# Painting Aquarium Items



## CinBos (Feb 24, 2012)

If you look at my pictures, you will notice the centerpeice which is fake driftwood made by topfin. After looking at many of yalls pictures, I've been digging actual driftwood. I've tried driftwood before, but didnt like how it staied my water, and also the process in water logging it. I was wondering if I could paint the fake driftwood piece a darker more realistic driftwood color? If I can, what type of paint and what would be the process in doing so?


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## CinBos (Feb 24, 2012)

Any Ideas?


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## Jayse (Feb 15, 2012)

I've heard of acrylic paints on another forum. But I believe it would need to be sealed after. You could always trie the drylok that people use in DIY backgrounds and add buff quickrete dye with a shade of the charcoal for darker spots


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## CinBos (Feb 24, 2012)

I would if Drylok came in different colors, cause that would be perfect and safer. But theres got to be some sort of paint. I mean imagine these Shows like Tanked and Tank Kings, what are they using. They have to be using something.


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## BillD (May 17, 2005)

If the item in question is plastic, Krylon Fusion works well on plastic and is non toxic. I have only seen it in spray, so it may not fit your needs.


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## CinBos (Feb 24, 2012)

The centerpiece is not plastic, that I do know. I think it may be like a ceramic or something.


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## CinBos (Feb 24, 2012)

Jayse said:


> I've heard of acrylic paints on another forum. But I believe it would need to be sealed after. You could always trie the drylok that people use in DIY backgrounds and add buff quickrete dye with a shade of the charcoal for darker spots


Can some explain this drylock? Is this what everyone is talking about... DRYLOK Fast Plug Hydraulic Cement

http://m.lowes.com/mt/www.lowes.com:80/ ... t_redirect


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## Jayse (Feb 15, 2012)

CinBos said:


> Jayse said:
> 
> 
> > I've heard of acrylic paints on another forum. But I believe it would need to be sealed after. You could always trie the drylok that people use in DIY backgrounds and add buff quickrete dye with a shade of the charcoal for darker spots
> ...


I don't know about those products in your link, but this is what I'm refering to and it's made by the same company:

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R ... reId=10051

It's somewhat like a paint but a little thicker. It is white, so I'm sure you would want to add color. I've heard of a couple people use something different for color, but the majority of people use Quikrete brand concrete dyes. They come in a liquid form as well. I believe there are only three colors available: Charcoal (which is basically black), buff, and terra cotta.

What most people do is have small batches made of the colors or shades (a little of the dye goes a long way) they will use in something like a plastic food container. They put a thick base coat (preferrably with some color to it if its going on a strofoam background) so everything is covered. It's basically painted on like paint. You let that cure 1-2 days, add the next subsequent layers letting them cure before the next. Start painting with darker colors working your way to lighter colors for highlighting on the last layers. Think of it like painting a picture or doing camoflage. Holes/cracks/crevices or anything deeper in depth would be darker colored if a light source was shined across it. The higher in depth you go, or closer to a light source, the lighter the color would be.

Let the final coat cure and you could either place in tank after or seal it with a pond sealer. I believe most just put them in though. the store you linked sells it as well. Some don't know what it is but you can ask for masonry watersealer that's used for basements.

Hope that helps


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## CinBos (Feb 24, 2012)

*** have been hearing Krylon Fusion is the way to go. Apparently it is fish safe...I guess we will see.


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## Jayse (Feb 15, 2012)

Yes people use Krylon Fusion as it bonds to plastic. I don't know how well it bonds and stays bonded to other items like glass, etc, but I would at least recommend gassing it of for a couple days, because of the propellants use in spray paint.


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## CinBos (Feb 24, 2012)

http://www.worldcichlids.com/forum/inde ... 038.0.html

Heres the before and after of some of the pieces I painted for the tank.


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