Painting background

[takia]

So, Im stupid!! Is there a way to paint the back of my 12 gallon Eclipse Nano after it is set up?

 

[bigarn]

Yeah..but you'd have to tape everything up REAL tight. ESPECIALLY if there's livestock in there. Guess you don't want tape on background?

 

[dory36]

When we were looking into painting the back of our tank the guy at our lfs said to paint it and then wait at least one week (2 would be even better) before even adding water to the tank. IMO I wouldn't risk it no matter how well you tape everything up. Paint fumes have a way of seeping into things. If you have fish in there already, don't do it.

 

[crazy4reefs]

i guess this is a no no but i painted the back of my 20 gallon tank, at the time it had lr,ls and a couple of fish. i dont believe it suffered any ill effects from it but i could have just gotten luckly. i also used a brush instead of spray paint. maybe thats why i got luckly :nervous:

 

[laddy]

Upside: You have a painted background
Downside: All your fish die, and you contaminate the tank for........what's the half life of spray paint?
I'd avoid the painted background, and chalk it up to lesson learned and something to think about for your next tank.

 

[moraym]

i usually paint my backgrounds, but found for that already-established tanks, a medium-blue cut of posterboard looks about the same as my painted tanks, minus the possibility of death.

 

[mobikobeyob]

umm, yeah use a roller and some latex enamel, and paint the outside. that way you don't get any fumes or toxins. thelatex paint will be durable, and still peel off in one sheet, in case you want to remove it.
heres mine
Mobi

 

[dory36]

Or, you can cut out a really cool picture and tape it to the back. My betta and apple snail just love their background!

:jumping:

 

[norway]

i painted my 20 gallon with gloss black after it was set up, use a brush or roller instead of spraying it. i cant see a single brush stroke.

 

[sprang]

Try the poster board, I think you'll like it. If not throw it away.

 

[dory36]

The posterboard or the tank?!

 

[neoreef]

With a 4 inch gap between the full live tank and the wall, I painted the back of the tank with latex flat black enamel. Over 2 days, I painted 1/2, then the other half, then added another coat. The two coats covered well, and I just moved equipment out of the way as I needed to. I used a disposable foam brush. I was very pleased. If you are really good, you can do this without also painting the wall and the floor. I am only pretty good.
Painting in this way had no apparent effect on the life in the tank.
Be careful and it should work.

 

[liontamer]

Yea, i kinda think that if yer gonna paint on a background, plan it in advance. Id probably do it on the tank while im waiting for the other supplies. Just like take a brush and a bottle of paint and...paint. Not like the back of yer tank touches the water anyway, so wat harm can it bring?