Why add an Aquarium Vinyl background to your aquarium?
Aquarium backgrounds as a product have a pretty bad rap among aquarists. That’s because the backgrounds that are typically sold in local fish stores, big box stores and pet stores are just an after-thought for the company that brings in some extra revenue. The products are usually cheaply made, mass-produced and difficult to use. On top of that, the end result is usually not very personalized, visually appealing or long-lasting.
In 2015, we vowed to change that. Designers by trade and aquarium hobbyists by passion, we knew we could create better backgrounds that professionals and serious hobbyists would use to elevate their tanks' visual appeal, not detract from it. We create premium-quality, custom-printed backgrounds that are easy to use, remove and re-use. There are a lot of compelling reasons to consider adding an Aquarium Vinyl™ background to your aquarium setup.
Block visible hardware like wires, plumbing, etc. and the wall behind the tank.
Few things make a tank look less appealing than cables, tubes and equipment showing through the back of a tank. Not only is it unsightly, but it can limit the amount or type of equipment that can be used when it can’t be properly hidden from view. Tanks without backgrounds that have a visible mess behind them will always look unfinished no matter what goes inside the tank.
Create a more polished, professional look.
The aesthetic of a tank can be ruined by the sloppy and unappealing look of aquarium equipment. This is especially true considering how things like salt creep, calcium buildup, bacterial films and other natural processes affect aquarium equipment. While these things are part of a healthy aquarium ecosystem, they can be unappealing to the eye and distract from the overall display.
When you visit a public aquarium or zoo, you’ll notice their exhibit tanks don’t usually expose the equipment, plumbing and cables behind them (unless the exhibit is specifically designed to do so). This is for good reason - the resulting effect of a transparent back glass of a tank is an aquarium that looks unfinished.
Aquarium Vinyl customer photo
Add visual depth.
The use of perspective in fine art has long been a mechanism for creating two-dimensional images with greater realism. Images featuring elements that create visual depth are not only more eye-catching, they give the effect that the tank reaches far back into the distance. Utilizing a background for this effect is part of what elevated an aquarium from a simple box full of water to a window into another world.
Aquarium Vinyl customer photo
Recreate the natural environment and ecosystem of your tank’s inhabitants.
Aquarists are essentially artists who are creating a world in a box. Achieving an aquarium that closely recreates its inhabitants’ natural environment is a fun, creative challenge for hobbyists and can also provide a more fulfilling and less stressful home for the animals inside. Stress is one of the most harmful conditions that can affect aquarium animals, and reducing stress can reduce other health problems.
Recreating the natural environment for the animals means stocking and aquascaping according to their needs and preferences, as well as providing the surrounding aesthetic. This will not only foster a stress-free, healthy aquarium, but create a stunning, professional-looking display. For this reason, zoos, public aquariums, museums and laboratories use our backgrounds in their exhibits and enclosures as an essential part of recreating accurate representations of natural habitats.
Aquarium Vinyl customer photo
Make fish and other critters feel more at ease.
When animals feel exposed or vulnerable, they get stressed out. Stress, like the kind that compels fish to “pace” up and down the glass (aka “glass surfing”), can lead to compromised immune systems. Compromised immune systems can lead to opportunistic infections (ich, flukes, velvet), and opportunistic infections can lead to the death of aquarium inhabitants. Using a background on at least one side of your tank (combined with the appropriate stocking and aquascaping for your specific species) can give the inhabitants a greater sense of security by increasing the number of spaces in which they can feel safe by hiding, and breaking stress-inducing lines of sight.
Block sunlight / help prevent algae growth / control light for breeding
Pest algae is one of the most prevalent problems in the hobby. Using an Aquarium Vinyl™ background to block out troublesome light sources is a great way to help control algae growth. We’ve even created a special version of our backgrounds that’s completely opaque and totally light-blocking for people who are really serious about this goal. In some cases, like when breeding clownfish, controlling the light source can become incredibly important.
Many customers choose to use our backgrounds to cover more than just the back of their tank - they do one or both sides as well for aesthetic or functional reasons.
Aquarium Vinyl customer photo
Change the look of your tank easily.
Aquarium Vinyl™ backgrounds are customizable in both size and design, and can be enhanced with LED back-lighting or used on their own. Unlike other products, our backgrounds are reusable and easy to apply and remove. Because they don’t require messy adhesives or tape, they’re easy to install, remove, store and reapply later.
Better alternative to permanent solutions like painting the back of your tank.
Painting a tank’s back is a near-permanent solution. In the aquarium hobby, anything about a tank that can’t be changed or adapted easily eventually becomes an issue. If the paint is ever to be removed, the tank has to be emptied and drained before the laborious process of chipping the paint off with a razor blade. A solid color background that’s cut to your exact dimensions will reduce your labor from start to finish. Installation is fast and easy, and removal is no different.
Create the look and feel of more plants, coral etc. without overcrowding your tank.
Typically, aquariums don’t start out looking immediately lush and fully-stocked with thriving plants and vibrant corals. Cultivating a healthy, beautiful tank takes time. Backgrounds that complement elements for natural aquascaping, e.g. plants and corals, can help create a completed look while still showcasing what’s inside of the tank.
Even well-established planted tanks don’t necessarily grow lush enough to cover the whole back wall of the tank. Adding a background featuring an image of plants can help close the gaps and make planted tanks look fuller. Conversely, selecting one of our gradient or soft color images will emphasize the real plants inside your tank.
Aquarium Vinyl customer photo
For saltwater tanks that are just starting with new, small corals or for tanks that are more focused on fish than coral, a colorful reef background is an easy way to replicate a full, thriving reef. And for an established reef tank filled with coral, we have background options that don’t have to detract from the coral inside of the tank, but can instead help to emphasize their various colors and textures and provide visual depth to your reef.
Aquarium Vinyl customer photo
For businesses, it’s a branding opportunity.
Well-maintained aquariums in consumer-facing locations can go a long way in fostering a sophisticated, high-end atmosphere. Areas with aquariums are always popular spots in offices or public establishments. Some customers opt for a custom background with their own logo or photo, taking advantage of an opportunity to have branding in a location guaranteed to get attention.
Aquarium Vinyl customer photo
