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Don't know if this is the right forum for this but it said, "setting up your tank visually", under the forum name.

So........... concerning "visually", I just ordered a background off the net that I have been wanting since summer. It's just a regular flat picture.

You know when you splash water down the back of your tank, when you have a background on it, how that wet spot shows up brightly until the water evaporates? It looks beautiful & you wish the whole background would look like that!

I read on back posts on here that you can get that same look if you put vegetable oil, baby oil or vaseline on it, or the tank, before attaching it. I anticipate air bubble problems, but plan to take care of those with a yard stick.

My question is, has anybody here had experience using one of these three items, & if so, how did that work out? I have a 55 gal. against a wall. I can get the job done without moving the tank, but will be a hassle, so I want to put the best product on the first time, so I don't have to redo it later.

I'm thinking one of these products might yellow with age or something? That's why I'm asking for advice from users of one of these items......... what their experience has been. But I'll also take opinions or suggestions, or just comments.

PS. I heard you can order a product that will do the same thing, but I don't want to fool with that or spend more money than I have to.

Yep, I was a bit worried till I actually tried it. Veggie oil works great and you can use almost any straight edge to smooth out the air bubbles.

I ended up using a paint stirrer on one and an old credit card on another! Once it's in place start in the center and chase the bubbles out towards the closest edge. The best thing to use is a rubber squeegie if you have one .

^_^

I've used Vaseline on my backgrounds, works pretty well.

Never tried veggie oil, I'd think it would go rancid... I dunno, maybe not, but I've never tried it because of that.

Only problem I've experienced with Vaseline (and this maybe happen with oil, too, I'm not sure) is if you happen to spill a bit of water and it seeps down under the background, you'll have a 'lovely' section of unstuck background, usually right down the middle of the tank.

~Meow. Thus spoke the cat.~

I have used baby oil on mine and it works great. Air bubbles do form but can be worked out with a little effort. Experience has shown me to use as little oil as possible. I used just a small drop on the background that I have on my 50 gallon tank. Then I spread it around with a paper towel. This produced the best result for me. I've had it up for about two years and had no problems expect when the kids pull up a corner

Wow! Thanks guys! A reply for each one! Looks like it won't matter what I use......... they all seem to work.

In the case of the water still going down the back & leaving a water mark, maybe I could just put tape all across the top ledge, as in tapeing the background to the tank. Hubby has some WIDE clear tape (packing tape) that would do the job. It would reach the paper & still be wide enough to fold over the ledge of the tank. Waterproof seal.
.......................

Oh, I just noticed! You're a new guy mckellyates! Welcome to FP!

I use a dilute solution of shampoo in water .... yeah, it works. The water dries out and the background just sticks to the glass. Of course, there are more bubbles to deal with but they are easier to remove than those in case of oil/vaseline.

Thanks mughal! Well, there's a fourth option! Hmmmm maybe I'll just draw straws.

It looks like I just learned something I have just always taped my background to the back of the tank... but it just did not look right. Now I know...

Here fishy... fishy.. Here fishy... fishy...

Hi,
Just one caution. I believe folks are talking about the
plastic laminated backgrounds in this post, and not the
regular paper backgrounds. The oils, or whatever, on
paper, will weaken the paper and turn the paper translucent.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Good point Frank!
And we're also refering to the backgrounds that go outside the tank not inside the tank.

I've never heard the shampoo one before, I'd be very cautious about using that process, especially around a tank that is already set up. You don't want a stray splash of a bubble getting into the tank and playing havok with the WQ, especially the phosphates.

^_^

I'm glad for you Tina........ I was hoping someone else that didn't know about this would find out now too. I just recently learned about it myself when reading some back posts on here.

Lanenated? I hope the new one I'm getting has some sort of coating on it so I can coat it with something to make it stick. I never thought about that.

Of course the shampoo method has to be used with extreme care. And yes, its to be used with plastic/laminated backgrounds only.
Know where I learnt this from? A guy at an auto workshop attached a black plastic film to the windows of my car using the same method And its still there after a year!
For paper backgrounds, like I did yesterday, just tape it to the glass. Easy to remove and least messy.

I just might have to give that one a try sometime mughal *thinks of empty 5' tank in living room*. I wonder if the same principal would work with an enviromentally safe soap or shampoo, there'd be a little less risk involved.
Come to think of it, I wonder if plain glycerine would work...

^_^

Does everyone have a favourite background. I was thinking of just going with a plain blue one and letting my plants shine. Although I have to admit I only have a few at the moment. The ones that I have are fast growing and I have already cut them down and replanted the stems. I am trying to do it the cheap way, since plants can be really expensive...I would rather spend the money on fish..

Here fishy... fishy.. Here fishy... fishy...

I like the plain dark blue better than the black backgrounds, which you'll find many people say is "standard". To me the black is just too dark, especially if you're on the low 2wpg range of lighting for plants. It's even worse if you only have what came with the tank. Of course the reletive brightness of the tank depends a large part on how bright the room is that it's in.
The light blue background that sometimes comes with the black to me looks wrong in a FW tank, better suited for SW. As for all the plant and patterned backgrounds....they just make the tank look busy and not in a good way!

My favorite background was one I made. It was styro spray painted (not actually reccomended as spray paint melts styro) dark blue. It was lighter on the top then on the bottom, my LFS's didnt sell the graduated backgrounds so I had to make my own. The styro was used in winter on the outside of the tank to help regulate temperature.

^_^

Using styrofoam on the back to help regulate the temp is a great idea. Although I would have to cut out a spot for the filter. A graduated blue is also nice. I am going to have to see if we have any here. The black is too dark for me and I am afraid that it might put the fish into a depression especially in the winter here.

Here fishy... fishy.. Here fishy... fishy...

Everyone will have their own favourite background colour. Black is my favourite, but I've read here already not all agree. It is the very darkness of black backgrounds I like. Most of my tanks show only glimpses of the background behind the plants & IMO black gives me the illusion of depth.

But what a boring world it would be if we all liked the same thing.

I hadn't heard of the oil / vaseline etc method but have used baby shampoo when putting UV film on glass. It's all very interesting & I may try it next time. But I'm also thinking I might paint the back of my next tank. My hubby did that with his marine & the painted background looks better IMO.

Cheers
TW

I have tried all sorts of background. The laminated reef scene (it was my first one), then the scence of a lush aquatic garden, dark blue and finally the black one. And I think I'm most satisfied with the black one.
The black one, I made out it out of black card board. Its not glossy and a bit coarse in texture. Gives a sense of depth which I think wont be there if glossy paint or laminated/plastic sheet is used. Got it from a stationary shop for, what would be, $0.25 . Used the clear tape to attach it to the glass. It's the cheapest yet the most amazing background I've deployed so far. The plants do stand out against the black color, and so would the neon tetra, i guess.

Hi Mug,
Here in the States, that black paper is called
"construction paper." So called, because it is used to
construct shapes or act as a background to other things
such as signs. Children in pre-school use it as a back
ground to glue all sorts of cutouts to it constructing
pictures, murals, and all sorts of things they bring home
and proudly present to their parents.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Would we be able to buy this paper in a store such as Michael's (arts & crafts store)? Here the background at the fish store is $2 - $4 a foot? I was hoping to find something cheaper...

Here fishy... fishy.. Here fishy... fishy...