# Calling photographers - aquarium backing



## Andrew Butler (10 May 2019)

I'm considering applying some kind of reverse printed window sticker to my aquarium with some 'interesting' looking clouds. I know this is bordering on tactless but with the look I am wanting thought it may create a bit more interest than a simple black vinyl backing and could become tactful - opinions?
A translucent/frosted backing is not really an option for me due to an array of doser pipes, ATO sensors and temperature sensors running up the back.
Has anyone with any photographic experience got any time to help me here at all please?
Product would be using something like in the link below
https://bigprintfast.com/product/Reverse-Printed-Window-Sticker
The kind of look I'm quite open to suggestions with but am not looking at blue skies so I think that would leave me with something more thundercloud in description.

How things stand at the minute; the wall is yet to have some work to it and quite possibly some kind of path running from the front left tapering to the wall at the back, also considering a bit more wall along the path.

Thanks 
Andrew


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## dean (10 May 2019)

I’d just get the first one printed on paper then pin it to some cardboard so you can see if you like it or not 

What’s the size of the glass panel you want to cover ? 


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## Aqua sobriquet (10 May 2019)

I’m sure I’ve seen something like you’re suggesting before Andrew and it looked ok to me. Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and give it a try.


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## Ed Wiser (10 May 2019)

Frosty film is what I use.


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## Andrew Butler (10 May 2019)

Ed Wiser said:


> Frosty film is what I use.





Andrew Butler said:


> A translucent/frosted backing is not really an option for me due to an array of doser pipes, ATO sensors and temperature sensors running up the back.


Not an option for me but thanks.


Aqua sobriquet said:


> I’m sure I’ve seen something like you’re suggesting before Andrew and it looked ok to me. Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and give it a try.


I think I probably will just do that if I can get the right picture and as @dean suggested try it printed on paper to give a rough idea but as we know everything looks different when planted up, with water and with a glossy look.


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## Ed Wiser (10 May 2019)

https://www.amazon.com/DC-Fix-3460344-Clouds-Self-Adhesive/dp/B007B9PQHU


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## Aqua sobriquet (10 May 2019)

Some nice ones here:

https://www.stockvault.net/c/nature/sky-and-clouds


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## dean (10 May 2019)

Do any of these help ?


















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## dean (10 May 2019)

Remember you can crop them 
Some of the ones I’ve just borrowed from google had sheep houses etc in the foreground that I simply cropped out 

You need to decide the kind of scene you want 
Is there to be distant hills ? 
Or just sky ? 
Or you want a grey rainy sky?  
Dramatic red sunset ?

What about the side panels ? 

If your not sure send me a photo of the tank and I’ll play with it 
Be very good if you can cover the back panel with anything green when you take the pic as software is designed to replace that 



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## dean (10 May 2019)

You also need to think about which fish you will have if any 
No point having greyish silver fish against a grey sky background etc 


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## Andrew Butler (11 May 2019)

Ed Wiser said:


> https://www.amazon.com/DC-Fix-3460344-Clouds-Self-Adhesive/dp/B007B9PQHU


Thanks for the input, this is not 'interesting' as I see it; maybe 'dramatic' would have been a better descriptor for the look I am thinking.
The enquiry is more about photography skills, software etc.


Aqua sobriquet said:


> Some nice ones here:


I've had a look through a couple of these sites and although I maybe found a few I don't think the DPI is upto what is needed.


dean said:


> Do any of these help





dean said:


> You need to decide the kind of scene you want
> Is there to be distant hills ?
> Or just sky ?


I'm able to lay my hands on some unrestricted photos but as said above the DPI isn't upto what I need from what I've come across.
The kind of scene I am looking for is one of 'dramatic clouds' which is very open to interpretation I realise but I can picture some storm clouds with a blue/grey/white colour palette which might not help further but it's all about what photos either I'm able to take or someone has lying around.
I don't think it would be a good idea to add and mountains or further background.

Although there is still quite some work to do with the wall, the substrate and other things these are the rough proportions of my aquarium.


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## Andrew Butler (26 May 2019)

Anyone with any high quality photos of some interesting looking clouds; maybe thunderous that would match the aquarium levels and willing to help me out?
I'm looking for that balance of it not being blue but likewise not being too black at the same time - if that's possible?!
Tactful V's Tasteless.


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## tam (26 May 2019)

Royalty free photos: https://pixabay.com

Also have a look at ebay etc. for photography backgrounds/backdrops.


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## Andrew Butler (26 May 2019)

tam said:


> Royalty free photos: https://pixabay.com
> 
> Also have a look at ebay etc. for photography backgrounds/backdrops.


Thanks,
The quality isn't good enough on pixaby and ones on eBay etc seem very blue/light cloudy skies.


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## dean (26 May 2019)

Your going to have to take it yourself as no one is ever going to have the perfect photo for you to use 


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## tam (26 May 2019)

Andrew Butler said:


> Thanks,
> The quality isn't good enough on pixaby and ones on eBay etc seem very blue/light cloudy skies.



Some free sites have a few higher res images: https://www.freeimages.com/ (use the advanced search to select resolution). You can also use the google advanced image search to pick size and usage. You'll have more choice of higher res looking at paid sites though as most people won't have the cameras that take them. Somewhere like https://www.istockphoto.com etc.


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## Andrew Butler (27 May 2019)

tam said:


> Some free sites have a few higher res images: https://www.freeimages.com/ (use the advanced search to select resolution). You can also use the google advanced image search to pick size and usage. You'll have more choice of higher res looking at paid sites though as most people won't have the cameras that take them. Somewhere like https://www.istockphoto.com etc.


Thanks,
I did have a look through a few places but when it comes to paid I'd rather divert funds back into the hobby although it seems there are no volunteers.
Time for a trawl through I think.


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## dean (27 May 2019)

You’ve not really said what it is you want apart from not blue or grey skies 

So is it just a sky you want ? 


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## Andrew Butler (28 May 2019)

This is the kind of thing I have in my mind; some quite dark, grey clouds with a bit of interest to them.


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## dean (1 Jun 2019)

I think it’s a nice change to see this rather than the solid colours & films etc 


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## three-fingers (1 Jun 2019)

Love that slate mini wall btw!


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## Andrew Butler (3 Jun 2019)

three-fingers said:


> Love that slate mini wall btw!


Haha; it is too uniform in the eyes of most (including mine) and not quite like a drystone wall but I hope it looks good enough for my enjoyment.
I'm not setting out to create a realistic scene but just something practical enough for me.


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## Simon Cole (3 Jun 2019)

Put a HD TV behind and have it playing a live stream of the changing outside weather conditions. Then at night you could play some 3D graphics of space objects like supernovas etc. You want to see birds flying and clouds whizzing over Andrew.


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## Andrew Butler (3 Jun 2019)

Simon Cole said:


> Put a HD TV behind and have it playing a live stream of the changing outside weather conditions. Then at night you could play some 3D graphics of space objects like supernovas etc. You want to see birds flying and clouds whizzing over Andrew.


And there lies the problem of having pipes etc running up the back as mentioned in the initial post.
I'm unsure quite how a TV sits with water, I'll let you try  maybe the result will be as good as your suggestion.


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## Simon Cole (3 Jun 2019)

Well I mentioned it because Casco Pet do something very similar, and it looks stunning. They would be the people to talk to about digital printing with background lighting, and they have some of the best artistic designers in the country. They have been market leading in this field for several years. I have visited one of their commercial installations and was really impressed, so was the owner. Give them a buzz, and tell them your requirements, and that Simon Cole recommended them :
+44 1403 248 244


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## Ed Wiser (3 Jun 2019)

If you want a tv panel just use the ADA light screen.


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## Andrew Butler (3 Jun 2019)

Simon Cole said:


> They would be the people to talk to about digital printing with background lighting


There's a huge difference between putting a HD TV behind an aquarium and a printed background!


Ed Wiser said:


> If you want a tv panel just use the ADA light screen


Not for me thanks.


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## Simon Cole (3 Jun 2019)

Andrew Butler said:


> There's a huge difference between putting a HD TV behind an aquarium and a printed background!


They do both. The printed background is like a photograph that glows. It has a light behind it. They seem to have all the right connections in the trade to do this.
The TV they offer is a different service. In fact, they do a wide range of things, like custom racks and display tanks. Great company. Tell them that Simon Cole recommended them.


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## Ed Wiser (3 Jun 2019)

Simon if he can not do the ADA light screen a custom back from a commercial company will be out of his price range too


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## Iain Sutherland (3 Jun 2019)

Havent got time to find the journal but a years back Mark Evan's had a sky background printed for one of his tanks... it was more of a blue sky but worked brilliantly.  From memory he just went to his local printers and then selected an image from there data base and had it printed on vinyl... if you use the search tool you could probably find it in his journal. Think it was his 90cm....
 The journals are worth a look anyway as he made exceptional scapes and photography.


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## Andrew Butler (3 Jun 2019)

Iain Sutherland said:


> Havent got time to find the journal but a years back Mark Evan's had a sky background printed for one of his tanks... it was more of a blue sky but worked brilliantly.  From memory he just went to his local printers and then selected an image from there data base and had it printed on vinyl... if you use the search tool you could probably find it in his journal. Think it was his 90cm....
> The journals are worth a look anyway as he made exceptional scapes and photography.
> 
> 
> Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk


Thanks for the input Iain 
https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/blue-sky-iwagumi-overgrown.15651/page-4
This one?


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