fishbites Posted January 6, 2012 Report Share Posted January 6, 2012 Nice bright blue.... did you do the ends as well? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadoh Posted January 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2012 Yes, doing the ends as well. Getting pretty frustrated with it. Every coat I apply, I end up with pinprick size holes in the paint. Hoping coat #4 will fill them in. Paint is touch dry between coats (thin coats) approx 30 min between coats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishbites Posted January 6, 2012 Report Share Posted January 6, 2012 get those holes sometimes ..... just from impurities on the surface (oil or something) .. I lay the tank so its painted surface is horizontal and fill the holes with paint - won't see the extra from the front but will cover the holes .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadoh Posted January 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2012 Ahh... Glad someone out there has some common sense, as it seems to have left me ATM Thanks Wayne!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishbites Posted January 6, 2012 Report Share Posted January 6, 2012 lol.... I usually don't do the painting 'by the book' .... when it says light coats I give it one really heavy coat and then touch up the bits and pieces - too impatient to give it 4 or more coats....... get the spray can as close as possible (about 8cm) and don't get much spray drift that way either..... the part of the paint job you're going to see is the bottom coat - unlike if you're painting something else where you see the final coat.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadoh Posted January 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2012 Ok... Paint job is a failure. Just tried as above and the holes have tripled in size. Made the layer too thick... Time to scrape it back, get new paint and start again... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishbites Posted January 6, 2012 Report Share Posted January 6, 2012 If you're going to do that .... make sure you give it a good rub down with metho to clean off the glass.... what paint are you using? I just use the cheapest stuff I can find - about $3 a can..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadoh Posted January 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2012 I'm using the cheap stuff. Think I'll try matt paint next time. I was using gloss. I gave it a wipe down with windex before I started, but must have missed a bit. Could have been a little residue from the turps from when I cleaned up the silicone originally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
les Posted January 6, 2012 Report Share Posted January 6, 2012 Hey Jarrod Turps will do that and matt would be the better option Cheers Les PS Hurry up allready I want to see the finished project LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadoh Posted January 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2012 Lol... You and me both Les! Want to do my lawns for me tomorrow so I can work on my tanks? *lol* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadoh Posted January 7, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2012 Scraped off all the old paint. Rubbed the tank down with metho 3 times to be on the safe side. Have sprayed 2 coats of blue matt paint and looks better than 4 coats of gloss ever did. Nice even coverage. I'll give it one more coat to be on the safe side, then will start scaling late this afternoon Scaping, not scaling... Damn autocorrect *lol* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fletch Posted January 7, 2012 Report Share Posted January 7, 2012 Photos once done please. Lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadoh Posted January 7, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2012 (edited) This will have to tide you over mate... 3 coats of paint. Very happy with the colour. Only downside is the paint got under the horizontal aluminum strips. Oh well... To impatient to be picky you'll hardly notice once it is planted up. (that's what I am telling myself anyway ) Edited January 7, 2012 by shadoh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadoh Posted January 7, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2012 One more... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fletch Posted January 7, 2012 Report Share Posted January 7, 2012 Not sure about painting the sides, I know the fish will love it but then I couldn't watch them "get it on". You know about my mirror this morning. Lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadoh Posted January 7, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2012 Just finished setting up the tank. I've left the right side bare, as I am getting a lotus off Matt at the next Betta Australis meet that will look amazing there if I keep it trimmed. Love the blue background. It makes the tank look much brighter and should make viewing the mahachai much easier. Last time, they got lost against the black background. Some photos (to keep Busman off my back...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fletch Posted January 7, 2012 Report Share Posted January 7, 2012 You couldn't help yourself. You just had to have a go. :-P That looks really nice mate. Like that painted background. Where's the fish? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadoh Posted January 7, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2012 Fish are in the tub still. I will add them tomorrow. This is the first time I've done one of these setups and the water has been a little cloudy. Guess I didn't wash the sand as thoughly as I did last time. Also used new Val runners from main tank and accidentally introduced the hair algae... Grr... Think I got it all out... Don't want that taking hold before the tank establishes itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishbites Posted January 8, 2012 Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 its tomorrow now... so where are the pics of the fish? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fletch Posted January 8, 2012 Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 Lol. Thanks Wayne. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishbites Posted January 8, 2012 Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 Well someone had to say it!!! We've been waiting since midnight and he still hasn't delivered on his promise :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadoh Posted January 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 (edited) Oh, I see how it is... You two now are a tag team of photo harrassment Put the pair in this morning. I've been outside mowing (halfway done...YAY!!!) and in that time the male has coloured up. As per typical mahachai, this pair have picked out a hidy hole and are being secretive and covert, poking their heads out to look to see if I am finally out of site. I'll try feeding them some juicy blood worms at the front of the tank this afternoon when I am finished the mowing. Hopefully I will be able to snap a photo or two. If this fails, I will set up the video camera in front of the tank and dissapear for an hour. Hopefully, they will swim into view with me not being around. Not all of us have friendly photoshopped looking hornbags... J - Out!!! *lol* Edited January 8, 2012 by shadoh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fletch Posted January 8, 2012 Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 Another shot at me. Lol. This could damage a friendship (you will not get rid of me that easy). Hope you survive mowing in this ridiculous heat. Please note Wayne, still no photos, lots of excuses though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadoh Posted January 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 :rofl: I only do it 'cause you can handle it... Besides, you give as good as you get :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishbites Posted January 8, 2012 Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 Blaming the poor innocent fish.... unbelievable..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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