Backdrops

[Europhyllia]

New tank is arriving soon I think and I am trying to figure out what to do for a back drop
My first small tank had the paper background and tape thing going on.
My first big tank (125g) had the usual wall-of-death rock configuration. I'd really like something more open this time around.
My temporary tank (75g) came with a black back which hides the overflow boxes well and actually really adds some depth. I bet it would also be good for taking pictures. I really like how that 75 looks.
I had ordered paper background along with seaview gel to mount to the new aquarium (nothing cheesy: black on one side and dark blue on the other ;) ) but they put the rubber band around it so tight I have two crinkles lines going across and that looks awful

So for somebody that wants a very open look and depth rather than a wall of rocks what are my options as far as backgrounds go?
Has anybody done the paper and seaview gel thing? Did it look good?

[ErikH]

I used some paper that we found at hobby lobby. Since it is on a 200, we used posterboard x2 and attached it to the posterboard with photo (spray-on) adhesive. Smoothed out the seascape, taped the two posterboards together and then attached them. We're very happy with the outcome.

[Europhyllia]

picture please :)

[Still Learning]

Go to a sign shop and getting whatever color of vinyl you like. They will make it sticky for easy attachment. That way you don't have bubbles, it isn't permanent (in case you want to sell it), and relatively inexpensive.

[ErikH]

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x315/erikharrison/Fish/200g%20Oceanic/DSC_0798.jpg

[Kristy]

Krylon flat black spray paint is the way to go.

The black background is so much better for pictures. When we put Mike's FOWLR up the first time, Wal-mart was out so I decided to just brush some flat black paint on with a sponge brush. Four applications later it looked pretty good!

This time (re-setting up the FOWLR), we forgot about painting the back until right before we were scheduled to get it home and plumb it and realized that we had sort of missed the prime window to paint it while it was sitting there available. When we mentioned this to Gabe, he actually painted it for us! Thanks Gabe!

[StevenSeas]

i used the seaview and a background on my girlfriends reef ready 75 and love the way it came out. Its not plain blue or an extremely busy aquascape but rather kinda like a picture that you would take if your diving and just looking up at the horizon line all blue and black variables if i remember correctly, this gives it a nice backdrop and very open look. Ill get her to send a pic so i can post. I love the way it looks though, and was extremely impressed with the way the seaview/clear view (same product) worked. I had used vasiline in the past and this product puts that method to shame. We pushed it up and under the trim on both the top and bottom so that you dont get a black line all of a sudden but rather it goes top to bottom, and prevents water or air drops from forming possibly.

[Europhyllia]

that's neat Erik! Are the color variations in the paper or a result of how it was applied?

[Europhyllia]

i used the seaview and a background on my girlfriends reef ready 75 and love the way it came out. Its not plain blue or an extremely busy aquascape but rather kinda like a picture that you would take if your diving and just looking up at the horizon line all blue and black variables if i remember correctly, this gives it a nice backdrop and very open look. Ill get her to send a pic so i can post. I love the way it looks though, and was extremely impressed with the way the seaview/clear view (same product) worked. I had used vasiline in the past and this product puts that method to shame. We pushed it up and under the trim on both the top and bottom so that you dont get a black line all of a sudden but rather it goes top to bottom, and prevents water or air drops from forming possibly.
That's sounds a lot like the backdrop I got but can't use because of the crinkle line
http://www.thatpetplace.com/images/presentation/P11340.jpg

[StevenSeas]

http://www.thatpetplace.com/images/presentation/243687.jpg
Its the bottom one that we had used... unfortunatly this is the largest pic of it i could find online

[ErikH]

Its the same one that Aggie Reefer posted. The bottom picture. We only used the top half of the picture though.

[txav8r]

Go to a sign shop and getting whatever color of vinyl you like. They will make it sticky for easy attachment. That way you don't have bubbles, it isn't permanent (in case you want to sell it), and relatively inexpensive.

X2 except for the part about going to a sign shop. They will maky the vinyl up by 3x. If you or anybody want to use this method, let me know. I have a commercial account with a sign supply warehouse. It runs me about $2.00 a yard for 24" vinyl.

[jroescher]

I used Krylon flat black. The bottom of the paint (what you see on the inside of your tank) will be shiny. You just have to be careful not to scratch it. It didn't take long before the coralline completely covered it over. Now that I have the asterinas from hell the black shows again.

[Europhyllia]

Jack is that vinyl textured or smooth? does it come any wider?

[txav8r]

It's smooth, adhesive on one side. It comes in about 40 different colors and I can get it up to 48" wide. I think I can even get them to drop ship it to your house.

[txav8r]

http://www.fellers.com/catalog/noprices/Spring2010/index.html#/38/

just a few of the colors and sizes

[Europhyllia]

clearly teh choice would be 'deep sea blue'! lol
what does punched mean?

[txav8r]

"punched" means it has the little holes down the edges like the old printer paper used to have.

[txav8r]

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h49/leadermon/5d222f96.jpg

I can cut images out on the vinyl also if you want to get crazy with it.

[txav8r]

This was actually on a mirror made to go behind a tank but.... You get the idea.


http://forum.uscutter.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=25967.0;attach=423 46;image (http://forum.uscutter.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=25967.0;attach=423 47;image)

[Europhyllia]

I'll go with deepsea blue background and black jaws sillhouette.
just kidding. that would be super cheesy. lol

maybe we need to do a group buy! looks like 10 yards (punched) or 50 yards (unpunched) might be a little more than I need!

[txav8r]

How much do you need? I can get it by the yard as well but the price goes up to about $5 a yard. If you want, I'll split it with you. I have quite a bit of vinyl stockpiled already. I wouldn't mind having some more in stock.

[Europhyllia]

Okay I am really starting to like this vinyl idea!

my tank is 29" deep but will have at least 6" sandbed. Since I don't want little holes I probably should go with the 24" width instead of the 30" right?

should I choose navy blue - because it would be more deep sea-ish
or black because it would go with the corner overflow's color?
if I go black should it be matte or glossy?

[Europhyllia]

How much do you need? I can get it by the yard as well but the price goes up to about $5 a yard. If you want, I'll split it with you. I have quite a bit of vinyl stockpiled already. I wouldn't mind having some more in stock.
what are you doing with it? Sticking it onto your air planes?

[Europhyllia]

I can get it by the yard as well but the price goes up to about $5 a yard.
$5 for a yard/3 ft is actually great. The pricing for the paper backgrounds is $3 per foot (would be $9 a yard, right) and vinyl should hold up much better

[txav8r]

I have a vinyl cutting machine that I make signs with as a side job/hobby. More like a hobby because I rarely charge anything other than cost of materials.

What width are you looking at? I'll get you a price per yard.

[Europhyllia]

What width are you looking at? I'll get you a price per yard.

my tank is 29" deep but will have at least 6" sandbed. Since I don't want little holes I probably should go with the 24" width instead of the 30" right?

[ErikH]

He changes his planes tail numbers for smuggling moonshine. :)

[Europhyllia]

He changes his planes tail numbers for smuggling moonshine. :)
lol

[txav8r]

I would go unpunched 30" so you can cover the entire glass surface. That way if the sand is washed/cratered out in one spot, the glass is still covered.

I can get 10 yards of 30" unpunched for $28 or $11.39 a yard. The price jumps way up when you go by the yard.

24" is $23 for 10 yards or $5.48 a yard

I really can only use 24" vinyl on my cutter but If you want to split 10 yards of 30" I'll find a way to make it work for me.

[Europhyllia]

are they accurate on the yardage? I need two yards/72" but if they cut it short 71" would look terrible and I'd probably better go with 3 yards then

[txav8r]

They are right on the money but I would go bigger just in case. If you want me to get it shipped to you, I'll have to ship you the whole 10 yards and pick up the rest some time down the road. If not I can get it shipped to my office at the airport and arrange to meet you sometime.

[txav8r]

http://forum.uscutter.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=10706.0;attach=156 50;image

LOL

[RayAllen]

My 180g Has dark black tinting on it which I really like. In the past ive always painted the back of my tanks either dark blue or black.

[allan]

Erik, that looks really nice.

I used spray on krylon on my first one. Black. And about six months later it was all purple and green.

This time with the new tank I kept the previous owner's window tint in place... now it's all purple and green.

Of course if I were to keep the back of my glass as clean as the front of my glass then I would have to say that I REALLY like Erik's, but I would probably just paint mine black as it does seem better to me than the traditional blue.

[Europhyllia]

I figured I'd like blue but I am really liking the black on the little 75g I just got. I think I might just go with black...

[txav8r]

I think black would be a good choice.

[Europhyllia]

matte or shiny?
is it really available in 30" unpunched? I think your flyer said all 30" has to be punched

[txg8gxp]

Another vote for krylon fusion black. I have used it several times, super easy to paint with.

[txav8r]

shiny 30" unpunched

It says punched is available by special order only.

[Mr Cob]

I can not believe no one has said foam! Haha....I know Karin, you love your urchins too much to go foam.

I paint all of my tanks black on the back outside even if I foam them so that if foam comes off it's still dark and does not look funny. That being said I always like the painted backs before I apply the foam.

I have never been a big fan of normal backgrounds that you tape or sticky on the glass because they always have some sort of hole, crinkle, bubble and then water gets inbetween them and the glass and they just end up looking like a mess and then you use rocks in the display to cover up the imperfections.

Looks like Jack has some nice ideas.

Can't wait to see what you come up with. Be sure to post some pics.

[txav8r]

The vinyl is adheasive so it will all be stuck down to the glass with no way for water to get under it. I't also won't peel or scratch.

It's the same stuff I made Zion's stickers out of for his "Hammuh"

[Europhyllia]

I know the vinyl comes with an adhesive side but since I already have the SeaView aquarium background mounting gel I wonder if it would be possible to use that gel with the non sticky side of the vinyl? Seems like that might be easier to work with than adhesive film.
I am usually terrible at applying stick on stuff without creating wrinkles or bubbles...

[Regric25]

Krylon flat black or Patriot Blue spray paint is the way to go. I am trying a different thing with my new tank I am letting coraline algae grow on the back glass only. I think I might like it.

[txav8r]

just spray the tank and vinyl with soapy water then squeegee it out. It's easy.

[Europhyllia]

I like the paint idea but thought the point of the vinyl being removable and more scratch resistant was pretty valid.
In case I hate it or sell the tank the vinyl backing would seem to leave more options.

I really always thought letting the back grow over was the way to go but I never had an aquarium with a black back either. I just got one sort of by accident a couple of days ago and it looks so very good. I love it. I don't think I could stand clear background ever again.

[Europhyllia]

just spray the tank and vinyl with soapy water then squeegee it out. It's easy.
to stick it on?
Or to remove?

[Mr Cob]

The vinyl is adheasive so it will all be stuck down to the glass with no way for water to get under it. I't also won't peel or scratch.

It's the same stuff I made Zion's stickers out of for his "Hammuh"


Yeah, like I said....I like your ideas.

Karin....goodluck with that gel, I have used it before and I had bubbles. Reminds me of my phone "clear screen cover"...they say "Won't leave bubbles" Oh yeah.....well, why do I have bubbles?

Who knows...maybe I don't know how to apply things. All I know is I got some bubbles that weren't supposed to be there.

[Europhyllia]

Thanks for your input. Sounds like our sticky on skills are similar. I might just go get a squeegee and try Jack's method isntead of the SeaView on Vinyl.

Jack by the way the LFS of your choice has a gift certificate on hold for you. :D

If anybody else want to do this I probably will have enough left over to do 2 more 6ft tanks. That way we can share costs. Or maybe I'll use it to cover up the goat prints on my car...
Thanks for your help on this Jack. This will be cool. I can tell :)

[Mr Cob]

Or maybe I'll use it to cover up the goat prints on my car...


LOL! Not everyday you hear that. That's awesome.

[txav8r]

LOL!!!

[jroescher]

I'm not familiar with the vinyl that Jack's offering, but I can tell you my experience with the vinyl used for graphics on cars. You spray detergent/water on the vinyl and the surface to be covered, then place the vinyl on. You can slide it around and mash out bubbles until it looks just right. Then squeegee the water out and it's stuck. After it dries a day or two, use a needle to poke a pinhole wherever a bubble formed and mash it down. It's intimidating at first, but in the end you'll realize it's really easy. Occasionally bubbles will form as it ages, usually only a few but sometimes a lot. Those bubbles won't go away. But this is on cars that live in direct sunlight, an aquarium probably wouldn't have that problem unless the halides shined directly on it.

Removing aged vinyl is whole new story. Heat gun, scrapers and some serious chemicals to get the residue off. Again, that's for vinyl that's lived in the direct sun.

[Europhyllia]

It's intimidating at first, [/B].
No kidding. After Jack convinced me to buy 10 yards of this stuff he PM-ed me the 'how to' video and I thought: great no way I am not going to screw this up...

Good thing I have so much to practice with...

[jroescher]

Don't let it scare you. When you put the water on it, it's not sticky at all. When you push the water out, it sticks down. If it doesn't look right. you can can peel it back up. It's only permanent once it's dried.

[txav8r]

John, It's the same vinyl. I buy it in sheets and cut stickers for cars/signs out of it with a computer. She is just using the uncut sheet.

Karin, you will be fine! If it get's too hard to handle let me know and I'll try to come out and help.

[Europhyllia]

like do I need to order the different kind of squeegees? The 5-way tool?

[txav8r]

Nope. you can use a credit card or a plastic scraper.

[tony]

another krylon fusion fan

also doing the black to blue fade is very easy to do with the two colors as well

i have also always been under the impression that a little mineral oil will help the background pic stay on better than anything else (but ive never tried it)

[Europhyllia]

It's here! Already!
Didn't we just order it yesterday?
I already got the box today!!!

Thanks a bunch Jack!

So far I paid $30 (might pay more once shipping charges are known) for 10 yards and I expect to need only 1/3 of that so if anybody else wants a 1/3 ( for $10 I'd be happy to share

[txav8r]

Told ya they shipped fast!