Background on Eclipse 5 Corner Tank

[HooKooDooKu]

I'm trying to put a background on an Eclipse 5 gallon corner tank, but I keep running into problems.

Now if you just want a background taped on, that's not a problem. It's possible to slip the background under the upper and lower black rims. The only thing special there is that you have to cut some grooves in the bottom section to account for 3 tabs that are in the way on each side (there are no tabs in the way on the back panel).

But what I want to do is the basic trick of placing a fluid between the background and the tank, you then squeeze out all the air bubbles, and you get a great looking background that really stands out.

But my problem is those corners throwing me fits. Basically, there's three back panels that need a background on them. The problem is that each of the 3 sides sit at a 45 degree angle to each other. The angle is too curved to find a sharp edge at which you can just cut the backgrounds, but they are also too sharp and the background too thick to ensure you can get all the background to lay flat through the corner. The closest I've come has been to heat the background with a hair dryer to help it conform to the corners. That did ok near the center of the background at the corners, but it just wasn't enough at the top/bottom edges.

 

[Egress]

I'd try giving the background a nice bend over a dowel or something so it's a gentle bend, then using your oil or whatever you're using to help it stick it down. It'll never be perfect dry.

 

[verucaproduce]

There is something called oceanvisions. It is a background that is self adhesive (with a little bit of water). I have a strange shaped acrylic 5 gallon and that is the only thing that looks good on it. I think they only have solid colors, but I love the way it is secure and wraps around corners.

 

[HooKooDooKu]

I'd try giving the background a nice bend over a dowel or something so it's a gentle bend, then using your oil or whatever you're using to help it stick it down. It'll never be perfect dry.

The problem is that there are TWO angle at the back of the tank. It doesn't go all the way to the corner with a single 90 angle. Instead, there are two 45 degree angles, so anything you do to try to pre-bend the background would require two sets of bends, and they would have to be accurately positioned.

 

[verucaproduce]

The oceanvisions (and I imagine similar products) doesn't have to be bent. It is flexible naturally. Sort of like a heavy-duty contact paper.