Backdrops for aquariums

[FishyLady]

Wasn't sure where to post this, so hope it's OK here. What to you guys use to cover the back of the aquarium? I started off with plain white card, got tired of that and went with blue, got fed up with the blue as I couldn't get the shade I had in mind so now I'm back to white again, has anyone got any ideas please.

Val

[Diana]

I prefer darker backgrounds. Makes the interior of the tank really stand out, and the background looks like the lake continues on back there, getting deeper.

Fabric.
I found a print many years ago that is back with green fern fronds scattered. You cannot tell they are fern fronds from the front of the tank.
Another (actually 2) that work well is a black plus 2-3 shades of green or a black with several shades of blue in a marbled pattern.
To attach:
Get the 2-part sticky velcro.
Sew the loop part to the fabric (the sticky does not cling well to fabric)
Stick the hook to the tank. (clean the surface, of course, so it sticks well).
Use enough attachments so the cloth does not sag (each corner for a 10 gallon, add one in the middle for tanks up to about 3' long, more for longer tanks.)

To test, see if you like a dark background, you could try a towel. If you do not have a dark towel you could buy one at a thrift shop pretty cheap. You might like the texture of a towel as a background.

In blue backgrounds I like the version where there is a gradient from very dark blue (almost black) at the bottom and almost white at the top.

[loachnoob]

I used black trashbags, call me cheap, but its actually looks good. I was hesitant to paint it and this served as a happy medium

[FishyLady]

Thanks for all your suggestions, I don't like black much, I like the gradient blue but you can't get it 4' wide.

[Bas Pels]

in 1988 I got a tank, which I painted. Many colors of Grey, and the rusult was far to light. I still got this tank, but it is the only one painted brightly. 1 tank I forgot to do the back, so I tookplywood, painted black, but all others have their backs, and sides, painted black.


The smallest ones are 125 * 50 * 40 cm (l *w * h), the biggest one is 100 cm from front to back. In all cases it works nicely