Question re: back of tank - keep glass clean or not?

[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by asmodeus

Ok Steve let me rephrase that the tank is alot brighter from the dull coraline to the bright light blue color that the tank is painted..

after having both a tank that was viewable from 3 sides and one that was against the wall at the same time to compare, I would never have the back clear/clean again. I actualy fine the pinks, reds and purples of the coraline catch the light better and light up, where the glass just stays looking dim. now having said that I would lightly clean the back to allow the coaline to take hold, so in other words to remove the film algae but not hard enough to remove the coraline.

It does take a while to get the look this way so you would want to paint the back of the tank also. I did blue befor but I would go black if I did it again.

now a painted back does look nice and as you said looks bright also, but it doesn't look that natural to me. both my tanks had one end or back painted and I use a medium blue. it was like a wall of blue no depth, no variation ect.. how many things in the ocean are like that. when the coraline grew over the back of the one tank it was amazing instead of nice, the rockwork blended into the back and added a dimention to the tank the other didn't have.

Steve