# Sunlight and background color?



## SusanneK (9 Mar 2022)

Hi!
I’m slowly approaching my first attempt to create an aquascape  but I’m still buying and preparing the things I need… Now I have a good filter, Eheim experience 150 and Chihiros wrgb 2 for my 60 liters aquarium, my soil is in buckets full with waters since some weeks and soon I’ll buy the hardscape and plants!  

Now I have to find a good background for the tank, but I have a problem and that is that the tank is standing in front of a window that is heading at north. I have understod that a lot of light could cause algiers and I want to prevent that if possible… I wanted to buy a white frosted background paper, but perhaps that is a  poor choice? Should I instead buy a black background? Or is the light from a window heading north so weak that it will not impact the tank so much? Perhaps I can reduce the amount of time the light is on from 10 to 8 or even less to compensate the natural light?


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## NatalieHurrell (11 Mar 2022)

Personally I'd play it safe and use a black background .


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## MichaelJ (12 Mar 2022)

I dont have any sunlight hitting my tanks, but for shielding off direct sunlight from the sides or back I would go with a relatively thick black/dark background paper stock as well.  Currently I am using _medium dark _blue paper for background for both my tanks.  A problem with too dark a background in my experience, is that if you get any water stains between the paper and glass it will show very easily. Fortunately my tanks are very densely planted so I barely notice the background.  Make sure the outside of the glass is hysterically clean before you mount the paper.

Best would be if you could avoid having your tank exposed to direct sunlight. 

Cheers,
Michael


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## erwin123 (12 Mar 2022)

I prefer light coloured backgrounds  as CO2 bubbles are much less visible compared to a black background.

if you want to block light, you can always place a foamcore board behind the light coloured  background. (i.e. very light, opaque, and easy to mount)


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## NatalieHurrell (12 Mar 2022)

@erwin123  That's a very valid point about the C02 bubbles.  I've never used C02 so that hadn't even crossed my mind.  I've seen the window tint film for cars used, which comes in a variety of shades, so there may be a mid grey colour, but not sure then if the sunlight would still get through too much.  At least with that no water gets between it and the glass.


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## Jaseon (12 Mar 2022)

You could always paint it.


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## dean (13 Mar 2022)

If you want white or a light colour use acrylic paint 
You can mix up the exact shade you want 
I’ve used it and it works great with a small roller to avoid brush marks 
Give it a couple of coats 
It won’t peel of it it gets wet but you can take it off with a scraper 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## dean (13 Mar 2022)

You get acrylic paints in small tubes from £1 shops home bargains the range or any arts and crafts shop 


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## SusanneK (13 Mar 2022)

Thank you very much for all your answers!  
I've bought a white, little transparent, sticky plastic paper now so I'll start with that and see if it will do. 
Otherwise I'll use some of your very good ideas and see what will work!


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## mort (14 Mar 2022)

I like natural sunlight and the only issue I have had with it is some cyano in the substrate level. I know tanks run differently and mine is low tech but it does face south and gets a lot of direct light.
I think you will like a little diffuse sunlight bursting through the back film and it should look nice without causing to much of an issue. You do need to remember that you will get plenty of light coming through the top as well if the tank doesn't have a cover, so I'd wait until it's set up to see how much you want to block.


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## ceg4048 (14 Mar 2022)

SusanneK said:


> Hi!
> I’m slowly approaching my first attempt to create an aquascape  but I’m still buying and preparing the things I need… Now I have a good filter, Eheim experience 150 and Chihiros wrgb 2 for my 60 liters aquarium, my soil is in buckets full with waters since some weeks and soon I’ll buy the hardscape and plants!
> 
> Now I have to find a good background for the tank, but I have a problem and that is that the tank is standing in front of a window that is heading at north. I have understod that a lot of light could cause algiers and I want to prevent that if possible… I wanted to buy a white frosted background paper, but perhaps that is a  poor choice? Should I instead buy a black background? Or is the light from a window heading north so weak that it will not impact the tank so much? Perhaps I can reduce the amount of time the light is on from 10 to 8 or even less to compensate the natural light?


I agree with mort in post #10. Sunlight causes algae only when CO2 and nutrition are inadequate. In fact your risk of algal blooms will have more to do with your Chihiros wrgb than with sunlight penetrating your background. Choose the background that is the most pleasing and forget about window issues. Worry more about CO2/flow/distribution, nutrition and especially about the intensity used on your wrgb lamp.

Here was a CO2 injected tank mounted in a south facing conservatory.  No algae issues were noted, even during brutal summer months.




Cheers


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## mort (14 Mar 2022)

Plus you can see from Clive's post above, plants look so much nicer in natural light and fish look even better.


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