Derimming A 10 Gallon Tank And Painting It?

[boberga]

Hey I would like to know if it would be ok to get rid of the top trim of a standard 10 gallon tank. If so what is the best method of doing it? Another thing I wanted to ask is that I want to paint the back of the same 10 gallon aquarium black but I don't know what kind of paint to use or where to get it. Thanks

 

[BaylorPerez]

i wouldnt know if de-rimming a tank is excatly a good idea but i could be wrong, also with the paint you want one that wont leech any of the chemicals into the water of the tank, as well as to prevent any of from peeling off when/if your adding water to the tank. Acrylic paints i know can be used for it and can be safe if properly cured. (here is an example of one for you to check out http/api.viglink.com/api/click?format=go&jsonp=vglnk_145577397332217&key=52681c4a5fe7fbdf14cd36410e103feb&libId=ikru8aas0100kp44000DAc9c3bnra&loc=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cichlid-forum.com%2FphpBB%2Fviewtopic.php%3Ft%3D193158&v=1&exp=60%3ACI1C55A%3A8&type=H&out=http%3A%2F%2Frover.ebay.com%2Frover%2F1%2F711-53200-19255-0%2F1%3Ftype%3D2%26campid%3DCAMPAIGNID%26toolid%3D11000%26customid%3DCUSTOMID%26ext%3D301059536826%26item%3D301059536826%26ipn%3Dpsmain%26icep_vectorid%3D229466%26icep_ff3%3D2%26icep_item%3D301059536826&ref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F&title=Aquarium%20safe%20paint%3F%20%E2%80%A2%20Cichlid-Forum&txt=%3Cspan%3EAcrylic%20%3C%2Fspan%3E%3Cspan%3Epaints%3C%2Fspan%3E)

 

[Far_King]

Hey I would like to know if it would be ok to get rid of the top trim of a standard 10 gallon tank. If so what is the best method of doing it? Another thing I wanted to ask is that I want to paint the back of the same 10 gallon aquarium black but I don't know what kind of paint to use or where to get it. Thanks

 
It may be better for us to be able to advise if we could see some pictures of the top of the tank.
 
When I paint mine I use Frog Tape so paint can't permeate it and any spray paint that's suitable for spraying on glass (hardware stores or even Amazon will sell it) - paint the outside of the tank, not the inside.  And make sure you cover the rest of the tank as the overspray can get almost anywhere it seems.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

i wouldnt know if de-rimming a tank is excatly a good idea but i could be wrong, also with the paint you want one that wont leech any of the chemicals into the water of the tank, as well as to prevent any of from peeling off when/if your adding water to the tank. Acrylic paints i know can be used for it and can be safe if properly cured. (here is an example of one for you to check out 

No! You paint the OUTSIDE of the tank, not the inside.



Also, the plastic rim on top of the glass is actually offering structural stability the the tank, do not remove it. Even in a small tank like a ten gallon, the pressure on the glass is great.

 

[Ch4rlie]

Agreed that removing the rims off your tank is not recommended, though this can vary from tank to tank brands but generally speaking these rims, either plastic or glass types, as Eagles pointed out, are structural to the integrity of your tank.
 
The rims help prevent the glass from coming apart at the edges/joints as also in large tank helps to stop the glass from bowing under the pressure of water. Water carries a good deal of weight and the subtrate and plants etc all add to the overall weight, so I'd keep the rim on the tanks for peace of mind.
 
Aside from the loss of your potential stocking, have you ever seen 10 gallons of water on the floor? Its more than you think and creates havoc on your carpet, laminate or wooden floors etc if not dried out properly. It's not pretty and can be a lot of work to sort out.

 

[jag51186]

I will say that people have derimmed smaller tanks to make them rimless and they seem to do fine. You can find DIY videos up on youtube of how to do it. I think the King of DIY has a video about it somewhere.
 
The caveat being that taking the rim off makes it a very real risk that the tank will fail.