# Painted tanks



## Chuck1715 (Mar 3, 2016)

I recently bought a aquarium that was painted on the back, sides, and the bottom, I am just gonna use this tank as a grow out tank and really didn't plan on doing anything as far as decorating it anyway, but I didn't care for the idea of it being painted, but I bought it anyway, after getting it set up with LED lights and everything I kinda like the way this looks, and can see some advantages to one being painted. 
My question is, has anyone painted a aquarium before, wondering if you have to use a particular type of paint?
It looks like it was rolled on, and not sprayed. Thanks for any help.

Chuck


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

I paint my tanks, always the back and sometimes the ends depending on where they are going. I don't paint the bottoms but have been using dark vinyl flooring under the tanks sitting on racks in the fish room.

I use latex paint, mostly matte black wall paint, using a roller to apply to tank and it takes a couple coats.


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## Chuck1715 (Mar 3, 2016)

Thanks Dee


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## Roberto B (Dec 3, 2014)

Iv'e been using a product called Plasti-Dip ($6-$7 a can at Home Depot or Lowes). It is plastic/rubber spray paint that is easily peeled off. It comes in a variety of colors but i'm prone to black. It comes highly recommended by many aquarium hobbyists.


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## Samadhikash (Jun 16, 2015)

I used flat black latex paint on my most recent tank. On the upside, it comes off really easily so if you decide you don't like it, it's painless to remove. On the downside, it comes off really easily so if you aren't careful with filters, hose clamps, etc you can scratch off paint you didn't want removed. I made a couple touch ups (after the tank was filled and against the wall) using a q-tip dipped in the paint and it worked remarkably well. Previously, I'd only used spray paint. Spray paint goes on much easier (a couple coats vs. the four it took with latex and a brush--though I'm sure some of that was user error) and is a bit more durable. I recently had to remove some kind of paint from a used 20 gallon I bought and it was next to impossible to remove. I don't know what it was, but I can only imagine it was marketed as exterior sealant for bomb shelters. It was awful and I'm still not sure how I got it off without breaking the tank.

My best advice....before you paint your pride and joy, take an old quarantine tank, a leaker, or a trash piece of window pane from somewhere and try out the product you want to use. See how it covers, check what it takes to remove it, and get an idea of what you're up against in the future. Might seem like wasted time, but it's well worth covering the 7 P's.


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## BrunoZA (Jun 19, 2016)

I recently had to paint my tank after a failed DIY stryrofoam background attempt. I use 100% acrylic paint (usually sold as craft paint). I used a roller to apply it, probably did around 4 coats. I found that I liked the painted back much better as it seems to somehow provide more depth.


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## williet0813 (Aug 2, 2016)

I have painted my tanks for a long time. I have a 60 gal that I just picked up for my very first Mbuna tank and I painted the back and the back only a pool blue and I just changed my substrate from natural creek pebble to pool filter sand. I usually use a black paint but I changed this one to the pool blue and I really like it.


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