Painted Tank Backgrounds

[laupao]

Hello all,


after surfing a lot of SD, why some people paint the background, side and buttom of the tanks? I have a 55 with no backgrounds...when the discus swim in the the buttom they look like they are trying to look below the tank. is this the reason why?

please tell me what are the benefits of painting the back/side and buttom of the tank.

thanks so much

[Harriett]

Several reasons, depends on who you talk to.
A few:
1. Discus get jumpy if they percieve they may be in danger--painting the bottom esp and the sides/back of a tank seems to have a calming effect on jumpy fish because there is less stimuli to contend with for them. Juvies can be quite skittish and breeding pairs are particularly prone to getting nervous when they are spawning or have babies in the tank.
2. Discus don't have the best eyesight and if the bottom is clear, they have a harder time figurig out where the food is and have a poorer strike success going after it.
3. In terms of esthetics, most folks don't want to see equipment and hoses on the back of the tank .
4. you can see the fish better if there is a painted back.
5. Painted surfaces will block ambient light and reduce algae, often times.
6. etc etc etc.

Lots of reasons to consider doing it. Paint the outside not the inside, and there are threads on types of paint and techniques for getting the job done easily--do some research.

Best regards,
Harriett

[REC]

Contact your local tinting shop and ask them if they have any blue vinyl and get a quote to apply it to the back and bottom of your tank. Don't use black it causes discus to turn dark and lose most of there color as many will tell you. Here is a 75g that I just recently had done in blue vinyl. Goodluck

[bmalick]

Often times the color of the sides and bottom can influence the fish to adjust their color either lighter or darker. Some strains like pigieon bloods are prone to pepper with darker colored backrounds. You can paint the backround lighter if you want to try to reduce the amount of peppering, or darker if you want them to have a darker appearance if they don't pepper.

[steakman]

Contact your local tinting shop and ask them if they have any blue vinyl and get a quote to apply it to the back and bottom of your tank. Don't use black it causes discus to turn dark and lose most of there color as many will tell you. Here is a 75g that I just recently had done in blue vinyl. Goodluck

REC, what kind of vinyl I am looking for? Does it have self-adhesive side to apply to the surface? How much did you pay for yours?

Thanks,

[REC]

REC, what kind of vinyl I am looking for? Does it have self-adhesive side to apply to the surface? How much did you pay for yours?

Thanks,

I have a friend who runs a tint shop and I run an auto salon so we always just trade. I'm guessing it would cost around 50-75 dollars for a tank your size. The vinyl he uses is made by 3m and just has an adhesive backing. Most tinting shops use vinyl if not try a place that designs signs or logos. You can buy the vinyl and try to install it yourself. You basically measure it off then cut the size you need. Spray the tank surface with water/vinegar mix peel the backing off the vinyl then stick it to the tank. The water mix allows you to move the vinyl in place. Then take a plastic razor blase and scrape out all the moister thats trapped between the vinyl and the glass. Finish off with trimming around the edges with a razor blade be sure to watch not to get into the silicone. Goodluck

[joanstone]

I often use fabric, it's easy to attach with Velcro. That way I can change it easily if I want to and I can take it off to see my tank from the back (that's important for me as it's built into the wall and behind it is my fishroom. You have a huge color choice, even different color patterns. The one I have now almost looks like leaves.

[steakman]

I have a friend who runs a tint shop and I run an auto salon so we always just trade. I'm guessing it would cost around 50-75 dollars for a tank your size. The vinyl he uses is made by 3m and just has an adhesive backing. Most tinting shops use vinyl if not try a place that designs signs or logos. You can buy the vinyl and try to install it yourself. You basically measure it off then cut the size you need. Spray the tank surface with water/vinegar mix peel the backing off the vinyl then stick it to the tank. The water mix allows you to move the vinyl in place. Then take a plastic razor blase and scrape out all the moister thats trapped between the vinyl and the glass. Finish off with trimming around the edges with a razor blade be sure to watch not to get into the silicone. Goodluck

It sounds like the same kind of film used for car windows' tint. I thought the only color they have for this job is from light to dark gray. Thanks, I look into that.

[REC]

It sounds like the same kind of film used for car windows' tint. I thought the only color they have for this job is from light to dark gray. Thanks, I look into that.

Vinyl is not tint. Its solid in color and you can't see through it.