every one says go with a black background! so i was wanting to know what it looks like

so if you got a black background please post a pic of your tank so we can see how good? black looks!!!!!!!!!!!

i put a black rubbish bag behind mine to see what it was like and it makes a huge difference, makes all the colours of the fish and the green of the plants stand out, try it....

Here's my tank little from a previous post...sorry for the bit of glare.

i put a black rubbish bag behind mine to see what it was like and it makes a huge difference, makes all the colours of the fish and the green of the plants stand out, try it....

Yep. Try experimenting for yourself with a black rubbish bag and see what you think. But don't try using the black rubbish bag as your permanent background! I tried that and it all stretched out of shape and ended up wrinkly. Then from the front the wrinkles looked like cracks in the glass. Not a relaxing sight! :lol:

wasnt someone using black rubbish bag/plastic, and cooking oil to stick it on? failing that, you could probably rub plastic bag antil it got enough static and see if it will cling to the glass?

Go to your nearest art supplies store and get a piece of Black A1 Cardboard, tapes up easily, doesn't crease and looks really good. Probably cost you about $5 to $7 and will last as long as you don't spill water on it :].

wasnt someone using black rubbish bag/plastic, and cooking oil to stick it on? failing that, you could probably rub plastic bag antil it got enough static and see if it will cling to the glass?

Hmmm... that may have been me if it was aaaages ago...

I do use cooking oil to stick my backgrounds on. Just a clear, flavourless oil (like sunflower or canola) brushed onto the plastic backing, then press it against the glass and push the bubbles out using a ruler or a credit card or similar. It works well for a really dark black background. When you peel it off (years later in my case) the oil will have gone sticky but any residue is easily removed using solvent.

Go to your nearest art supplies store and get a piece of Black A1 Cardboard, tapes up easily, doesn't crease and looks really good. Probably cost you about $5 to $7 and will last as long as you don't spill water on it :].

I have tried that but I inevitably spill water on it (even just the condensation dripping out from under the lids when I remove them) and the backing ends up all streaky. But maybe that's just me! If you sealed the top edge with tape you might have more luck than I did...

wouldn't painting the back be the best then getting water on it wouldn't matter?

i use black paper, $4 from paper plus for enough to do my bigg-ish tank and my tiny tank. No problems yet

I painted a piece of styrofoam black to put behind my old tank & it looked great.

I'm currently looking for a black camping mat for my current one!

The background is black - honest!

I used black Contact, the self adhesive stuff you usually put in the bottom of shelves or drawers. It probably wouldn't be any good if you were trying to put it on a tank close to the wall, though, it was enough of a problem getting it onto the back of the tank with it laying front down and the back facing up!

Gorgeous tank, Zev!

Here is my black background on my tank when I first set it up aaages ago lol It has a bubble wall in front of it though

mines painted on the outside of the tank.

is that an ar 380 ZEV? looking really good.

I agree, Zev's tank is awesome. Especially love the foreground. Hair grass is it?

Your tank looks cool too ADodge, no fighters though I see

It's a 400mm cube that I made myself, 70w HM lighting, Co2 and daily ferts.

Yup, hairgrass in the front.

I have since broken it down and re set it up as a Killie biotope, but it is not looking too hot at the moment, and the Harigrass won't grow without the Co2, but if I reinstate that, then I think my Val may melt.

I'd choose Hair Grass over Val any day. Bring back the CO2! :lol:

I've got some Hair grass growing in a tank with a 23w energy saver and no CO2 and it's flying along.

Can either of you spare sum hairgrass!!

Not yet sorry, it hasn't quite filled in. When it gets thick then I'd be more than happy to ship some out to you.

If you have trouble sourcing it then maybe try these guys. Don't know if they're any good but the claim to have Hair Grass.

http://www.aquariumplants.co.nz/index.html

(Hairgrass) http://www.aquariumplants.co.nz/cart_pr ... =HAIRGRASS LIVE PLANT

Thanks for that. Does it spread through the gravel? Is it easy to grow.

Its great, provided you have enough light. It spread through my sand and gravel but tends to send out a straight line of runners. CO2 helps it even more and so do ferts.

http://www.aquariumplants.co.nz/cart_pr ... IR%20GRASS

am i missing sumthing other than the one you found is potted, this one seems cheaper

Heres one of mine with the black background

Apologies for the low quality image