Making your own tank decor?

**bobo1234** · 02-17-2013, 02:56 PM

Hello guys, hope all is well,
I was wondering if anyone can help me. I had an idea to make my own tank decor such as Castles, Houses that type of thing. Would anyone know if you can buy kits or if you can make your own by buying the right materials? Just an idea.

Warmest regards,

**mizzoutank** · 02-17-2013, 03:38 PM

i personally have never seen kits, but you could make anything you want and if you seal it properly it'll be safe for the tank.

the downside is that the cost doesn't really justify it. because everything is mass produced and made of plastic, the castle you wish to create would cost 50bucks, while at the lfs it is 20.

**CrunchyLeaf** · 02-17-2013, 08:39 PM

I have wondered this myself before. I am a huge fan of the TV show LOST and I wanted to make a LOST themed tank that features a large, realistic plane wreckage in the middle of the tank and have plants growing out the windows and all through it. I just wouldn't even know how to go about doing that.

**stealthy hunter** · 02-17-2013, 08:57 PM

I have made many diy tank decorations. Most recently I did a custom background. I used 1/2 inch rigid foam ( the pink stuff) and then covered it with floor patch cement. I can give you some more details if you like
Let me know I would be happy to help

**fearsome** · 02-19-2013, 06:21 AM

I think the most common 2 types of decorations are either ceramic, which just means you do pottery, or resin which is a plastic that can be formed with any type of cutting and melting techniques. Looking up those 2 should get you where you need to go. I have seen people use lots of foams like great stuff for terrariums but ya that would float and without a perfect seal would get water logged.

**ddavis1979** · 02-19-2013, 12:52 PM

You could always nab some spare bricks or terra cotta pots and get a dremel tool and see what kind of artist you are :)

Ugg, LOST, did you ever see the end? So many questions unaswered and the ending was a cop out. I watched all seven seasons and I would be tempted to make "I hate LOST" shrine :) haha

**mollybegood** · 02-19-2013, 01:03 PM

About airplane wreckage, would a plastic model glued together with aquarium sealant be a viable solution? I saw videos(on the internet) where foam was cut to shape and then coated with grout.

**mizzoutank** · 02-19-2013, 03:49 PM

Anything is really plausible if you seal it correctly.

I just don't find the risk worth the reward.
Because if you don't seal it properly, you can't really test the water for what is leaching out into the water.
plastics can and will leach some harmful byproducts/chemicals into the water.
Same with metals and foam.

so you'll never know your water is toxic until your fish get very ill and by then it'll be too late for a cure, and the only way to fix the issue would be a near tear down of the tank.

**talldutchie** · 02-19-2013, 07:30 PM

One bonus of not liking decorations.. you don't have to worry about these things.

Having said that... someday when I'm rich and have lots of room I'm going to do one native canal tank with part of a shopping trolly and some empty drinks cans and a few bricks.

**4Mike** · 02-20-2013, 10:23 PM

Hi.
On one of my tanks I found a product that you can pour on a rock formation and it will make a copy of it I went up to the San Juan's and I found a formation and made a copy for my tank. It has tunnels and looks great. The Seattle Aquarium has used the same product. It's kind of like a plastic putty.