• You liked BFD7 now you should join this forum and of course become a club member to see what CCA is all about.
  • Thank you to everyone who registered and showed up for the BIG Fish Deal #7.

Tank background Paint

Howie

Members
Does anybody have any suggestions on a particular brand of paint they use for painting a tank background?

I've used Plastidip on several of my tanks, but have been having issues with the cans not spraying properly and getting inconsistent and gloppy areas.

I think painting with a crafters paint with a small roller is the way to go at this point to get an even and uniform coat.
 

Gyarados

Members
Any old Acrylic paint from a craft store/amazon, if you change your mind you just get it damp and it peels right off. It takes a few coats to get a good solid black though.
 

ricksnipe

Members
I used some black acrylic paint from Michaels wilt a mini roller on my 180 gallon, it worked great. It took 3-4 coats
 

AquaStudent

Members
I painted my backgrounds using regular old spray paint. The most recent one I did was Rustoleum. You don't have to worry about toxicity when it's on the exterior. Just make sure you spray in a well ventilated area (preferably outside).
 

Hawkman2000

Members
I just recently had an idea for my friends tank. He is putting a rimless 55 in front of a window. I thought that Plasti-dip - Smoke would look great. He tried it on a piece of glass and not only did it have a uniformity issue, it would have taken 3 cans with multiple coats so he went with blue. Would have looked nice if had worked out.

Frosted glass spray was another thought.
 

frankoq

Members
I used some black acrylic paint from Michaels wilt a mini roller on my 180 gallon, it worked great. It took 3-4 coats

Same here. 2-3 coats of black paint and used a combination of 2'' brush and small roller.

are you all doing black backgrounds or other colors?
 

Tony

Alligator Snapping Turtle/Past Pres
I've used Krylon Flat Black in the past. More expensive, but easier, quicker and doesn't leave streaks like paint out of a can does sometimes.
 

Localzoo

Board of Directors
Make sure you shake the can long enough and get a good consistent pattern. When you stop flip the can upside down and spray to clear the nozzle.
Keep in mind temp and humidity ATM are not great so that might lead to bubbling or patches. Clean you glass well then when you think you have done that do it again. then go back over it with some alcohol to remove grease. Then refrain from touching as you have natural oil on your hands that can f up a good paint job.

Prep work, prep work, prep work...that is key no matter what paint you decide.

If your feeling super lazy monokote from hobby works. Peel the backing apply and stretch over the area you want then go over it with a hair dryer or iron covered with a cotton shirt to remove bubbles etc....
It's the same as vinyl but you can use windex on it to keep it from setting. Then just squeegee then hear and bam awesome removable background in every color under the sun


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 

Howie

Members
I went to Michael's and bought some tubes of the crafter's acrylic paint ($3.99/each) in a deep ocean blue. I used a miniroller from HD and a small brush to get into the crevice near the tank rim and have done 2 coats so far. I will do another coat tomorrow during the snow storm. It goes on uniformly and dries nicely--the key I think is painting it with the back laying flat, rather than up vertically where the paint can tend to run down if you're not careful. Hopefully it will look good.

The Mystic White II PFS should be a nice contrast to my blue background and grey lace rock, and my Africans will have a nice canvas to be seen in all their color.
 

Localzoo

Board of Directors
I went to Michael's and bought some tubes of the crafter's acrylic paint ($3.99/each) in a deep ocean blue. I used a miniroller from HD and a small brush to get into the crevice near the tank rim and have done 2 coats so far. I will do another coat tomorrow during the snow storm. It goes on uniformly and dries nicely--the key I think is painting it with the back laying flat, rather than up vertically where the paint can tend to run down if you're not careful. Hopefully it will look good.

The Mystic White II PFS should be a nice contrast to my blue background and grey lace rock, and my Africans will have a nice canvas to be seen in all their color.

Cool post pics when your done


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 

frankoq

Members
I went to Michael's and bought some tubes of the crafter's acrylic paint ($3.99/each) in a deep ocean blue. I used a miniroller from HD and a small brush to get into the crevice near the tank rim and have done 2 coats so far. I will do another coat tomorrow during the snow storm. It goes on uniformly and dries nicely--the key I think is painting it with the back laying flat, rather than up vertically where the paint can tend to run down if you're not careful. Hopefully it will look good.

The Mystic White II PFS should be a nice contrast to my blue background and grey lace rock, and my Africans will have a nice canvas to be seen in all their color.

I'd like to see that deep ocean blue.
 

Jt731

Members
I used a can of flat black double cover from rustoleum and a roller. Note not a spray can, a typical quart can i bought from lowes.

Lots and lots of coats. Don't worry if the first couple look pathetic, just add more coats after the previous dries. I also had the tank on it's face so the back was flat
 

Howie

Members
Pic of painted tank back

Here it is.

The color is a darker blue than I've painted before in my other tanks, but offers more of a contrast with the Mystic White II PFS. :beamup:

120 high.jpg
 
Top