# Painting back of my tank. Having a little problem!



## masonv (Mar 27, 2011)

From ready other post ppl said that you use latex satin or gloss.  I bought Exterior satin. I am applying it with the grey foam brushes.
I have put 2 coats on so far and every time after it dries really good I am getting fairly good sized dry cracks which allows me to see light through those cracks. When I put the second coat on I could not see any light through the paint. I woke up this morning and there were dry cracks all over the place.
I'm wondering if this is normal, or should I have bought interior paint instead.
On the can it says recommended for aluminum & wood siding, doors & trim.
It also says it is ACCENT BASE.
Any help would be nice, I don't want to have to try 10 coats on to have this work, I would just buy something different!


----------



## trashburner (Feb 28, 2012)

Same thing happened to me I ended up using rustoleum spray paint turned out great! I put about 4 coats on or until the can was empty, I have a 75 gallon.


----------



## treym563 (Apr 23, 2011)

I just painted the back of my tank and it turned out flawless. I used a foam roller and just some semi-gloss latex-based paint like you would use on the walls in your house. Make sure to wipe the tank down first, I used vinegar, and put the first coat on light. Putting the first coat on light gives future coats a little more to grab on to as well as makes sure you dont get run marks down the back of your tank. I ended up doing 5 coats giving each coat a few hours to completely dry. Latex based paint scraps off fairly easily (from what I'm told) so if you want to change it up in the future you are able to do that.

I'm assuming you can just paint over the top of what you've done so far. Rollers give a perfectly smooth finish and I couldn't be happier with how mine turned out.


----------



## JohanniMan (Oct 6, 2011)

if your going to use anything but spray paint it will take many many coats. I tried waters based flat black and gave up after about 6 coats, went out and bought spray paint and did all my tanks after..


----------



## vann59 (Jun 20, 2011)

I've found that black covers better than blue. And if you're using spray wind can make it really a pain. Also, using cheap masking tape is just not worth it, get the good stuff.


----------



## nodima (Oct 3, 2002)

I had the most success after I listened to a pro - use a roller, put the paint on thick, and resist the urge to make it perfect. Let the paint lie. From the inside of the tank it looks smooth, even if the outside looks horrific. Brushes tend to pull up the paint from the glass.

Even those small cracks will become almost invisible once the tank is full of water - assuming you don't have lights directly behind the tank.


----------



## Hock (Mar 23, 2012)

Yeah, I just got two cans of flat black spray paint and put on about 4-5 coats and called it a day.


----------



## theoryguru (Oct 11, 2011)

I've always used Krylon flat black with great results, like Hock mentioned a few coats does the job


----------



## AulonoKarl (Mar 9, 2012)

JohanniMan said:


> if your going to use anything but spray paint it will take many many coats. I tried waters based flat black and gave up after about 6 coats, went out and bought spray paint and did all my tanks after..


2 coats of rustoleum with a foam roller and foam brushes for the edges got the job done for me. I planned on three coats, because that's what I've read is typical, but mine was perfect after two. Rustoleum sticks very well. The only reason I can think of to NOT use rustoleum would be if you think you might want to remove it one day. I'm sure it can be done with determination. Latex would probably be the easiest to remove though.

I see no reason that I would ever want to remove mine, so I'm very happy.
Make sure you've prepared the surface well. I used rubbing alcohol. If there are any oils on the glass from touching it, it can cause the paint not to stick.


----------



## ka2zesmi786 (Feb 14, 2009)

theoryguru said:


> I've always used Krylon flat black with great results, like Hock mentioned a few coats does the job


 :thumb:

used the same method on two different tanks and they turn out beast! 5 bucks a can at walmart.


----------



## Sidius (Mar 3, 2012)

I just painted the back of my new 90 gallon.. I used flat black paint and a roller. It went on with no issues aside from some touchups along the top of the glass because I could see light coming through. It took 5 coats but I probably could have been fine with 4. I just had the paint so I thought I would do one extra for good measure.


----------



## jkulysses (Apr 5, 2003)

On my 20g and 29g tanks I painted the backs with a product from Krylon called Make It Stone. http://www.krylon.com/products/make_it_ ... ed_paints/ They have several different colors but I personally used the Black Granite color which looks a lot more black with specks of gray and white than it does in their photo. They show it more grey with specks of black and white.

I tape off just a tiny bit of the edge of the tanks and same with the top and bottom plastics i tape off all but just a sliver of the plastic so that way the paint can get up in there so you can't see light around the top of the tank. Then I drape a old blanket across the tank covering the top and sides and if you use the real wide paint tape like i did then the blanket will actually seal right up to your tape that you used on the sides and top. Then I do a good thick even coat of the Make it Stone. After it has sat for about 10 min or so I put a good even coat of flat black spray paint on just the regular old Wal-Mart brand .97 cent spray paint. Then I let it dry for about 5 or 6 hours then without bumping it on anything move it into place and fill her up.  It turns out really good and they have a couple other colors that I think could look pretty good. I'll try to get some pictures and post them up here in a little bit.


----------



## Jayse (Feb 15, 2012)

jkulysses said:


> On my 20g and 29g tanks I painted the backs with a product from Krylon called Make It Stone. http://www.krylon.com/products/make_it_ ... ed_paints/ They have several different colors but I personally used the Black Granite color which looks a lot more black with specks of gray and white than it does in their photo. They show it more grey with specks of black and white.
> 
> I tape off just a tiny bit of the edge of the tanks and same with the top and bottom plastics i tape off all but just a sliver of the plastic so that way the paint can get up in there so you can't see light around the top of the tank. Then I drape a old blanket across the tank covering the top and sides and if you use the real wide paint tape like i did then the blanket will actually seal right up to your tape that you used on the sides and top. Then I do a good thick even coat of the Make it Stone. After it has sat for about 10 min or so I put a good even coat of flat black spray paint on just the regular old Wal-Mart brand .97 cent spray paint. Then I let it dry for about 5 or 6 hours then without bumping it on anything move it into place and fill her up.  It turns out really good and they have a couple other colors that I think could look pretty good. I'll try to get some pictures and post them up here in a little bit.


 I just use spray paint.

jkulysses, fuuny you mentioned that stuff... I just seen it in walmart the other day and was wondering if that could possibly be used on a DIY background and then acrylic sealed over it. Please post some pics of your painted background with this stuff.


----------



## Mike_G (Nov 8, 2011)

I use the cheapest black spray paint I can find- flat or gloss doesn't really matter as it all comes out looking about the same, although flat dries faster. 
I prefer to use lacquer if I can find it as it dries super-fast and I can spray all the necessary coats in about an hour.


----------



## jkulysses (Apr 5, 2003)

Jayse said:


> jkulysses said:
> 
> 
> > On my 20g and 29g tanks I painted the backs with a product from Krylon called Make It Stone. http://www.krylon.com/products/make_it_ ... ed_paints/ They have several different colors but I personally used the Black Granite color which looks a lot more black with specks of gray and white than it does in their photo. They show it more grey with specks of black and white.
> ...


I tried to get some pictures last night but the battery on my camera was dead so I put it on the charger and i'll take some pics when I get home from work today. I don't know how this stuff would hold up on the inside of the tank with the sealer on it. I don't think I'd try it but who knows it might last a while.... Looks great on the outside of the tank though when your looking into the tank. You lose the depth of the texture by painting the outside but it still gives it that granite look and colors.


----------



## SobrietyRocks707 (Feb 23, 2012)

trashburner said:


> Same thing happened to me I ended up using rustoleum spray paint turned out great! I put about 4 coats on or until the can was empty, I have a 75 gallon.


+1

Mine is a 90 gallon, but I used nearly 2 cans. 6 coats. Overkill? Probably, but that HOB will have a harder time removing any :wink:


----------



## jkulysses (Apr 5, 2003)

Ok sorry the pictures suck this camera is around 9 years old or so and is only 3.2 megapixels lol.

Here is a shot of my 20g long shell dweller tank with no flash.

















Same tank with Flash.

















29g tank that I just painted last weekend and will be setting up very soon. 

















Again it's looking much more grey than it actually does in person but should give you an idea of what it looks like. These pics dont do it justice for sure. They almost make it look much more distracting than it does in person.


----------



## mfish1 (Dec 31, 2011)

silly question but when you do this, do you paint the inside of the tank or the outside?


----------



## jkulysses (Apr 5, 2003)

mfish1 said:


> silly question but when you do this, do you paint the inside of the tank or the outside?


Outside


----------



## Jayse (Feb 15, 2012)

Hmmm.... very nice, and different. I'm really wondering about this now. I posted my own thread trying to get some of the more chemical savvy ones on here to respond. Maybe even if not a background, possibly some fake rocks to bring substrate and background together. Thanks for the pics! Definitely like em 3.2 megapixel and all :thumb:


----------



## Polarbear69 (Mar 2, 2012)

Many lovely background paper of rocks & plants for all kinds of fish. I think fish prefer artistic views over plain dul dark backgrounds.


----------



## jkulysses (Apr 5, 2003)

Polarbear69 said:


> Many lovely background paper of rocks & plants for all kinds of fish. I think fish prefer artistic views over plain dul dark backgrounds.


LOL!!!! I mean this is a joke right???


----------



## vann59 (Jun 20, 2011)

Film backgrounds look great in the store, but behind the tank it's another story. They never look right, they either appear washed out, or have bubbles where you tried to make it adhere to the glass.


----------



## masonv (Mar 27, 2011)

I used 3 cans of krylon fusion spray paint. When I hold a led flashlight up to the back of the tank I can kind of see light. Does this mean I need more coats. Or would this be normal. Because when I look at it from the front it looks fine.


----------



## SobrietyRocks707 (Feb 23, 2012)

masonv said:


> I used 3 cans of krylon fusion spray paint. When I hold a led flashlight up to the back of the tank I can kind of see light. Does this mean I need more coats. Or would this be normal. Because when I look at it from the front it looks fine.


3 Cans?! Holy moly. I used almost 2 cans of rustoleum and I can't see my headlights through it. Pinpoint the areas you can see light through, and just spray heavy.


----------



## vann59 (Jun 20, 2011)

masonv said:


> I used 3 cans of krylon fusion spray paint. When I hold a led flashlight up to the back of the tank I can kind of see light. Does this mean I need more coats. Or would this be normal. Because when I look at it from the front it looks fine.


A bright light from the back, such as direct sunlight will show through much more than an indirect room light. If you're lighting in the tank is brighter than the light behind, then you probably won't see anything. Darker colors cover better than light ones.

I painted one a medium blue by request for a tank that I maintain for someone and it was a windy day. Man was it hard to get it done. But indoors, it now looks flawless. I was nervous it would show through after all that work. The wind blew the spray paint, and the light color wasn't stopping the sunlight from getting through the back glass... masking tape wouldn't hold, what a day.

So if it will have a wall behind it, a little thin spot probably won't even be seen.


----------



## SobrietyRocks707 (Feb 23, 2012)

vann59 said:


> A bright light from the back, such as direct sunlight will show through much more than an indirect room light. If you're lighting in the tank is brighter than the light behind, then you probably won't see anything. Darker colors cover better than light ones.


+1 :thumb:


----------

