DIY Fabric Aquarium Background

[tekonus]

A few weeks ago I posted that I wanted to make a custom background for my 33g tank and someone (if I remember who, I will give them due credit) gave me a brilliantly simple idea. I decided to try it, so before I went to work today I picked up what I need and I will be assembling with pictures when I get home tonight. Here's the spec's.

My tank is 48"x12"x13" (depth and height might be backwards, I will measure when I get home)

What I bought:
5' of very dark blue w/ light gold speckle fablic ~$12
1 36" dowel (I believe it is 1/4") ~.69¢

The plan:
-Cut the dowel into 2 pieces that are the height of the tank glass (excluding the black framing).
-Cut the fabric to fit the tank back appropriately with enough excess on the sides to staple-gun each side to to the dowel.
-Stretch the fabric neatly across the back of the aquarium, and hot-glue the dowels in place on the outside corners of the tank.

Why hot glue?
It can easily be scraped off the glass and re-applied if need be.

Why bother with the dowels and not just glue the fabric directly?
Again, if I ever need to take it down and put it back up it will make it simpler. I would imagine removing hot-glued fabric would ruin the fabric pretty easily. The dowels are thin enough so that they won't be an eye-soar.

Here is the before pic:

 

[blue2fyre]

I can't wait to see how this comes out. I have thought of doing something similar with my 55 gallon. But I planned on using velcro to attach the fabric to the back of the tank.

 

[tekonus]

I can't wait to see how this comes out. I have thought of doing something similar with my 55 gallon. But I planned on using velcro to attach the fabric to the back of the tank.

I had considered this, but I think stretching it with the dowels will keep it in place better. Also, the only way I can think of to do it with velcro would be more of an eye-soar.

 

[fishorama]

I guess I have the ghetto version, black fabric duct taped on

 

[247Plants]

I used black felt and velcro tabs. Best $5 I ever spent.

 

[tekonus]

I used black felt and velcro tabs. Best $5 I ever spent.

I'm sure the velcro blended right in with the black felt and it probably doesn't look bad at all. Any pics?

 

[247Plants]

I actually put the tabs on the trim, so you dont see anything at all. no pics, but I will take some later.

 

[tekonus]

I actually put the tabs on the trim, so you dont see anything at all. no pics, but I will take some later.

If the velcro is on the trim I would imagine that means the fabric is slightly raised off the glass, correct? I wasn't sure if this would make it look funny at all, that was why I didn't really consider it fully.

 

[jm1212]

if everything is uniform and not glossy, there really shouldnt be any difference in the color if some of it is raised off the glass.

 

[blue2fyre]

Yeah I planned to put the velcro on the trim. I was going to use very dark fabric so I would think it wouldn't make much difference.