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| General Reef Discussion In this forum we discuss issues related to keeping marine and reef aquariums in a friendly flame-free environment. |
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05-08-2007, 10:26 AM
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#1
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spaceman spiff
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: south of Dimples
Posts: 10,638
Reviews: 72
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What material for background?
So I'm thinking through the last few steps before I put my tank together. I've got everything but a finished stand, 1 pump, the starboard, and the background. I've got it figured out except the background, though, as I do not want to paint it. What options do I have other than the black paper stuff they sell at the LFS? I was hoping to find a thin, stiff, black plastic material that I could use, which would be considerably easier to remove and reinstall. Anyone know of such a material?
- Chris
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05-08-2007, 10:31 AM
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#2
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Mommy Mod
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: down the street and around the corner from Dimples
Posts: 5,291
Reviews: 4
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totally shooting guesses at you here Chris, but I wanted to try and help 
I don't know about the removable part, but I have heard of people using window tinting...
any reason you don't want to paint?
what about black foam like in the craft section at wall mart? - not exactly plastic
or black cutting board? kinda heavy
wander around a craft store and see what options open up? |
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05-08-2007, 10:38 AM
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#3
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Mommy Mod
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: down the street and around the corner from Dimples
Posts: 5,291
Reviews: 4
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matte board from the art supply/crafts store -- there are hundreds of shades of color
to choose from, from soft to bold. It's not expensive, and you can
change it if you get tired of it after a while!
(stolen fom some other site)
everyone's taste, but I like it.
or adhrering the black background to a cork board to make it more ridgid?
read a few things quick on using mineral oil on the back of the tank to make the black fls background stick ( but ewww what a mess)
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05-08-2007, 10:46 AM
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#4
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Shark
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Chicago
Posts: 1,320
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You can buy 1/4" acrylic sheets at HD, I bought a 24x18 sheet for about $10. It would take a few of them to cover your tank. You could paint the acrylic sheets (thus not painting the tank), clamp them to the back of your tank, and voila, removable background.
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05-08-2007, 10:48 AM
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#5
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spaceman spiff
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: south of Dimples
Posts: 10,638
Reviews: 72
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I paid too much for the tank to want to paint it 
I'm thinking I need to hit up a sign company or something. I've heard of coroplast, which I think is exactly what I need (and online at about $20 for a 4'x8' sheet, the price could be right), but I dont know where to get it local and don't care to pay shipping for this stuff. Anyone else hear of it? |
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05-08-2007, 10:50 AM
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#6
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spaceman spiff
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: south of Dimples
Posts: 10,638
Reviews: 72
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Quote:
Originally Posted by YLChik
wander around a craft store and see what options open up?
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If I go to the craft store, then my wife will go with me, and then I'll die a slow death (probably of starvation, as we'll never leave).
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05-08-2007, 10:56 AM
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#7
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Mommy Mod
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: down the street and around the corner from Dimples
Posts: 5,291
Reviews: 4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by crvz
If I go to the craft store, then my wife will go with me, and then I'll die a slow death (probably of starvation, as we'll never leave).
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oooo that was funny!
ok here is what google has to say
Plastic Signs on ThomasNet.comWe supply a broad range of plastic signs including corrugated plastic signs and fiberglass ... 17. Bowles Neon & Plastic Sign Co. - Houston, TX Manufacturer ...
www.thomasnet.com/southern-texas/plastic-signs-75410803-1.html - 48k -
possibly here?
Sheldon Industries
6016 Knute St
Houston, TX 77028
(713) 674-0302
(832) 553-0256
i searched under corregated plastics - the generic name for your stuff
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05-08-2007, 11:06 AM
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#8
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spaceman spiff
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: south of Dimples
Posts: 10,638
Reviews: 72
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Amy = my own personal google search artist. Hehe!
That store is 44 miles from my house. Houston is large. Much like most of Texas. I think this afternoon or tomorrow I'll cold call a bunch of local sign stores and see what they've got. Good thinking!
But, that being said, I'm not ruling out other ideas. I think coroplast will work, but maybe something is better? I'd prefer not to use a paper product (such as matte or otherwise), as one of my truly unique gifts is putting water on the floor, or anywhere else where it shouldnt be. Any other ideas?
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05-08-2007, 11:21 AM
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#9
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Mommy Mod
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: down the street and around the corner from Dimples
Posts: 5,291
Reviews: 4
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garbage bag |
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05-08-2007, 11:34 AM
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#10
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spaceman spiff
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: south of Dimples
Posts: 10,638
Reviews: 72
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Quote:
Originally Posted by YLChik
garbage bag |
That's a little too classy for this establishment.
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05-08-2007, 12:25 PM
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#11
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Rogue Water is Trouble!
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Upstate, NY
Posts: 2,911
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I actually use a piece of Louan (sp) like 1/8" plywood painted and no one knows the wiser
I have it taped to the back of the tank (it actually sits between the top and bottom braces)...works well, but I was thinking about switching to Coroplast, if I could find it. Plus you could buy Black and Blue and switch...depending on your mood  |
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05-08-2007, 01:02 PM
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#12
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Shark
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Chicago
Posts: 1,320
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Heres a link to black PVC sheets...suppose you could even put this in the tank. That would actually be sweet...you could remove it to clean the corraline off (I'm a huge fan of a clean background, but too lazy to have one ) then put it back in and have a perfect background.
http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/pro...uct%5Fid=10432 |
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05-08-2007, 01:11 PM
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#13
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Shark
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Chicago
Posts: 1,320
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Or another cool idea...magnetic vinyl: http://www.magnetking.com/#regularmagnet
You could put this in your tank, then have magnets on the exterior to hold it firmly in place. You could also do this with PVC I guess...drill out holes for the magnets in the PVC (so the background would sit flush against the glass), super glue the magnets in the PVC, then attach them with magnets to the back of the tank. (Note: you'd probably also want to drill out holes for your powerheads, etc.). I would think this wouldn't be too bad to do since PVC drills/cuts pretty easy. |
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05-08-2007, 01:18 PM
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#14
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spaceman spiff
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: south of Dimples
Posts: 10,638
Reviews: 72
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mcliffy2
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Now that's something I can relate to (being lazy). That's a great idea, but again I'm concerned about shipping. And usplastics (while I love the company) has almost unacceptable shipping rates to begin with. I'm going to see about finding that locally (there is a professionalplastics location about 15 miles away, that may be the solution). Thanks!!!
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05-08-2007, 01:22 PM
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#15
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spaceman spiff
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: south of Dimples
Posts: 10,638
Reviews: 72
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mcliffy2
Or another cool idea...magnetic vinyl: http://www.magnetking.com/#regularmagnet
You could put this in your tank, then have magnets on the exterior to hold it firmly in place. You could also do this with PVC I guess...drill out holes for the magnets in the PVC (so the background would sit flush against the glass), super glue the magnets in the PVC, then attach them with magnets to the back of the tank. (Note: you'd probably also want to drill out holes for your powerheads, etc.). I would think this wouldn't be too bad to do since PVC drills/cuts pretty easy. |
Another great idea, but my tank is 60"x24". That vinyl just priced itself out of competition.
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