# Using items for landscape not intended for aquarium?



## CAPTAIN_TR1 (Jul 21, 2015)

I've been keeping fish for 20+ years and haven't had a tank in about 3 years now due to the birth of my son and lack of space. He's now almost 4 years old and loves going to the aquarium, fish, and especially "Dorothy" Elmo's pet goldfish on Sesame Street. 
I decided it was time to set up a tank especially for him, and I'd like to make it a Sesame Street themed tank with regular fancy tail goldfish like his favorite TV show has. I pulled out my 29 gallon tank and stand, and set it up while he was out for a few hours. When he came home he was super excited to see it and kept saying "goldfish!" when only looking at a tank with water in it. I took him to the pet store and he picked out blue gravel, and decided to buy one goldfish to see what happens when using the quick start. Two weeks later the goldfish is still alive and my son is still beaming!

My question is, what can I use that is aquarium safe? Elmo's World on Sesame Street has a desk, a computer, and some other items like that. I'd like to find those items (possibly doll house furniture) and use them in the tank. My plan is to use the DAP aquarium safe glue to glue some plastic letters onto stainless steel washers so the letters stand up on the gravel, but am unsure of the other items. I've read somewhere online that using Krylon Fusion clear over painted items is aquarium safe, but am wondering if that's true or not? 

Can anyone give me any advice on this?


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## LizStreithorst (Jul 16, 2015)

I wish I could help you but I'd just be guessing. You are a good daddy. My feeling is that hard plastic would be OK if the color were in the plastic rather than baked on. I once put a soft plastic thing in one of my tanks and it turned out to release toxins. The fish told me that they weren't happy so I took the thing out and did a flopping on the bottom WC and all was well. But these were Discus. I don't know if goldfish would let you know.


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## brads (Mar 23, 2013)

Yes, Krylon Fusion is safe inside fish tanks. Let it full dry (about a week to be safe) before you put it in the water. Fusion is made for plastic so it may peel/flake off on anything else. Fish might eat the peels and that would be bad for them. No worries other then that. Good luck and by the way, Goldfish are a great choice. You guys are gonna love fishkeeping. :animated_fish_swimm *w2


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## welok (Jul 20, 2015)

You can use a lot of toys in an aquarium: the guy I got my 17 gallon tank from has a fisher price pirate ship in his main tank, held down with a rock. I would avoid non-child safe toys from China, but if it's safe enough for a toddler to play with/put in their mouths, it *should* be safe in an aquarium. That being said, try to stay away from anything with metal parts unless you know they are stainless, as it will rust...


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## chenowethpm (Jan 8, 2014)

One thing I've done for decorations in the past is make them out of clay. Not everyone has access to this I know but fired clay is safe in the aquarium and you can make anything out of it.


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## buck nash (Jul 27, 2015)

I wonder if fimo modelling clay would be safe. It has to be baked to cure it. It comes in every colour you can think of including some glow in the dark colours. If it's safe, then the world is your oyster as far as decorations go


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