# Painting Glass - Kindly guide me



## nagukush (Mar 13, 2008)

Hi Friends,

Hope all is well and great !

I'm thinking of painting the back glass of my Aquarium with a Dark Black Paint and just wanted to know if I'll have to get any particular kind of paint for the glass, so that it looks good and does not peel off easily.

Kindly guide me, Friends...
Thanks a lot !
Regards and Care
Kush


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## armedbiggiet (May 6, 2006)

paint would peel of from a glass easily than any other surface... How big is your tank? why don't you go to the pet store to get a background only a few dollars, that way when you need to sale the tank it is easier.


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## Avi (Apr 7, 2004)

When I got my 110-gallon FOWLR, I painted it with Krylon, which is very widely available in spray cans. I painted the back glass panel with blue and it's been over a year now and I'm very happy with it. Painting it black should be just a easy....Put the tank in an open and well-ventilated area. I used painter's tape (it's a blue-colored contact tape) to hold paper over all of the other glass surfaces of the tank. Then once everything was covered and the back glass panel was the only thing completely uncovered, I sprayed the paint on, holding the can away from the glass surface according to the instructions on the can. I think it was something like 15-inches but read the instructions. 

I recommend that you do a number of thin coats, rather than one or two thick coats. It only takes about 20-minutes or so for the coats to dry because they're so thin. You get no dripping that way and the final result is a very neat and even surface of paint. I can say, though, that the number of coats gets up there by the time the paint completely covers the glass in a way that it is thoroughly opaque and can't be seen through anywhere. I recommend that if you do the painting in a garage, you situate the tank in such a way that you are facing the outside of the garage when you do the spray painting. That way, any outside light passing through the paint will tell you that you still need more coats of paint. 

Let me add that I have had no peeling at all and I even sometimes use a magnet to clean algae of the back glass, so this is quite durable.


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## Andy Ritter (Nov 26, 2008)

I bought my 75 gallon tank used from a friend of mine, and he had spray painted the back glass black. I'm not sure when he did it, but I would have to guess that it has been painted since 1995 or so. I have never had any issues with it peeling, although I would be very careful since I have accidentally scratched it (nothing that a paint touch-up marker couldn't take care of). I can't help you on what type of paint was used, but the point is that it can last for a long time if done well. I don't think that it will really matter that much on what type of paint, as long as it says that it will adhere to glass. It doesn't matter at all about whether you get glossy, satin, or flat, since you'll be looking at it through the glass. Like Avi said, definitely make sure you mask everything that you don't want paint to get on and use multiple thin coats.

Andy


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## Veloth (Jun 25, 2008)

What other shade of black is there besides dark? :-s


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## theinjected1 (Sep 10, 2007)

Krylon flat black. I use it on everything from my 2,5s to my 135. Not sure if it is true or not,but I think it may be a bit more durable than the gloss black. 

Tape the tank like mad, do a lot of very thin layers and you should be successful. One thing I have learned to do after spraying numerous tanks is this, put a small light (like a desk lamp) in the tank before taping and covering in newspaper. This way you can turn the light on and see if there is any ligh coming through. If there is, add another coat. Did this on my 135 and was amazed at how much light was coming through without knowing it.


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## bartoli (May 8, 2006)

nagukush said:


> I'm thinking of painting the back glass of my Aquarium


I went to Home Depot, gave them a piece of paper with the exact color that I wanted. They used a color reader to scan the paper deciding what color mix was required, opened up a can of acrylic latex paint, and did the mixing. Then I just painted the tank.

Oh, don't tell them that you are going to paint on glass - for they will insist that you can't do it with latex paint. But the paint worked very well. After all how often does one even touch, let alone risk scratching, the finished paint which is behind the back glass of a fish tank that is typically flushed against a wall.

Just as Avi had recommended, be prepared to paint multiple layers. Make sure that you have a light source on the other side of the glass. You will be surprised at how much light can get through what seems to be a thick layer of paint. With a light source on the other side while you are painting, you can easily identify any tiny area that requires an extra layer of paint. With so many layers of latex paint, I gave them several days to make sure that they were thoroughly dried.


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## ghengis (Jun 11, 2008)

I'm going to go out on a limb here and ask...why?? I recently decided to remove the black backing (not quite paint, but same thing) from my planted tank, as an experiment. It looks so much cleaner and open, now... 

For a marine tank, a blue or black backing can look really neat. But for planted, leave it open. The depth of field and "endless" look is so much more worth it. Look at most of the award winning planted tanks around the place...all open glass.


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## snooze (Apr 10, 2008)

All my tanks have Krylon fusion gloss black painted on the outside back. I wouldn't have them any other way!


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

I'd like to paint my tank but I can't use spray paint because the tank has been set up for ages and is up against a wall (with about 4 inches of clearance at the back). Any suggestions on how to tackle this problem?

Also, just be careful to not get latex paint on anything you want to keep paint free because there are no solvents that remove it. I had latex paint on an old cabinet and I had to burn it off with a blowtorch to get it off. Then I had to replace the tank trim where it had dripped down onto which cost 40$ per trim


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## vancat (Nov 5, 2004)

Hi Zap,
A right angled paint brush? :doubt:
Or
take the wall down. ](*,)
I would be really surprised if someone had an answer for this one! I struggled with a tank that I had placed too close to a wall for many years.
penny


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

Hehe, yea I guess you are right. I think I'll have to tear the tank down at some point and get a new 55 gallon glass tank (I've got an empty extra in the garage) that I can paint. 

Its just as well since the 55g tank that has been set up is all scratched up and the silicone has partially decayed in the corners.


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## Andy Ritter (Nov 26, 2008)

Zapins said:


> I'd like to paint my tank but I can't use spray paint because the tank has been set up for ages and is up against a wall (with about 4 inches of clearance at the back). Any suggestions on how to tackle this problem?
> 
> Also, just be careful to not get latex paint on anything you want to keep paint free because there are no solvents that remove it. I had latex paint on an old cabinet and I had to burn it off with a blowtorch to get it off. Then I had to replace the tank trim where it had dripped down onto which cost 40$ per trim


I would probably try using a small roller with a long handle (after masking off the areas where you don't want paint first, of course).

About the latex paint though, I have to disagree. I'm no professional painter, but I have done enough house remodeling to know that latex paint can be removed. One of the best products is called Goof Off: http://www.goof-off.com/. I use it to test if the paint on something is latex or oil based. If it is latex, it will come right off onto the rag when you wipe it with this product. Oil paint (often called alkyd) on the other hand, is a different story. It is next to impossible to get off, and the only way I know of is with very strong chemicals that I wouldn't want anywhere near my aquarium.

Andy


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

Hmm perhaps it was alkyd then... It was ridiculously hard to get off the tank even with paint strippers/etc...


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## bartoli (May 8, 2006)

ghengis said:


> I'm going to go out on a limb here and ask...why??


Good question. I like "why" questions - they tend to promote rational thinking.

While some people like the "endless" look, I like the "solidness" presented by a painted background. Painted background also adds the much needed contrast to a low light tank (in a soil-based tank, the already low light level is further reduced by tannis).

Of course, one can achieve similar effect by applying SeaView to a background paper. But background paper's shade selection is very limited.


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## Andy Ritter (Nov 26, 2008)

In my case, if the back wasn't painted you'd be able to see lots of hoses, cables, and various other not so attractive things.


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## vancat (Nov 5, 2004)

I always used poster board in the color of my choice. It went in front of the hoses & cables.


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## bartoli (May 8, 2006)

If you haven't already you may want to try SeaView:

http://www.aquariumsdelivered.co.uk/catalog/seaview-miracle-background-adhesive-p-823.html

Applying SeaView to a piece of background paper and then sticking it to the glass eliminate the air space between them. That resulted in much more vibrant color.

BTW, cooking oil also works.


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## wicca27 (Oct 13, 2008)

I would say painting or haveing something on the back is to hide cordes or other unpretty things. Also if u get the 91% rubbing alchohole and spray where the latex paint is u want totake off it will peel right away like a skin


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## ray-the-pilot (May 14, 2008)

I painted the back of my tank with ordinary latex wall paint. I painted it camo green and brown to give the feeling of planted depth. 

That was actually a waste of time; since my tank is now so filled with plants, you cannot see the back!


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## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

I like the idea of a blend of colors as a painted back ground. Not painting pictures of plants or fish, just a blended mix that might represent a river or lake that you are looking up through the water from under water. Lighter blue near the top, deeper blue or blue-green in the middle, black nearer the bottom. But not create distinct lines where the colors meet. Overlap them, for example if you are using spray paint do not mask off each color, simply use the 'multiple thin coats' to create a gradation of the colors. Move the cans in horizontal strokes to do this. 

Someone did a tank for me with a crackle glaze sort of paint. Oil based, I think, or worse. Stuck well to the glass, and the crackle effect was beautiful to watch. The fumes were terrible, and took a month to really quit. Now the effort was wasted because the plants hide the back of the tank so well it is not visible. 

I used Krylon Fusion with texture, flat black, on a rim that was sort of scarred. I can still see the dents in the rim, but the flat black with texture reduces the reflection so well that the result is pretty good. I have also used Krylon Fusion on PVC, inside the tank. Flat black, no texture, and I sanded the PVC to give it some roughness. The paint is peeling in some places. 

Zapins, I would not paint a tank with fish in it, even the least toxic paint fumes may not be good for the fish, and you will be able to do a much better job if the wall is not in the way. Using the very thin roller on a long handle sounds good, if you are not worried about the paint fumes. 

Alternate back grounds: 
A dark towel or fabric with a swirled or marbled print can work really well. Sew some Velcro onto each corner, and a few across the top (perhaps 1/2" of velcro every 12") then use sticky Velcro on the rim of the tank. This back ground can be removed and washed if needed. How about a fabric with camo, rocks, scattered leaves or other sort of print?
I found one several years ago that was black with scattered small (1-1/2") fern fronds. Looked like some types of under water plant, and was small enough that it looked far away, adding depth to the effect. I have used green-marbled and blue-marbled fabrics, too. 

The plastic sheet back gounds can be taped into place with electrical tape.

I have seen some great backgrounds starting with a photograph (high quality) and enlarging it, cropping to the right size, then printing it on water proof material. Can be expensive.


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## vancat (Nov 5, 2004)

Wow, cloth/velcro is an idea I never thought of!


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## armedbiggiet (May 6, 2006)

blended blue is like a real sky as th eback ground, great idea...


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## vancat (Nov 5, 2004)

Someone here had a blue background that was set back a few inches and lit up somehow. Great effect.


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## armedbiggiet (May 6, 2006)

I saw a Japanese guy did a light green back ground, looks more forest like after with lots fern like plants.


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