Ooh, a PAINT question!

Captain Kitty

Captain Kitty

Scary Member
Sep 10, 2008
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About three inches from the sun - Florida
I found some nifty decorative cement ornaments for the "goth" tank. I've read forum after forum as to whether using paint INSIDE the aquarium is a good idea or not. I remain perplexed. :wall:
The question is this: Can I use clear acrylic paint (read: Krylon) on the decorations going in the tank? Krylon Fusion seems to be a favorite amongst the painters, however, it does not come in clear to my knowledge and I already checked their site.
These are detailed decorations and a 2-part epoxy wouldn't suffice to coat them properly so really I'm looking in the spray paint arena.
Answers, help, suggestions, alternatives, etc. welcomed.
 
For a black background any paint will work on the outside of the tank. For the inside, I would stick with Krylon. i have used it inside my tank on pvc pipes. Been in my tank for 4 months with no bad effects. krylon does make a clear, just not in the fusion. Fusion is simply a formula made to bond to plastic. I did not use fusion on the pvc.
Dispite the indication on the can that reads it will dry in 10-15 minutes, that does not mean that it will completely dry. only dry enough to handle or add a second coat. Be sure to allow 24 hours to dry before putting it in your tank.
 
Thank you both. =^-^= I'm going to try it but to be safe I'll go for manufacturers directions, let dry for a week, then soak for two weeks in a bucket.
Any other thoughts? Anyone else done this?
 
Sounds like a good idea Kitty.
 
Why wont 2 part epoxy work? If you dipped them in epoxy resin I can't imagine that anything would seep in/out.
 
I'm steering away from the two-part epoxy mainly because of the detail on the ornaments. I know depending on how it's mixed you can adjust the thickness but I didn't want to chance having a thick clear coat on them as it might take away from the 'feel' I'm looking for. I'm going to take pics and have a DIY with the outcome and supplemental results after 1 month, two, year so if it works fine, there will be a definitive answer for those looking to do the same. Thank you all for the responses! =^-^=
 
I am not sold on Krylon for in-tank use. I painted a few spraybars and sponge filters with it last month. I let it cure for over 7 days. After being in the tank for less than a week the paint started flaking off and making a mess. Maybe I did something wrong but I don't think so.
 
Yah, I'm worried about that too so I'm leaving them in a bucket of water for a couple of weeks not only to leech potentially hazardous chemicals out, though the acetone and toluene should dissipate quickly, but also to make sure it's not going to flake off. The ornaments cost a buck each so it's not a total loss if it fails, plus I can readily get more. If it is total failure I'll go with a two-part epoxy and dip em, complete with step-by-steps.
 
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