blue paint on tanks?????

[jim from sydney]

i am setting-up a new tank for discus 6x2x2. most breeders like to paint the back/bottom with some kind of sea-blue colour paint.
questions......1.what reason? 2.what paint?. 3. is it permanent? 4. what if i don't paint, will breeding changes be reduced????

[flukes]

The reason for the paint is too stop algea. The reason for blue is so it will reduce peppering on pigeon bloods and will bring out bett colors on some strains..

[kalebjarrod]

they also use colours other than black because fry are attrached to black surfaces

i use normal quailty spray paint (when thier are no fish in the tank) and it works well

razor blades get it off easy!

[Mattzilla]

i use a high gloss enamle paint...at least three coats... i prefer sky blue or i think the last colour i used was mediteranian blue.... a light blue is better than a dark blue i think

[Chafule]

is there a special paint to use? i would have through paint would be toxic to fish?

[kalebjarrod]

paint is toxic to fish hence the reason you spray the back of the tank

you also SPRAY THE TANK WHEN IT IS EMPTY

never get spary drift in your tank this will kill

i also do two to three coats

i find most quailty spray paints work, (cheap ones always look shit)

[Chris McMahon]

paint is toxic to fish hence the reason you spray the back of the tank

you also SPRAY THE TANK WHEN IT IS EMPTY

never get spary drift in your tank this will kill

i also do two to three coats

That's why I recommend people use a small sponge roller and a small tin of paint rather than spraycans. No chance of drift. You can get "sample size" plastic trays and rollers in Bunnings for $2. Throw them away when finished.

[Trebs]

I used water based paint on the outside. It worked pretty well. Wait for a warm dry day to do it though. It rained for a week and took ages to dry. Also once the back is painted be careful as filter pipes, etc can stick to the back of the tank with raised temps.

[Mattzilla]

"That's why I recommend people use a small sponge roller and a small tin of paint rather than spraycans. No chance of drift. You can get "sample size" plastic trays and rollers in Bunnings for $2. Throw them away when finished"

that is EXACTLY what i do and it works really well and is so easy

[jim from sydney]

thanks guys......the roller seems the safest to me with a sample can as i hate to buy too much and throw away later. i didnt know that blue paint reduces algea growth....interesting, why is that???? if the light is overhead????

Jim