EdgarMedina1010
Aquarium Advice Freak
i bought a background for my 10 gal. tank .....but how do make sure the background stays there?? .....thanks
need help/and or advice for background.
- Thread starter EdgarMedina1010
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
HannahJ
Aquarium Advice Activist
Put it against the outside wall of the tank (you may need to trim it, most are usually a bit long for a 10 gallon), tape one end to the tank (scotch tape is probably best), pullit from the other end to get it as tight against the glass as you can, and then tape the other end down. That should take care of it.
EdgarMedina1010
Aquarium Advice Freak
so the background goes on the outside?? cause some people put it in the inside......thanks
hulkamaniac
Aquarium Advice Freak
dmac said:
I've put mine inside. The only problem is it doesn't tend to stick to the back of the tank and you wind up with fish that get stuck back there. I'd put it on the outside for sure.
EdgarMedina1010
Aquarium Advice Freak
ok thanks.. i was about to put it on the inside!!! thnks for your help!!
I bought this type of background and it was very easy to apply and looks great!!!
http://www.thatpetplace.com/Products/KW/background/Class//T1/F05CX+0413+0003/EDP/40493/Itemdy00.aspx
http://www.thatpetplace.com/Products/KW/background/Class//T1/F05CX+0413+0003/EDP/40493/Itemdy00.aspx
Lonewolfblue
Aquarium Advice Addict
Or you can just paint the background using a spraypaint. Look at mine in my 29G thread.... You can get any of this kind of paint at Lowe's or Home Depot in the paint section.
Use a little bit of vaseline on the back of the tank. You'll need to spread it around (very very thin), then stick the background on. Use a credit card or something like that to smooth out the bubbles. It takes a while to do, but when you're done, it looks like the background is on the inside of the tank.
It's not the easiest way, but it does look the best IMO,
It's not the easiest way, but it does look the best IMO,
malkore
Aquarium Advice Addict
I never had luck with the vaseline or mineral oil for sticking those on.
I use acrylic craft paint, as its easier to put on an existing tank/use indoors than spray paint...though I conceed the spray paint will be more durable. on the other hand craft paint will scrape off just a little easier, though I've heard spray paint peels off in sheets if you do it right.
I've used crackle coat texturizing paint with acrylics, and you can do some neat marble and granite effects with it too.
I use acrylic craft paint, as its easier to put on an existing tank/use indoors than spray paint...though I conceed the spray paint will be more durable. on the other hand craft paint will scrape off just a little easier, though I've heard spray paint peels off in sheets if you do it right.
I've used crackle coat texturizing paint with acrylics, and you can do some neat marble and granite effects with it too.
The marble or granite effect would look very cool. I used the vaseline trick to pu a background on both my 55G and my 10G tanks. It took about 1.5 hours to get all the bubbles out - it was pretty hard with the 55G since it's full any only about 4 inches from the wall.
Lonewolfblue
Aquarium Advice Addict
Here's what mine looks complete with water, driftwood, plants, and fish.
I used Lonewolf's painting method as practice on my quarantine tank. I had the benefit of learning from his mistakes. If you decide to do this, use wide tape and tape the ENTIRE tank except the side your painting. Be sure to overlap the tape and tape the top off too. That stone paint goes EVERYWHERE so paint outside and it drys very slow even in the extreme heat of Texas so be patient. I definately intend to do a display tank like this. Probably for primarily livebearers, the black paint looks best with red and yellow fish and green plants which are exactly what I like best personally. (There are 4 colors of that paint, a black, a red, a grey, and a off-white) Wal-mart sells another brand of stone paint and their colors look slightly different so check them out, they have a little lighter black color and I think they have a blue also.
My mistakes: instead of taping everywhere I tried to tape posterboard on the sides I wasn't painting. It didn't work, the posterboard pulled the tape loose and paint went where I didn't want it. Just tape the entire tank, on a 10 gallon its not that hard.
I wasn't patient enough and put a HOB on the tank before it was fully dry and the paint pulled right back off in some spots.
Lay the paint on thick, that paint may look like it covers but when your looking from the inside you will see where you didn't get it thick enough. Use the whole can for a 10 gallon tank. You will need more than one can for larger tanks.
My mistakes: instead of taping everywhere I tried to tape posterboard on the sides I wasn't painting. It didn't work, the posterboard pulled the tape loose and paint went where I didn't want it. Just tape the entire tank, on a 10 gallon its not that hard.
I wasn't patient enough and put a HOB on the tank before it was fully dry and the paint pulled right back off in some spots.
Lay the paint on thick, that paint may look like it covers but when your looking from the inside you will see where you didn't get it thick enough. Use the whole can for a 10 gallon tank. You will need more than one can for larger tanks.
Lonewolfblue
Aquarium Advice Addict
Another trick, don't spray it all at once. Spray on a thin coat, let it dry, then spray on another thin coat. Once that dries, then you can spray it on to the thickness you want. I found that when trying to spray it on thick the first time around, the glass is slippery, and the paint doesn't stick where the main stream of spray is if you are too close, and causes problems. So to fix that, I did 2 quick shoots, then sprayed it on heavily.
