Painting the back of a tank. IYO what is the best color?

[Sea-agg09]

Black is the overall standard. It makes everything in the tank pop. There are some fish that do better in non-black tanks, like Discus and Seahorses. With a black background, they are driven to change color, and a crazy looking red seahorse will change black quickly behind a black background. Discus look almost sick when they darken up, but it's that they are blending in with the dominant color. For those fish blue is the general standard. I've seen white done, but that is a terrible idea. Tank inhabitants don't pop, and the first spec of algae will glow like the sun. For the most part, I would go with blue, but I've seen the seafoam green with some success.

[sunkenmetal]

What ever color you like best I say. Its your tank do as you wish with it lol.

[Cichlidfarm]

Black

[fish daddy]

I used 2 cans of spray paint, outside, with a droplight in the tank to pinpoint the thin spots. Painted at night so the droplight idea would work.
Use alcohol to clean the glass first.

I have used the foam pad in the past to do a black freshwater.

[jhenry]

Do I need to remove the fish.

If you use spray paint yo need to cover up the tank tightly. But if using a roller there is no need I've done it that way before

[IHaveNoOpinionOnObama]

I used royal blue spray paint on the back of my 125 from Ace Hardware and it looks great, even with blue colored fish. My favorite though is the white posterboard I let my kids draw their idea of an aquarium on. I got two pieces, cut it to lenght and width and taped it and then let them go at it with their colors. Taped to the back when done. It looks great and draws my kids to the tank even more.

[Mandocruz06]

Do I need to remove the fish.

[jhenry]

Is there a special paint for tanks or can you use any paint ive been wanting to paint my 55gl black.?

You can use spray paint. Or and oil based paint it sticks very good. You just need to clean it first of all contaminates.

[Mandocruz06]

Is there a special paint for tanks or can you use any paint ive been wanting to paint my 55gl black.?

[fish daddy]

I went with seafoam color.
If you have ever been diving and peered off, that is close to the color you see, until you swim under a boat or something else creates a large shadow, then it gets eerie.
Seafoam doesn't contrast the sheen of algae that keeps the lawnmower blenny and the snails happy.
Sea green for me.

[specialone0812]

Walmart sells poster board in Black and Blue (cheap), try both and see which one you like more.

[jhenry]

IMO black is the only way to go for SW. Seafoam green is the most rediculous color for a backround I've ever seen don't listen to that he is not thinking correctly

[flipside]

Mine's black, but removeable. Black adds more contrast to the corals, not blue. Blue looks cleaner, but I never clean the back of my tank, any way (most of us don't).

Personally, I've never seen the point in painting the back of a tank (and I have done this before)... Just put something on there that you can remove with velcro, or something. You can hide where the velcro is stuck on the tank with your overflows, or at the top and bottom. Mine is a laminated material... it kind of resembles cardboard from a cardboard box, but it's fully laminated. Sign making companies usually have it in stock, or you can order it online.

[BeefyG]

I'm partial to variations of seafoam green.

[beaver-man]

I have always liked royal blue at the top fading into a black at teh bottom of the tank, looks a bit more natural to me.