spray painting the back?!

althea2you · 12-04-2007, 10:28 PM

what kind of paint do you use? i just a saw a thread on that and had heard of it once before... but never really looked into it. isnt that unsafe? what if it got IN the tank? i guess tape paper or something over it.... what kind of spray paint is safe to use on a tank?

BigAl07 · 12-04-2007, 10:38 PM

I have only used Krylon Fision and it works GREAT! I taped up ALL sides, top and bottom with newspaper and sprayed until it was completely opaque and no light came through (2 cans on my 90g tank). I've heard this is also safe IN the tank once it's fully dried and cured but I haven't tried it myself. Of course never EVER paint this on a "wet" tank because anything in the air WILL be in the water. I suggest taking the tank out doors so that vapor in the tank and house wont be an issue.

Good luck and TAKE PICTURES!!

Snelly40 · 12-04-2007, 10:38 PM

i painted the back of my tank, on the outside, with a black acrylic paint, works great, you will need many coats but it loosk great

Woodstock · 12-04-2007, 10:44 PM

If you use a spray paint, plan on painting several (4-6) thin coats. If you rush it, you may end up with runs in the paint. Easy does it...

I used a Rustoleum spray paint

I taped off the overflows

ragvette · 12-04-2007, 10:45 PM

Just painted my 20gal tank which I used Rust-Oleum, it works great. The tank was empty and to keep anything from getting into to the tank, you just flip it upside down so the opening is on ground.

I have never done a tank that's been full of water. My guess is you would have to cover it to keep the fumes from getting into the tank.

althea2you · 12-05-2007, 12:59 AM

oh my tank isnt full of water... havnt even gotten the sucker yet! but tomorrow! i will have it! YIPPEE! lol.. anyways.. i was just curious about it... but that midnight blue looks GREAT woodstock! hmmmm... maybe i will paint it....midnight blue or black.. probably black though...it has a black base.soo...

BigAl07 · 12-05-2007, 08:01 AM

I like dark blue and black for a background color. I've not used blue yet. The good thing about black it makes the colors of your fish & corals really POP. The blue more accurately simulates the deep blue when diving on a reef.

Good luck and take pictures

Scouter Steve · 12-05-2007, 09:06 AM

What I don't like about black is it does soak up some of your light. On the other hand with a reef ready tank the blue clashes with the black overflows. My tanks are both blue and the 125 non reefready looks great while I try not to look to close at my 120 r/r.
I brushed on my paint as I had no place to spray. Many many coats and looked terrible till I got enough coats on. From the front runs do not show at all!

Frankie · 12-05-2007, 09:34 AM

You don't need to spray it. You can roll it on. Rust-Oleum Comes in a paint bucket also. If you want to do it right, first use a tinted marine primer. thats what i did. It will keep it from scratching off or delaminating from moisture and salt creep.

althea2you · 12-05-2007, 10:37 AM

thank you! i may have to paint it on... i have limited space in my garage now with all the deck furniture put away to spray paint... and its really really cold now... we just got ...i have no idea.. maybe 5 inches of snow!? so it would be pretty cold in that garage..!

BigAl07 · 12-05-2007, 10:41 AM

And the paint has to be a certain TEMP to properly cure. Be sure and do it in a part of the house AWAY from any other tanks. Anything in the air will be in the water shortly. I think you have another tank up and running right? I'd also run an extra batch of charcoal just to be safe. Then again I'm a charcoal NUT!! I use it for everything.. thinking of making COLD and SINUS elixir out of it

Annie742 · 12-05-2007, 11:21 AM

I used Rustoleum paint too. I had one black and the other was blue. Then I decided to scrape it off. Never again will I paint another tank LOL. I still have my 75 gal painted blue and it is staying that way.

I brushed it on, used 2 coats. Just make sure you don't have it somewhere there will be light behind it. It shows up the streaks hehe. But when up against the wall you can't see it, even up against my white walls you couldn't see it! But before I moved it, it looked nasty LOL. But once in place by the wall it looked great!

BigAl07 · 12-05-2007, 11:25 AM

Never again? How come?

My current tank is against a white wall and without any painting it just really takes away from the tank itself. I'm curious as to why you wont ever paint another tank?

By using the spray can method and taking your time you can fully cover it without any problems. I kept a flashlight IN the tank as I was spraying and just kept going slowly back and forth with light coats until there was ZERO light penetration. The Krylon went on extremely smooth and easily applied.

Annie742 · 12-05-2007, 11:33 AM

Because when I turn the 90 gal. back into a freshwater tank with the black paint on the back you couldn't see the fish very well. I decided to take the paint off. Took several hours with a razor blade. So thats the only reason

Now I use some stuff I forgot what it's called. Like thinck cardboard but plastic. Very durable stuff. I can change colors any time I want to either black or blue. Without having to sit for hours/days scraping it off with that tiny razor blade LOL!

clintg74 · 12-11-2007, 11:40 PM

I bought a cheep sheet of acrylic at HD at painted it with 2 shades of blue Krylon. I was trying to have a darker blue at the bottom to a lighter blue at the top. I then taped it to the back of the aquarium glass.

This way, if you decide to change colors, just remove and start again without scraping.

12-04-2007, 10:28 PM	#1 (permalink)
althea2you Padawan Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 1,479 View Gallery Karma Komment	spray painting the back?! what kind of paint do you use? i just a saw a thread on that and had heard of it once before... but never really looked into it. isnt that unsafe? what if it got IN the tank? i guess tape paper or something over it.... what kind of spray paint is safe to use on a tank? __________________ ~Sarah~ How people treat you is their karma; how you react is yours. ~Wayne Dyer 28g Nano The 90 Gallon

12-04-2007, 10:38 PM	#2 (permalink)
BigAl07 Do I look as lost as I am Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Waynesville, North Carolina Posts: 21,549 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: spray painting the back?! I have only used Krylon Fision and it works GREAT! I taped up ALL sides, top and bottom with newspaper and sprayed until it was completely opaque and no light came through (2 cans on my 90g tank). I've heard this is also safe IN the tank once it's fully dried and cured but I haven't tried it myself. Of course never EVER paint this on a "wet" tank because anything in the air WILL be in the water. I suggest taking the tank out doors so that vapor in the tank and house wont be an issue. Good luck and TAKE PICTURES!! __________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ *Live Rock Rubble will do the SAME thing as Bio-Balls and is NOT a suitable replacement for BIO-BALLS in a Reef System! It's ALL gotta go!!* Nitrate (NO3) reduction is directly proportional to percentage of Water Change. Allen's home-made formula...currentNO3-((%WC.01)currentNO3)=finalNO3 (thanks Luukosian) This means if you change 50% of your total water volume (That's EVERYTHING) you'll get a net reduction of (NO3) somewhere around 50%. Ask me about how to increase your REEF budget without going without FOOD!!* Big Al's 10g Julie's (BigAl's Gal) 6g NanoCube Gone but not forgotten BigAl's Slow 90g Tank Chronicle Allens OFFICE 12g Nano-Reef

12-04-2007, 10:38 PM	#3 (permalink)
Snelly40 Manta Ray Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 3,098 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: spray painting the back?! i painted the back of my tank, on the outside, with a black acrylic paint, works great, you will need many coats but it loosk great __________________ Snelly's 90gal Reef-O-Rama *Member-"Crabs Are Evil" Society*

12-04-2007, 10:44 PM	#4 (permalink)
Woodstock The Wand Geek was here. ;) Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 25,502 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: spray painting the back?! If you use a spray paint, plan on painting several (4-6) thin coats. If you rush it, you may end up with runs in the paint. Easy does it... I used a Rustoleum spray paint I taped off the overflows __________________ ~Doni Marie~ *GOT ICH???* *My Victorious Battle with ICH* 120 Reef Chronicle ~ *Breeding Picasso Clownfish~* *Massive 300 gal growout~* *My Anemone & Picasso Tank ~* *Picasso & Snowcasso for sale~* "Energy and persistance conquer all things." Benjamin Franklin __________________________________________________ ______________________________________________

12-04-2007, 10:45 PM	#5 (permalink)
ragvette Ricordea Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Lake Villa, IL Posts: 193 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: spray painting the back?! Just painted my 20gal tank which I used Rust-Oleum, it works great. The tank was empty and to keep anything from getting into to the tank, you just flip it upside down so the opening is on ground. I have never done a tank that's been full of water. My guess is you would have to cover it to keep the fumes from getting into the tank. __________________ -Rodney My 135g Chronicle Reef Store Locator

12-05-2007, 12:59 AM	#6 (permalink)
althea2you Padawan Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 1,479 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: spray painting the back?! oh my tank isnt full of water... havnt even gotten the sucker yet! but tomorrow! i will have it! YIPPEE! lol.. anyways.. i was just curious about it... but that midnight blue looks GREAT woodstock! hmmmm... maybe i will paint it....midnight blue or black.. probably black though...it has a black base.soo... __________________ ~Sarah~ How people treat you is their karma; how you react is yours. ~Wayne Dyer 28g Nano The 90 Gallon

12-05-2007, 08:01 AM	#7 (permalink)
BigAl07 Do I look as lost as I am Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Waynesville, North Carolina Posts: 21,549 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: spray painting the back?! I like dark blue and black for a background color. I've not used blue yet. The good thing about black it makes the colors of your fish & corals really POP. The blue more accurately simulates the deep blue when diving on a reef. Good luck and take pictures __________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ *Live Rock Rubble will do the SAME thing as Bio-Balls and is NOT a suitable replacement for BIO-BALLS in a Reef System! It's ALL gotta go!!* Nitrate (NO3) reduction is directly proportional to percentage of Water Change. Allen's home-made formula...currentNO3-((%WC.01)currentNO3)=finalNO3 (thanks Luukosian) This means if you change 50% of your total water volume (That's EVERYTHING) you'll get a net reduction of (NO3) somewhere around 50%. Ask me about how to increase your REEF budget without going without FOOD!!* Big Al's 10g Julie's (BigAl's Gal) 6g NanoCube Gone but not forgotten BigAl's Slow 90g Tank Chronicle Allens OFFICE 12g Nano-Reef

12-05-2007, 09:06 AM	#8 (permalink)
Scouter Steve Neon dottyback Join Date: May 2006 Location: Somers Wisconsin (Kenosha County) Posts: 687 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: spray painting the back?! What I don't like about black is it does soak up some of your light. On the other hand with a reef ready tank the blue clashes with the black overflows. My tanks are both blue and the 125 non reefready looks great while I try not to look to close at my 120 r/r. I brushed on my paint as I had no place to spray. Many many coats and looked terrible till I got enough coats on. From the front runs do not show at all!

12-05-2007, 10:37 AM	#10 (permalink)
althea2you Padawan Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 1,479 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: spray painting the back?! thank you! i may have to paint it on... i have limited space in my garage now with all the deck furniture put away to spray paint... and its really really cold now... we just got ...i have no idea.. maybe 5 inches of snow!? so it would be pretty cold in that garage..! __________________ ~Sarah~ How people treat you is their karma; how you react is yours. ~Wayne Dyer 28g Nano The 90 Gallon

12-05-2007, 10:41 AM	#11 (permalink)
BigAl07 Do I look as lost as I am Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Waynesville, North Carolina Posts: 21,549 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: spray painting the back?! And the paint has to be a certain TEMP to properly cure. Be sure and do it in a part of the house AWAY from any other tanks. Anything in the air will be in the water shortly. I think you have another tank up and running right? I'd also run an extra batch of charcoal just to be safe. Then again I'm a charcoal NUT!! I use it for everything.. thinking of making COLD and SINUS elixir out of it __________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ *Live Rock Rubble will do the SAME thing as Bio-Balls and is NOT a suitable replacement for BIO-BALLS in a Reef System! It's ALL gotta go!!* Nitrate (NO3) reduction is directly proportional to percentage of Water Change. Allen's home-made formula...currentNO3-((%WC.01)currentNO3)=finalNO3 (thanks Luukosian) This means if you change 50% of your total water volume (That's EVERYTHING) you'll get a net reduction of (NO3) somewhere around 50%. Ask me about how to increase your REEF budget without going without FOOD!!* Big Al's 10g Julie's (BigAl's Gal) 6g NanoCube Gone but not forgotten BigAl's Slow 90g Tank Chronicle Allens OFFICE 12g Nano-Reef

12-05-2007, 11:21 AM	#12 (permalink)
Annie742 Star Polyps Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 174 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: spray painting the back?! I used Rustoleum paint too. I had one black and the other was blue. Then I decided to scrape it off. Never again will I paint another tank LOL. I still have my 75 gal painted blue and it is staying that way. I brushed it on, used 2 coats. Just make sure you don't have it somewhere there will be light behind it. It shows up the streaks hehe. But when up against the wall you can't see it, even up against my white walls you couldn't see it! But before I moved it, it looked nasty LOL. But once in place by the wall it looked great!

12-05-2007, 11:25 AM	#13 (permalink)
BigAl07 Do I look as lost as I am Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Waynesville, North Carolina Posts: 21,549 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: spray painting the back?! Never again? How come? My current tank is against a white wall and without any painting it just really takes away from the tank itself. I'm curious as to why you wont ever paint another tank? By using the spray can method and taking your time you can fully cover it without any problems. I kept a flashlight IN the tank as I was spraying and just kept going slowly back and forth with light coats until there was ZERO light penetration. The Krylon went on extremely smooth and easily applied. __________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ *Live Rock Rubble will do the SAME thing as Bio-Balls and is NOT a suitable replacement for BIO-BALLS in a Reef System! It's ALL gotta go!!* Nitrate (NO3) reduction is directly proportional to percentage of Water Change. Allen's home-made formula...currentNO3-((%WC.01)currentNO3)=finalNO3 (thanks Luukosian) This means if you change 50% of your total water volume (That's EVERYTHING) you'll get a net reduction of (NO3) somewhere around 50%. Ask me about how to increase your REEF budget without going without FOOD!!* Big Al's 10g Julie's (BigAl's Gal) 6g NanoCube Gone but not forgotten BigAl's Slow 90g Tank Chronicle Allens OFFICE 12g Nano-Reef

12-05-2007, 11:33 AM	#14 (permalink)
Annie742 Star Polyps Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 174 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: spray painting the back?! Because when I turn the 90 gal. back into a freshwater tank with the black paint on the back you couldn't see the fish very well. I decided to take the paint off. Took several hours with a razor blade. So thats the only reason Now I use some stuff I forgot what it's called. Like thinck cardboard but plastic. Very durable stuff. I can change colors any time I want to either black or blue. Without having to sit for hours/days scraping it off with that tiny razor blade LOL!

12-11-2007, 11:40 PM	#15 (permalink)
clintg74 Tunicate Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 6 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: spray painting the back?! I bought a cheep sheet of acrylic at HD at painted it with 2 shades of blue Krylon. I was trying to have a darker blue at the bottom to a lighter blue at the top. I then taped it to the back of the aquarium glass. This way, if you decide to change colors, just remove and start again without scraping.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)