I Could Scream!

[lock77]

Long story short, I've recently bought a bare tank and cabinet. I spent christmas getting it sorted. Woke up this morning to find I hadn't siliconed the back edge as well as I thought I did and water had gotten between my backround and glass. Is there any chance this will dry itself, I'm in no hurry to start breaking down my new tank and there's no chance of getting behind it. Please help!!!

 

[EllieJellyEllie]

Well, youre going to need to silicone the back edge, so I would start breaking it dlwn so mold doesnt form.

 

[lock77]

Well, youre going to need to silicone the back edge, so I would start breaking it dlwn so mold doesnt form.

I can't do it. I blew my Christmas holidays setting it up.

 

[star4]

Is this a paper background on the outside? if so yeah it will dry out, especially if its the shiny gloss sort. The only thing is sometimes they tend to stick to the glass once they have dried out. The one on my naughty oscars tank is forever getting wet when he goes off on one and splashes water.

 

[lock77]

Yep it's glossy paper. It is getting irritating to look at and my wife made a good point "what's the point if your not happy with it". Going to try and squeeze my hand behind it tomorrow. I only used sellotape so it shouldn't be too hard to peel off, biggest problems going to be sticking it back.

 

[star4]

I use to sticky tape a bit of kitchen roll to something long and thin and dry off the spashes that way, so I didnt have to pull off the whole background, but my oscar does it that often I dont bother any more lol

 

[lock77]

I use to sticky tape a bit of kitchen roll to something long and thin and dry off the spashes that way, so I didnt have to pull off the whole background, but my oscar does it that often I dont bother any more lol

Sounds hassle free, I'll give it a go thank you.

 

[ShinySideUp]

This doesn't help you but I sympathise.
 
When I bought my six foot tank early last year I used a removeable sealing compound to stick my black backing on the the outside of my tank. I got it all into place and filled the tank with 640 litres of water, decorated it, planted it and stocked it with fish -- all fine. Until about six weeks had passed then without warning, right in the middle of the backing paper from the top to the bottom of the tank, the paper pulled away from the tank leaving a strip about an inch wide that was a different black -- gloss as opposed to matt. The tank with water, gravel and decorations probably weighs about 800 Kg so it's not going to be moved in a hurry.
 
I thought of all sorts of ways I could cure the problem from slitting the paper and making a less visible fold or pulling the paper from the side and then trying to stick it back on, neither of which was viable since there was only three inches of clearance between tank and wall.
 
So what did I do? Bought a plant, a tall one, one that when fully grown has leaves that stick out about the water and has a copious number of stems -- I can hardly see it now.
 
And for your information in case you buy a very large tank in the future: The reason the paper pulled away was because I applied the paper on to a cool, empty tank and when the water warmed and everything stabilzed the paper expanded and finally gave up the sticky ghost and came away.