[Lucky_13]

ok, i see all these amazing looking backgrounds here, just these depthless colors that make the tank look like the back isn't even there. how do you achieve that look? with my first planted tank, i just spray painted the back black and that seemed to work, but for my most recent project i want white or soft blue, but i want that ethereal bottomless look

something like these

 

[spypet]

It's a studio photography trick, not a background.

they surround the tank with a white sheet,
illuminated the sheet from behind,
run a blow dryer along the water to make ripples,
and get water line plants to disperse nicely,
then they take a few dozen photos till they
get the leaves and fish positioned just right.

 

[Lucky_13]

well, i'm not ninterested in the scape in that tank. its nice, but not what i want. just the effect of the background. i've seen some similar ones around here though. it looks like people just take a piece of canvas or somesuch and prop it up behind the tank, but not touching the tank, and have a small light shining onto the canvas

 

[spypet]

the closest idea I've seen to leaving it that way all the time is to take a thin layer of white styrafoam, lay it against the back of your tank, and leave a florescent light or even a cool to the touch incandescent light mounted low and behind the styrafoam which gives your tank back a dawn/dusk look.

 

[Lucky_13]

well, the tank i want to do this to, i already have painted the background white...i wonder if i could just take a small colored bulb and set it behind the tank?