# Spray painting the bottom of tank



## L.West (Apr 26, 2013)

Hi, Is there a specific type of spray paint that I should get if I intend to paint the bottom of my tank. This tank will house a Red Eared Slider Turtle and my plant is to keep the bottom pretty much bare so I thought it would be nice to paint the bottom.

What type of paint do I need to get??

Thanks


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Here's a decent link.He says stay away from oil based paints.He is also using a roller and not spray paint.Probly a lot neater.
HOW TO: paint an aquarium background - YouTube
Spray painters like the Krylon Fusion paints.


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## L.West (Apr 26, 2013)

thanks that was very helpful. But one question - my tank has a center brace beam on it - how do I get the paint underneath that beam or it will show from within the tank??


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

It's never as easy as they make it look!
Depending on color choice possibly a piece of colored contruction paper?
If you're going with black the brace may not show much?A solid bottom on the stand so no light comes through the bottom would certainly help.
Possibly spray paint could get under it?
The Krylon fusion(spray paint) is tank safe and you could actually paint the inside.Lots of links about krylon in tanks,many are about reef tanks which would seem far more delicate on the water safety issue.I wonder if the turtle would scratch it if you painted the inside?


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## L.West (Apr 26, 2013)

I will have to figure something out to cover where that brace is. To top it off - the mfg put a bright orange sticker underneath this brace - it looks horrible without gravel in the tank. I'm not comfortable painting the inside of the tank.


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## Leclair10 (Jun 22, 2009)

I always roll or brush my tanks. Spray paint is messy and I don't like how it covers. My Discus tanks all get a coat or 3 of a pale blue background. Another thing that works alright is if you go buy a vinyl table cloth. I have one in black on my 77 gallon and it worked great. Cheap,cheap at the dollar store!!*w3


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## chenowethpm (Jan 8, 2014)

You could cut a black aquarium background an try to slide it in between the glass an support.


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## jccaclimber2 (May 6, 2012)

I've seen several spray paint jobs on the back of tanks that turned out ok. You may be able to shave off the sticker with a bent knife or long razor blade if the bottom center brace is not attached via silicone in the middle of the tank. For paint if you can't spray under there or wick paint in with the tank upside down I would settle for putting a rock or similar decoration there on the inside. Cement or similar can make a flat platform so the rock doesn't tilt back and forth or scratch as much. Fake plastic rocks would also solve the issue as long as they are weighted to sink.


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