make a barebottom tank "cool"? Stuff it with discus.

Well put! I agree completely. :D

Eddie

[fishman1978]

shure gave me some ideas

[rickztahone]

Paint the bottom underneath a sandy colored textured paint, sides and back a light to medium blue and add some driftwood or potted plants. Thats what I would do, lol :)
Keeps the tank clean and looks good at the same time.

40067

i really like that bottom color. do you know what it is called? i'm tired of my substrate and would like to color it a sand color but i'm scared that whatever color i try to match to "sand" color it will end up being to solid and not look like i want it to. is it a mix of two or a special technique at all?

[Eddie]

i really like that bottom color. do you know what it is called? i'm tired of my substrate and would like to color it a sand color but i'm scared that whatever color i try to match to "sand" color it will end up being to solid and not look like i want it to. is it a mix of two or a special technique at all?

Any beige or tan color will have that affect. They have fleckstone spray paint that is nice too ;)

Eddie

[mmorris]

There is a paint called `sandstone', I think it is. I used it under a couple of my tanks but I notice with my 125 gal. acrylic that it knocks off really easily when moisture gets in and, perhaps, with the natural shifting of the tank. Someone once suggested spraying on a sealer or a coat of regular spray paint on top of the Sandstone and I wish I had done that. It needs re-doing.

[rickztahone]

thank you both for your input

[Patr1ck]

There is a paint called `sandstone', I think it is. I used it under a couple of my tanks but I notice with my 125 gal. acrylic that it knocks off really easily when moisture gets in and, perhaps, with the natural shifting of the tank. Someone once suggested spraying on a sealer or a coat of regular spray paint on top of the Sandstone and I wish I had done that. It needs re-doing.

Could you spray the surface that the tank sits on instead of the tank bottom itself the same color and clean off the rest of the sandstone paint that is on the bottom of your tank? There is also spraypaint specifically designed for plastic that would stick better too.:)

P

[mmorris]

Could you spray the surface that the tank sits on instead of the tank bottom itself the same color and clean off the rest of the sandstone paint that is on the bottom of your tank? There is also spraypaint specifically designed for plastic that would stick better too.:)

P

If I sprayed the wood it was sitting on, I don't think it would show. If I ever empty it and toss the fish in the barrell for a bit, I'll spray paint the bottom with sandstone and then another layer to seal it. Sandstone is expensive but it looks the best of the paints I have tried. Something for plastic, like you said, might make a good sealant. Unfortunately, I don't know much about paints.

[rickztahone]

If I sprayed the wood it was sitting on, I don't think it would show. If I ever empty it and toss the fish in the barrell for a bit, I'll spray paint the bottom with sandstone and then another layer to seal it. Sandstone is expensive but it looks the best of the paints I have tried. Something for plastic, like you said, might make a good sealant. Unfortunately, I don't know much about paints.

i used a latex based spray paint to paint my background and it came out great. i asked the guy at HD and he said that reflectix and polycrylic wouldn't stick to latex so i left it with just the spray paint. so far it has held with no problems. if i do do the bottom i will try to do a roll on paint because it took for ever with a spray can.

[mmorris]

he said that reflectix and polycrylic wouldn't stick to latex

To the best of my knowledge reflectix doesn't stick to anything. I tape it on the back and one or two sides, and use velcro to attach the front piece at night and when I am away during the day. I also lay a piece on the top under the strip light when lights are off. Hopefully this cuts my electric bill.

[White Worm]

I bought it at walmart in the spraypaint section. Its called textured paint. i tried the sand color and it looks kinda pink after the tank is filled. I then went with the darker version and I am much happier with the final result. I back mine with plain satin black spray paint just like I do with the blue sides.


i really like that bottom color. do you know what it is called? i'm tired of my substrate and would like to color it a sand color but i'm scared that whatever color i try to match to "sand" color it will end up being to solid and not look like i want it to. is it a mix of two or a special technique at all?

[troyclark]

I have used a textured spray paint made by rustoleum i think called stone creations. You can get one named bleached stone that looks kinda like sand. I used it on the bottom of a 40 gallon and it looks really good.