Tank Art

Hello everyone,

Got my first tank last summer and want to decorate it with some "homemade artwork." Any suggestions as to what kind of paint and protective finish I should use? I understand that when the tank gets tested, some may want to know if I'm covering anything such as dings, etc., but I'll deal with that when the time comes... unless what I want to do is "illegal" in any way.

THanks for the input.

FD

I'm currently using static cling stickers. Applied properly, they don't fall off, are removable, reusable & don't leave a mark when removed. & are available in many different styles, colours and sizes.

You can even get custom printing/artwork.

Spray paint don't heat cure or anything like that. Make sure you go to an actual dive shop, not sport chalet, and see if they have a problem with you painting it. Also if you like the color it is just pain it with a brush. I don't know what your normal dive conditions are but my tanks get banged up so don't spend a lot of time. More than likely it will get messed up from banging a rock to transport and filling.

Thanks for the input. I wan't planning on heating it or anyhting so complicated. My wife is a school teacher and the art teacher in her school offered to paint a logo and my name (probably no bigger than a can of soda on my tank to help me identify mine at the shop, on a boat, etc. Sure, my conditions ion the North Atlantic ensure my tank get beauty marks, but I love 'em. This is not for cosmetic reasons, just something subtle to personalize my tank. I'm an Ohio State Alum so I was thinking of "Brutus Buckeye" in scuba gear.

What kind of paint should she use? Epoxy? Enamel? Any clear coat?

Thanks again,

FD

If you're still considering Static Clings they have them in various sports logos.

http://www.cbsohiou.com/decalz/decals.html

http://www.hometeams.com/ohstbu11x17t.html

I used enamel, and then clear coated it with a clear enamel spray paint. That was two years ago and the paint is fine except the "beauty marks" I sanded mine to scuff it up and then wiped it down with acetone to give it a nice surface for the paint to stick.

Here are some covers which are nice but pretty expensive for what you are getting. You could buy five cans of spray paint and have some fun for the same price. I'm not artist but you can make some cool designs with spray paint. If you put liquid dish soap and then spray paint, the soap will act as tape and spray paint won't stick to where the soap is. Let the paint dry for 10mins or so then hose it off. Dry the tank and repeat and you can have as many colors as you want. Pretty simple and you'll be impressed how well it looks.

http://www.leisurepro.com/prod/SHDTC.html

oooh. I forgot about those. They are really nice looking in person.

Hey,

Finally got word back from Faber, my tank manufacturer, and they gave me input. They said that if I use very fine wet sandpaoper to scuff and allow paint to adhere, then use an epoxy paint with a urethane finish, I will have no problems.

It should be almost as durable as the factory finish (not sure if I believe this), and will be flexible enough that upon tank testing and expansion, the art won't crack.

FD

I'd believe it, I don't know if I would only use fine wet sanding. At min. I would use 100grit. Personally I used a disk sander on one of my tanks, that was only due to the fact that it's finish was cracked and all flakey.

Oh I forgot one thing. On your first post you were worried about covering up defects and getting it tested. The only time you would have to worry about that is if it is rubberized tool dip like paint.

I wanted to personlise my tank a bit so i ended up buying a good sharpy (permenant texta) and drawing that shark Bruce from finding nemo, did it prob 6 months ago and its still going strong, had it tested last week and nothing was mentioned.

Brad