[Sargasso]

I have a 55 gallon with ugly automotive enamel spray paint on the outside.

What is the simplest thing to do about that? What is the best thing? DIY interior 3d background? Scrape + repaint? Is there an option that allows me to mask and paint the interior of the rear panel?

 

[smccleme]

Sounds interesting. Can you post a picture?

 

[AbeDC]

the easiest way would be to cover it up
-mesh with moss for a moss wall
-ceramic/slate tiles
-buy some acrylic size it to the back of the tank, spray paint (with krylon fusion or any 'aquarium safe' spray paint) it a solid colour, let it cure for a couple days, fit to back of tank

You could also remove the paint completely, but needs alot of caution not to scratch glass or get paint remover on siliconed areas
-tape up edges/silicone joints/bracing of fish tank, use environmentally friendly paint remover, scrape away

3d background are alot of fun to make, only issue is it will definitely 'remove' a couple gallons from your tank, and often takes up alot of time if you're a perfectionist

 

[Diztrbd1]

To remove the paint I would try the razor blade scraper method myself. Maybe test it on a lower area first. If you go that route , make sure to hold it flat to the glass and maintain a 45 degree angle or less when scraping. A razor can scratch the glass if your not careful though it will atleast be on the back.
Best way I know is to get a bucket of hot/warm water with a little dish soap mixed it as you need to keep the surface wet when scraping the paint off.The soapy water will act as a lubricant and reduce the chance of scratching the glass. I find some steel wool works good for removing the smaller stuff after scraping the majority of the paint off. Again you will want to keep soapy water on the surface and just lightly scrub with the steel wool. A glass cleaner might work as well as the soapy water but probably best to experiment on a lower area of the glass to see what works best for you.
I would try to avoid using any chemicals to avoid damaging the silicone.

 

[Sargasso]

the easiest way would be to cover it up
-mesh with moss for a moss wall
-ceramic/slate tiles
-buy some acrylic size it to the back of the tank, spray paint (with krylon fusion or any 'aquarium safe' spray paint) it a solid colour, let it cure for a couple days, fit to back of tank

You could also remove the paint completely, but needs alot of caution not to scratch glass or get paint remover on siliconed areas
-tape up edges/silicone joints/bracing of fish tank, use environmentally friendly paint remover, scrape away

3d background are alot of fun to make, only issue is it will definitely 'remove' a couple gallons from your tank, and often takes up alot of time if you're a perfectionist

Is Krylon fusion aquarium safe? How long does it take to cure?

I like a simple, black background so this could be a good option.

 

[cpat83]

Paint should come off fairly easily from the glass....sharp blade and some sort of removing product will work.

For a black background, I would spray with "PLASTI DIP" product... the original product is sold at CDN Tire for $20/can and many choices of colour but HomeDepot has a knock off version for about $10/can (same capacity) however limited colour selection. I used it on my tanks, looks good, takes 3-4 small coats to build up the layers and peels off the glass very easily.

 

[tony1928]

I've used Krylon for small pvc parts inside my tank without any issues. Even with good prep, like sanding the parts before painting, the paint will eventually peel from nicks and scratches. Thus I'm not sure how an entire inside back of the tank will fare. If it was me, I'd scrape the back of the tank to remove the paint. If not removable for some reason then as the other poster said, get a thin piece of black acrylic and cut to size and silicone to the glass.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

 

[Unknown]

I don't think you'd want to spray paint anything inside your tank