# 3D background



## BDASTRK (Dec 12, 2014)

I was talking to my friend Shane who owns a LFS and Maint aquarium business about 3D backgrounds for the 800 gallon and he recommended to NOT use a 3d background. He says that he has 2 customers with them and they hate them because they really can be cleaned well enough to get the Algae completely off. Any of you who have these have the same issue's?


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## Kanorin (Apr 8, 2008)

Yes, algae will grow on a 3D background. Personally, I don't mind the look of algae on my rocks and background, so I've never cleaned it.


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## BratmanXj (Feb 11, 2013)

I get algae growth on my DIY background (Foam, Concrete & Epoxy Sealer) and just scrub it real quick with a soft bristled scrub brush. I can't scrub it perfectly clean but I can knock the majority of the green off and get the rockwork looking good again. I have a planted tank so I knew algae would be in issue so I "over-built" back 3D background and went concrete rather than hydrolock and many-many-many coats of spray on expoxy sealant, my plecos can't even damage the 3D background.


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## nodima (Oct 3, 2002)

I don't have a BG on my tanks, but there are a ton of rocks in my tanks which I am content to let be a site for algae to grow. One thing that I think looks great in a tank is consistent coloring of the background, rocks, and gravel. Algae helps to ease color transitions when the BG is different than the rocks in the tank. Tanks with a pristine BG or rocks just don't look "real" to me. YMMV


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## BDASTRK (Dec 12, 2014)

Well that made up my mind.................No 3D background for me..............I cant stand a dirty looking tank, so thats that Thanks!


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## cprogress (Apr 10, 2013)

I have a custom 3d background on a 150g tank and can honestly say that it does not have a section with algae. I have a bristle nose pleco and he keeps the entire tank nice a clean.


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## BDASTRK (Dec 12, 2014)

I don't get much in my 150, but coming in at 14' x 3' x 3' scrubbing the 3d background isn't an option. They are cool looking but I won't risk it.


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## BDASTRK (Dec 12, 2014)

Yeah you know if it was a 240 or smaller I would go that route, but really not a good idea on this build...........Just to much real-estate to deal with!


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## Steve C (Oct 9, 2011)

I have 3d BG's in all my tanks. Makes for a much better looking tank IMO. I coat mine with Pond armor pond sealer which gives a hard finish that you can scrub no problem.


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## BDASTRK (Dec 12, 2014)

I agree they do make the tank look very cool, but have no desire to be married to a Tank and at 14' Long x 3' tall, that isn't a cleaning that would be an event. Again I will pass!


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## Steve C (Oct 9, 2011)

It's not one bit more difficult than cleaning one without a BG, your buddy sounds like he is over exaggerating it for some reason, or he simply has not worked with one that was built properly. My 265g office show tank one is 7ft long and 30" tall and is by no means anymore difficult due to the BG. It really doesn't doesn't matter to me if you decide to use one or not, but you asked about cleaning of them so I was simply sharing info on what you asked that's all.


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## BDASTRK (Dec 12, 2014)

And I heard you!

I don't know how rationally you could say that it isn't and harder to keep clean though.............Common sense will tell you that a smooth surface is much easier to clean then a textured surface. I can tell you that my Garage floor which is now a textured Granite surface is much harder to keep clean then it was when it was a polished floor, it hides dirt better because of its texturing but its still more difficult to clean, that's is an Oxymoron for sure.


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## Steve C (Oct 9, 2011)

You use a brush to clean it, the bristols conform to the surface and make it just as easy to remove algae as it is from glass. The pond armor sealer is not textured like a garage floor, it provides a smooth durable finish which wipes clean very easily so it is quite different from a textured surface.


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## BDASTRK (Dec 12, 2014)

Ok well it is textured, there are highs and lows which classifies it as a TEXTURE, it isn't porous which that I get. Bottom line is and I tend to agree with my friend Shane, great on a 4' to 6' tank up to 30" tall, NOT very smart on a 14' long tank that's 3ft tall!


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## Steve C (Oct 9, 2011)

Well sounds like you and Shane have it all under control then.


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## PhinFan1981 (Nov 15, 2014)

BS-strk-If you already knew the answer to your question and were intending to argue any advice given...why did you ask? From your well known stocking opinion...Im curious how you think it will B trying to net the fish that you have to remove on a regular basis in this tank?


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## BDASTRK (Dec 12, 2014)

PhinFan1981 said:


> BS-strk-If you already knew the answer to your question and were intending to argue any advice given...why did you ask? From your well known stocking opinion...Im curious how you think it will B trying to net the fish that you have to remove on a regular basis in this tank?


Didn't have it all figured out, until I realized that NOBODY here has had one in a tank this large, or have had it for a long period of time and how they deal with the algae. The answers summed it up for me. As far as netting the fish I have already handled all these issue's..............Designed my own nets, my own acrylic cleaning tools etc. Its one thing to net a fish its another spending days trying to keep it pristine. Anything else?


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## Steve C (Oct 9, 2011)

BDASTRK said:


> PhinFan1981 said:
> 
> 
> > BS-strk-If you already knew the answer to your question and were intending to argue any advice given...why did you ask? From your well known stocking opinion...Im curious how you think it will B trying to net the fish that you have to remove on a regular basis in this tank?
> ...


In your original post you asked "Any of you who have these have the same issue's?" ...you got a couple replies about what people do to deal with algae which ranged from guys saying they leave it to guys like myself saying it wipes off easily if you seal the BG after building it. You replied back to your first post within 5hrs saying "*Well that made up my mind.................No 3D background for me..............I cant stand a dirty looking tank, so that's that Thanks!*" which tells people that you already had your mind made up ahead of time so that makes them wonder why you even asked the question in the first place. I'm just explaining "why" people are perhaps viewing your posts the way they seem to be.

At any rate ....how about sharing some pics of this 14ft giant tank with everyone?


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## johnnymarko (May 30, 2014)

Steve C said:


> At any rate ....how about sharing some pics of this 14ft giant tank with everyone?


Judging by this guy's attitude, I bet the response will be "It's in the shop"


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## BDASTRK (Dec 12, 2014)

Actually truth be told it isn't even built yet, I am in the design stages as well as component purchasing. Listen boys I have no need to explain my decision or justify anything too anyone. I asked a question, did a bunch of consulting with people I know and made up my mind. You don't like my response.................To bad Its that simple.


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## JimA (Nov 7, 2009)

BDASTRK said:


> I was talking to my friend Shane who owns a LFS and Maint aquarium business about 3D backgrounds for the 800 gallon and he recommended to NOT use a 3d background. He says that he has 2 customers with them and they hate them because they really can be cleaned well enough to get the Algae completely off. Any of you who have these have the same issue's?


 I have had my background in 3 different tanks from a 110 to a 165 to the current 240 and it has held up great. As far as making my tanks look dirty or nasty looking it has not, it does get build up on it and in my opinion it makes it look more natural and gives fish some thing to graze on. It does make catching fish a pain but that's why I can remove it if I want. That being said if I were anal enough to want it spotless and perfectly clean all the time I probably wouldn't have one in my tank. Not sure I would put a full one in a 14ft tank but a partial one with psc here and there would look really good and kinda cave like. In the end it's what you want. I don't think mine looks that bad, you can disagree if you want 8)


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## BDASTRK (Dec 12, 2014)

JimA said:


> BDASTRK said:
> 
> 
> > I was talking to my friend Shane who owns a LFS and Maint aquarium business about 3D backgrounds for the 800 gallon and he recommended to NOT use a 3d background. He says that he has 2 customers with them and they hate them because they really can be cleaned well enough to get the Algae completely off. Any of you who have these have the same issue's?
> ...


And I came to the same conclusion, that it just wasn't the right application.............I am very anal about how my stuff looks, My cars, My choppers, My house and everything in between. These are very cool looking it just isn't the right fit for this application.


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## JimA (Nov 7, 2009)

I am that way for the most part as well. With the tank after awhile, I just quit trying to beat the algae and diatoms, it was a no win situation, much of it my well water. I came to the conclusion if the fish are happy and the water condition are good and the tank as well looked good I was happy. I still tweak it here and there I always will but that's me and I like to change things up, not just for me but I think the fish like it as well. It will be interesting to see your build, hopefully you will start a thread on it.. Good luck to you..


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## BDASTRK (Dec 12, 2014)

That Trophy tank looks GREAT! nice work!


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

I've had a slimline 3d bg in my 55 for over 2 years. Never any algae. Mine is a designsbynature.net BG


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## Bones221286 (Dec 24, 2014)

im with steve I wanna see this 14ft tank


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