Painting aquarium glass for background?

[sealife]

I am thinking of painting my glass tank background black. Its a 4 foot tank.

1. This a good idea or not?
2. Has anybody regretted painting on glass for background?
3. If it is a good idea, which paint is best to give a rich black background colour ?
4. Is it better I just buy black plastic paper background and sticky tape it on?

Thanks.

 

[aqua_holic]

I love my painted 125. It's a deeper black than any background I've used. I used a flat latex paint. I was concerned that glossy paint would show a glare.

 

[dcutl002]

I am thinking of painting my glass tank background black. Its a 4 foot tank.

1. This a good idea or not?
2. Has anybody regretted painting on glass for background?
3. If it is a good idea, which paint is best to give a rich black background colour ?
4. Is it better I just buy black plastic paper background and sticky tape it on?

Thanks.

I would go with the plastic to make sure that you like it first.

 

[trennamw]

I did cheap acrylic craft paint, and to add some depth I swirled in a little red-brown and white (the colors of my substrate). The only reason I took it off was to improve the light level without buying new lights, and I wish I'd left it.

Flat or gloss paint will have the same effect, against glass.


Sent from my iPhone with three hands tied behind my back.

 

[aqua_holic]

I have read that painting the background on reduces PAR, but as a non plant person I couldn't care less

 

[sealife]

Whats PAR? And does same apply for paper/plastic backs that have been stuck on with sticky tape.
Thanks.

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[aqua_holic]

PAR has to do with lighting. All backgrounds have an impact on it, but to different degrees. Hopefully someone familiar with more than just how to turn them on (me) chimes in. My uninformed impression was that PAR is only important for high tech tanks.

 

[jojenkins]

I used Plasticote...some say plasti dip!!... its rubber spray paint that people used to use on tools.. now their are peoole painting cars with it... comes in several different colors.. whats cool about it is it doesnt run and if you spray it on and dont like it or one day want to change the color.. it peels off all in one peel...very cool stuff... wal mart and auto stores carry it...7 dollars a can

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[aqua_holic]

That's an innovative idea!

 

[Linwood]

PAR has to do with lighting. All backgrounds have an impact on it, but to different degrees. Hopefully someone familiar with more than just how to turn them on (me) chimes in. My uninformed impression was that PAR is only important for high tech tanks.

I've never seen a measurement, but in principle an unpainted glass might reflect more light back into the tank at the air/glass boundary than one painted black which will absorb it. I'd be surprised if it was a very large effect, but it would be interesting to have someone measure it.

It clearly doesn't affect the light radiated directly from the overhead light, it is only about the light that might exit via the side glass that is reflected back.

IF you want a test, put black aquarium background on with something like olive oil. Squeegee very, very hard, like with a window painting squeegee. It's almost the same as paint if you get an even but very thin layer of oil there. Water works also but won't last long. You can do this to test, then wash off (with detergent) easily and paint if you want to later, but it lets you try different colors (etc) more easily. Paint can be scrapped off but not as easily.

That's assuming glass - acrylic, don't paint unless you really like the color.

 

[Cthulhu]

I painted the back of my 95g black. It was a no brainer, it is a corner aquarium with a black overflow right in the middle, so anything else than black would look silly for the rest of the background. I don't remember what paint I used but it was nothing special, some normal indoor paint, and after more than a year it is still intact.

But if I had other options, it is not what I would have done. I absolutely love aquariums with back lighting! Look at aquascaping pictures and you will see almost all of them have back lighting. I did it for my 20g and I really love it! Quite easy to do too. I can go into more details if you want to know how I did it.

 

[sealife]

What's back lighting?

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[Cthulhu]

Just do a search for "aquascaping" images on google and you will see they almost all have a white and very bright background. This is generally done by putting a white board of sheet behind the aquarium, and aiming a light at it.

Here is mine. i put a white melamin board at an angle, with a neon between the tank and the board, a bit lower than the tank. And I put a frosted film on the back glass. And a bit a blue cellophane sheet over the neon to add some color.