Safe paint for aquarium decor?

metropolis93fan

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I'm going to use a terra cotta planter for a plant in my tank but the orange just REALLY doesn't go and I don't want to use what someone suggested and just glue gravel to it to make it blend in. I know I read SOMEWHERE (not sure if here or elsewhere online but not quickly finding it) that there is a safe paint for hand painting things. Something that doesn't leach colors or chemicals or flake. I remember when trying to get it online you had to buy a group of them but I have two craft stores here they sell individual colors or almost any acrylic-type paint. (It was at least in a bottle like that. Not sure if it was technically acrylic or not). I appreciate the help!
 
Tbh I would be inclined to go hunt down a more suitably coloured pot rather than chance using a paint inside an aquarium...

I believe the paint you are thinking of is Krylon Fusion spray paint which is normally used on plastics such as plastic ornaments etc, not unfired ceramic which is porous as you are looking to use....but from what I have read about it, the jury is very much out as to whether it is longterm safe or not in an aquarium setting. Using paints is always going to be a dicey thing to try and could prove fatal very quickly if the wrong one is used

If you want to weather the pot til it loses the "new" orange colouring, standing it outside will do that...sun bleaching, rain....as long as you are careful not to expose it to any contaminants accidently

Other than that I would be inclined to find a different pot or use the one that you have and let the algae and other aquarium micro-organisms grow on it or stick some moss to it with cyanoacrylate gel super glue
 
Tbh I would be inclined to go hunt down a more suitably coloured pot rather than chance using a paint inside an aquarium...

I believe the paint you are thinking of is Krylon Fusion spray paint which is normally used on plastics such as plastic ornaments etc, not unfired ceramic which is porous as you are looking to use....but from what I have read about it, the jury is very much out as to whether it is longterm safe or not in an aquarium setting. Using paints is always going to be a dicey thing to try and could prove fatal very quickly if the wrong one is used

If you want to weather the pot til it loses the "new" orange colouring, standing it outside will do that...sun bleaching, rain....as long as you are careful not to expose it to any contaminants accidently

Other than that I would be inclined to find a different pot or use the one that you have and let the algae and other aquarium micro-organisms grow on it or stick some moss to it with cyanoacrylate gel super glue
No, I wasn't thinking spray paint. More like an acrylic paint you use a brush to paint. But I hadn't thought about the porous material of the pot. I like the idea of the moss though! What kind would you suggest?
 
No, I wasn't thinking spray paint. More like an acrylic paint you use a brush to paint. But I hadn't thought about the porous material of the pot. I like the idea of the moss though! What kind would you suggest?
Something like Christmas or Spiky moss.....as long as you use the right glue it will eventually cover it entirely. Really depends what you are planning for livestock and other decor....sticking plants to the pot will disguise the bright colouration and give the livestock somewhere to spawn, hide and rest
 
Something like Christmas or Spiky moss.....as long as you use the right glue it will eventually cover it entirely. Really depends what you are planning for livestock and other decor....sticking plants to the pot will disguise the bright colouration and give the livestock somewhere to spawn, hide and rest
It will be a betta and two African dwarf frogs (I have another tank in case they don't do well together, don't worrY! But I've been researching it and it CAN work. I've done it in a five gallon, and this is a ten) Thanks. I like the idea of the moss. Even if it doesn't help the livestock it would still look neat! I don't want it to cross over to the substrate though... just thought of that.
 
It takes a bit of work, but what I've done in the past is to cover the surface with aquarium safe silicone then roll the pot in dry substrate (gravel or sand) till the whole thing looks the same as the bottom of the tank. The reason it takes a lot of work is that it is easy to miss a bit and have to add more silicone.
 
Contact a shop that sells fish ponds and get a pond paint. They come in a range of colours and are used to seal concrete ponds. When dry they are safe for fish.

Alternatively, paint the pot with a ceramic glaze/ paint, fire it and you are good to go. The expensive part is in firing the pot after it has been painted. If you know someone who does pottery as a hobby, they might let you use some paint and fire the pot when they do a load of pottery.
 

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