Suggestions for my Urban Grunge, Pollution, Industrial Waste Aquarium

snapshooterr

snapshooterr

Algae Beater
Feb 9, 2010
88
0
6
Toronto, ON, Canada
www.aquariumphotography.info
Real Name
Chris
I have an idea and I'm looking for a little input/help. I want to put together a small 20ish gallon urban grunge, pollution, industrial waste display aquarium. My little statement about the state of some of our waterways. I have a couple rusted/busted pipe aquarium decorations by K&A Imports and a few small peices of (aquarium safe) garbage.

My questions are...
1. What else can I use in an aquarium (with fish) to decorate and illustrate a polluted urban waterway. It has to be an appropriate size for a 20 gallon tank and be safe in an aquarium with live fish. Doesn't have to be an actual aquarium decoration/product it just has to be safe to use in an aquarium.
2. How can I make the tank and decor look dirty, polluted & grungy without it actually being dirty & polluted.
3. What kind of fish would be appropriate for such a display. small freaky, mutated looking fish would be good.
 
I've thought about this many times...literally the garbage tank. i always had thoughts of stuff like an old shoe, busted pipes, manhole cover, a bottle of some sort. maybe some kind of old brick looking backgound (3D DiY of course).
 
what about checking out small materials made for train sets. something like one of the barrels could be painted with biohazard symbols, etc. Small pvc could also be painted/manipulated tolook like garbage. broken terra cotta is tank safe as well.
 
Humphead glassfish or blind cave tetras for fish? Might need to special order them.

Could you lightly mist the outside glass with brown and dark green spray paint to simulate algae? You can always take a razorblade to it if it doesn't look good.

If you could situate it in a place that receives natural sunlight it would probably grow real algae, which would be even more convincing - fish don't mind this.

If you use unrinsed pool filter sand you might be as lucky as me and get diatoms from hell ;)
 
What about glass catfish? I always thought they looked pretty creepy. You could also put a little bit of peat moss in your filter to give the water a yellow-orange tint from the tannins, but just be aware that it also lowers your pH. Those catfish and many tetra species do well in slightly acidic water, though. Love the idea, hope it works out well for you whatever you choose :)
 
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