Backgrounds on tanks??? Pro or con???

[wymike]

Quick question on 'Backgrounds'...
In all the pic's of the tanks people post, I notice some have backgrounds on the back glass and others don't. Obviously a "Personal Choice" thing... But... Why do you - or don't you - use backgrounds??? Some of the deeper blue ones seem to be fairly attractive to the overall tank.
Thanks for any opinions!

 

[steve40]

I usually get a background that is going to bring out the most color out of the fish. You want the viewers eyes to focus on what is in the tank and not the background so you get one that draws the least attention. IMO

 

[buzz]

I have tried using a blue background on my 29g, and I have the back of my 60g painted black.
I prefer the painted method. I have found that if you get a little water sliding out of the tank with a background, and it gets in between the glass and the plastic, you end up with a bubbling effect that is, IMO, not real nice to look at.

 

[luvnluk]

I have interchangable backgrounds that I velcro to the back - black and midnight blue - they are cloth so when one gets dirty (salt creep, etc.) I throw it in the wash and stick on a clean one.

 

[ophiura]

Now that is thinking! I would not have thought about the velcro at all!
I prefer black, personally. It helps if you have an LFS nearby and you can go look at some tanks...up close, and from a distance. I prefer black, because for me it is less distraacting. When I look at a tank with a blue background, I see the background first...then the animals. But it really does come down to personal preference. I used to tell customers to just look at some tanks from all angles and see what they liked best.
The painting idea is also a good one. I get a lot of salt creep up behind my tank, which is annoying, but I can also change the color if I don't like it. I can put some of those desert scenes or the greek ruins a la Atlantis at any time
But definitely good to block out all the equipment and wires behind the tank.

 

[luvnluk]

Thanks Ophiura! And, congrats - you deserve to be a "star*" shark!

 

[killafins]

Your background helps with the lighting but mostly people think its a personal oppinion. however, if you have a blue background and have reef lighting, the background is going to help with the lighting...

 

[waterwolf]

I use a background that looks like coraline encrusted live rock. It really makes the take appear larger and does not distract from the inhabitants.

 

[ponzspyder]

Mostly I prefer solid black but I have blue on one tank also.
TIP: What I did on my freshwater tank was to put a thin layer of cooking oil onto to background itself and then "stick" it onto the back of the tank. You then let it sit for a few hours and then bleed all the bubbles out with a credit card or another type of hard straight object. The results are very pleasing to the eye (color shows up more vibrant and solid) and the best part is that now nothing will get between the tank and the background, especially if you slid the upper side of the background underneath the top rim of the tank.

 

[rich1515]

I have two pieces of custom cut acrylic that I hold in place with velcro and switch them with my moods....black or blue.

 

[thomas712]

I agree that the backgrounds help with the lighting and helps the fish feel at home. Imagine living in a glass house with nothing on the walls.
I tried using the backgrounds that they sell at the LFS but it keeps falling down. Wish I had thought of the velcro. So like many others I decided to paint the back of the tank the other day but the water turned all blue and I can't see a thing in there right now. Is there a way to help clear the blue water?? Will carbon help?
Thomas

 

[juddster]

the water turned blue??? did you paint the inside of the tank?? i think that was probably a big boo boo. the paint should go on the back of the tank thus not harming your water or its inhabitants!

 

[wymike]

How does the background effectively help the lighting? A little more reflective quality perhaps? Does the color of the background *absorb* some of the light spectrum?
And Thomas, blue water can't be good.

 

[nightraven]

Were you Painting the back of the tank blue, or black? If it was blue then you painted the outside of the back wall not the inside...right?

 

[thomas712]

Just joking I was expecting something more of a flame by hinting that I actually was trying to paint the inside back wall. Hmmm maybe if I used primer first.
With actinic lighting I think that a blue background would bring out the color of fish more, not sure about a black background. I used something called Oceanvisions that went on with soap and water and is supposed to be able to peal right off if you want to change colors. My lfs had 4 colors available. Black, Deep blue, Light blue and teal.
Thomas