Article on what materials are safe for tank?

[jigglypuff7]

I cant find a good article on whats safe and not safe for your tank, incorporating unconventional pieces... Anyone know where to find one?

I want to have some fun with my tank and really make it fun for fishes and be an interesting piece in my house. I was thinking of putting a tea set in my tank or little vases and urns for the fishies to hang out in, or else building something custom. I want to be sure porcelain or bone china would be safe though, and see what kind of materials could be used for making tank decor.

[PolishPuff]

I really dont know

But I've seen a decor made from LEGO blocks ones.

[J-P]

a rule of thumb is "non metallic food grade items are usually safe"

BUT!! and since there is always one .. we have no idea how the salt will corrode or affect these items in the long run.

[bastallard]

I have seen ceramics, terracotta, glass, coconut shells and other stuff used with no problems, but if you have any doubts about something you can do a test soak in and bucket, and see if there is a reaction, i.e. leaching color, raising water hardness etc.

[Lil' Swimz$]

I know anything that can rust is a now, correct? Like iron?

[J-P]

yes.. anything that can rust is a no-no ... UNLESS you are very Iron deficient in your water .. and is a MAJOR deficiency. If you don't know ... don't use it.

[purplecandle]

I am doing the same thing!...I am creating a super girly princess tank..(for girl puffs)..

I have found that artificial flowers do nice...but avoid really cheap flowers...go to a craft store for better quality..

Glass is neat. I just found some giant glass diamonds for my tank. You could look into colored glass, glass artwork and glass statues.

Another option is what we call Nic-nacks ..I just found the most amazing high heel shoe on ebay! It is big enough for the puffs to go into..essentially many nic-nacks are similar to fish decor...I would avoid items that had a lot of paint.

Another option is doll-house furniture...but of course no wood because it would float and no metal because of rust....but if look into doll house furniture OR miniatures you can find things that would be tank safe.

Pottery Art can also work.

[bazil323]

It's kind of a gray area. Most of the time people just say to not use it if you don't know, so I don't think there has been a lot of experimentation with that.

However, I think any kind of glass would be just fine.

Painted items are usually a no-no for the chemicals, but I think Krylon has a paint that has been used without problems. I forget which one for sure.

Metal is a no.

Someone already posted about doing a trial by having it in a bucket and testing, and I think you'd want to do at least a week on that if not longer. If you're thinking natural things like rocks, you can always do the vinegar test to see if it will raise the pH. Terracotta pots that are new and unglazed are fine.