# Difffused backgrounds



## Nick16 (12 Feb 2010)

hi has anyone tried the light diffused backgrounds

http://www.thegreenmachineaquatics....r/266020/TGM Light Diffusing Aquarium Backing

if anyone has some info or even better a shot of them, that would be superb. 
i saw oli knott use it, but he tried it on the front glass for demonstration purposes so you can see what effect it has behind plants and with a light above it etc. 

thanks


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## Garuf (12 Feb 2010)

*Re: TGM backgrounds*

You can do exactly the same thing with a very similar product from wilkos, wilkos is very effective stuff, I've never seen TGM's in the flesh however to compare.


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## JamesM (12 Feb 2010)

*Re: TGM backgrounds*

You can get them cheap in Wilkinsons, starting at Â£3 odd per roll  

I used one last year on Brickscape, and Tony also used some on his optiwhite featured in PFK.


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## Nick16 (12 Feb 2010)

*Re: TGM backgrounds*

have you got a link to it on their web to save me hours of trawling. 

for Â£3 a roll, i might have to give it a go. 

is it self adhesive? 

i currently have a black background but find it a little imposing, but i have a mellow yellow (lol) wall behind so if i can diffuse that a little, i think it would look super. 

cheers guys.


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## samc (12 Feb 2010)

*Re: TGM backgrounds*

i have the wilko stuff also in my opti. its really good, thick stuff. with my halide lighting on the wall behind it make the white look loads better.


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## JamesM (12 Feb 2010)

*Re: TGM backgrounds*

viewtopic.php?f=21&t=8068&hilit=frosted+backing


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## Garuf (12 Feb 2010)

*Re: TGM backgrounds*

Don't suppose you have enough for 60x45cm knocking about spare to tag on my order do you james?


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## JamesM (12 Feb 2010)

*Re: TGM backgrounds*



			
				Garuf said:
			
		

> Don't suppose you have enough for 60x45cm knocking about spare to tag on my order do you james?


I'll have a look if I've got any left


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## Stu Worrall (13 Feb 2010)

*Re: TGM backgrounds*

ive used the wilkos stuff on my 90cm. works really well


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## Dave Spencer (13 Feb 2010)

*Re: TGM backgrounds*

Lovely looking tank Stu. How come you changed the lights in the first pic for the tacky looking one in the second? I expect you couldn`t afford a decent replacement.  

Dave.


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## Nick16 (21 Feb 2010)

Â£9 a roll now. seems its tripled in price since most people got some.   

http://www.wilkinsonplus.com/Tea-To.../p0QCkDQFe49nlxlYdfNatZiEFKzbGGE
VIVpD+hMlA==


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## Stu Worrall (21 Feb 2010)

*Re: TGM backgrounds*



			
				Dave Spencer said:
			
		

> Lovely looking tank Stu. How come you changed the lights in the first pic for the tacky looking one in the second? I expect you couldn`t afford a decent replacement.
> 
> Dave.


Git!   


			
				Nick16 said:
			
		

> Â£9 a roll now. seems its tripled in price since most people got some.
> 
> http://www.wilkinsonplus.com/Tea-To.../p0QCkDQFe49nlxlYdfNatZiEFKzbGGE
> VIVpD+hMlA==


i think the staic version has alwyas been that price nick. it was the self adhesive one that was cheaper when I was looking in the shop for mine and the roll i got was Â£9


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## Nick16 (21 Feb 2010)

hmm, i cant seem to find the self adhesive stuff on their website, am i blind?


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## JamesM (21 Feb 2010)

Go in store - they have loads to choose from  

Put it on with cooking oil - it will peel straight off when you want it to, with no sticky residue, etc.


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## Nick16 (21 Feb 2010)

next time i go to a town near me with a wilko i will have a look. 

good tip, thanks for that.


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## bogwood (26 Feb 2010)

Did mine after seeing Oliver knott use it at The Green Machine.
Bought from local B&Q, and applied with water, well pleased.I think it cost around Â£9 then, not too dear as there was enough for 3 tanks to be done,and still some left over.


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## Steve Smith (26 Feb 2010)

bogwood said:
			
		

> Bought from local B&Q, and applied with water, well pleased.I think it cost around Â£9 then, not too dear as there was enough for 3 tanks to be done,and still some left over.



This this stuff you used?

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?a ... earch=true


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## amy4342 (26 Feb 2010)

That's the stuff I used on my new tank - looks the business lol


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## bogwood (26 Feb 2010)

Yes thats the one.


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## Westyggx (30 Dec 2012)

Hi does anyone know why this is happening to my background from tgm? Looked fine last night but today it seems to have gone like this.


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## Nathaniel Whiteside (30 Dec 2012)

Did you use a drop of fairy liquid in a spray bottle?
 Then spray the back of tank and smooth the bubbles out with a credit card.

And wholah!


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## Westyggx (30 Dec 2012)

Whitey89 said:


> Did you use a drop of fairy liquid in a spray bottle? Then spray the back of tank and smooth the bubbles out with a credit card. And wholah!


 
Used water mate no fairy liquid.. TGM said water only..


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## Iain Sutherland (30 Dec 2012)

Hey mike, i found the same with the TGM removable stuff using fairy liquid aswell.. its like the bond fails as the water dries out?  There is every chance it is user error but never had any issues with bathroom frosting like in the links.  The blue tint one works quite well too, especially backlit.


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## Westyggx (30 Dec 2012)

God sake ive been done for £12 then havent i lol!


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## Iain Sutherland (30 Dec 2012)

Westyggx said:


> God sake ive been done for £12 then havent i lol!


i wouldnt say that, there must be some people on here that use it without issue.....maybe... possibly lol


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## Nathaniel Whiteside (30 Dec 2012)

The fairy liquid lubricates and forms a better adhesion to the back glass.


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## Westyggx (30 Dec 2012)

Whitey89 said:


> The fairy liquid lubricates and forms a better adhesion to the back glass.



Ill give the fairy liquid a go as well then, can't do much now my tank is filled mind!


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## Antipofish (30 Dec 2012)

Westyggx said:


> Ill give the fairy liquid a go as well then, can't do much now my tank is filled mind!


 
I have the same product (as yet unused).  

There is a liquid you can buy that comes in a little black bottle called Seaclear or something and it is an oily mixture that you wipe over the tank back and to the backing and then smooth it out with a credit card (i used a larger scraper first and then a credit card on my last backing).  Its the same theory as fairy liquid, but the reason I chose it was that I was not happy about getting Fairy Liquid near the tank.  George F has said that he has used olive or some form of cooking oil in the past as well.  

Water should work though, there is even a video of Oliver Knott using that method, on TGM's website.


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## Nathaniel Whiteside (31 Dec 2012)

Chris, its called clearseal background adhesive. I tried sticking their background to my tank with it. 

Lets just say i got close to punching my tank to bits in the finish, it kept flopping off and bubbling. I dont know how it even made me as mad as it did 

Anyhoo, Fairy liquid is like a tiny drop per litre. Nothing heavy. The fish would think they were in a mediocre foam party at best 

Read your message mate, let us know what you have in mind


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## Bradleyh91 (2 Feb 2013)

Does anyone know where you can get some sky blue opaque background?


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## Iain Sutherland (3 Feb 2013)

there is a blue tint frosting here that i have used successfully before.

Frosted Window Film|Purlfrost - The name for window film and wall coverings.


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## NatureBoy (3 Feb 2013)

I just reversed my frosted film, I found it works perfectly if you treat it like a normal background and use a bit of sellotape at the corners of the non static side, rather than use the static effect, for me that side created loads of unsightly smudged bubbles. 

For me the best non intrusive background ever...

(bought from b & q bathroom dept, used for privacy film for bathroom windows etc. Think is was £5. )


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## Jason Greenslade (3 Feb 2013)

Just a quick question, will these opaque films completely hide pipework behind or will it still be partly visible ?  I was thinking it would be great if there was a graduated type where the ends were darker.


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## Bradleyh91 (3 Feb 2013)

Thanks Iain just ordered some of the blue, is it hard to fit and do you have any pics with it on? Thanks


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## Iain Sutherland (3 Feb 2013)

no probs at all, spray bottle with a little fairy liquid and a squeegy?
pic from what seems a long time ago...




If you back light it too it will pop.


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## Bradleyh91 (3 Feb 2013)

that looks great thanks


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## jack-rythm (5 Feb 2013)

I usually offer background film in black or white to be put in my custom builds Bradley but I have run out of stock! Sorry Mate, if u want me to put it the cube I'm building you I'm more than happy to. I have done this countless times with the above method. Using a spray bottle with a smidge of fairy liquid in works wonders. It's very simple, use a credit card to slide the bubbles out and viola   it might be something u may like to try in the other hand.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2


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## Bradleyh91 (5 Feb 2013)

ah thats ok thanks mate i have some stuff ordered for my 90 tank so will see how it comes out and will let you know the outcome


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## biffster (6 Feb 2013)

i have found a light brushing of fine cooking oil to the back of the tank and a credit card or a spatula of some sorts to chase the bubbles 
out works well


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## wan (15 Mar 2013)

I've used the Wilko's stuff on three tanks, 100cm, 60cm and 40cm. Used water for the 100cm and it's started peeling off and bubbling, but used cooking oil for both others and it looks so much better! I've also placed a 40cm colour change led strip ( £20 ish off ebay!) behind the 60cm so I can then choose the background colour! Works a treat! The scape gets silhouetted really nicely at night.


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