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how do you paint the back of a fish tank?

Discussion in 'Aquarium Equipment & Decor' started by California Cowgirl, Jul 7, 2009.

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  1. California Cowgirl

    California Cowgirl Thread Starter New Member

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    Re: Painting The Back Of A Fish Tank

    I will for sure it might not be able to do it for a bit as I don't have the tank yet but i should be getting it this week and possibly get the window tinting the week after
     
    California Cowgirl, Jul 12, 2009
    #41
  2. buzz4520

    buzz4520 Well-Known Member

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    Re: Painting The Back Of A Fish Tank

    sounds good.
     
    buzz4520, Jul 12, 2009
    #42
  3. w00t_w00t

    w00t_w00t New Member

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    Re: Painting The Back Of A Fish Tank

    8O Never thought of corkboard for a background! I have some thin sheets of it and a couple of tanks that need a backing on them \o/
     
    w00t_w00t, Jul 16, 2009
    #43
  4. California Cowgirl

    California Cowgirl Thread Starter New Member

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    Re: Painting The Back Of A Fish Tank

    so i got my window tint in the mail today. I purchased the 5% professional tint film that's charcoal grey color, looks pitch black. My dad and i are going to put it on the new tank this tomorrow or sunday. Hopefully it works well
     
    California Cowgirl, Jul 24, 2009
    #44
  5. buzz4520

    buzz4520 Well-Known Member

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    Re: Painting The Back Of A Fish Tank

    hope it turns out real good for you...
     
    buzz4520, Jul 24, 2009
    #45
  6. MOD_Dawn

    MOD_Dawn Active Member

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    Re: Painting The Back Of A Fish Tank

    take a photo and put it up when it's done!
     
    MOD_Dawn, Jul 24, 2009
    #46
  7. California Cowgirl

    California Cowgirl Thread Starter New Member

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    Re: Painting The Back Of A Fish Tank

    thanks i hope so too :D
     
    California Cowgirl, Jul 24, 2009
    #47
  8. California Cowgirl

    California Cowgirl Thread Starter New Member

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    Re: Painting The Back Of A Fish Tank

    lol once i get the tank up and going your going to get tired of me posting pictures, im going to have a whole thread of the progess of my new "hopefull" reef tank. : :D :D

    Oh yea! one more thing! if you guys decide you like this idea for a background of a tank, the stuff that i have will ONLY work on glass, so acrylic tanks would be a no no
     
    California Cowgirl, Jul 24, 2009
    #48
  9. MOD_Dawn

    MOD_Dawn Active Member

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    Re: Painting The Back Of A Fish Tank

    Lol, No worries about the photo overpost>>>have you seen all the ones in my 90g thread. Haha!
     
    MOD_Dawn, Jul 25, 2009
    #49
  10. California Cowgirl

    California Cowgirl Thread Starter New Member

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    Re: Painting The Back Of A Fish Tank

    haha i have, lol i'll be doing photo crazy, from the moment i put the backing on the tank to like forever, hopefully i'll become good at aquascaping a reef tank, i'm a bit worried as i've never aquascaped before.
     
    California Cowgirl, Jul 25, 2009
    #50
  11. MOD_Dawn

    MOD_Dawn Active Member

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    Re: Painting The Back Of A Fish Tank

    my theory is..as long as you like it is all that counts...and focus on stability being a key factor (unless your sealing them together).
     
    MOD_Dawn, Jul 25, 2009
    #51
  12. California Cowgirl

    California Cowgirl Thread Starter New Member

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    Re: Painting The Back Of A Fish Tank

    yea, it would be a veryyyy bad thing if the rock fell over and cracked/break the glass. I know people glue and do other stuff to make the rock how they want, but i'm not sure if i want to use anything permanent like sealing.
     
    California Cowgirl, Jul 25, 2009
    #52
  13. California Cowgirl

    California Cowgirl Thread Starter New Member

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    Re: Painting The Back Of A Fish Tank

    so the back is on, just have to wait for it to dry. lol this was a deff family project, it took 3 of us to put it on, and two tries. LOL i also think my parents will end up liking the tank once i get it going, i'm amazed how much perfection they wanted when we put the backing on
     
    California Cowgirl, Jul 25, 2009
    #53
  14. MOD_Dawn

    MOD_Dawn Active Member

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    Re: Painting The Back Of A Fish Tank

    you'll be glad about the perfection, nothing worse than a shotty background job since most of the times you don't realize the "imperfections" until you get everyone in there and it's too late to do anything about it (unless your lucky enough to NOT have to put the tank smack against the wall)!
     
    MOD_Dawn, Jul 25, 2009
    #54
  15. California Cowgirl

    California Cowgirl Thread Starter New Member

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    Re: Painting The Back Of A Fish Tank

    well there are very few spots that we couldn't get perfect *some areas at the top and some at the bottom* but hopefully once it dries it will be gone, but if not the equipment, sand and lr will cover it. And i'm planning to have the tank about 3 inches off the wall so hopefully the skimmer and filter will fit. I just hope theres enough space between my bed and the spot where i am planning to putting it
     
    California Cowgirl, Jul 25, 2009
    #55
  16. MOD_Dawn

    MOD_Dawn Active Member

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    Re: Painting The Back Of A Fish Tank

    umm, your probably going to need more than 3 inches!
     
    MOD_Dawn, Jul 25, 2009
    #56
  17. California Cowgirl

    California Cowgirl Thread Starter New Member

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    Re: Painting The Back Of A Fish Tank

    lol i'm hoping not to much more, i bet we'll have to rearange things again
     
    California Cowgirl, Jul 25, 2009
    #57
  18. California Cowgirl

    California Cowgirl Thread Starter New Member

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    Re: Painting The Back Of A Fish Tank

    pictures of the new backing can be found under the link in my sig, sorry for the glare from the window, but you can at least get an idea of what it looks like
     
    California Cowgirl, Jul 26, 2009
    #58
  19. Penycat

    Penycat New Member

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    Re: Painting The Back Of A Fish Tank

    it's probably too late, but just had to post as I'm weird...lol with my tanks, first I take (remember, I'm a girl...lol love my bling) glitter glue. I like the clear crystally looking one and smear that with my fingers all over the clean dry back of the tank (outside of course) totally random, doesn't have to cover the whole glass. After that dries, I take acrylic whatever color I'm in the mood for (generally dark blue or black or ever dark purple...yeah I'm a girl) I squirt it all over the back of the tank over the glitter glue and use a paint brush and smooth it all over the glass, then let it dry. The glue acts as a crackle finish and causes the paint to crack as it's drying. It's a really cool effect. Then once that dries, I either leave it like that and can see bits of the wall color through the paint, or I'll paint another color into the cracks (have to do that pretty thick as the glue still wants to crack the paint. Then once it's all dry and set up, the glitter shows through really awesome in the light and the crackle finish looks awesome too:)
     
    Penycat, Aug 2, 2009
    #59
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