A Question For Those With Painted Backgrounds

[screaminleeman]

This thread makes no sence. It isnt any harder to clean the back then the other parts of the tank. Takes 2 minutes during water changes. Just my two sence the answer being looks like crap just the same as on any color back ground. Do a google search of tank algea im sure you will find plenty of pics. Sence most tank with plain color back grounds are usually either black, or blue.

When you have tanks back to back if you leave the back's clean than the fish tend to try to "interact" with the fish in the opposite tank. This leaves fish in the tanks on both side more interested in the back of the tank (opposite of the viewing front surface). When there is a thin film of Algea on the back walls of the tanks the fish do not focus on the tank that borders it's backside. This gives you many many times better view of the fish in both tanks, rather than look at your fish all the way in the back of your tanks trying to attack the tank adjacent to its backside.

I despise backgrounds, but would 100% require them on the back sides of tanks to keep the fishes attention on anything oter than the opposite tank!

I don't think that Algea looks like "crap" though. I think it looks absolutely awsome and find it greatly desireable, just not on the surfaces that you are viewing the tank through. I doub't that there is even the space for my skull "between" the backs of the tanks to attempt to "view through the algea on the back surface"

 

[Redearsunfish]

I have had these things in hand about a dozen times and always wound up putting them back on the shelf. I see them in pet chains and notice a rather large difference in price between similar sized units. Petsmart has Topfin (way cheaper than the name brand they carry).

Sounds like this is absolutely right up my alley, but with something like 20 tanks running, I would like to make the onetime investment wisely and not purchase 20 units of one brand and wish I had done more research and gone with a different one.

Have you noticed major "differences" between brands? What brand(s) do you prefer? As a rule of thumb, what is the most "appropriate" magnet size for tank size?
There I assume is a "formula" to be most "appropriate" for a tank size. While the largest may always be the "quickest" it probably is "inappropriate" to use in a 5 gallon tank.

I use Penn Plax algae magnets from Walmart - GREAT MAGNET.


I also use the brand sold at bigalsonline - Magnetic Glass Surface Aquarium Cleaner - Large - GREAT MAGNET & it floats!

The size depends on glass thickness more than appropriate size for the actual size of tank. But rule of thumb I guess would be bigger magnet for thicker glass on a bigger tank.

 

[Madding]

This thread makes no sence. It isnt any harder to clean the back then the other parts of the tank. Takes 2 minutes during water changes. Just my two sence the answer being looks like crap just the same as on any color back ground. Do a google search of tank algea im sure you will find plenty of pics. Sence most tank with plain color back grounds are usually either black, or blue.

When your tank is eight feet long and four feet wide it is actually pretty hard to clean the back of the tank.

 

[Blue Demp]

I'm a little anal about my tank, so I clean mine 2x a week.

 

[calioutlaw1a]

My background is painted black, and I started out cleaning the back of the tank regularly along with the front and sides. But then I decided to do an experiment to see if it even mattered, and stopped cleaning the back. It has been about 6 months now without cleaning the back of the tank, and I cannot tell the difference. It looks pure black. Granted my tank has little algae growth to begin with, but after 6 months I would expect to see something and I can't. I'm not sure how well this would work on backgrounds painted anything other than black though.

For those that want to try to stretch out the time between cleaning the back of your tank, here's a little trick that might help: Move your light toward the front of the tank a bit, so that the back doesn't get quite as much. I've found that this can actually give a scape more character while hiding some algae growth on the back.

 

[Redearsunfish]

I agree.

From what i remember early on in my fishkeeping days, putting a light towards the front is always recommended for best viewing of your fish, it's an optics thing or something like that. at least I think it was towards the front if memory serves me correctly...

 

[Ang]

i painted the back of my tank black. you can see the brown algae eventually, but its hard to tell its there until you look from a certain angle or the light is shining right at it. I just wipe it down from time to time. I have to reach to the back of the tank with a sponge every few months. big whoop. If the tank is extra wide. Use a spong on a stick to get the really obvious stuff. But really, algae on a black back doesnt look that terrible. I HATE backgrounds. I am so glad i painted it