Tank Backrounds: Choices

[oo bubbagump oo]

As you can see, I went with the black backround. I think it makes my tank look cleaner/sleeker.
Is there a difference between using a black backround vs. blue backround... or NO backround at all?

 

[footbag]

I think that it looks good. Blue may brighten it up a little bit. I wonder if the black will heat up the tank.

 

[oo bubbagump oo]

know what, i'm gonna try the blue and see how it looks...

 

[michaeltx]

I like black all my tanks are painted that. I tried blue for a while but it made some of the corals and fish look washout. and with the black they were more deffined against it and made them pop as far as the colors.
Mike

 

[r@ise]

my first 55 was black, when I got a new RR one it was blue which I like better.
Im gonna paint my nano soon, Blue.
And my parents tank will be blue....just more natrual IMO..

 

[jumpfrog]

I did blue on my reef and black on my aggressive tank. I think they both look cool in their own way. Here's the reef:

 

[justinx]

IME . . . blue makes the tank look bigger, and brighter
Black makes things look smaller, makes colors stand out better, and actually, and I dont know why, inhibits algae growth. I can get coralline to grow all over the tank, but not on the back glass. I have read this someplace else and never believed it until it was my tank.
Now, if I were to do another tank, I think that a cool idea is to do a shading. Start with black on the bottom third, bright blue on the top third, dark blue in the middle third, and some blending in between the three. Saw this once and it was awesome. The tank lookd so much taller than it actually was.

 

[overanalyzer]

personally I like black. One of my nanos has black felt hung across the back and the other has a dark purple - which makes the 5 gallon look deeper than it is. I dislike the blue intesnely as it looks so fake (and reminds me of petsmart's tanks ....)

 

[tangman99]

I went with blue because I liked the looks. Before my clean up crew, it was all algea anyway as I never cleaned the back glass. My clean up crew keeps it clean now.

 

[hairtrigger]

I used to have a ginormouse porky puffer. Well, he often would face the back of the tank and nose up to the glass and start paddling. He'd stay like that for quite some time. I think he thought my old blue background was open, deeper water.
I currently don't use a background. Then again, my tank is also on a mirrored wall so it looks like I have two reefs.

 

[blueabyss]

at one time i had 2 55gal tanks. one was blue the other was black. the blue made the tank look bigger to me, but i like the black better. that is what my tank is now.

 

[jim27]

Background color really has no affect on how good a tank looks IMO unless its one of those fake picture kind that look dumb. My shark tank has a blue background and my 18g nano reef has a clear background. I'd rather have a black one on the shark tank just because it would hide the coralline algea(that I keep having to scrape off) a little better otherwise I dont care.

 

[shep]

Jump has almost the same background as me...coraline...It doesnt matter what type you get it all looks the same in about six months unless you clean the back and sides. I don't ever clean them unless I have a powehaed fall and then I clean the area to put it back.

 

[bonermeister]

I prefer black. With every tank I have seen as blue the blue emphasizes or at least shows the corners of the tank. When you look at a black background tank it gives you (or myself rather) a sense of infinity; such as a mirrored hallway. This is especially true with inwall tanks that continue past the viewable portion by a few inches.

Opinions are so much fun.

 

[oo bubbagump oo]

Yes, indeed they are...

 

[ozadars]

I think black is better, because it makes the fish's colour looks brighter and more colouful... dont care if tank looks smaller cuz, it important is to have healthy and nice coloured fish in it... but my tank has no background
Also why coralline wont grow on black back ground?

 

[bacardibombillo]

I have clear on both tanks! But now that were in the topic, What kind of paint do u guys use out there? is it fast drying? is it non-toxic? and can u actually paint it with your tank already set up and running?

 

[krunk]

yes, is it just justin, or does everyone with black background experiance no coraline growth on the back of the tank??

 

[bigmac]

The color wont matter.....that tangs going to be so big that you wont be able to see the back glass

 

[wrassecal]

Originally posted by bigmac
The color wont matter.....that tangs going to be so big that you wont be able to see the back glass
he's baaaackkkkk hehehe
I like black - I use black canvas across the back so it's not permanent in case I ever change my mind.