Background: Black or blue

[lj_smith]

I need your opinions
Ever since i've kept fish from tropicals and malawi's to present marines, i've always had a black background but now the more i look at other peoples tanks the more i see blue backgrounds. I really like the look, it seems to give the water that nice clarity look. The thing that bothers me is having to clean the algae off, i used to clean the back of my tank but found that after a couple of days i used to get diatoms spreading over the substrate until the algae grew back on the back of the tank.
Is this the same problem everyone has? :?:

 

[Krish]

I swapped from black to blue because the blue gave my tank more "life". Some people prefer black though to match bulkheads and nozzles.

About the diatoms etc, how old is the tank? Newly established aquaiums will have diatoms and they will spread everywhere until the tank matures and stabilizes. Practically normal and nothing to worry about...HTH

 

[JPG@CFI]

Go black all the way! Less cost, and easier to keep looking crisp. Just my .02!

Jason
Clear Fabrications, Inc.
worldclassaquariums.com

 

[daytonaconnecti]

blue. thats what i have now...

 

[reedman]

I run black on mine. I think it hides equipment better and makes the coral/fish colors look more vivid. You do have to keep the back clean to make it look good though.

 

[ckj]

I use black on mine to blend in with the equipment.

 

[BCT182]

yeah i agree with reedman, the blue competes with the color of corals, also I don't think algae build up is quite as noticeable.

 

[KRMNAL1]

Go black all the way! Less cost

OK, I get that black better hides the overflow equipment etc, but less cost ?? how so

 

[Krish]

My 2 acrylic backrounds almost costed me the same. My tank is glass, but I used 1/8 acrylic and attached it to the back of my tank rather than using the regular Petsmart type paper backround you can buy off of the roll by the ft. I paid $60 for the black acrylic and $70 for the blue. When I get tired of one I switch to the other, but I've noticed that since the tank is only a FOWLR now, the blue adds more color and life. The black shows up the coraline better and my yellow tang, but the blue just works for me right now. I guess it is a matter of opinion.

 

[JPG@CFI]

Blue just costs more. The only make a few sheets, compared to black, and the same applies to clear. I don't make the rules, I just have to play by them!

Jason
CFI
worldclassaquariums.com

 

[tony2005]

i'm with krish i went and brought a paper backing from pet smart and it blue one side and like me when i get tried of the blue i just turn it around and instance black backing

 

[tava716]

My background is blue on one side and black on the other......so I guess it costs the same.

 

[lj_smith]

About the diatoms etc, how old is the tank? Newly established aquaiums will have diatoms and they will spread everywhere until the tank matures and stabilizes. Practically normal and nothing to worry about...HTH

The tank must be established now as it's on about the tenth month since starting, but every time i clean the back and sides i notice i get a brownish dusty covering over the substrate (more than likely diatoms), the only reason for this that i can think of is as i leave the algae to grow on the back it takes up excess nutients in the water and as soon as i scrape it all off theres nothing to absorb the excess, so diatoms!, I assume are the first to take it's place until the algae grows back. I think anyway! unless it's detrius build up :?: (Maybe not enough water flow across the bottom???)

 

[lj_smith]

oh and i make sure non of the algae scraped off gets left in the tank either.
I've made a kind of scraping tool to scrape the algae upwards out of the water.
Piece of plastic conduit pipe with a stanley blade mounted in it at an angle

 

[Krish]

i'm with krish i went and brought a paper backing from pet smart and it blue one side and like me when i get tried of the blue i just turn it around and instance black backing

Almost Tony(LOL) Your paper backs costed you probably $15 for both colors. Mine was $130 for both because I opted for acrylic(LOL)

 

[Krish]

How is the flow in your tank? 10 months should be cycled for sure...

oh and i make sure non of the algae scraped off gets left in the tank either.
I've made a kind of scraping tool to scrape the algae upwards out of the water.
Piece of plastic conduit pipe with a stanley blade mounted in it at an angle

Cool little DIY! .

 

[lj_smith]

When you say acylic you do mean the shiney film like plastic sheeting with black on one side and blue on the other? If so, thats expensive? Here in the UK i can buy the same stuff for about £2.50 a metre unless it's different stuff? :?:

 

[lj_smith]

Thanks, it does the trick
I think it's around 4000 lph give or take a bit

 

[Krish]

When you say acylic you do mean the shiney film like plastic sheeting with black on one side and blue on the other? If so, thats expensive? Here in the UK i can buy the same stuff for about £2.50 a metre unless it's different stuff?

Sort of...It is shiny, but it isn't double colored. It is what you see tanks made out of (you know the ones with all of the closed loops drilled into them etc?). They build tanks out of clear acrylic. This is the same stuff, just thinner than what they use for building tanks and a different color. Or you could think about it sort of this way... Colored plexi-glass. HTH

 

[lj_smith]

Ah, gotch ya!