Aquarium Background Decor | Sporn Static Cling | Classic Black Design

Yves: Tried to scrape out the air bubbles and it took off the black layer

Canada on Jul 23, 2022

MakaylaMakayla: This item is convenient and does pretty much exactly what you want it to - it creates a black background that adds a lot more depth to your aquarium. But it’s REFLECTIVE! I didn’t realize that when I purchased the product. This would generally not be an issue but I wanted to add a black background to my betta tank… within minutes of putting the back on my betta started flaring his fins and attacking the wall because he saw his own reflection. I didn’t want to stress him out any further so I removed it.

TLDR… this item is reflective so make sure whatever aquarium you’re putting this on has fish that don’t care if they see their own reflection.

United States on May 24, 2022

GamechangerGamechanger: I'm generally happy with this product, mine came bent on the package and a broken/damaged package end.

Nonetheless the actual film was inside and at first I was concerned that it was grey because that's the color you see on the outside but the inside is black. The actual film had some bend so it was a tad flawed. :(

As for the installation I first windexed any finger prints off, used a spray bottle filled with soapy water, and then smoothed everything out with a credit card. Fairly easy if you follow these steps.

Final results, it's not perfect but it does the job! The item is sheer when the sun hits the window but nonetheless I'm very happy with the result. It makes my aquarium pop so I'd recommend this item if you are careful on how you are installing it.

Canada on Feb 23, 2022

JJ: Easy to work with and easy to install. Recommended

Canada on Jun 27, 2021

Here, There, & EverywhereHere, There, & Everywhere: This was fairly easy to apply. I set my spray bottle to mist and misted the backside of my aquarium. I then used my Kitchen-Aid bowl scraper, because its flat and long, and pressed the background on a little at a time. I just kept slowly peeling back the paper as I smoothed the film onto the glass. It went on nicely; however, it really needs to be wider/ taller.
I have an average sized rectangular 20 gal tank. The length was perfect, but the height is so much shorter than it should be. I tried to build the gravel up in the back more, but there is still a gap of noticeable space where everything settled inside the tank. The plants help cover up too, but it really should be more than 12".

United States on Jun 17, 2021

Joe: I think the product is alright for the price. The truth is though, I'm not sure the ease of use and overall look is any better than just taping black construction paper to your aquarium. Or if you're willing to do a permanent change, painting the back glass black. Even with a pretty thorough search for bubbles there is some slight variation in darkness. End of the day, it won't matter, plants will cover most of it and the black will filter through, but I think it's worth noting if you're fussy.

Here's what I would have found helpful and even been willing to pay a little more for:
1) Pre cut/sized sheets to standard tank size. If I could have avoided having to cut a perfect line for my tank, I would have been happier.
2) Slightly thicker/more opaque film

Overall- it's fine, and depending on how much you pay for it can meet your needs. I think I paid a fair price for what I got- so 4 stars from me!

United States on Jan 20, 2021

bluttmer: This was easy to install and I did it in a matter of minutes. In order to make installation easier, I peeled the backing off from the film at the top and bent the paper back about 3 inches. This allowed me to mist just that part of the film and get the alignment straight with the top of my tank. From there, I simply misted the tank glass and peeled the rest of the paper off toward the bottom of the tank. I used a folded up postcard to get out any bubbles and sliding the film while it was still wet underneath was easy to ensure it lined up properly. My only complaint was that after installation, I noticed that there were some spots on the film that appeared to be opaque with light showing through, rather than black, as if the coating was thinner in those spots.

United States on Jan 12, 2021

JessalynJessalyn: It wasnt that hard to put on, but the fact that it was rolled made it more difficult. I didnt have time to lay it out flat and let it unroll, but if you have time, you should do that. Be careful when unrolling because it does get wrinkled and creased very easily. It didnt come with instructions, so i just assumed you apply it to a clean surface. After googling because it didnt look right, i found that i need to redo it because you're supposed to spray water on the surface first. I'll have to leave it as it is right now and reapply it later. If you have measuring tape used for bodies and clothing, you should use that. All i had was a ruler so the measurements are a little off. You'll also want squeegee. I just needed it to block out some light from my windows, so i had to put it on quickly as the light was causing algae on my plants. Overall, it is a good background, especially for the price.

United States on Oct 02, 2020

Kevin McLean: I was really hoping this would work but I had the worst time getting this installed. Bubbles in the film are a real pain to get out followed the instructions and used a squeegy which has resulted in some streaking in the film (lines of permanent discoloration). I've got it on as best I can now and the color isn't a rich black, looks dark grey/washed out once it's stuck to the glass. I'll be moving on from this soon.

Canada on Nov 10, 2019

RN: Good alternative to painting the back of your tank or trying to use tape/glue to hold the paper. Was easy to apply once you cut the right measurement. Only negative is that it's a bit easy to scratch and when you do it rubs off. Next time instead of following the directions to use a credit card directly, I would use only my hands to get rid of bubbles or wrap the credit card in a towel.

Canada on Apr 27, 2016