Making Rock Aquarium Ornaments

Create Your Own Stone Decorations

Knowing how to make rock ornaments can offer the aquarium owner a natural aquascaping method. Ornaments are often high mark up items in pet shops and might not even be what your fish tank needs. 

Resin rock formations can never be as authentic as the real thing. Slate and granite surfaces provide fish with a natural material to spawn on and hide in. Quartz and other non reactive rocks make excellent aquarium inclusions.

Natural rock pieces can be joined using an aquarium safe silicone. The acetic cure agent in the silicone will smell of strong vinegar. Once cured the item will be aquarium safe. This may take up to a week depending on the silicone brand and air ventilation available to the piece. Warmer temperatures will also speed the hardening of the silicone. Do not attempt to artificially speed the drying, just provide ample ventilation and wait.

What you can make is only limited by your patience and imagination. Flat surfaced rocks are especially useful for forming into archways, caves and walls. Stacking pieces to form pillars makes a decorative support. With enough time and planning a complete underwater mountain castle could be built.  

Rough surfaces can be ideal for helping java moss or fontinalis attach. These aquarium plants will coat your rock creation in a layer of mossy tendrils. Careful pruning can help thicken the moss and keep it in check.

The pictured ornament was created using recycled granite. The broken granite tiles are tumbled for a smoother edge. Pieces were selected and adhered together using aquarium silicone. Save the larger pieces of granite for the ceiling rock and use steadily smaller pieces as you build the supports.

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