Painting tank background black question...

[fattytwobyfour]

I purchased a black background for my tank, but I can tell that I am not going to be happy with it in the long run. The last owners of the tank had one of those colorful background scenes, and it was covered in salt creep. I also can see creases in the new background that's driving me crazy. So I think the best option would be to paint it black.
I know most people use spray paint, but since this thank is up and running, that's not an option. I do have enough room to get a small roller behind the tank, without having to move the tank at all. My question is, what is the best paint. I would like to purchase it at Wal-Mart,since I get a discount there.
So there are several things I need to figure out.
Oil or Latex based? I don't really want to use the oil based, b/c of the smell. I have small finches in the same room, and young children in the house. So I figure latex would be the way to go. It is water based, so I didn't know if that would be an issue.
******** or exterior? Exterior paint is more durable, as it can stand the weather outside. It is also twice as expensive. So is this an issue?
Paint with primer? Or just the regular WM Color Place brand? If I was painting my house, I would not use the Color Place brand, as it is very runny. But I didn't know if it would work for this need.
Flat, Satin, or Semi-Gloss? You can't scrub Flat but Satin is more scrubbable, and Semi-Gloss the most scrubbable.
Just trying to make sure that I am happy in the long term with my aquarium investment! I'd hate to put all this money into it, and then have a crappy background. I have the black background stuck to my back wall, and I like the look of it. So I am sure that if I paint it, it is the color I want.

 

[acrylic51]

I normally spray the backs of my tank, but my QT I rolled the background of the tank.....I can't recall if it was oil or latex other than it was the basic Rustoleum stuff you get at Lowes or HD......I prefer to use gloss whenever I paint anything, but I think it's personal preference though.....Not sure why you'd actually need to scrub the back (outside) of the tank though......

 

[fattytwobyfour]

I didn't know if any salt would get back there. The back of the tank when I got it needed a good scrubbing. That's why I was concerned. I believe Rustoleum is mainly oil based. They may have some latex though. I'll look. I'm mainly concerned about the smell. I have a 20 month old niece and a week old niece in this house. And then 4 finches.

 

[shane784]

I too have the same problem I have a 125 already setup but no background its right up against my wall with about 2 inches off clearance . suggestions?

 

[fattytwobyfour]

I went to Walmart and purchased some paint tonight. They had quarts of Glidden exterior paint on clearance for $10. (Which was cheaper than exterior). I got flat paint and a small foam roller from the crafts. The Glidden also has primer in it, so maybe that will help.
All of their rustoleum was oil based. I was worried about the fumes.

 

[fattytwobyfour]

Got one coat on. I think it's going to work. Not so sure that I should've went with exterior paint. The fumes are pretty bad. It is 30 degrees outside, and I have the windows open. I relocated my birds to another part of the house, just to be safe.

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by fattytwobyfour http:///t/394064/painting-tank-background-black-question#post_3507215
Got one coat on. I think it's going to work. Not so sure that I should've went with exterior paint. The fumes are pretty bad. It is 30 degrees outside, and I have the windows open. I relocated my birds to another part of the house, just to be safe.
You have birds???...I would send them to a friends for a few days and get them completely out of the house. I want to paint the back of my already running tank...because you mentioned the birds, I'm going to wait for summer so my little green goblin (Jellybean) can be outside.

 

[elrodg]

IMO you should use black vinyl. You can get is super cheap. My 75 was only fifteen bucks and if you spray I'd down with water before applying its an easy removal. Which allows the ability to change it up

 

[fattytwobyfour]

I have a pretty large home. The part I stay in is pretty much self-contained. I took them to the whole other end of the house. So everything should be ok. I am sealed off in this part of the house with windows open. My brain cells will probably hate me though.

 

[acrylic51]

You should be good......That paint smell is mild compared to epoxy or WeldOn 40......Kids I wouldn't be to worried about.....

 

[fattytwobyfour]

Yeah, I think it'll be ok. I've got two coats on, and I'm going to do a third. It's looking good. I'm just wondering how it will hold over time. I should've went with the semi-gloss, b/c I think it's a little more durable about things rubbing against it. But we will see.
And this is kinda off topic, but speaking of smells. My new protein skimmer is pulling the gunk up, but the smell of it is kinda like some earthy incense smell that I have smelt before. LOL Ok, maybe the paint fumes are strong in here.

 

[shane784]

If your skimmers collection cup smells like Low Tide then its workin perfect lol. let us (me) kno how that painting goes and how it looks from the front cuz i've got a 6 ft tank I need to do this to

 

[fattytwobyfour]

This is what it looks like, via my iPhone. It looks kinda blue on here, but in person it looks black. If you can see any white on the glass, it's from the recent sand I added. Now that my filters are on the front, I can clean it better.
I'm going to do one more coat, but I'm happy with it. Much better than the stick on background I had. We will see how the paint holds up on the glass. But I only used 1/4 of a quart on my 3 foot tank. I'd make sure you got paint with primer already in it though.

 

[fattytwobyfour]

I'll post a proper photo with my Canon camera when I get everything settled back to the way it needs to be in a few days. I'm going to let the paint dry like 48 hours before moving anything back on it.

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by fattytwobyfour http:///t/394064/painting-tank-background-black-question#post_3507224
I have a pretty large home. The part I stay in is pretty much self-contained. I took them to the whole other end of the house. So everything should be ok. I am sealed off in this part of the house with windows open. My brain cells will probably hate me though.
Glad to hear...My house is small, so I'm really glad I peeked on this thread. I wouldn't have thought of my parrot until the fumes was already adrift in the house. My sister lost her green-cheek parrot because of fumes from the stove, they hadn't shut the gas off completely...by the time she smelled gas the bird as already too far gone. He wasn't in the kitchen, but the divided area between that room and the living room. So birds are really sensitive to fumes.

 

[elrodg]

Here is my tanks background using black vinyl.

 

[marvelfan]

I used a vinyl craft paint that I found at walmart. 0.97 a tube. No fumes. Took me 5 coats (5 tubes), but it looks nice. I obviously went with a marine blue, but they had black as well.

 

[elrodg]

I still say printers vinyl is the best choice because its very easily removed if necessary.

 

[acrylic51]

Vinyl might be optimum, but in these instances where the back of the tank is barely accessible it isn't feasible.....I'm considering using window tint on 1/2 section of a side panel.....Funny thing is when the tank is empty you can see through the side panel to the backroom, but when the tank is filled it's kinda mirrored and you can't see through.....
Honestly no need for primer before you paint the back of the tank.....Honestly if things are done correctly you shouldn't have to much sloop on the back side of the tank.....During each water change or whatever just make a quick over and wipe things down that way they don't get to far out of hand......I guarantee if you let the paint cure, if you want to remove it, you won't do it by rubbing it.....Razor blade yeah, but rubbing highly unlikely......

 

[fattytwobyfour]

I don't plan on hanging anything from the back, until I purchase my LED lights. So hopefully that will give it time to cure. It might be a few weeks to a month before I get that. But the paint looks really good right now. I know a primer probably isn't required, but I bought the kind of paint with primer already in it. The paint went on thick. I can only imagine what a runny mess the Wal-Mart "color place" would have been. I have used it on sheet rock, and it's a mess. Paint is one of those things that you truly get what you pay for. I have repainted the ******** of my house twice in like the last 10 years. The first time it was the Colorplace. When I repainted, I went to Sherwin Williams and got the Super brand paint. It was like $45 dollars a gallon, (compared to $12 for Color Place), but I could really tell a difference. Even the way it dries on the wall, is better quality. (It's probably not good that I sometimes mix paint people at Wal-Mart, b/c I am pretty honest about product quality when they ask).