Do you need a tank back ground?

[Angellove78]

I didn't have a back ground, and didn't wanta pay $20+ for 1 till I figure out everything I want. Anyways! I had this bed sheet that looked like the galaxy.( Pretty cool) so I fold the sheet up and taped it to the back of my tank. Works better if you cut it. But mine is only temp. Just wanted to share it with ya'll. Blue or black looks really good too! Find my pic on here and check it out. You wouldn't even know it's a sheet. Lol! [emoji12]

 

[Delapool]

Nice one!

I don't think one is strictly needed (unless blocking sunlight), I just like the look.

 

[Angellove78]

You are right they are not needed. But I like my fish to feel at home. Where it's dark. And I don't like seeing all my hoses and plug wires. But. That's just me.

 

[billberet]

I don't use one just so I get more of an illusion of depth in my tank.
it's like looking into the black abyss !!!!!

 

[rsprangers]

I usually use poster board from the dollar store. Great idea on the sheet!

 

[evil Nick]

I use car tint and it works great. Its a solid yet semi transparent black and hold up nice.

 

[billberet]

that's funny you mention car tint, I was just looking at 50% tint myself and applying it to the back of the tank. cheap and simple

 

[54seaweed]

In my younger years I've seen any utilize a background from a simple piece of tin foil
you can just tape it up as is or give it texture by crumbling it up kind of adds to it.
this day and age a lot of us paint the back glass , I've went far and beyond with rhino liner

it looks good and is durable now I will always use this method
I have a feeder tank with a big crack across the rear glass if it wasn't rhino coated I'm sure it would have leaked even fail 4 years later it still holds up .
we all have our own ideas for backgrounds I'm tempted on doing a glass etching than add rhino coat to make it pop .

 

[Angellove78]

In my younger years I've seen any utilize a background from a simple piece of tin foil
you can just tape it up as is or give it texture by crumbling it up kind of adds to it.
this day and age a lot of us paint the back glass , I've went far and beyond with rhino liner

it looks good and is durable now I will always use this method
I have a feeder tank with a big crack across the rear glass if it wasn't rhino coated I'm sure it would have leaked even fail 4 years later it still holds up .
we all have our own ideas for backgrounds I'm tempted on doing a glass etching than add rhino coat to make it pop .

Now, That! would be so cool! So many ideas with etching. I've thought of doing that to the back side of an old mirror and putting it on the back of the tank. The hard part is what etch.

 

[billberet]

looks good, I even thought about getting felt drapes, in black, nice soft background. currently I don't use anything and the back room just adds depth to the tank , you don't see the water line so it looks like the fish are just floating.

 

[stbmoe]

Back Ground

I use a piece of black tar paper or roofing paper cut to size and tape in place. Its water proof and easy to replace!

 

[Angellove78]

I use a piece of black tar paper or roofing paper cut to size and tape in place. Its water proof and easy to replace!

Nice idea! I like it! Easy too! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Mpwallace1]

I ran into an issue with background. I had one on the back of the tank, but when I stitched to a canister filter, the suction cups are applied against the back of the tank. I couldn’t move the tank and stand back to properly and neatly cut a hole for them, so my efforts look like hell

 

[Angellove78]

I ran into an issue with background. I had one on the back of the tank, but when I stitched to a canister filter, the suction cups are applied against the back of the tank. I couldn’t move the tank and stand back to properly and neatly cut a hole for them, so my efforts look like hell

The suction cups are for the inside to hold them in place. The hoses don't need to be on the back outside. Unless you're talking about a background that goes inside the tank. The 3D backgrounds??? But still don't know why you'd have to move the tank and stand. Got a pic? Maybe to help understand alittle better?

 

[Mpwallace1]

Sorry, by design and install instructions on the cobalt canister filter, the hard plastic J tubes are mounted on the back and outside of the aquarium. When I already had a background in place I had to try and cut a round hole out on the existing background to accommodate these cups. When I can’t slide the stand and aquarium back to cut the holes out neatly because of its weight, I had to eye ball it where it was. Definitely do it differently next time and remove the background and try and cut it out on the table, then reinstall. I didn’t think it through properly.
Hope this clarifies

 

[hannahpops]

I use mirrors behind my tanks, obviously no good for territorial fish/ones who might not like reflections of themselves but personally i like the look .

 

[Angellove78]

I use mirrors behind my tanks, obviously no good for territorial fish/ones who might not like reflections of themselves but personally i like the look .

I thought about that and would do that, but have angelfish. They would hurt themselves. Bump... Bump.. smack... Like a bird fling into a window.[emoji39] lol