Here's an interesting question....

[pinballqueen]

Okay, most of you might be aware that I am an artist....

How would fimo/sculpey clay work as a tank decoration? It's made of powdered pvc and plasticizers, so is it safe to assume that cured sculpey would be tank-safe? I'd love to do some diy caves and such, but I quite frankly don't have the resources to go the fired pottery route.... (If I had the space and money for a kiln, believe you me, I would have one, 'cause those things are wicked....) And, I'm going for a little more natural effect than pvc pipe and clay pots look...

What are everyone's thoughts on this? Anyone tried it?

[125gJoe]

I really can't answer this, but who manufactures the clay? Try and research what's in it.... :confused:

FIMO (http://www.reuels.com/reuels/page317.html)

[125gJoe]

Go to the bottom of this link...
It says not for food storing, so maybe it's not good for aquariums?

FIMO Faq... (http://www.fimozone.com/faq.html)

[carpguy]

I'd do a little research on it first. I looked at this a few months ago, but I can't remember all of the details. There was some stuff that I think used some kind of sulphur compound(?) to harden it when it dried. This was some kind of sculpey clay. The baking clays, it seems to me, worked similarly. Don't know how inert the stuff would be, or how harmful.

I experimented with some stuff called claystone, an air-drying clay that didn't need to be fired but that wasn't good for making vessels. Some sample pieces rehydrated overnight in a bowl of water. I thought of coating them in epoxy resin but worried that a pinhole in the interior could undermine the cave over time. I also thought of trying to fire them in a broiler, but its a chemical change your looking for and I'm not sure if that would be enough to do the trick. PM me and I'll send you an experimental chunk (natural terra cotta color) for the cost of shipping -- I have over 20lbs of the stuff.

When I still think of this project, I've been thinking of using regular clay and renting a little kiln time somewhere. I think it'll produce the best results in the long run. Superheated air pockets can be explosive in a kiln, so construct with care: one piece shattering can take out neighboring superheated pieces.

HTH

[pinballqueen]

Well, it's like pulling teeth to find out what's in a patented product... I did a little research last night, and other than finding out that it's not too healthy for people to ingest it or to breathe the fumes while it's baking (which were obvious to me, if not to the rest of the world.. who'd want to breathe fumes from burning vinyl anyway?), I couldn't find a single thing about using it in an underwater setting...

I guess I'll have to do it the hard way... bake some and stick it in the tank to see if it does anything (I was trying to avoid this for obvious reasons...). One neat thing I did find out, though, you can boil it, rather than bake it, so at least I know it's not going to dissolve or rehydrate or anything....

I'll try some raw baked clay in a test tank with no fish for a week or two. If it changes the ph or anything, I won't try a "live test". Maybe if I coat it heavily with epoxy....

The creative mind never rests, I guess...

[twb716]

I've done a bit of research and have even called the company who makes it. They claim that Super Sculpey is safe for aquarium fish after it's been baked, and soaked for a week in fresh water. They told me that if I wanted to be REALLY safe (I must have seemed like a very concerned parent :-)), then I could coat it with an epoxy or polyeurethane paint to "seal" it after it was baked. Super Sculpey only comes in beige, however, but can be mixed with playground sand for extra texture/color.

As far as the people who were using Sculpy for ear protection...well...since that product wasn't made to be used for that, and since it must not have been baked before they shoved it into their ears, it's not very surprising that they had skin irritation from it. I would consider such a thing a simple demonstration of Darwinism. Hope this helps.

TB

[dabaers]

Here's a thread by someone who uses them in their tank. Maybe you could contact them.

http://www.guppies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14679&highlight=sculpey

[fishieperson321]

If you give it about 3-4 coats of ummm I forgot what it is called....... someone help me here. It is pretty much plastic enamel... Maybe I will think of it..... OOOOHH Polyurethane!!! Yep... that will keep anything from coming out of it and if you give driftwood a couple of coats, you don't have to soak it cause tannic acids won't leak out.