Painting back of tank?

[Luis1662]

Hey all:

I have a question on painting the back oft tank. Ive used the stick on kind but it never stays. I have seen on you tube people painting outside the back glass. (whatever color: blue, black etc..) has anybody done this and if so how did it come out and what paint to use. Thanks

 

[missie]

I would also like to know the answer to this question.

 

[FTMMWS]

Sure ..i have painted all my tanks (except my newest one)..Just use spray paint of your choice of color .

 

[iadubber]

I painted both my tanks. I used an oil based rust oleum roll on.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

I painted the back of my latest one. Very quick and easy to do with stunning results. Next time I tear down any other of my tanks I'm going to paint them too. I used some spray paint. Taped off the edges, covered the sides and openings and sprayed away. Make sure there are no water marks on the part where you are spraying because they will be permanently locked between the glass and paint.

 

[Luis1662]

Thanks everyone for the advice. I'll try painting it this weekend.

 

[jlk]

Thanks to the great results & great advice from Mumma (taping off everything & covering the rest tank in garbage bags to prevent overspray), I just sprayed painted the back of one of my tanks, too! Just make sure everything is super clean & dry. I used a can of Rustoleum black paint-it took a few coats to completely cover & blacken it, but it turned out great! Def will do this again but I would probably choose a different type of spray paint than the Rustoleum-something with greater glass adhesion so I wont need as many coats.

 

[doberman15]

I know that most acrylic paints will stick to glass pretty well... as long as its not subject to extreme heats. That may offer the ability to paint designs. This actually put a good idea into my mind to do this exact thing. Might look kind of cartoonish and comic bookish, but it would give it some personal personality.

 

[bskerrichard27]

I used regular latex on mine its turned out great just make sure if yur rims black and u choose to go blue background like I did turn the tank upside down to fill it in or you will have a blue background with the black rim showing at the top kinda tacky

 

[DragonFish71]

We have the back of our 40g painted black. My hubby used the cheap spray paint from Walmart (not sure if that was good or not, but it hasn't scratched off) I have heard people use Krylon brand with good results.

 

[Lepomis]

Cheap paint is all I have used. I have some tanks pushing 20 years with no issues.

 

[bavass]

My tank had been set up for years without anything on the back. I went to Home Depot and bought there acrylic based painted in Cobalt Blue and used a small roller to paint the back while it was set up. The acrylic paint has no fumes to get into tank and the spray I didnt even wanna try with the tank up.

 

[bavass]

Here is a pic of the back the day after I painted it and started redoing to rock work

 

[ocminpin]

Here is a pic of the back the day after I painted it and started redoing to rock work

WOW.... that seems all so complicated... I'm impressed

 

[jlk]

Here is a pic of the back the day after I painted it and started redoing to rock work

WOW!!! That looks great!!!!

 

[bavass]

WOW.... that seems all so complicated... I'm impressed

nothing complictaed about it! I am using the pipe work to create a caves and the stuff hanging down in the back ground are Red Mangroves for nutrient export plus the fish like them to swim around and in between the roots. They seem to pick stuff off of them, I just took those out and repalced them with new ones from www.reefcleaners.org some had begun to look a little ragged and die off. I think it gives a neet effect

 

[StevesPrettyCool]

painted all mine. just garbage bag/taped everything off so no residue got inside the tanks then sprayed away. live and learn, the first tank i painted i didnt tape off the sides so i got a bunch of little spray paint droplets on the side glass, but nothing a few minutes with a razor blade couldnt correct. also if you scratch it while getting it into place just spray some of the spray paint on a paper towel for touch ups.

 

[StevesPrettyCool]

the spray I didnt even wanna try with the tank up.

i agree, the spray is probably pretty much out of the question if its already set up. cant be too hard to tape it off and slap 4 or 5 coats of paint on the back. depending if you can move it to get to the back that is

 

[puffypuffer514]

would i have to empty the tank be4 paining the back of it or does it not matter as its on the outside?

 

[bavass]

would i have to empty the tank be4 paining the back of it or does it not matter as its on the outside?

I didn't. I just cut all fans, power heads, skimmer off anything that could pull the air or fumes into the water. To be safe! The paint I used said it had no fumes but just to be safe i cut stuff off. I just used a small roller about 3" long took about about 5 or 6 coats. All you need is a sample size can that covers like 100-200sq feet I forget which buts way more than enough.