A "color changing" background for your reef tank! What do you think?

Would you ever consider using a color changing background on your reef tank? (click for info)

  • YES

    Votes: 135 24.4%
  • NO

    Votes: 280 50.5%
  • MAYBE

    Votes: 133 24.0%
  • Other (please explain)

    Votes: 6 1.1%

  • Total voters
    554

mindme

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Looks cool, but in my tanks it would be useless in 5 months.
 

inland_reef

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I think a background led can be really helpful with forcing perspective in a narrow tank. And personal opinion, it looks way better than a black background or coralline covered back glass.
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Gup

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Today's QOTD is inspired by the ReefStache CADE Reef Build and more specifically the update he posted yesterday about his LED lit frosted background here! I have personally seen these kits in action at a reef show and I was impressed by them and thought I might also like to try using one at some point in the future. That being said I would like to hear your thoughts on it today!

Would you ever consider using a color changing background on your reef tank?

image via @ReefStache
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I am actually searching the internet for a background the last few days. Of course, I have question

My 55 high is only 31 inches wide. Is there any other lenght that would fit my tank width?

Can this fixure be set at 1 color only?

Is the light intensity adjustable?
 

Gup

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That’s definitely a cool idea! I wanted to try something like this but went a GSP route eventually it’ll be covered.

I currently have a solid blue background. I cut small Marco Rock backs flat and inlaid ceramic magnets. So it gives my tank a look of depth. Adding GSP, imo, would look incredible

I would love to have a coralline or a GSP background. But I am probably the only person in the reefing community that cannot keep GSP alive.
 

pjb9166

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We used static cling window icing on the back side of the tank and a cheap controllable led strip off Amazon. The icing I got at Walmart. It also makes for a great diffuser material for black box leds. I used it on our Viparspectra 300w fixture. With great success for five years on our old system. This new tank has a 32” Photon V2+. We pretty much only use the backlight for a sun rise/sunset effect.

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VR28man

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This is cool if this is what people want.

That said this is "no" for me.

If I'm gonna go to install such a thing, I'm just having an appropriately sized TV (I get it used off of craigslist or something) behind the tank.

And I'd have natural videos – that would be a LiveCam of a reef, of which there are many- playing in the background 24/7.
 

Rubymoon286

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I'm a maybe, I think it could be cool, but it wouldn't match any of my other ones ;Playful
 

Dabcrusher

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I'd say no I like the way the black makes the coral pop if you keep the coraline scraped off. And I think the point of the peninsula is to be able to show your tank off from all three sides especially when yoh have a tank as beautiful as a Cade .I did the vinyl on the bottom of mine in the cabinet 3 layers of it , but that was to keep the light from shining through cause I like the white bottom of the glass and did barebottom. And went a little further ND put the logo in the cabinet so when the display lights go out 2 1watt spotlights come on .and ...Boom goes the dynamite!!!
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ReefStash

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I am actually searching the internet for a background the last few days. Of course, I have question

My 55 high is only 31 inches wide. Is there any other lenght that would fit my tank width?

Can this fixure be set at 1 color only?

Is the light intensity adjustable?

Yes, it’s adjustable to lower intensity and you can also select single colors. There are other settings as well that I did not show in the video.

The description of the video on YouTube has links to all of the products seen in the video as well as other options. Yes, there are smaller sizes as well.

Feel free to message me any questions.
 

Ninic Luka

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i bought tank without background few weeks earlier i saw that people use led strips to make corals more pop and get that sunset and sunrise efect. it was looking good but during earthquake thay got wet so i put black background. only downside was that i needed to scrape back glass as well
 

touliloup

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Would you actually see the light? I mean when the main lamp are on, the light comming from the led strip must be pretty faint in comparison.
So it would only be visible during dimmed time or when the main lamp is off, but then the occupant of the house are probably asleep too...
 

Smoke-Town

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I think it looks awesome. I like suncrests with the black back better I think, but both are cool. I see a lot of negative responses around making the exterior tank appealing... this concept is foreign to me.

while I agree what is in the tank matters most and I wouldn’t want to detract from its beauty, the ambiance of the room the tank is in is crucial for the tranquility and aesthetic beauty that the tank offers viewers.

when I see a gorgeous, pro level reef tank in a cluttered room with dirty clothes and junk all over the place, or in a creepy basement or a sump with salt creep and wires everywhere... this all takes away from the beauty of the tank... I don’t think it makes the tank look better because the surroundings are ugly or dull. I believe the entire space should be as pristine and attractive as possible.

that being said, I totally understand having limited space, being young with a first tank, wife doesn’t want it nearby, etc... i was there once too. But I never thought a better environment for the tank was a bad idea, even when I lived in a small cluttered room with my first rsm130 a decade ago.
beauty is in the eye of the beholder... and if I can spread that beauty throughout the room, all the better to behold.
 
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ReefStash

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I think it looks awesome. I like suncrests with the black back better I think, but both are cool. I see a lot of negative responses around making the exterior tank appealing... this concept is foreign to me.

while I agree what is in the tank matters most and I wouldn’t want to detract from its beauty, the ambiance of the room the tank is in is crucial for the tranquility and aesthetic beauty that the tank offers viewers.

when I see a gorgeous, pro level reef tank in a cluttered room with dirty clothes and junk all over the place, or in a creepy basement or a sump with salt creep and wires everywhere... this all takes away from the beauty of the tank... I don’t think it makes the tank look better because the surroundings are ugly or dull. I believe the entire space should be as pristine and attractive as possible.

that being said, I totally understand having limited space, being young with a first tank, wife doesn’t want it nearby, etc... i was there once too. But I never thought a better environment for the tank was a bad idea, even when I lived in a small cluttered room with my first rsm130 a decade ago.
beauty is in the eye of the beholder... and if I can spread that beauty throughout the room, all the better to behold.

Nicely put… this room is our den and the entire space is dedicated to just the tank. I’ve always wanted to have a room dedicated to showcasing a nice system.

I’ve had fish rooms dedicated to 10 plus tanks before but never a room dedicated to one system…. where company could come in and sit down and relax by the tank… no other distractions in the room like a TV. Pretty excited about the entire space. :)
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memphissfinest

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I think a background led can be really helpful with forcing perspective in a narrow tank. And personal opinion, it looks way better than a black background or coralline covered back glass.
E0EB8C78-0B6E-4657-8CDC-BE71A8CE0E46.jpeg

DEEB3765-F53D-4F2D-AF47-07890E5D63FE.jpeg

49B1D33A-1063-4B20-98E9-BC3F844D82D8.jpeg
768A45E9-82A4-4435-953A-B16EA0009F68.jpeg
Sweet mother of god. This looks amazing! I'm planning to run my back lit lights between the 1st, 2nd, and 4th pic most of the time.
 

A worm with high fashion and practical utility: Have you ever kept feather dusters in your reef aquarium?

  • I currently have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 73 37.6%
  • Not currently, but I have had feather dusters in my tank in the past.

    Votes: 66 34.0%
  • I have not had feather dusters, but I hope to in the future.

    Votes: 25 12.9%
  • I have no plans to have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 28 14.4%
  • Other.

    Votes: 2 1.0%
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