When I first started as a real youngster back in the early sixties I used the photo scenery from the aquarium shop. Then when I got a bit older I made my own 3D background before they were a thing. I glued a bunch of thin slate and shale to a piece of glass. I left areas where I placed air stones behind the rocks and the fine bubbles would come out in different areas. For my breeding and rearing tanks I paint the bottoms black and three sides white. The white sides makes it easier to see how the fry are coloring (such as guppy fry) up for selective breeding. Now on my display tanks I use the semi transparent widow cling. Really dark grey, almost black, with my black sand substrate. Dark brown with my natural river pebbles. All my South American fish pop using both.
I got a 20 high for my first tank a couple weeks ago, I just taped black posterboard to the back. It’s a black framed tank so it looks okay. My next project is going to be a Betta biotope tank and it’s only going to be a 5 gallon so I’m going all out on that one. Window tint film on 3 sides, tonnes of botanicals, stained water and low light with region accurate flora. I’m almost more excited for that than I am to stock my current tank 😂
Very enjoyable Podcast! Like John I am a fan of black backgrounds. When you have been in the hobby for as long as I have been (going on 60 years) you will have used just about every type of background there is at one time or another. Even used crumpled aluminum foil back in the '60's. Now I try to keep it simple and black paint is about as simple as you can get.
I've been planning to make a 3D background for years , from seeing an aquarium store in Denmark called Unimati and every aquarium has separate filtration built inside the background just like an AIO !!! Not a bad looking aquarium in the whole shop and it's off of my memories and George Farmer was where I had seen it.
I like to use background on both the back and on one end of the aquarium. This gives the fish and invertebrates a dark corner to retire to when they feel threatened.
LOVE your video/podcast. I've never used a background on any of my tanks. I have always had space between the back of a tank and no obstruction; I need to see if a fish had died or is hiding. It's easiest to monitor if you have a full view of the tank. My plants have been arranged to obscure (somewhat) the HOB and thermometer.
I just took the advice from this episode and painted the back of my 10 gallon with black acrylic paint. I have to say it was a complete game changer. My guppies and plants look so much more vibrant and my newbie aquascape looks more professional! The paint and brush cost me $5. Now onto my snail tank and my two other 10 gallons. I can't wait to see how it will impact the colors of my son's Betta. Thanks John and Jason!
This new background I have for my 55 doesn't quite do it for me but the old one was perfect. I had a dim light setup as a backlight for it and it gave it so much depth. It looked like you were underwater in some Florida spring or river.
Back ground completely changed my opinion of a 55 and 75 gallon tank I have, the clear back was never an issue until I started filming, then the focus was rare if it ever was in and the next is the fact it’s another reflective surface that. This being said if you use a peel on or wet pat back ground unless it is 100% flush it will look patchy and read messy. 3D background have looks and capacity to hold aquarium beneficial bacteria but it also creates a dead zone where poop and unwanted debris can collect. My 110 needs one so it can be viewed without glare or overspray of light from a nearby tank. So really backgrounds are not needed. But your house looks better with some colour and if you can find an interesting background suddenly you have a new tank to look at, and you didn’t even have to get more fish!
I've gone with see through tanks in my room before and it did seem to stress my fish some. I currently use bulletin board papper and black poster board.🤷♂️
I bet $10,000 that yall can't go a single podcast without mentioning African cichlids lol😂 love you guys and love the podcast. Could yall do one on neo shrimp?
I love window frost film for my backgrounds. I have tried black for the backgrounds but I felt it made my aquariums feel too dark. The window film looks like the aquariums is much bigger and deeper.
I'd really love to see you guys do a video talking all about acrylic aquariums. I've got a 50g acrylic aquarium on the way and would LOVE to listen to you guys taking about them.
there was a pet store in Cleveland Ohio on Lorain road an 98th st was called RMS an the guy that owned it was Rudy he made custom slate bck grounds an they looked great i loved the look !
Nice episode! But I disagree on that you don’t have to apply a background, and that its just for aesthetics. I live in Sweden where it is a requirement for the keeping of fish to have a background, for the fishes sake. Pretty logical if you think about it since they are exposed from all sides.
Nice topic and I have an idea for when I get a 125+ tanks. For most of my tanks I use poster board and double sided tape. For under 1.50, if it gets ruined...bummer. I also have the option to change out quickly.
After we seen this podcast we tried car tent on back outside of the aquarium it seems to make it darkerer definitely a different look and it doesn't seem to mind water at all what do you think?
I'm curious about Jason's tank that he said was scratched and he just painted over the scratches. Did the scratches show through the paint? I just bought a new 20 long and when I removed the brand label, there was a significant scratch in the glass on the outside of the tank. You can't see it with the label in place. My LFS has ordered another tank to replace it, but I had thought about putting it to the back and using paint or a solid black window film but was afraid you would still see the scratch.
I have an 55 gallon Mbuna tank tank with stacked natural rocks. Went to a local garden center and paid 34 cents per pound for about 60 lbs of rock. Stay away from aquarium stores for natural rock.
The only kind of tank i wouldn't put a background on is a center piece one that's viewed from all sides.
When I first started as a real youngster back in the early sixties I used the photo scenery from the aquarium shop. Then when I got a bit older I made my own 3D background before they were a thing. I glued a bunch of thin slate and shale to a piece of glass. I left areas where I placed air stones behind the rocks and the fine bubbles would come out in different areas. For my breeding and rearing tanks I paint the bottoms black and three sides white. The white sides makes it easier to see how the fry are coloring (such as guppy fry) up for selective breeding. Now on my display tanks I use the semi transparent widow cling. Really dark grey, almost black, with my black sand substrate. Dark brown with my natural river pebbles. All my South American fish pop using both.
Round of applause for you here? That's impressive. And useful. Thanks.
My first background, when I was a kid, was aluminum foil.
I use black trash bags 🤓 cheap and waterproof 🐠
I got a 20 high for my first tank a couple weeks ago, I just taped black posterboard to the back. It’s a black framed tank so it looks okay.
My next project is going to be a Betta biotope tank and it’s only going to be a 5 gallon so I’m going all out on that one. Window tint film on 3 sides, tonnes of botanicals, stained water and low light with region accurate flora. I’m almost more excited for that than I am to stock my current tank 😂
Current U.S.A. LightSerene is available at Chewy and other aquarium businesses.
Very enjoyable Podcast! Like John I am a fan of black backgrounds. When you have been in the hobby for as long as I have been (going on 60 years) you will have used just about every type of background there is at one time or another. Even used crumpled aluminum foil back in the '60's. Now I try to keep it simple and black paint is about as simple as you can get.
Mentioned the ole all glass tanks. Showing my age. I LOVE my old perfecto and all glass tanks!
The painted black is great. Looks good. Do not have to worry about the algae as you cannot see it on the back wall.
This podcast is the only reason I like Mondays! 😊. I look forward to this every week.
I've been planning to make a 3D background for years , from seeing an aquarium store in Denmark called Unimati and every aquarium has separate filtration built inside the background just like an AIO !!! Not a bad looking aquarium in the whole shop and it's off of my memories and George Farmer was where I had seen it.
Hey John, I LOVE the cat action in your videos 😄 Thanks Jason and John for another great video! 🤩
I like to use background on both the back and on one end of the aquarium.
This gives the fish and invertebrates a dark corner to retire to when they feel threatened.
LOVE your video/podcast. I've never used a background on any of my tanks. I have always had space between the back of a tank and no obstruction; I need to see if a fish had died or is hiding. It's easiest to monitor if you have a full view of the tank. My plants have been arranged to obscure (somewhat) the HOB and thermometer.
Dollar Tree has lovely contact paper/shelf liner. I got a pretty grey marble pattern.
Thank you gentlemen for another wonderful podcast. I hope bothbyou and your families had a spectacular weekend.
I just took the advice from this episode and painted the back of my 10 gallon with black acrylic paint. I have to say it was a complete game changer. My guppies and plants look so much more vibrant and my newbie aquascape looks more professional! The paint and brush cost me $5. Now onto my snail tank and my two other 10 gallons. I can't wait to see how it will impact the colors of my son's Betta. Thanks John and Jason!
This new background I have for my 55 doesn't quite do it for me but the old one was perfect. I had a dim light setup as a backlight for it and it gave it so much depth. It looked like you were underwater in some Florida spring or river.
Back ground completely changed my opinion of a 55 and 75 gallon tank I have, the clear back was never an issue until I started filming, then the focus was rare if it ever was in and the next is the fact it’s another reflective surface that. This being said if you use a peel on or wet pat back ground unless it is 100% flush it will look patchy and read messy. 3D background have looks and capacity to hold aquarium beneficial bacteria but it also creates a dead zone where poop and unwanted debris can collect. My 110 needs one so it can be viewed without glare or overspray of light from a nearby tank. So really backgrounds are not needed. But your house looks better with some colour and if you can find an interesting background suddenly you have a new tank to look at, and you didn’t even have to get more fish!
I've gone with see through tanks in my room before and it did seem to stress my fish some.
I currently use bulletin board papper and black poster board.🤷♂️
I’m using plexiglass… Various colour available and you just get them cut for the right size… amazing…
Awesome again guys I’m from the uk and Ive really appreciated all the things I’ve learned from you both brilliant keep it up, you are a great team
I bet $10,000 that yall can't go a single podcast without mentioning African cichlids lol😂 love you guys and love the podcast. Could yall do one on neo shrimp?
Check the Small scape brother
@@HapiPETSWM huh????
I didn't want to see cords but liked the wall color. I painted plastic poster board and taped it on
I didn't hear how I do my backgrounds lol. Static window cling film.
Good point. I have used that product too. Easy to use and faster to install than waiting for paint to fully cure between coats.
For small tanks, I use ocean picture calendar pages and those 4 to a pkg cheap plastic cutting boards of different colors.
I love window frost film for my backgrounds. I have tried black for the backgrounds but I felt it made my aquariums feel too dark. The window film looks like the aquariums is much bigger and deeper.
I currently don’t use any backgrounds but I have been looking at making cling wraps and seeing how that works out
Great job on this topic, really interesting. I just like it as simple as possible, I use a black background that you would buy from a local LFS.
I'd really love to see you guys do a video talking all about acrylic aquariums.
I've got a 50g acrylic aquarium on the way and would LOVE to listen to you guys taking about them.
Great stuff!! So glad you guys teamed up to do this podcast! Absolutely love it.
I was so lost without this Monday
Agreed.
I currently have a 55gal. Rainbow tank in my fish room with black diamond blasting sand and a black background and owe wow they really pop!!!
I’ve seen Tazawa tanks make one for a fourty breeder I think. He left the foam but silicones the mess out of it and let it set for a couple days.
I can't get the window tint film on. I bought it. I have it. Gave up. So I slapped a piece of paper back on.
Universal rocks backgrounds are my favorite
there was a pet store in Cleveland Ohio on Lorain road an 98th st was called RMS an the guy that owned it was Rudy he made custom slate bck grounds an they looked great i loved the look !
Nice episode! But I disagree on that you don’t have to apply a background, and that its just for aesthetics. I live in Sweden where it is a requirement for the keeping of fish to have a background, for the fishes sake. Pretty logical if you think about it since they are exposed from all sides.
Nice topic and I have an idea for when I get a 125+ tanks.
For most of my tanks I use poster board and double sided tape. For under 1.50, if it gets ruined...bummer. I also have the option to change out quickly.
In the 70's I had a 3D background. It was on the outside and had concave sections making it look like you had caves.
After we seen this podcast we tried car tent on back outside of the aquarium it seems to make it darkerer definitely a different look and it doesn't seem to mind water at all what do you think?
Wouldn't rubber aquarium gloves give you a much more solid grip for handling rocks ?
I'm curious about Jason's tank that he said was scratched and he just painted over the scratches. Did the scratches show through the paint? I just bought a new 20 long and when I removed the brand label, there was a significant scratch in the glass on the outside of the tank. You can't see it with the label in place. My LFS has ordered another tank to replace it, but I had thought about putting it to the back and using paint or a solid black window film but was afraid you would still see the scratch.
What kind of pant do you put on the tank
Now that ive watched the video i would like to say riparium plant roots are a background i like in my tank
I use black spray paint on some tanks and others I dont use anything, I let the algea become the background.
not all aquariums have a wall behind them - I am contemplating a room divider - several feet from any wall, but I want to see the tank from all around
I have used pictures from old calendars
I have an 55 gallon Mbuna tank tank with stacked natural rocks. Went to a local garden center and paid 34 cents per pound for about 60 lbs of rock. Stay away from aquarium stores for natural rock.
Im considering a universal rocks background for my 46 bowfront. Does anyone know if you can use a hob with those?
My nerite snails keep all sides clean of algea
Light blue painted background with black sand
The one thing I have with dark green background is that my Dwarf Gronmin re looks as if he camouflage.🇹🇯🇹🇯🦈🦈🦈
I like alien planet landscapes
Temporary black towel
I yous ALFORE AND PUT VLANE ON THE BACK OF THE TANK AND IT HAPLE keep it on
I saw a fish tank and I wanted painted black....
Put your plants up against the back of your tank.🐡🐡🐠🐟
My dad would tell me to use black trash bags.
Advice if you want rocks go to your local home improvement store.Or go to local river or lake🐉🐉🐉🪱
tin foil looks good kida like a shiny rock bck grd
I use black trash bags 🤓 cheap and waterproof 🐠