Aquarium background help?

[Anixandria]

Hi! I’ve been looking for nice backgrounds for my aquariums for the longest time. I’m not fond of the standard ones sold at Petco or online. Does anyone know a place to get good backgrounds? Or a place where you can custom order pictures on the backgrounds? How did you choose which background looks best with your tanks??

 

[BigManAquatics]

I have been able to find mine at stores no problem! I think the last one i got was at walmart even. If you're not too specific or picky, shouldn't be too hard to find one that kind of goes with the theme or whatever of your tank. Though the tank i am setting up now i kinda started with the backgeound first then came up with the rest based on that.

 

[BigManAquatics]

But i bet you could even print out a background on paper depending on the size of the aquarium. I have used just a couple of layers of plain white printer paper on my 5g's before.

 

[Kitley]

I really don't even notice my backgrounds. Once you have plants, decor and fish I think the background is to hide wires etc, and benefit the colour of the fish and substrate. My first 75 gallon, has a background of rocks and caves.. and substrate is dark/bright blue gravel...pruchased at Petsmart. My second 75 has a solid black background that I purchased at my LFS, and has bright blue on the reverse. I chose the black to go with my black sand. My 15 gallon has a black piece of poster board that I bought at a dollar store.

 

[DoraCory]

I just use black paper on mine, makes the plants and fish stand out nicely.

 

[faydout]

I tried some different ideas the last couple of times I redid backgrounds. Plasti dip looks amazing, the matte black really looks nice, but the spray on version is a pain to work with (1 nasty drip, but it sits behind a sponge filter so, win). They make a roll on version that you would use a mini paint roller to put it on with, that looks much easier to work with. I also picked up a few black foam presentation boards (the kind kids use to put their science fair project info on), cut it to fit and taped it on the same way those ones from petco go on. It looks nice too, but I'm fighting gaps in the tape that let some light bleed in. If I were doing it over, I'd do the plasti dip rolled on.

 

[Utar]

I will agree that once you have a tank completely setup and alive with stocking the background is a bit lost. Take a look at the back ground picture in these two pictures of my 55 gallon tank.
Empty


Setup with everything in tank.



Having said this I got a custom background printed through Uprinting. It is done on vinyl and I taped it on using clear gorilla duc tape. So it should last for years. Cost about $45.00 US.

 

[MomeWrath]

I am using automotive limo tint purchased at the auto parts store. It was kind of a pain to install but I like how it minimizes reflections and bubbles usually seen with taped on backgrounds.