Black background or Busy background?.....

[Guest]

busy and black, same tank.

 

[Alshain]

Because of your fish, the busy loosk better for yours. Blackskirts blend into the black background. Also, you managed to find a busy background that fits the tank (very hard to do sometimes). Black background is definately better for Blue, Red, Orange or Yellow and maybe Purpel fish.

 

[JRagg]

Because of your fish, the busy loosk better for yours. Blackskirts blend into the black background. Also, you managed to find a busy background that fits the tank (very hard to do sometimes). Black background is definately better for Blue, Red, Orange or Yellow and maybe Purpel fish.

Agreed, that busy background looks good behind a planted tank. Probably the first busy one I've ever liked .

 

[7Enigma]

I picked up a busy background from PetSmart that I feel works better than a black or no background, but it definately depends on the specific tank. I feel moderate/heavily planted tanks look much more "real" with a busy background than a less planted or bare setup. First pic is very lightly planted, second pic is after a good growout. The other thing that makes busy backgrounds look good and not take away from the real fish and plants IMO is to have a small amount of algae on the back glass. It increases the depth of the tank because its not quite in focus and doesn't draw as much attention away from the inhabitants.

 

[Guest]

i agree, the busy background looks much better on my 55. and that second tank shot of 7's looks excellant, nice full planted tank imo.

btw, if you go into an lfs and ask for a 'busy background', will they look at you funny? hi, im shopping for busy backgrounds today, lol.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Another thing for sanding the glass, you are painting the outside of the tank, so the scratched glass is going to show on the inside of the tank. That is why I did not sand mine either. And with higher lighting, it makes the scratches stand out more from reflections off the scratches.

 

[maxwell1295]

Yeah, I didn't quite understand the the sanding idea either. I've always used black spray paint......that is, until more recently when I started using latex paint and a roller. It takes a few coats, but there are no fumes, no smell, and it looks great. Plus, you can do it with the fish in the tank without fear of killing them.

 

[Alshain]

Keep in mind, the camera itself will blend the background into the foreground. When your in front of the tank you can see the difference much clearer.

<---- My avatar is a busy background, it looks great in the pic but I don't really like the way it looks in real life.

 

[Codefox]

Yeah, busy backgrounds tend to look far better in pictures than in real life. They look incredibly fake to me when you see them on the tank. I had a busy background but it looked really tacky with the live plants. I'll try putting some black behind the tank to see how it looks but the plant cover at the back is really getting so thick that I'm not sure it matters

 

[Purrbox]

I personally think that the plain black background looks better. It gives great depth to the tank and you don't have to worry about what's actually in the tank suffering by comparison. JMO.

 

[Guest]

another thing about black is that your water clarity stands out. if you have any white specs or cloudiness, the black makes it stand out.

 

[Ichthyologist]

Royal blue background, anyone?

 

[JRagg]

Royal blue background, anyone?

For marine tanks, yes. I don't like blue behind my plants though.

 

[Sicklid]

My two cents? I appreciate the subtle black much more... It has a quiet, peaceful, zen-like, how-far-back-does-this-slice-of-nature-actually-recede feeling, something which the Takashi Amano tanks always have. The "scotch-taped-on" backgrnds remind me of the gaudy wallpaper my mom had in our bathroom in the 1970's, and they make you say, "Oh, that's where this tank stops... right there at the blatantly inexpensive scotch-taped-on background." But don't let my negative nay-saying attitude stop you!

 

[Thebluyak]

I used 2% limo window tint on mine and it makes it black as all get out. But iwas a royal pain in the arse to get it put on with light wires, xp3 hoses and heater wires all around you

 

[EdgarMedina1010]

I used 2% limo window tint on mine and it makes it black as all get out. But iwas a royal pain in the arse to get it put on with light wires, xp3 hoses and heater wires all around you

uh... that actually sounds like a good idea/....

 

[Sicklid]

uh... that actually sounds like a good idea...

That sounds like a GREAT IDEA... you can get limo tint relatively cheap, and its durable! You can even double the thickness. If anyone tries this, I suggest wetting the heck out of it when you apply it... It makes it so you can slide it around and position it before you squeegee it down. Alot of people don't use enough soapy water or windex and they wind up with a lot of bubbles trapped under the tint, or it sticks too rapidly.

 

[kaz]

busy background makes the eye go straight to the background and not look to what is the real thing. who ever thinks that busy is better needs to do another observation

 

[Pleco]

I dont use a background at all. I have a dark wall behind my tank so that ends up being the background. I never cared for the backgrounds ive seen in stores, they seem a bit fake and cheesy.

 

[WhiteCloud]

Oceanvisions background is a great background those people who want a great looking black (or other solid color) background, which is not permanent....but stays on until you want to take it off. It is like a window sticker for the back of the tank. Check out info here:

http://www.aquaricare.org/generic.html?pid=4


I have bought it from here:


http://www.thatpetplace.com/Product...1/Itemdy00.aspx

I have had it on my 40 gallon Breeder, and still looks brand new after 2 years. I just put it on my 90 Gallon yesterday. Looks as good as painting...and not as permanent.