Tropical Fish Forum

Tropical Fish Keeping Help and Advice => New Fishkeepers => Topic started by: buranda on August 08, 2013, 07:34:09 PM

Title: tank wallpaper
Post by: buranda on August 08, 2013, 07:34:09 PM
I'm back.
What is the best way to fix tank wallpaper to the back of the tank please ?

Bas :)
Title: Re: tank wallpaper
Post by: Sue on August 08, 2013, 07:45:29 PM
Do you mean those sheets of plastic with either a scene printed on them, or plain black or blue?

The easiest way is to sellotape them on. If, like my tanks, yours has a plastic trim at the top and/or bottom, you can slide the top/bottom of the plastic sheet between the glass and the trim, which saves having to sellotape that edge.
On my 125 litre, there's a trim top and bottom, so those edges are slid in the gap. Where I used to have it, that was enough but I moved it, and people walking past caused a draught and the background kept falling off, so its now got sellotape down the exposed edge.
My 50 litre has a trim on the bottom only, so the background is slid into that and sellotaped at the top and sides.

Some people use water or cooking oil - the idea there is you spray them on the tank then using something like a credit card, smooth the background over the glass using the card to push the air bubbles out. I could never get that to work long term. After a couple of weeks, air bubbles would make their way between the plastic and glass and look awful.
Title: Re: tank wallpaper
Post by: Andy M on August 09, 2013, 10:02:31 AM
I paid about £7 for a little bottle of silicone based liqiid and as Sue says, it is a job and a half trying to get all the bubbles out. Waste of money. Use tape
Title: Re: tank wallpaper
Post by: ColinB on August 09, 2013, 10:04:43 AM
Sunflower oil (quite a lot) has worked a treat for me and lasted over a year with no sign of bubbling. I had to pour the oil on the backing while it was flat on a work-top, spread it around with kitchen towel so it was a good wet layer, then roll the backing into place on the tank. Skim the bubbles out with a credit card or similar and voilà.
Title: Re: tank wallpaper
Post by: jesnon on August 09, 2013, 10:31:26 AM
You've got a tank then Bas? :-)
Title: Re: tank wallpaper
Post by: buranda on August 09, 2013, 03:23:32 PM
Thankyou everybody for your kind advise, it has all been very constructive. :)

Bas.
Title: Re: tank wallpaper
Post by: Resa on August 13, 2013, 07:26:58 PM
Hi Buranda,

Mine is taped on and looks fine....it's a bit two-handed to do though :)