# Painting back of drop checker white



## trilinearmipmap (Mar 8, 2005)

Has anyone done this before? What type of paint will stick to glass well and be non-toxic to fish?


----------



## Crispino Ramos (Mar 21, 2008)

that sounds like a good idea. i think lead-free paint is appropriate.


----------



## Andy Ritter (Nov 26, 2008)

I don't know if it would work, but how about white fingernail polish? I think that it would stick fine and once completely dry, I believe that it would be safe.

Andy


----------



## trilinearmipmap (Mar 8, 2005)

Andy Ritter said:


> I don't know if it would work, but how about white fingernail polish? I think that it would stick fine and once completely dry, I believe that it would be safe.
> 
> Andy


An excellent idea, I will try it.


----------



## AquaDean (Oct 29, 2009)

I wouldn't trust paint or fingernail polish to be completely safe in your tank. 

But how about this idea. . .
On the drop checker tape off the area that you would not want white leaving the area that you want white unmasked. Now take some fine emery sanding paper and sand that area until it becomes like frosted glass. This will appear almost white when looking from the other side. Also doesn't have the possibility of introducing harmful chemicals into your aquarium.

Another idea might be to go to your local craft store and get some of the chemical glass etching stuff and etching the area of the drop checker you want to be white. 

Neither of these ideas would make it bright white but would clearly make it so you could see the color better which I'm guessing is what you want the final outcome to be.


----------



## blue thumb (Mar 30, 2010)

Good idea. I stopped using my checker as it was so hard to see the color in my tank lol

I would think just a piece of white vinyl tape if stuck so water didn't seek under it would stay stuck. You wouldn't need to cover the whole ball backside. Just enough area so you can see the color of the test


----------



## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Hi blue thumb,

Or you can do what I do and just put 2 -3 "extra" drops of the indicator solution in the drop checker before adding your 4.0 dKH water. It increases the intensity of the color but does not change the color.


----------



## bosmahe1 (May 14, 2005)

My drop checker has a white suction cup so, I mount it on the back glass and the suction cup works like a white back ground. I also use a little more dye so the color is not so clear.


----------



## blue thumb (Mar 30, 2010)

Seattle_Aquarist said:


> Hi blue thumb,
> 
> Or you can do what I do and just put 2 -3 "extra" drops of the indicator solution in the drop checker before adding your 4.0 dKH water. It increases the intensity of the color but does not change the color.


you sure the intensity of the color is not more or less the level of your test lol


----------



## trilinearmipmap (Mar 8, 2005)

There is one problem I see with adding several drops of the indicator dye into the drop checker (I have about 5 drops in mine but I just realized this may be a problem).

1. I made up 4 dKH solution to put in my drop checker

2. I put the solution into the drop checker (I am just estimating, maybe 1 or 2 mL fits in the drop checker).

3. Now if I add 5 or 10 drops of indicator solution to the drop checker, assuming the indicator is made from distilled or RO water with dye dissolved in it, I have now diluted my 4 dKH solution down to maybe 3 dKh

4. Now my drop checker shows up green, but really my CO2 level is less than I think.

The workaround for this that I can see is make up the 4 dKH solution actually to a higher dKH, so that adding say 10 drops of RO water brings it down to 4 dKH.


----------



## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Hi trilinearmipmap,

I use about 5 drops which is about 0.25 ml.


----------



## BaltimoreGuy (Jan 22, 2010)

Ive had white fingernail polish on mine for ~5 months now and it works great.


----------



## Scotty (Jun 11, 2009)

I like the sanding idea. Has anyone tried that yet??


----------



## AquaDean (Oct 29, 2009)

I did the sanding on a DIY acrylic drop checker that I made. Haven't done it on a glass one yet but I'm pretty sure it would work just fine.


----------



## khanzer22 (Nov 30, 2009)

I think White Krylon Fusion spray paint will stick and work on a drop checker...


----------



## killacross (Apr 29, 2010)

^^yea...what khanzer said

Ive heard plenty of people use the krylon fusion black paint to paint inlet/outlet pipes to filters...so you would assume that the white is just as harmless

sand the back of the drop checker a little to help the paint stick...wrap it in paper paint tape...spray and let dry

remove the tape and youll have clean edges

personally as long as the drop checker is close enough I dont really worry about it


----------

