To background or not to background?

[adamsfishes]

I prefer the second two pics.

 

[Nilsafeller]

I prefer dark background... depending on fish but you usually get better color from your fish against a dark background and agree they feel more comfortable being more secluded... if they can see one side of a tank is a wall they no longer worry about predators coming from that area of the tank

 

[Ulu]

I prefer dark background... depending on fish but you usually get better color from your fish against a dark background and agree they feel more comfortable being more secluded... if they can see one side of a tank is a wall they no longer worry about predators coming from that area of the tank

Absolutely, It's the same with the top, and ends. One minute there's a dark hood, then there's LED daylite! This is not good. I try not to light the tanks too brightly when I'm not looking seriously for disease, wounds, etc. I bring the lights up gradually.

How many times have you seen a fish smash itself against a rock because the light came on suddenly? Bad Juju . . .

 

[Nilsafeller]

Absolutely, It's the same with the top, and ends. One minute there's a dark hood, then there's LED daylite! This is not good. I try not to light the tanks too brightly when I'm not looking seriously for disease, wounds, etc. I bring the lights up gradually.

How many times have you seen a fish smash itself against a rock because the light came on suddenly? Bad Juju . . .

Absolutely... I keep my freshwater tanks a bit on the darker / murky side... I figure most rivers are a bit "dirtier" and murky with lots of veg and dark muddy Banks where the fish spend most of there time on the look out for prey and predetors

 

[adamsfishes]

Absolutely, It's the same with the top, and ends. One minute there's a dark hood, then there's LED daylite! This is not good. I try not to light the tanks too brightly when I'm not looking seriously for disease, wounds, etc. I bring the lights up gradually.

How many times have you seen a fish smash itself against a rock because the light came on suddenly? Bad Juju . . .

I only use lights that come on gradually, like Kessil or Fluval Aquasky. I remember when I kept discus back in the day and used the old flourescent tubes. Not only did they come on suddenly, but they also flickered a few times before coming on. Spooked the fish every time. We can do better in 2019.

 

[Ulu]

In the old days, with delicate fish, I'd turn the light over, light it, then slowly turn it back to the tank.

Otherwise I would put cardboard under the lamp, light it, then slowly remove the board.

 

[mitchkulis]

Then its settled and agree I put the backgrohnd back on. The colors do seem to pop better this way. Some new shiners were added and some rocks. Will post and update when they are acclimated.