I'm the WORST at applying BACKGROUNDS... HELP ME!

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M

Madding

The Ninth Holostei
MFK Member
May 11, 2009
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It seems like every time I put on a background there are pockets of air and bubbled out spaces that I just can't smooth away for the life of me. I'm about to set up a 72 bowfront and really want to make sure I get it right the first time. It must be the way that I go about laying it out and taping it down.

Please... this probably sounds stupid but give me some pointers! How do you get the perfect smoothness/flatness of a background?
 
The way I do it is to make sure the glass is completely clean. Then I lay the background out and slop a bunch of mineral oil on it. Then I place it on the back of the tank. Then I take a plastic tape knife, (looks like a really wide putty knife, make sure you use a plastic one and not metal) and start working the bubbles out toward the edges, starting from the middle. Then I secure it along the top and bottom with tape. If it's a scenic background, the colors will be much more vivid because it's actually adhering to the glass instead of just hanging behind it.
 
^ I do basically the same thing, except i just use water not mineral oil... and i apply it using a spray bottle, like what you would use for watering plants and spray the water directly onto the glass of the aquarium... otherwise, the actual applying of it is more or less the same...
 
Interesting, thanks guys. The oil/water just dries and doesn't leave any traces?
 
I gave up on backgrounds a long time ago, I just use black paint on all of mine. I've never been a fan of colored (or pictured) backgrounds though, plus eventually water will get between the background and tank or some piece of equipment will wrinkle it or something.
 
It's much easier with a helper, too. Each of you can grab a top corner, and put the top edge in place, then let the rest of it fall down into place. Then, with your tape knife, start by smoothing a vertical line right down the middle, then start smoothing horizontal lines out towards the edges from your vertical line, starting at the top and working your way down.

I have to agree with lowcel though, if you're doing a solid color, paint is the way to go.
 
I'm going with solid blue. Paint for the win? Never tried it before.
 
Oh yeah. If you're talkin solid blue, then paint. I like to use latex, because if I change my mind, it peels off easily.
 
I'll pick some up after work then, and try to go for a latex or acrylic blue. What's your favorite way to apply it? Brush size, roller size, etc.
 
I usually just use whatever brush I have lying around, nothin special.
 
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