What are you using, if anything, to cover the back of your tank?

stormrider27 · 06/24/2009, 05:04 PM

I am in the process of building a custom stand for my new 125g mixed tank and trying to think of what to do with the back of the tank which will be against a wall. I was thinking of using blue Plexiglas's to cover 65% of the back with a mirror insert in the middle to give the perception of more depth. What do you all think and what have all of you done with the backs of your tanks?

Thanks!!

markeo99 · 06/24/2009, 05:43 PM

coraline algae all the way mirrors tend to freak out a lot of fish

MrRyanT · 06/24/2009, 05:47 PM

Mine has a reef background, but I wish that I had just painted it black. It is getting covered with coralline now and when it gets more covered I'm gonna take the background off.

tipmoff · 06/24/2009, 05:51 PM

Mine is bare but had I to do all over again I would have painted black or Deep Ocean Blue. Too late now.....

mflamb · 06/24/2009, 06:08 PM

I have a sheet of blue acrylic hanging on the back.

billdogg · 06/24/2009, 06:29 PM

black latex paint - on with a foam roller brush

waterloomarc · 06/24/2009, 06:34 PM

I put some window tint on mine I got the darkest they had at the parts house. The back of the tank just looks black. I did it this way because it's removable if I sell the tank.

b_julien · 06/24/2009, 07:11 PM

I found some laminated black film and cut it to size to place on the outside in the back...worked pretty well and left the door open for an easy change if necessary.

nikon187 · 06/24/2009, 11:57 PM

black paint here as well

Catastrophi · 06/25/2009, 12:51 AM

Black paint. Wish I had blue though..

BuddhaKiss · 06/25/2009, 12:58 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by waterloomarc
I put some window tint on mine I got the darkest they had at the parts house. The back of the tank just looks black. I did it this way because it's removable if I sell the tank.

+1
Love the window tint

crooks · 06/25/2009, 07:07 AM

Black poster board

str1988 · 06/25/2009, 07:58 AM

Just Algae.

akitty6552 · 06/25/2009, 08:38 AM

I use black poster board for all my tanks, its really cheap and when people ask what's back there they are always surprised that its just posterboard

Hal · 06/25/2009, 11:12 AM

Dark blue paint.

sld123 · 06/25/2009, 12:46 PM

flat black spray paint

impur · 06/25/2009, 01:21 PM

Window tint. Cheap, easy to apply, easy to remove and does the job!

darkdruid · 06/25/2009, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sld123
flat black spray paint

+1

terrinstevereef · 06/25/2009, 01:59 PM

none, 4 side viewable.

downhillbiker · 06/25/2009, 02:02 PM

black krylon fusion

username in use · 06/25/2009, 02:55 PM

window tint

108reefer · 06/25/2009, 03:42 PM

window tint here too! kinda wish i went with the dark blue. you can only see a little bit though.

Nereaga · 06/25/2009, 03:44 PM

Blue background stuck on with vasoline.... I know what you are thinking BUT it is holding strong!

Should have painted the back....

I love the algae post!

mdrc · 06/25/2009, 05:04 PM

i dont know what shade but its a blue not light or dark just inbetween, and ive used black before for reefs i like black myself

Mopar Reefer · 06/25/2009, 07:34 PM

Black contact paper, cheap and if/when you get tired of it you can just remove it and recover with a different color.

06/24/2009, 05:04 PM	#1
stormrider27 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Sarasota, FL Posts: 530	What are you using, if anything, to cover the back of your tank? I am in the process of building a custom stand for my new 125g mixed tank and trying to think of what to do with the back of the tank which will be against a wall. I was thinking of using blue Plexiglas's to cover 65% of the back with a mirror insert in the middle to give the perception of more depth. What do you all think and what have all of you done with the backs of your tanks? Thanks!!

06/24/2009, 05:47 PM	#3
MrRyanT MrRyanT Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Memphis, TN Posts: 1,731	Mine has a reef background, but I wish that I had just painted it black. It is getting covered with coralline now and when it gets more covered I'm gonna take the background off. __________________ We are what we repeatedly do, excellence then, is not an act, but a habit. - Aristotle Current Tank Info: 30 gal display

06/24/2009, 05:51 PM	#4
tipmoff Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Palm Harbor, FL Posts: 430	Mine is bare but had I to do all over again I would have painted black or Deep Ocean Blue. Too late now..... __________________ "When I was a boy the Dead Sea was only sick. ." Member T.B.R.C. Current Tank Info: 75 Gallon Mixed Reef

06/24/2009, 06:08 PM	#5
mflamb Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Pasadena, Texas Posts: 8,422	I have a sheet of blue acrylic hanging on the back. __________________ Click on my red house to see my 390 and 300 build thread. Those are my last 2 tanks in Tampa. Now in Pasadena waiting to buy a house to set up my next tank....anemones and clowns...probably a 3x3 150 gallon.

06/24/2009, 06:29 PM	#6
billdogg Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Grove City, Ohio Posts: 10,806	black latex paint - on with a foam roller brush __________________ I'll try to be nice if you try to be smarter! I can't help that I grow older, but you can't make me grow up! Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef with 40b sump, RO 150 skimmer, AI Sol Blue x 2, and a 60g Frag Tank with 100g rubbermaid sump. 2 x Kessil A360w lights, BM curve 5 skimmer

06/24/2009, 05:43 PM	#2
markeo99 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: south dakota Posts: 185	coraline algae all the way mirrors tend to freak out a lot of fish

06/24/2009, 06:34 PM	#7
waterloomarc Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Trussville, AL Posts: 173	I put some window tint on mine I got the darkest they had at the parts house. The back of the tank just looks black. I did it this way because it's removable if I sell the tank. __________________ -Marc Current Tank Info: 37g Oceanic, Octopus 800s, MP-10, Tunze Nano 6025

06/24/2009, 07:11 PM	#8
b_julien Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 51	I found some laminated black film and cut it to size to place on the outside in the back...worked pretty well and left the door open for an easy change if necessary.

06/24/2009, 11:57 PM	#9
nikon187 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Edmonton Alberta Posts: 4,717	black paint here as well __________________ ----------------- Current Tanks: New 210 custom 84 x 24 x 24, 60g sump, SWC 250 extreme with bubble blaster 5000, 2 vortech mp40, 2 vortech mp10, 12 T5, Water blaster 5000, warner marine bio pellets, 60g clownfish cube, red carpet anemone with a 25g sump,SRO octopus 1000sss, 250w radium, lumenarc large.

06/25/2009, 12:51 AM	#10
Catastrophi Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Beaumont, TX Posts: 326	Black paint. Wish I had blue though..

06/25/2009, 07:07 AM	#12
crooks Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Elgin IL Posts: 1,346	Black poster board

06/25/2009, 07:58 AM	#13
str1988 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: South Carolina Posts: 51	Just Algae.

06/25/2009, 08:38 AM	#14
akitty6552 Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: PA Posts: 63	I use black poster board for all my tanks, its really cheap and when people ask what's back there they are always surprised that its just posterboard __________________ 125 gallon with 5 red belly piranhas 65 gallon SW tank with two clowns, royal gramma, yellow watchman goby and a lettuce nudibranch that is constantly trying to commit suicide. Current Tank Info: 125 gallon piranha tank, 65 gallon SW tank with two clowns, royal gramma, yellow watchman goby and a lettuce nudibranch that is always trying to kill itself.

06/25/2009, 11:12 AM	#15
Hal Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Longmont, CO Posts: 1,889	Dark blue paint. __________________ Some days it's not even worth chewing through the restraints. Current Tank Info: 250g starphire: 72x28x30, BeanAnimal drain with an oversized non-durso emergency drain, 4 inch DSB, 3x Reefbreeders Value LED fixtures, SWC/MSX 300A skimmer, Geo kalk reactor, 3 Vortechs w/bb, carbon reactor, and a RKL

06/25/2009, 12:46 PM	#16
sld123 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: plantation florida Posts: 51	flat black spray paint

06/25/2009, 01:21 PM	#17
impur Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Eugene, OR Posts: 4,262	Window tint. Cheap, easy to apply, easy to remove and does the job! __________________ Great spirits often encounter violent opposition from mediocre minds. Current Tank Info: 75gal, 20gal sump, 6-54w T5 TEK

06/25/2009, 01:59 PM	#19
terrinstevereef Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Broken Arrow, Oklahoma Posts: 108	none, 4 side viewable. __________________ Weeeeeeeee! Current Tank Info: 75 Gallon Oceanic w/95lbs of Fiji/Tonga/Marshall Live rock, 120lbs of live sand. 33Gallon sump, AMS G1X skimmer, Current Outer Orbit T5HO 2x250 14K MH + 4x54 T5

06/25/2009, 02:02 PM	#20
downhillbiker Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah Posts: 2,831	black krylon fusion __________________ The friendliest GIANT you'll ever meet. Current Tank Info: 200g Marineland Deep Dimension (Lumenmax Reflectors/Dual PFO 400w/Radium 20K) and 2xFrag Tanks (One TEK T5 fixture and one MH, Galaxy/Phoenix) on same system w/100g sump w/6"x100g DSB, AquaC EV-1000 Skimmer, Reeflo Barracuda return pump

06/25/2009, 02:55 PM	#21
username in use Sciencing Daily Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 6,560	window tint __________________ Joshua "With fronds like these, who needs anemones?" - Albert Einstein Current Tank Info: multiple nano's sprinkled around the house

06/25/2009, 03:42 PM	#22
108reefer Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: naples Posts: 355	window tint here too! kinda wish i went with the dark blue. you can only see a little bit though. __________________ Matt the reefer Current Tank Info: Currently tankless.... Med school - need I say more...

06/25/2009, 03:44 PM	#23
Nereaga Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Oley, Pa 19547 Posts: 1,513	Blue background stuck on with vasoline.... I know what you are thinking BUT it is holding strong! Should have painted the back.... I love the algae post!

06/25/2009, 05:04 PM	#24
mdrc Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Dallas Texas Posts: 369	i dont know what shade but its a blue not light or dark just inbetween, and ive used black before for reefs i like black myself __________________ Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit, Wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad Chris Current Tank Info: a sps tank in the works

06/25/2009, 07:34 PM	#25
Mopar Reefer Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Fort Walton Beach Posts: 465	Black contact paper, cheap and if/when you get tired of it you can just remove it and recover with a different color.