Measuring Your Tank & Choosing a Background Size

Aquariums come in all shapes and sizes, and Aquarium Vinyl backgrounds are available in nearly any size you might need. This is great news because tank dimensions are not as “standardized” as we all might hope. The exact measurements for any particular volume are not always consistent - tank dimensions can vary widely based on style, manufacturer, etc.

To ensure an exact fit so that you don’t have to trim the background yourself, we recommend using a tape measure to measure the length and height of the back of your tank. Length refers to the horizontal measurement along the back of the tank, and height refers to the vertical measurement from the top of the glass to the bottom.

The width of the tank (i.e. the horizontal depth of the tank, or how far it sticks out from the wall) is not needed unless you’re covering one or both sides of your tank as well as the back.

The dimensions listed on the box or label aren’t always the dimensions of the exposed glass, so double checking the measurements yourself is important. We recommend measuring the exposed glass area only, not including the black plastic rim on rimmed tanks.

Most people send us their dimensions in inches, but you can also use centimeters. When reading a U.S. / Imperial tape measure, each small line between the numbers marks 1/16 of an inch. The longer line halfway in between each number marks 1/2 inch, and every 4th line marks 1/4 inch.

Measure the length of the glass with a tape measure. (Note: the tank in the photo is a “5.5 gallon”)

This “5.5 gallon” tank dimensions are listed on the label as 16”L x 10”H, but as you can see, the length is actually closer to 15 15/16”. You can also see that there’s another 1/16” of wiggle room, so getting the measurements within 1/8” is accurate enough!

Measure the height of the glass with a tape measure.

This 5.5 gallon tank dimensions are listed on the label as 16”L x 10”H, but as you can see, the height of the glass (without the rim) is actually closer to 8 13/16”.

You don’t need to worry about getting TOO precise with your measurements. Backgrounds generally have some wiggle room of 1/8 - 1/4 inch (depending on the size of the tank) because of how the panes of glass or acrylic overlap in the corners, where the tank is held together with silicone.

If you don’t see your size listed in our drop-down menu, you can use our custom order form or email us at info@aquariumvinyl.com to place an order for any of our images in your exact size.