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I know some people use aquarium stuff as wargaming scenery.
I was wondering: has someone ever used miniatures or wargaming scenery stuff for an aquarium?
It would take some extra sealing coats, but it would be cool. Imagine:
- a couple of WFB/Sigmar River Trolls hiding behind som plants as if they're hunting the fish.
- fish swimming through the Arcane Ruins, the Dreadfire Portal or around a Balewind Vortex!
- a regiment of skeletons marching on the bottom of the aquarium, just like POTC.

Aquarium decorations are just okay for scenery and they come well painted. Also they look fairly cheap.

However, doing the opposite it may not work. Aquarium scenery is heavy. If you are planning to use war gaming scenery you have to figure out a way to anchor the scenery to the bottom or glue it some way.

You'd have to be really careful with something like this, and even with good research I'd be hesitant to put anything I painted into an aquarium. The last thing you want is for some chemical to leach out of the topcoat and kill all your fishies.

 Prometheum5 wrote:
You'd have to be really careful with something like this, and even with good research I'd be hesitant to put anything I painted into an aquarium. The last thing you want is for some chemical to leach out of the topcoat and kill all your fishies.

Definitely this! If you're putting anything in an aquarium (even bare plastic) you need to be wary of it leeching into the water and poisoning the fish.

I agree it's a cool idea but might be worth speaking to someone who build aquariums as how quickly the sealer breaks down will depend on water type/PH level etc.

Sounds like an expensive way to decorate your aquarium

No, and with good reason. Even sealed items will eventually degrade. All decor does. I've even had items suitable for outdoor use lose their paint over time in an aquarium.
The only real way is to reverse snow-globe by having the minis under a clear dome of air.

You could also cheat by putting the scenery *behind* the aquarium, so they look like they're in it. Or possibly in a waterproof container that's inside the aquarium. Or (cough) have an aquarium with feeder fish.

http://blogs.thatpetplace.com/thatfishblog/2014/12/23/decoration-diy-materials-aquarium-suitability/

THe plastics used in aquarium items are specially formulated to prevent them (or severly slow the process of) degrading in the water, be it fresh or salt.

Also, strangly I've found 40k stuff to be rather buoyant....




I chucked a bunch of tanks into the pool... I was curious...


They float strangely well... Im fairly sure something without air pockets (such as a solid infantry model) would sink. But still. The plastics are not meant for aa aquatic environment, not to mention the paints. sealed or otherwise.

Honestly, should have thrown chimeras into the pool instead of russes. Would have probably been the only time they'd get to use their amphibious vehicle rule.

Some aquarium guys use Krylon Fusion to seal painted scenery. Also, two part epoxy that says potable safe should be okay.

Thanks for the replies so far.
I'm not planning to buy an aquarium and put minis inside, I was just curious if someone else had thought of it before. Or even actually did it.

 Gordon Shumway wrote:
Some aquarium guys use Krylon Fusion to seal painted scenery. Also, two part epoxy that says potable safe should be okay.

I have also read that Fusion paints are aquarium-safe, but I have not tested it myself. If I ever get around to 3D printing up some tank accessories, that's what I was going to use to finish them.

Someone should contact ATM (Acrylic Tank Manufacturing) 'Tanked' in Las Vegas and ask them what paint they use to paint their multitude of junk they stick in their aquariums!!