Painting the back of a tank

[schneijt]

I'm going to be painting the back of my tank black, since I like that look. I know some of you have done it on your tank(s), so I figured I'd ask for advice. I'm planning to use a good brand of black spray paint, mask off the tank trim and the sides, and then apply the black paint in several thin coats until I get complete coverage. I'll probably have to use a couple cans of paint, since it's a 75gal and it'll take a decent amount of paint to get the job done, I'm sure.

I've Googled the topic and found people who've brushed paint on and used spray paint, and I don't really see much a difference between the two. I think it'd be easier to use spray paint, so that's why I'm planning on going that route. So, before I get home and start spraying the tank, I figured I'd see if anyone has any tips or advice for doing it with minimal cussing, frustration and potential for failure.

Thanks,
Joe

[jakecaps]

Thin coats are the way to do it. you don't see the drips on the viewing side so that doesn't matter to much. just take you time and have fun.

[Jrmass]

Or you have someone who is a spray painter by profession do it for you. (BTW I am my company's top sprayer as this is what I do for a living) If you have a compressor I can just bring some paint from work and do it right then and there Or you can just spray bomb it with aerosol can's in very thin coats (which will dry much faster).

Jason

[schneijt]

Thanks for the offer, Jason; I appreciate it. I'll probably just buy a couple cans of Krylon and tackle it myself, though. I'm confident that I can do an OK job with that, and doing lots of coats gives me time between each coat to do some work with my equipment that's going to be pulled out of storage and everything.

-Joe

[Mr.Peanut]

I sprayed a tank last month. It was as easy a task as you could ask for.

It was a 10g H/T I used what I had laying around Rustoleum semi gloss black.

I taped off the sides the wrapped the front and side panel in tin foil so I didn't get any overspray on anything.

I did it in 2 coats, 4 or 5 lighter coats woulda been better. I did have one run in it.

Looks really nice. Good Luck.

[condiman]

I know my 180 is painted in blue and I actually like it. Joe are you back in EC yet

[schneijt]

Originally Posted by condiman

I know my 180 is painted in blue and I actually like it. Joe are you back in EC yet

Nope, I'll be getting back late Sunday night, maybe earlier if we (my dad and I, since he's coming down w/ a minivan to help me move) get a really early start Sunday morning.

-Joe

[Loverotties]

You didn't say if it's empty or not?If not I wouldn't spray because of fumes.And if you still do spray it full,Cover the top and sump and turn off your skimmer for a day or two.

[tangmang23]

the best way is to hold the can the recommended distance and make slow even movements left to right, and then right to left. Letting off the trigger every time you start the opposite direction. it would also help to have the tank on its face, to avoid any running pain, another option, although a long one, is to use a large sponge brush and paint it on yourself. this will possibly give you lines but if done right, would turn out just fine for the visual inside face of the tank.

[firsthesitation]

I've seen guys use limo window tint too as an option as well if you decide you're worried about how it will look when you're done.

[Mr.Peanut]

Originally Posted by Loverotties

You didn't say if it's empty or not?If not I wouldn't spray because of fumes.And if you still do spray it full,Cover the top and sump and turn off your skimmer for a day or two.

FWIW, I did mine when it was full.

[schneijt]

I'm not worried about how it'll look. As long as I mask the unpainted parts well and use several light coats, I know it'll look good. I picked up some black Krylon Fusion last night, so once I get home and get my car unpacked, I'll start the process of painting the tank and inventorying my equipment so I know what I will and won't need and what I can sell at the meeting next weekend. As has been stated many times, it'll look good from the front no matter how "bad" the paint job might look from the back of the tank. So if there are a few runs, which won't happen since I have lots of time on my hands to get this done, they wouldn't impact the way the tank looks when it's full of water and being viewed from the front. As long as there's a decent coating of pain on the whole back of the tank, it will look good.

-Joe

[hansmatt]

Joe,
Are you moving back to EC, or joining us in lax?

[reefmanwannabe]

James Fartherree (better known for giant clams) spoke at our reef cub back in August I think (O-R-C-A). He did a study on painting the back and sides of tanks and came to the conclusion that painting them was one of the worse things you could do . He studied MH ,PC, VHO, and LED lights and they all had the same outcome ,painted tanks (no matter what the color) absorbed as much as 40% of the light we put into our tanks . Unpainted tanks reflected the light back into the tank .Tanks coved in corline algae had the same results as the painted tanks . Just something to think about before you deside to paint .

[carym]

Good info reefmanwannabe, I personally like the unpainted back, mostly because I have a fishroom behind my tank and want to be able to see in, but was wondering about the effects of painting...as I have never done it I wasn't sure...