Diy Tank Safe Decorations?

[clovis]

Hi all,
While patiently waiting for my tank to cycle, I have started decorating.  Some rocks (they came from the previous tank owner's tank, and have been boiled, but from my reading, I am not sure they are aquariums safe, and will get back to you guys later on that topic) some driftwood (same as above) and some live plants.
My son and I have created with the rocks a formation called "skull island" , what we would like to do is have very small figurines to make the "island" and the neon tetras that will live there a feeling of being much bigger than they are.  Basically something the size, or even smaller, than green army men (you know the plastic toys).
Now from all my reading on the tinterweb, most people agree that you should only put aquarium designed decorations in an aquarium.  So my questions are basically the following
1) Do you all concur that no modern plastics should go in a tank?
2) Is there any way to make something non aqaurium designed aquarium safe (ie some epoxy resin that one could paint on it for example)
3) If there really is no way out of buying aquarium designed decorations, where can one go that does not involve sponge bob square pants figurines?
Thanks all,
Clovis
 
PS What I would really like to do create a party of small pewter like figurines and hand paint them, but I am guessing that is out of the question.
 

 

[clovis]

http/www.okeanosgroup.com/blog/water-as-art/behold-the-quirky-slightly-funny-world-of-underwater-figurines/
 
not exactly what I would like to do, but pretty darn close

 

[attibones]

The only decorations I can make are practical ones like caves and tunnels. But I have also been interested in the kind of stuff you are talking about. Unfortunately I don't know how to tell. You could potentially do a test. Set up a small tank and throw in some plastic figurines. Then see if they change pH or hardness levels. I don't know how to tell if they leach anything else into the water though.

 

[Munroco]

I dont see that plastic can do any harm, lots of tank bits and pieces (ie filters, heater protectors) are plastic. Painted plastics would be a different matter. As long as the fish don't swallow your little people all should be well.