Creating your own DIY background.
It's a combination of LED lights, and painted cardboard.
Start with cardboard sheets, I purchased it from art supply shops or they can also be found in most $2 shops in the art supply section.
You can choose white cardboard, but I chose sky blue, to simulate the sky.
The cardboard, is trimmed to the sized of the tank. Join several pieces together if needed.
It's then as simple as painting, or rather blotting white paint onto the blue cardboard.
I used white watercolour blotted onto the cardboard for the cloud effect. I find watercolour gave the best cloud like effects.
You'll notice it's not perfect, and it doesn't have to be perfect. That's the beauty of it.
The next is the lighting.
It's just a simple LED strip of light placed at the back of the tank.
It's your preference in the type of LEDs you get, and how many strips you use. I used 5050 LEDs, and double strips for that extra brightness.
Now, it's just a matter of placing your cardboard at the back of the tank like so...
Notice, the LED lights are in between the board and tank.
Here's what it looks like with different coloured effects.
Please excuse my DIY surface skimmer in these next shots. Yes, it ruins the look, but be assured, it's only temporary while the tank is cycling.
After a bush fire...
Tropical waters ...
A simple white sheet of cardboard is also very effective.
Here is an example of a plain white background with the LED lights, on a small section of the tank. I need to show you a better pic of the full tank with a white background and lights.
If you find the cardboard too thin and does not sit up straight, you can always glue it to a thick piece of board.
Hope you enjoyed it!
Told you it was simple. But then again the simple things are always the best.
