decorating on a budget

[briguy44]

Being the poor college student that I am I was going to try doing some decorating in my gsp's tank using ceramic or clay pots. I just wanted to make sure that they are safe to put in brakish water. I am planning on going and buying a few new one's just to make sure that there is no fertilizer or pesticide traces in them. Does anyone else do this or am I lame?

[Ohyouknow]

Actually, I have a coffee mug and a mason jar in my tanks. The mason jar has rocks 'spilling' out of the mouth, and the open end sticks out of a wall of bubbles, with plants all around the back end. It's kind of like a neat cave my fish hang out in. The coffee mug is an old blue ceramic one, and have small gravel spilling out into the larger gravel. I've also caught some nice deals on plants and some decor on Ebay, getting plants for $.99 with free shipping... Then they even sent me extras on top of it. Was very nice of them. Waiting on a couple of packages at the moment... I think I might go out and check the mail quick! Other than that, I found some things at garage sales - a shark and a sunken ship. I cleaned them before using, but they look pretty neat.

[pufferpuggirl]

There's nothing lame about being creative and using inexpensive ideas for decorating. I think it's great. I've used terracotta pots in most of my tanks for my puffers to hang out in. I turn some of them upside down, so the bottom is facing upward, and I put a big rock under the lip of the pot so that it's open just enough for the puffer to get inside, my redeye puffers love it, and I often see them peering out at me.
Would love to see some of your ideas once you've got them in your tank.

[Dukeskeeper36]

no thats a great idea. I have an old peice of driftwood i found in lake michigan in mine. And my dad cut the ends off of this really cool old liquor bottle(using a tile saw and being very safe ofcourse). He just found an antique blue wine bottle that im going to add. some things around the house are great for tanks. Also i recently got a set of 8 really large plastic plants off ebay for $8 with free shipping. it was a great bargin and i might not have room for them! they got here and they are huge, like 2 feet tall each. pics if you got them : )

[sao870]

welp im in the exact same situation as you, i used ceramic clay pots in all of my tanks my oscars love em , my puffers use them as well they sleep in them all of mine i have broken to make them look like sunken pot's. For my baby cooter tank i found a bunch of flat rocks on my campus and cleaned them up good and stacked them to give them a dock. i also used the spare ones to make a cave for my Moray that's in with my puffers.

btw ill be getting rid of the pots slowly as i get closer to hitting .20 sg in my tank

just ideas.

[Mezzovex]

I use quart sized jars for "caves" They are great for fish that like to hide, but you want to see.

[SammyDee]

I had a clay pot with my puffers in BW now its in my snail tank. They work great...

[briguy44]

Thanks for all of your replies! Okay so here is what I ended up doing.....I found some ceramic light shades (the ones that you have over the light bulbs on ceiling fans) for a dollar a piece. They are a perfect size and look really nice. I haven't figured out exactly how I plan on putting them in yet but I am excited and think that they will make some good caves/tunnels for everyone though. I will get pictures when I get them how I want it

[SammyDee]

Another idea would be take a piece of PVC and put 100% silicone all over the outside then roll in in some dry rocks from your tank. Let it dry and Voila Puffers love these too they're real smooth on the inside for there bellies

[Ohyouknow]

SammyDee, that is a FABULOUS idea!!! I want to do that now!!

[SammyDee]

How to make a sweet DIY 3d backround CHEAP Watch here===>

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5Ng6GeF9mA

[SammyDee]

Heres decorating on a BIG budget...this is the biggest private tank Ive ever seen..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWHSbu6k ... re=related

[J-P]

Shhh he's a member here:

viewtopic.php?f=56&t=21040&hilit=+810

Check out his links at the bottom of his sig.

[J-P]

I would say plants but you are BW and i don't know a thing on BW plants. They grow propogate and you can make a nice tank... and doo all that on their own with minimal $$. The only thing you have to do is, keep them fed and wait.

[SammyDee]

Shhh he's a member here:

viewtopic.php?f=56&t=21040&hilit=+810

Check out his links at the bottom of his sig.

Id go broke doing WC