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  #1  
Old 02/21/2003, 12:12 AM
eifert eifert is offline
Premium Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Milford, CT
Posts: 125
Idea for painted background

Hey Guys!

I just want to brag about my new background on my 125 tank. I've been using a plastic sheet background with kind of a Greek underwater look. But there were too many drips, and the sheet would stick to the glass making it look like ca-ca.

So I decided to paint the back. But, the tanks full and I was worried about paint fumes. What I ended up doing was using one of those plastic covers for florescent lights you see in the ceiling panels (like in office buildings.) It fit exactally with the dimensions of my tank (4 ft wide btw.)

I painted it blue with some spray paint. Then when it dried today I removed all the stuff hanging on the back of the tank, cleaned it good and taped the new plastic painted background on there. It looks soo much better. The tanks looks less cluttered now with just the blue background. The only thing I have to do now is seal it really well so no drips will find their way under and onto the glass. Duct tape I guess tomorrow.

The Home Depot project cost under 5 bucks (for the paint and the panel)!
  #2  
Old 02/21/2003, 09:50 PM
Mickey Mickey is offline
Not bad, drawn that way
 
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Cheshire, CT
Posts: 1,079
Great Idea!

That is a great idea you had. My reef has a self sticking background (I think they make flexible signs for cars out of it) but it was v ery hard to get on without any air bubbles. I have a plastic background on my nano that I attached with double stick tape that looks okay except you can see the tape around the edges.

How are you attaching the backing to the tank? Can you see it on the edges?

Mickey
  #3  
Old 02/22/2003, 11:24 AM
eifert eifert is offline
Premium Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Milford, CT
Posts: 125
You can't see the edges of the tape because I have these wooden borders on the glass edges (on all 4 corners). The tape is under them...

I used duct tape to seal it so there's no drips dropping in from the back (taped along the top edge.)

What I like about this inflexable background is that it won't get wet and stick to the glass. That looks really ugly.

I'll post some photos this weeked so you can see it.

BTW: I don't have the background pressed up against the glass, there's a space of about 1/8" between the plastic and the glass...
  #4  
Old 02/24/2003, 08:40 PM
eifert eifert is offline
Premium Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Milford, CT
Posts: 125
Talking

http://photos.yahoo.com/bc/eifert/ls...ground&.view=t

That's the link for the photos... I've since added Agra-alive (I think that's what it's called) over the muddy sand bed. I didn't like how dark and dirty the sand bed was.

Anyway, the background - from what you can make out from my crappy digital camera - is working well. I have a hang on Remora Pro and a Wet/Dry that I made into kind of a sump hanging off the back. Nothing below the tank.

Can you see how I just taped the heck out of the back but not so you can see it from the front and sides.
  #5  
Old 02/25/2003, 06:29 PM
minh_han minh_han is offline
ichthus <><
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Coventry, CT
Posts: 1,400
Like the stand

I really like the stand and canopy for the tank. It's so much nicer than a metal stand that tends to rust. By the way, what are the dimensions of your tank? Is it 4 feet by 2 by 2? Mike and I came really close to getting a tank that size but ended up going with the standard 72"X18X24, mostly b/c the stand was a beautiful cherry and looked like a nicer piece of furniture. Of course that was before it started to swell and crack from the humidity of the tank. The carpenter who made the stand said that he would fix it though, so we'll see.

Hope you can make it to Manchester and see our tank!
__________________
Minh
Will Do Physical Exams for Food or Frags
  #6  
Old 02/25/2003, 06:37 PM
ToddG. ToddG. is offline
Premium Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Ohio
Posts: 358
Has anyone ever thoght of using a dark window tint for cars etc. and tried putting that on I think that would work and wouldnt cost a whole lot.
 


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