# Planted 3D Background



## megamax42 (Jun 28, 2011)

So I was looking at some tank pictures and I came across these marine tanks that used really great visual effects to produce a very realistic 3D background.

Thats when I came up with the idea of maybe doing the same thing with a planted tank. Possibly using fake plants, a little window tint and some dim backlighting?

What do you guys think?

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1868825


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## DaTrueDave (Dec 28, 2003)

Very cool idea.

I'd like to see what you come up with!


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## ObiQuiet (Oct 9, 2009)

I like the idea very much. Should work well.


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## megamax42 (Jun 28, 2011)

Thanks for the support guys!
What fake plants do you think would work best?
I suppose I also have to figure out how I'm actually going to do the effects.
I brought this schematic picture from the thread I got those reef pictures from.
The problem is I have a feeling the look of infinite space (with objects in the distance) in a marine environment will be entirely different than freshwater, so I'm gonna scrounge for some underwater freshwater photos and see if any ideas come to mind.


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## megamax42 (Jun 28, 2011)

After looking at these photos there seems to be a pretty consistent hazy blue color.
It seems to me like part of the effects of the reef background include making the background picture kind of fuzzy and hazy to replicate the amount of water you have to see through. I see that to some degree in these photos, but mostly the fourth one. Perhaps I should go for a tree in the background?


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

SO are you building out a box to place behind your tank in which to place these fake plants and the background? The object is to make your tank look larger, right? Might be interesting. You'd have to use the SAME plant in the background that you will have in your tank. If you don't, it won't achieve what you want. You'll have to get really good fake one because there will be a direct comparison to the real. Your background color will have to look correct with the lighting you have on your tank, because different spectrums change colors to more white or yellow etc.


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## megamax42 (Jun 28, 2011)

Tex Gal said:


> SO are you building out a box to place behind your tank in which to place these fake plants and the background? The object is to make your tank look larger, right? Might be interesting. You'd have to use the SAME plant in the background that you will have in your tank. If you don't, it won't achieve what you want. You'll have to get really good fake one because there will be a direct comparison to the real. Your background color will have to look correct with the lighting you have on your tank, because different spectrums change colors to more white or yellow etc.


A box is kinda the plan right now, but that's definitely still up for change depending on if there would be any other approach to create the effects. But I definitely like the idea of the tank looking larger, as well as looking more natural. I was playing with wax paper and a backlight as my background last week so that's still in place as of right now. Very good point about using the same plant, perhaps I could use window tint or a very lightly frosted privacy film on the glass to create the hazy, far-away look and also help to mask the fakeness. Or perhaps I could use the fourth picture as a guide and go for the tree as a background? Although I suppose it would look unnatural unless I had at least some plants in the background. Right now the lighting on my tank is a 36" Dual T5 fixture with a 10,000 k bulb and a 6500 k bulb. I get bluish/white hue from the 10,000 k but I think the 6500 k bulb probably overpowers it and puts the tank on the orange side of the spectrum (although only slightly).


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