Color Aquarium Background?

[liberator123]

Black
Blue
White
Other

I would like to know which color background everyone prefers to use in their planted tank?
Black and blue seems like an obvious choice to use, but ive seen some aquascapes online that uses white. I think black would make plants and bright fish pop out? White, however, serves to add reflection of light and makes the tank brighter, which in turn makes the aquascape seem bigger?

I am trying to decide which background color to use in my 20 gallon long display aquarium

 

[tomtom14]

If u want better looking fish have black. If you want more light have white. If you want a bigger looking tank you can get 3d ones that make them look massive. Also making the gravel have a slope of being shallow at the front and then deep at the back helps with making it look bigger. Your choice. Hope this helps

 

[Plantaholic]

If u want better looking fish have black. If you want more light have white. If you want a bigger looking tank you can get 3d ones that make them look massive. Also making the gravel have a slope of being shallow at the front and then deep at the back helps with making it look bigger. Your choice. Hope this helps

Well put! 3D backgrounds to me are a bit counterproductive. They can look great, but can steal the show! The $ and time researching fish and plants are what I want to pop when people look at my tank! Just MO...

 

[Hawkins409]

My vote is blue. But then again, that's what I have

 

[FishEggs]

I like a deep dark blue. Not the sky blue.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[Hawkins409]

Sky blue looks... like a sky . I like the surreal look of an aquarium that looks like a miniature outdoor scene. Sky blue works well for that. It's definitely not the color of choice if you want your tank to look natural.

 

[Hawkins409]

If I didn't have blue, I'd pick black. I don't think you'd ever get tired of it, and it changes the focus on what's in the tank.

 

[liberator123]

Its still hard for me to decide lol. but im leaning towards a dark blue or black.

Theres my tank, what would fit it better? black, light blue, dark blue, or white?

I might just end up buying all three colors and try them out each... they are usually removable right?

 

[ChunkOvPayne]

I like your tank as it is, I would probably put a coloured light behind it for some atmosphere

 

[uelissa]

Personally, I use wrapping paper as a background. I just tape it on to the back if the tank, and it looks really cool. Here's a pic if mine (one direction, well, because I like them.)

 

[ChunkOvPayne]

That tank is offending my eyes lol
But it's each to there own

 

[uelissa]

That tank is offending my eyes lol
But it's each to there own

Hahaha.

 

[liberator123]

Personally, I use wrapping paper as a background. I just tape it on to the back if the tank, and it looks really cool. Here's a pic if mine (one direction, well, because I like them.)View attachment 226619

lol. i guess your vote is under "other"? Nice looking guppies btw

 

[earlysteven]

Liberator love the aquarium and my personnel opinion is black I painted mine that color

 

[azmodan]

You could try a "frosted glass" white too.

 

[liberator123]

You could try a "frosted glass" white too.

Yes, thats exactly the kind of white some aquascapes Ive seen online use.
I have no choice but to try them all out! XD im such a libra.

 

[Hawkins409]

A trick to applying background once you decide.... Use cooking oil and use a paper towel to spread it around. Don't tape it. The background will cling to the oily glass. But, to do this you'll need a squeegee to get the bubbles out and a lot of patience. It's like putting a screen protector on an iPhone haha.

 

[Hawkins409]

And by patience... I mean work on it until you've got as many bubbles out as you can, then walk away from it for a day. The tiny bubbles in any trouble spots will join back together into manageable, larger bubbles. Do this a couple of days and it will be bubble free.

 

[ArtistGardener]

It depends a lot on the contents. I prefer black or dark blue (but blue looks colder in a tropical aquarium). If I had a tank of black mollies or angels, for instance, I would pick a greenery image or white background. Most of the more colorful fish really pop (as do live plants) against a black background.

 

[fishyd]

Its still hard for me to decide lol. but im leaning towards a dark blue or black.

Theres my tank, what would fit it better? black, light blue, dark blue, or white?

I might just end up buying all three colors and try them out each... they are usually removable right?

In my opinion, I would do black. With a dark substrate and a black background, the scape you have and the fish would pop and be center stage. A dark blue could be good also and provide a little depth. I think white or lighter backgrounds would wash out the green and fish.