Mirror on tank back

Westfield · 07/27/2015, 03:41 AM

Building a new coral only tank
It is suggested that some paint/cover/coat the back of the tank
Why not a mirror
Thus one could see stuff that moves and stuff that is dead and should be removed (crabs, snails etc)
Could this cause lighting problems
Comments are appreciated
Thanks John

JamesHolt · 07/27/2015, 03:44 AM

Some fish may beat theirselfs to death with a mirror on the back of the tank..

Bent · 07/27/2015, 04:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamesHolt

Some fish may beat theirselfs to death with a mirror on the back of the tank..

The man said "coral only"

I think it would look great.

Ron Reefman · 07/27/2015, 06:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bent

The man said "coral only"

I think it would look great.

Until the back glass gets covered with coraline algae. And then the 'salt creep' will start to eat the silver backing off the mirror and it will look old and uncared for.

Trust me, I tried it. It was nice for about 6 months before the mirror started to deteriorate along the edges.

Bent · 07/27/2015, 07:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron Reefman

Until the back glass gets covered with coraline algae. And then the 'salt creep' will start to eat the silver backing off the mirror and it will look old and uncared for.

Trust me, I tried it. It was nice for about 6 months before the mirror started to deteriorate along the edges.

Can you not put it on the outside?

kenpau · 07/27/2015, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bent

Can you not put it on the outside?

Thats exactly what I'd do!

texdoc77 · 07/27/2015, 08:02 AM

Aesthetically I think it's a great idea. Definitely I would not put it in the tank. Practically I could see some trouble short and long term. Short term just attaching it to the tank and working around something with potentially sharp corners and just how you handle that. Long term, once the coralline takes over, now you have no way for the reflection to help you any longer and still have the added "difficulty" of working with that mirror back there during tank maintenance and what not. Also would have to avoid the pull of adding fish in the tank over the long haul. Personally, I think my reservations are minor at best and if you can work out an easy way to attach it (I use Velcro a LOT) you might just have a winner winner chicken dinner. Would love pix and a "how to" if you decide to go this route.

toothybugs · 07/27/2015, 08:36 AM

Seems to me a bead of silicone along the top and side edges would hold it in place forever and also seal out any creep from water spills, etc. Be careful to keep the silicone to the outside edges so you don't get much (if any) squeezed along the back panel of the tank and ruin the appearance.

julie180 · 07/27/2015, 08:53 AM

Mirror is treated on the back side. Its not getting between the mirror and glass that causes the problem. If you could some how protect the back of the mirror, it might work.

Ron Reefman · 07/28/2015, 06:33 AM

No, the mirror doesn't go in the tank! And even behind the tank it will still get enough salt from the tank to corrode the back coating of the mirror. Maybe spraying it with a better coating to protect it, like a black rubberized coating (think car undercoating).

Sk8r · 07/28/2015, 07:51 AM

I've used quartercylinder tanks because of space problems, and the current one has a black coating on the side glass. My previous didn't, and the shape makes that bare glass highly reflective--kind of like the rockwork and coral goes on forever. I have strongly considered scraping off this coating to get that reflection back.

A mirror would be better. The only caveat is whether you can keep that glass clean. The Eheim Care scraper that's shaped like a razor is very efficient at powering off encrustation and coralline from glass, and if you have the reach back there to do it, it could keep it clear.

Fighting Fish (freshwater betta) and a YWG will react to a mirror---for a while. Then they tire of the fuss and give it up as futile...never met one that didn't. The back coating is a good idea. Using velcro dots to suspend it rather than gluing it to the glass might be a better trial.

Bent · 07/28/2015, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron Reefman

No, the mirror doesn't go in the tank! And even behind the tank it will still get enough salt from the tank to corrode the back coating of the mirror. Maybe spraying it with a better coating to protect it, like a black rubberized coating (think car undercoating).

There's an idea.

How bout spraying the back of it with plasti-dip?

07/27/2015, 03:41 AM	#1
Westfield Registered Member Join Date: May 2015 Location: Westfield, Indiana Posts: 74	Mirror on tank back Building a new coral only tank It is suggested that some paint/cover/coat the back of the tank Why not a mirror Thus one could see stuff that moves and stuff that is dead and should be removed (crabs, snails etc) Could this cause lighting problems Comments are appreciated Thanks John

07/27/2015, 03:44 AM	#2
JamesHolt Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Milton,NC Posts: 1,104 Blog Entries: 3	Some fish may beat theirselfs to death with a mirror on the back of the tank.. __________________ John Adams: "In my many years I have come to a conclusion that one useless man is a shame, two is a law firm, and three or more is a congress." Current Tank Info: 29g with 2 Engineer gobies

07/27/2015, 08:02 AM	#7
texdoc77 Registered Member Join Date: May 2015 Location: Waco, TX Posts: 417	Aesthetically I think it's a great idea. Definitely I would not put it in the tank. Practically I could see some trouble short and long term. Short term just attaching it to the tank and working around something with potentially sharp corners and just how you handle that. Long term, once the coralline takes over, now you have no way for the reflection to help you any longer and still have the added "difficulty" of working with that mirror back there during tank maintenance and what not. Also would have to avoid the pull of adding fish in the tank over the long haul. Personally, I think my reservations are minor at best and if you can work out an easy way to attach it (I use Velcro a LOT) you might just have a winner winner chicken dinner. Would love pix and a "how to" if you decide to go this route. __________________ "The terrible thing, the almost impossible thing, is to hand over your whole self; all your wishes and precautions; to Christ." -C.S. Lewis (Mere Christianity) Current Tank Info: Currently Rebuilding

07/28/2015, 06:33 AM	#10
Ron Reefman Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Cape Coral, FL Posts: 10,431	No, the mirror doesn't go in the tank! And even behind the tank it will still get enough salt from the tank to corrode the back coating of the mirror. Maybe spraying it with a better coating to protect it, like a black rubberized coating (think car undercoating). __________________ The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it. (Neil deGrasse Tyson) Visit my build thread http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2593017

07/28/2015, 07:51 AM	#11
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	I've used quartercylinder tanks because of space problems, and the current one has a black coating on the side glass. My previous didn't, and the shape makes that bare glass highly reflective--kind of like the rockwork and coral goes on forever. I have strongly considered scraping off this coating to get that reflection back. A mirror would be better. The only caveat is whether you can keep that glass clean. The Eheim Care scraper that's shaped like a razor is very efficient at powering off encrustation and coralline from glass, and if you have the reach back there to do it, it could keep it clear. Fighting Fish (freshwater betta) and a YWG will react to a mirror---for a while. Then they tire of the fuss and give it up as futile...never met one that didn't. The back coating is a good idea. Using velcro dots to suspend it rather than gluing it to the glass might be a better trial. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

07/27/2015, 08:36 AM	#8
toothybugs In Memoriam Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: The smallest county in Illinois Posts: 1,986	Seems to me a bead of silicone along the top and side edges would hold it in place forever and also seal out any creep from water spills, etc. Be careful to keep the silicone to the outside edges so you don't get much (if any) squeezed along the back panel of the tank and ruin the appearance.

07/27/2015, 08:53 AM	#9
julie180 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Raymore, MO Posts: 2,556	Mirror is treated on the back side. Its not getting between the mirror and glass that causes the problem. If you could some how protect the back of the mirror, it might work.