# Color other than blue or black for back glass?



## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

I've been thinking about painting the back glass of my tanks. Never did it before, but I like the way it looks. It seems that I can only find pics of blue or black backgrounds. Anyone use another color? Thoughts on how it looked?


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## creekbottom (Apr 5, 2012)

I have all my tanks painted black, but I've been recently rethinking this. Something light colored to mimic blue sky in the background. It would depend what your doing with the tank and the scape but I think it adds alot of depth and a more natural look. When you look at a landscape photo (above water) the blue sky is an integral part. It's the same for an aquascape. 

Look at pics of scaped tanks with light backgrounds, I think it makes a huge difference.


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## lochaber (Jan 23, 2012)

I'm partial to black myself. I think using a dark color (black, dark blue, etc.) gives an illusion of depth, and can help bring out the colors of fish and plants (similar to a dark substrate).

On the other hand, I think most of the pics of Amano tanks I've seen don't seem to have any background at all, and they look pretty good.


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## Knotyoureality (Aug 3, 2012)

There's an amazing number of options--all can look spectacular. 

Frosted white or blue are particularly cool if there's some backlighting, various shades of window-tinting can provide a less stark alternative to the usual solid black. Dark pine green can provide the deep contrast needed to hide equipment and pop the tank colors without the harshness of flat black (had this on my shrimp tank-loved it so much I'll be replacing the overly stark black on my 37g with dark green next time I'm able to access the back). 

I've seen some ombre treatments--shading from deep blue to light blue as you move towards the top--that are simple breathtaking.


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## Betta132 (Nov 29, 2012)

I think dark green would look really nice, although I don't use a background on my tank. There's a light blue wall behind it, but the tannins make it look sort of greenish-brown.


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## dprais1 (Sep 12, 2012)

here
http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showt...discus-display-tank-pics&highlight=watermelon

and here 

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?98042-Green-Background&highlight=yellow+background


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## TheNamelessPoet (May 17, 2012)

dprais1 said:


> here
> http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showt...discus-display-tank-pics&highlight=watermelon
> 
> and here
> ...



that watermelon looks awful until I saw it totally set up with the fish. now I think its AWESOME!!!


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## Algae Beater (Jun 3, 2011)

try white, I have used white rattle can on a few nanos and have been VERY pleased


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## Algae Beater (Jun 3, 2011)

for example


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## Mahlady (Dec 19, 2012)

TheNamelessPoet said:


> that watermelon looks awful until I saw it totally set up with the fish. now I think its AWESOME!!!


[email protected] with fish in it!
That's hot, I might just paint my new 55g that. It's great.

As for green, I have hunter green walls, and the 55 I have in there against the green always looks algea-ish. I don't like the green, so I added a black background, which with Tannis, makes the tank look drastically dark. 
I think I will go with watermelon to the left and then blue to the right for my 55 twins.

I love that watermelon!


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## DogFish (Jul 16, 2011)

This is a terrible example as the florescent light have tainted the true color.










You can get a pint of white latex paint at HomeDepot and have it tinted with just a little color. The background above is really faint powder blue. A light back ground bounces more light around in the tank. 

In this tank I used a 2'x4' Bubble Textured floresent ceiling light defuser from HomeDepot cut to size. It's behind the tank.










I like this better as different amounts of room light will affect the background. Also, different amounts of light will shine through at various levels. I like that more than the solid color of my painted backgrounds.

I don't have a pic but, I've also used 5% "limo" window film. That will also have different light play so it doesn't look too uniform.


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## dprais1 (Sep 12, 2012)

for the watermalon


I think a big part of the attraction is the low light and shadows, maybe the white sand as well. Personally if you put that in a highlight tank the effect could totally change


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## Wayne Dwops (Nov 29, 2012)

I want a discus tank now, geeeez. 

I am probably going to do a dark purple background for my 20g long. I am a huge fan of dark purple with green and I *think* it will look good in a fish tank. I'll let you know


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## Tenor1 (Jan 15, 2012)

Algae Beater said:


> for example


This is a great post and thanks for sharing all the pictures. What I wondered about the white background is whether you see algae on it more easily than black or a darker color? The upside of a light color is reflecting more light for the plants.


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## lochaber (Jan 23, 2012)

DogFish said:


> You can get a pint of white latex paint at HomeDepot and have it tinted with just a little color. The background above is really faint powder blue. A light back ground bounces more light around in the tank.



In the past, I've had good experience with spraypaint, but considering I'm in a studio apartment not on the ground floor (and dealing with bigger tanks), I'm gong to try the latex paint. When I was in Home Depot, they had these little ~7oz sized trial for a couple dollars, that you can get tinted (I got mine black). container says it should cover a 4x4 area, which should be enough for 2+ coats on most tanks.


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

Wayne Dwops said:


> I am probably going to do a dark purple background for my 20g long. I am a huge fan of dark purple with green and I *think* it will look good in a fish tank. I'll let you know




That was actually the color I was thinking of when I posted this. Let me know how it turns out for you:icon_wink


Thanks to everyone for the links, pics and input!


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## bluestems (Feb 7, 2012)

Wow!! I love the watermelon background with the oranges and blues! It even highlights the wood nicely. Wouldn't have ever thought that would look good, but it looks great!

Thanks for posting this link


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## Mahlady (Dec 19, 2012)

I have decided to go with this watermelon color on my latest cichlid tank, wondering what kind to get, latex semigloss, gloss, satin or flat?


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## Tenor1 (Jan 15, 2012)

Benjamin Moore has a color called Amazon Soil that I really liked and I'm going to paint my new tank using something close to it. The shop recommended a water-based paint, which the Amazon Soil is NOT. But there is a water-based color that is VERY close to it. What is even better is you can buy a sample bottle, which should be more than enough to paint your tank. The color I chose is "Bonne Nuit AF-635.

This color is somewhat close to the purple color tank further up in this thread, but not quite as bright. I suggest going to a paint company site and check the color chart (it doesn't have to be Benjamin Moore). Take the names of the ones you are interested in and get the paint-sample cards. I got 6 cards and put them under the tank light. It's surprising how different the cards look using tank lighting. The sample bottle is only $4.00. Remember that you need a water-base paint.


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## bcfishhead (Dec 6, 2010)

I was also in search of a background when a friend dropped off a quote poster from my all time favorite movie. The Big Lebowski

it is in black and white and i think it looks great in the tank as my background.

something different right! the picture of course doesnt do it any justice


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## DogFish (Jul 16, 2011)

lochaber said:


> In the past, I've had good experience with spraypaint, but considering I'm in a studio apartment not on the ground floor (and dealing with bigger tanks), I'm gong to try the latex paint. When I was in Home Depot, they had these little ~7oz sized trial for a couple dollars, that you can get tinted (I got mine black). container says it should cover a 4x4 area, which should be enough for 2+ coats on most tanks.


I saw those two but if I remember correctly the tints were darker than I wanted?

The 1st coat is the most important color wise when you use latex. If it's a bit too dark the 2nd coat use white. I had to to cross hatch my layers as I let the paint get to tick. I painted out doors in July and I should have cut the paint with water. I didn't get the smoothest finish. Still turned out O.K.


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## Knotyoureality (Aug 3, 2012)

Nor are you limited to solid colors. This was a bit of an experimental treatment for a holding tank for excess plants and fish, a sort of "junk" tank. Since it would potentially be thin on plants at times, I wanted a background with some built in depth and complexity. 

Painted in about nine layers, the colors range from metallic golds and copper to various greens, blues and browns. The final coat was a solid dark pine green.










And how it looks planted:


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## DogFish (Jul 16, 2011)

Knotyoureality - I've seen some of these look great with various highlights and darker areas. That light defuser panel I have on my 40 is the closest I've come to what it really looks like underwater. But, I only achieve that in the evening with subtle backlighting. During the day addition ambient light derails the effect.


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## Jeffww (Aug 6, 2010)

I've used a white board background with a fluorescent strip at the bottom to do some retrolighting effects:









It looks much brighter in person though, almost like the ADA set ups.


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## Tenor1 (Jan 15, 2012)

To get that shade of purple I would still suggest getting a few paint-card samples and see how they change with your lighting. I was surprised when I did this. You can then go back and make the adjustment lighter or darker to match the color we see on our computer screen.


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## DogFish (Jul 16, 2011)

Tenor1 said:


> To get that shade of purple I would still suggest getting a few paint-card samples and see how they change with your lighting. I was surprised when I did this. You can then go back and make the adjustment lighter or darker to match the color we see on our computer screen.


Good point, the pain always seems darker when it's on the background.


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## jhays79 (Mar 28, 2012)

bcfishhead said:


> I was also in search of a background when a friend dropped off a quote poster from my all time favorite movie. The Big Lebowski
> 
> it is in black and white and i think it looks great in the tank as my background.
> 
> ...


I dig it!


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## Mahlady (Dec 19, 2012)

here goes nothing, coat 1. Color Red Berry Melon


Will post when finished, just thought I would show you the color, and the "initial before pic"


Mahlady

guess I got bored sitting in the house, its only 9 degrees here today and snowing. So I went to the paint store =)

Wish me luck.
I am excited, I love the color


and yes, I painted the front, its all scratched up and we are turning it around, the other side is very clear and hardly any scratches on it.


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## ADJAquariums (Jul 5, 2012)

This is what i was thinking! a very nice magenta would be cool looking


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## UDGags (Sep 13, 2009)

Hmmm, I don't know about that color but I'm curious that's for sure. Can't wait to see the tank full.


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## asudavew (Jan 14, 2013)

I'm in! Good thread! and it should be interesting!


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## simplicitysarah (May 14, 2012)

Following! Excited to the see it!


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## Mahlady (Dec 19, 2012)

*turned out more pink*

So the color ended up being "pinker" than I hoped, but I still like the over all effect. It is in my dining room and goes with the color scheme in there, hunter green, mint green, fuschia, and ivory.

I ended up getting a few mollies for this tank, I figured they would look good against the color. My beta actually tries to school with them lol, and two of the females are having babies soon.

I got a circulation pump, 500gph, and it cleaned up the tank/diatoms, algea issues almost immediately. Things are looking better to me, and having a little more optimism than last weekend. I was almost ready to give up, until the color brightened things up for me.

Hope you like it, if not, it's ok too, =) 
I really like it.


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## secuono (Nov 19, 2009)

I taped on glass mirror tiles to one of my tanks, back and both sides.


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## Mahlady (Dec 19, 2012)

secuono said:


> I taped on glass mirror tiles to one of my tanks, back and both sides.



Pics please!!!!!


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## Green_Flash (Apr 15, 2012)

white/frost is nice


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