Those of you who have painted the back of your tanks....

CanuckReefer

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Debating this heavily. I have always utilized a solid midnight blue background for 20 plus years. I hear some like black as well. Anyway, first, I assume a decent marine grade paint? Flat ? Also would assume to ensure that glass is spotless, free of residue and dry prior to application. I'm tired of the occasional salt creep, or drip making it's way behind the background...no matter what I do to seal it off eventually it makes it's way in there....maddening, especially when the lovely wife says 'what the heck is going on there?'
Thanks for any responses.
 

Idoc

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I used Rustoleum Protective Enamel Oil-Based - Flat black

I rolled it on with a very small paint roller.

It looks great...no scratches, but I don't dig around on the back of the tank often to cause any scratches.
 
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CanuckReefer

CanuckReefer

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I used Rustoleum Protective Enamel Oil-Based - Flat black

I rolled it on with a very small paint roller.

It looks great...no scratches, but I don't dig around on the back of the tank often to cause any scratches.
Perfect... noted. I am going to try some black bristlebord on back to see if I like the pop some say it gives rather than the dark blue...
 

Grill

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I initially tried the PetsMart reversible blue/back background and it never looked right. Then I went with paint and had zero regrets. This is what I used. Good luck.

painted 2.jpg

paint1.jpg

IMG_20201022_211610.jpg
 

jgirardnrg

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Debating this heavily. I have always utilized a solid midnight blue background for 20 plus years. I hear some like black as well. Anyway, first, I assume a decent marine grade paint? Flat ? Also would assume to ensure that glass is spotless, free of residue and dry prior to application. I'm tired of the occasional salt creep, or drip making it's way behind the background...no matter what I do to seal it off eventually it makes it's way in there....maddening, especially when the lovely wife says 'what the heck is going on there?'
Thanks for any responses.
I use black 2.5% or 5% limo tint. Works perfect is really easy to do on a flat surface like a tank.
 

Idoc

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I initially tried the PetsMart reversible blue/back background and it never looked right. Then I went with paint and had zero regrets. This is what I used. Good luck.

painted 2.jpg
That's the same stuff I used...
 
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CanuckReefer

CanuckReefer

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Clean, glass z as no then roll on a flat black enamel. Doesn’t need to be marine grade as your not soaking the back in water.
I initially tried the PetsMart reversible blue/back background and it never looked right. Then I went with paint and had zero regrets. This is what I used. Good luck.

painted 2.jpg

paint1.jpg

IMG_20201022_211610.jpg
I am seeing why the black now even with just the scape. Depth of field looks a bit better....
 

Pntbll687

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I used BIN primer to paint the bottom of my frag tanks white. It was the best thing I've used to paint a tank. Dried super fast, and very hard to the touch.

And I did white because I wanted as much light at possible reflected back into the tank
 

Cell

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I use Plasti Dip.

Generally, I think black gives you more pop, blue more depth, but as mentioned, once the coralline takes over it won't matter what color you started with.
 
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CanuckReefer

CanuckReefer

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I used BIN primer to paint the bottom of my frag tanks white. It was the best thing I've used to paint a tank. Dried super fast, and very hard to the touch.

And I did white because I wanted as much light at possible reflected back into the tank
I do have substrate but this makes a heckuva lotta sense to me too....when mine gets stirred up a bit (fairly often with powerheads here or there) why not the white to cover any bare spots!
 
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CanuckReefer

CanuckReefer

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I use Plasti Dip.

Generally, I think black gives you more pop, blue more depth, but as mentioned, once the coralline takes over it won't matter what color you started with.
And once coralline covers it all, you get purple!
20 years and counting this setup, as fast as my coraline grows my bloody Urchins strip it....still a decent amount here and there on rock but they rip it clean off the glass lol. I give them a pass on the whole though....great cleaners with the odd piece of rock shifted....
 

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My last tank I jus relplaced I painted Blue and loved it....However, this tank (upgrade) I am contemplating using a "temporary" static/wet-applied background. Something I can see through to do "Coral maintenance".
GoodLuck!

Ernie
 

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