dave44 Posted January 12, 2010 Report Share Posted January 12, 2010 Hi everyone, I am wanting to paint my fish tanks and am wanting to know if using a latex based paint is the best option? Where is the best place to buy in Brisbane area? Has anyone got some left over from a job? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mad-n-angry Posted January 12, 2010 Report Share Posted January 12, 2010 most paints dont like being applied to glass and will peel and flake off after a while i have and a few mates have used on tanks that have gone into fish shows blackboard paint its one of the few that will stick to glass well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Junkie Posted January 12, 2010 Report Share Posted January 12, 2010 Wipe the glass with metho rag. Then use an oil based paint Junkie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarg Posted January 12, 2010 Report Share Posted January 12, 2010 Bunnings sell a product called ESP which is used as a primer for glass to help it stick. There is also another product but can't remember the name. You could also try auto tint. Supercreap sell a 5% vlt type which is very dark. it depends on how many you need to do and wether the tanks will have light behind them. The six footer i have done is up against a wall (so no light shines from behind) and I cant see the filter pipes through it. I have another one done also whichj is in a wall with a cupboard on the other side and when the light is on you can see through the tint. HTH Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lach Posted January 17, 2010 Report Share Posted January 17, 2010 i used the cheapest spray paint from bunnings cost me like $2 a can i think. Been on for 12 months and going strong. Will come off if scratched although magnetic scrubber with a sock between it didn't take it off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brockssracer Posted January 17, 2010 Report Share Posted January 17, 2010 Being that glass itself is not a porous surface you will find it hard to get a paint that is designed specifically for it unless you have lots of cash to spend. IMO you are better to either get a cheapie can of paint like the 2 dollar ones from supercheap or bunnings so if by chance they get scratched its easy to recoat. If you wanted a brush on product I would go a waterbased product (no it will not wash off it it gets wet once dry) but it is alot easier to put on and waterbased paint technology has come along way. Ive got an idea in mind but not to sure how effective it would be and that is to give the glass a spray with hair spray and let dry prior to coating with paint. I think that the hairspray will bond with the glass and give the paint a good surface to adhere to. I was considering another option and that was a stick on vinyl like you would use for book covering for the kids at school and stickers on the car. I know someone that gets it fairly cheap and it is designed to stick for 7+ years. and comes in from memory a 5-600mm wide roll. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohhsweetness Posted January 17, 2010 Report Share Posted January 17, 2010 i just painted my fish tank black with base coat for cars .... the black paint will come off with a blade /terps because it has not been cleared... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rowley_89 Posted January 17, 2010 Report Share Posted January 17, 2010 I have painted probably 15+ tanks in my life time..Every time I used the cheap spray paint from my local Bunnings. I have some tanks that have been painted for 5 years that haven't started peeling yet. If you are going to use spray paint. I would suggest you do a very very light first coat. I found that this gives the second coat something to stick to. After that..go nuts. Don't stress. It really isn't as hard as others make it out to be. The other option is tinting. When I had the windows on my house tinted I got my big tank tinted pitch black..it looks great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liljohn_83 Posted January 17, 2010 Report Share Posted January 17, 2010 yeh tinting you can get cheap kits at autobarn and probably others the darker you want it just ad a second layer hope this can help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cory1 Posted January 18, 2010 Report Share Posted January 18, 2010 Sarg,is on the money with ESP,apply to any surface leave for an hour,and paint what you like and it won,t peel off I used ESP and flat plastic paint..no sign of bubbling or peeling,and that,s nearly 2 years ago Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Junkie Posted January 18, 2010 Report Share Posted January 18, 2010 Wipe the glass with metho rag. Then use an oil based paint Junkie Im a tradesman painter with 26 years under my belt The metho wipes the glass clean (oils) from fingerprints etc and dries 100% (no trace) paint on an oil based paint (use a mid roller) also knowen as Nook and Cranny The 4" ones. Have it painted in 5 mins This is quickest easiest and cheapest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichOs Posted February 12, 2010 Report Share Posted February 12, 2010 i painted the back of my 6x2x800 black...used the method that rowley used...cheap black spray can...light spray first...let dry then another coat...let dry then go nuts...great coating completley opaque no light through at all...4 years and still in perfect nick....although fish junkies method sounds pretty good if your neat...how much mess can ya make with a paint roller i tried it once - fark i had paint dots everywhere Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brad Posted February 12, 2010 Report Share Posted February 12, 2010 ive seen some of fishjunkies tanks that he has just painted and they look great the 26 yrs expierience is noticeable lol brad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noyakfat Posted February 17, 2010 Report Share Posted February 17, 2010 yesterday, while rescaping and converting my 6ft from gravel to sand, the 3D background came adrift (due largely to very poor silicone job). I decided to take it out (it will be up for sale at a later date). Anyway, the point of this post.... I decided spur of the moment to paint the back of the tank black, like my 8ft. I followed mr Junkies advice with the metho rag wipe and rolled on an flat black gloss enamel (less than ten smackers from Bunnings). The paint adhered extremely well, and with the second coat applied it looks great. Will post pics later when the lights come on. Thank Junkie, your advice is much appreciated. Easy job, good results. Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Junkie Posted February 17, 2010 Report Share Posted February 17, 2010 Thanks for all the praise you make me (blush) as for the paint every where if you dip the roller roll it first on newspaper until its even and not dripping then roll on glass slowly (dont use foam roller) we all have to start somewhere Junkie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
