Redecorating...

[dixaisy930]

I'd like to redecorate my 10 gallon, but I need some ideas. Perferably things found around the home, or something cheap.

I heard some people use legos...any thoughts on that?

I have some mini-plastic slinkies, and my fish like sleeping in them, swimming through them ect...so I'd like to keep those in there.

Also, I was going to take the slinkies and such out and get some of the algea, ect off of them. Is this alright? Probably much needed...

 

[lizard]

You can use terra-cotta flowerpots. They're cheap and my fish really seem to enjoy them, as do the ghost shrimp. I climb on them and sit in them. EDIT: The ghost shrimp climb on the flowerpots and the ghost shrimp and fish sit in them, NOT ME. I'd break 'em!

That's all I can think of for now. Oh, PVC pipe. Doesn't look as natural as the terra-cotta, but the fish like 'em. They come in assorted lengths and widths, and you can get both straight and bent ones. My fishies like 'em. My Plec's favorite hiding spot is inside the PVC pipe.

Okay, that's all for now

Pamela
aka Lizard

 

[rsz]

I climb on them and sit in them.

hmm... doesn't sound like that'll help re-decorate

 

[akhtar]

well he was just saying that the shrimps like them! duhh :

 

[BettaBoyz]

alright, head out to a Dollar Store. look around a bit for candle holders, notice how some look like caves? ceramic candleholders with a hollow body and scooped top make the perfect cave/lunch bar. fish can hide inside them, you can drop sinking pellets on top so it's much easier to clean them up if they aren't eaten. they come in tons of colors, patterns and shapes! i've found neat little round ones with circular tops in blue/purple with a white fishy, and in blue/white striped w/ a green fishy, as well as countless others.

 

[akhtar]

hey, u can get these reall cool pebbles, they come in loads of diffferent colours, or go rock picking (in ur garden) and find some nice rocks and clean them and stick them inside! LOL

 

[kuter]

I haven't done this yet but I was thinking along the lines of the PVC pipe. However I intend to get the silicone sealant that is used to fix leaky tanks and glue on rocks or artificial plants that match or compliment the rest of the tank. If you have children then you can make a craft day out of it!
However if you are really into the redneck look, a toy car pointed nose down may work for you. A tiny toy gun (the discarded murder weapon effect) would compliment the stolen car.
If however you are looking for a more "trendsetter" approach and you have a really large tank, a Barbie doll car with Barbie still strapped in it may be what you are looking for. Atop the hood, a Ken doll with his arm around GI Joe would complete this decor.
Other options are a tiny ship that actually floats on top of the tank surrounded by a bit of black plastic to similate an oil spill would take on a Valdez theme.
Your options are unlimited as to the decor of your tank and the impression it makes on friends and family.
Happy Decorating!
Kuter & Krew

 

[wuvmybetta]

if you have a bunch of small terra cotta pots you could make a "stairway" effect using/stacking some sort of flat rock then plant your live plants in the pots using gravel and place them on the "shelves" giving it a garden shop look ,that might be cute

 

[guppymonkey]

I haven't done this yet but I was thinking along the lines of the PVC pipe. However I intend to get the silicone sealant that is used to fix leaky tanks and glue on rocks or artificial plants that match or compliment the rest of the tank. If you have children then you can make a craft day out of it!
However if you are really into the redneck look, a toy car pointed nose down may work for you. A tiny toy gun (the discarded murder weapon effect) would compliment the stolen car.
If however you are looking for a more "trendsetter" approach and you have a really large tank, a Barbie doll car with Barbie still strapped in it may be what you are looking for. Atop the hood, a Ken doll with his arm around GI Joe would complete this decor.
Other options are a tiny ship that actually floats on top of the tank surrounded by a bit of black plastic to similate an oil spill would take on a Valdez theme.
Your options are unlimited as to the decor of your tank and the impression it makes on friends and family.
Happy Decorating!
Kuter & Krew

Everything mentioned here has metal in it. The metal would rust and end up contaminating the water and killing the fish. plus the fish would eat the Barbie's hair and die from that. I hope you weren't serious when you mentioned that. The only things that should be put in a tank are things that will not leach out into the water.

 

[Fly258]

the impression it makes on friends and family.

AND THE FISH ??

 

[semper fi]

there are lots of things that you can decorate your tanks with. done some unusual tank setups.

my mother in law's - she collects carnival glass. has so much that every now and then she tankes some out of storage and switches it with some on display. ran it through the dishwasher a few times (no soap), boiled it and in her 90 wall tank took out the gravel. arranged the carnival glass on the bottom. very pretty display.

son's tank - took hotwheels and leggos and made a construction site. yes you cannot put metal in tank's. i brushed on silicone and covered the trucks with about three coats to make sure it was well covered.

daughter's tank - made a bunch of hills and took plastic horses coated with silicone and made a feild with the horses in it.

180 - took a pic of the marines raising the flag at iwo jima and had it blown up the size of the back of the tank. taped it to the outside of the tank. got some plastic soldiers and made a battlefield out of it with bunkers, a sandy beach, driftwood. got my devils in it.

you can let your imagination run wild. make sure that everything is well washed. all metal is covered, silicone is best to use as long as it is 100% silicone. some set ups may take a while and some patience but the end results are worth it.

 

[cichlidmaster]

I haven't done this yet but I was thinking along the lines of the PVC pipe.

Everything mentioned here has metal in it.

PVC piping is plastic and entirely safe for aquarium use!! Although not very asthetically pleasing!!

 

[semper fi]

could silicone some rocks to the outside of it.

 

[kuter]

No Guppy, I was not serious about that. I just have a somewhat demented sense of humor.
Well I was serious about the PVC with the fish safe rocks and artificial plants adhered by the sealant. My true personal taste in fish tank decorating is as little as possible while maintaining a safe, comfortable environment for my lil critters. My biggest frustration is finding a background panel that I like. Most of them are very busy or have nothing to do with fish at all. One that I found at Petsmart is a desert theme. Now what does that have to do with fish? LOL..
One thought I have is to get a thin piece of plexiglass or acrylic and appy contact paper. However I haven't come up with a way to attach this to the back of the tank yet.
I do have a small stream on the backside of the property and finding nice worn rocks there is an option for me.
At any rate, its really fun to hear about people's ideas and ways to make a nice tank without spending gobs of money
Kuter & Krew

 

[dixaisy930]

The fish LOVE my combination and style and functional-ity (I don't think that's a word ). I used three different sizes of terra cotta pots, and two small glass bottles. In the two glass bottles I put some of those glass marbles then laid them on their side so some of the marbles came out. I used some of the smaller terra cotta pots to actually plant plants so I could move them easier (if need be) and they would get uprooted by my snail or nosy fish. I also bought some new plants, ones with broader leaves, and the puffer and bumblebee gobies love resting/sleeping on them. I used two of the larger pots on their side and the other say I saw three cories crammed in one, just as happy an can be. I still haven't figured out how my white cheeked goby squeezes under there... Two of the bettas (Dogma and Saphia) have terra cotta pots to hide in...big success with both.

Just thought I'd share...eventhough no one asked...