Glass Paint Advice Please

[Bigmallly]

Hiya,
I'm toying around painting the top & 3 sides of the Fish TV to reduce algae build up, leaving just the one viewing pane. My questions are:
What paint would you use?...........I was thinking tile paint.
What colour?...........I was thinking a nice aqua blue
What side of the glass would you paint, in or out?............I can't decide until I suss out any toxicity.
Would it block out too much light?

Or, have you any other ideas that may work?........I can only think of is a magnetic glass cleaner & modifying the outer magnet by attaching a long handle to it so I can reach it from the ponds edge.

As always, thanks in advance.

[Martin H]

I can't help with your paint question, but I'm worried that it would make the TV so dark inside that you wouldn't be able to see the fish?

[bearded bloke]

Paint wise in an ideal wourld you would clean the surface/s with rubbing alcohol, then apply an acid based self etching primer (AUTOTEK ACID SELF ETCHING PRIMER 500ml SPRAY PAINT - GREY | eBay or similar) but in the real world most use an oil based paint with a high specific adhesion, which is posh speak for gloss paint or as you say tile paint but either will peel over time as there is no mechanical adhesion to help the coating stay on the glass when it goes through expansion & contraction cycles.

Bearing Martin's comment in mind possibly a better option would be to colour the glass with a semi-opague paint designed for "craftwork" which would let at least some light through, this .. PEBEO VITRAIL GLASS PAINT STAINED, OPAQUE & TRANSPARENT EFFECT COLOURS 45ml POTS | eBay .. type of thing If you do go for this stuff remember to get it's thinner at the same time


ere yer go bud ..........

[Bigmallly]

Thanks guys, I've just had a crazy idea (I know, nowt new there.......) that may just work........I was thinking of using blue tarp but instead for 40p I'm gonna get hold of a medium/large 1kea bag and cut out the front piece, it's the perfect colour & lets some light through. I'll attach it to the outside of the tank with double sided tape. I may have to modify the size but I'm handy on a sewing machine........ I'll post a pic if it works.

[Bigmallly]

I looked into those paints BB but I don't think the tank will fit in the oven to bake the paint..........

[bearded bloke]

No worries BM, I quite like the eyekeya bag idea, cost effective if it works & easy to remove if it doesn't win - win

[Bigmallly]

My thought exactly BB. I can see a project coming on...............oh no.......

[Bill HH]

Where do you dream them up from? Wont the uncovered pane still get a build up of algae? Meaning you will still have to remove the TV for cleaning? We used to have an indoor fish tank and that got Algae build up, but there was one breed of fish that actually ate the stuff and cleaned the glass. though not perfectly.I shall be watching with interest.

[Bigmallly]

Possibly Bill but if it does, I'll buy a magnetic cleaner just for the front.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Floating-Aqu...xp_grid_pt_0_0

[Kirk]

Hobby Craft used to sell sheets of coloured acrylic.
They were A4 size as I recall and came in an assortment of colours.
I would be prone to getting something similar and putting that on with small bits of double sided tape or similar (pads) and then seeing how this worked.

[21up]

Hi Bigmallly
i have used these glass paints from craft shop and they are excellent
i did a feature window in my last house a landscape with swans and birds and hills and dales
beautifull picture many comments on it.
it went on the glass no problem easy to do no primer all colours very bright and really good
effect once tried you will want to do your house windows next.
The colours are as good as looking into the real colours of a fish tank.

Dont skimp spend some brass and get to craft shop i got mine from smiths g. centre in otley/.
By the way different subject Last year when you used masking tape on beet and parsnips did it work 100% or was it hit and miss newspaper yes but tape seems a bit heavy to break through
cheers mate

[Bigmallly]

By the way different subject Last year when you used masking tape on beet and parsnips did it work 100% or was it hit and miss newspaper yes but tape seems a bit heavy to break through
cheers mate

Thanks for the advice. Yes, the masking tape worked, I sent you a pm.

[roitelet]

Just a point. We use green wine bottles on the drinkers for our rabbits and we still get lots of algae in them. The only way to stop algae is to exclude all light.

[Bigmallly]

Thanks Roitelet. I have been looking at maybe using window film but not sure that would even work. It's catch 22 as I want light to still get in but filter whatever creates the algae.

[roitelet]

How about trying some water snails who will eat the algae. That is if you can keep them I the television!