fishgirl

I'm a newbie, I hope some one can answer my question.

Can I put cured (baked) PolymerClay in my fish tank?
I know it says not to put people food on the baked clay.

Thanks

Chief_waterchanger

I am sorry that I have no idea, however, I do have a suggestion.

Anytime I am unsure of the tank-safety of an item that I really want to go in one, I setup a small tank with a couple feeder guppies with the item in it. (Some will argue that is cruel, but , they're just gonna get eatten anyway. )

Cody

that is mean i think....not to you becuase you feed them to your other fish anyways...but to some of us there our other fish

fishgirl

Chief_waterchanger, Thanks for your input how long do you think I would have to test the polymerclay?

thanks
Susan

Butterfly

Is the clay glazed and sealed?
Carol

fishgirl

No, the polymer clay is a "plastic". the is Baked at 280 in your home oven.

Susan

Kevin

i would try it with a 12 cent goldfish or feeder fish...or see if a local pottery place will glaze it for you for a small fee

sick-lid boy

You using Sculpey modeling clay?? If so, even though it is a polymer clay, I would still seal it before submerging it in water. I have quite a bit of experience with Sculpey clay, and I alway seal it with either Krylon Crystal Clear (gloss coat) or Matte Finish (eggshell coat) after painting. After the spray completely dries, I would think it the clay would be okay submerged in water... but I'd test it in a container of water first. After a few a days, if the clay looks like it's holding up in the water, then I would put it in a tank with feeder guppies just to make sure the sealer wasn't contaminating the water for the fish.

I was actually thinking about sculpting a pirate ship or castle ruins for a fish tank with Sculpey clay myself a while back...

fishgirl

sick-lid boy, yes I was thinking of using sculpy.
Thanks for the tips.
Susan

sirdarksol

I agree that sealing it with an aquarium-safe sealant is a good idea. Many plastics are carcinogenic, and slowly degrade, releasing tiny particles into their surroundings. As your fish tank is a more or less closed system, they can build up in it, exposing your fish to more and more of it. It could take a while before it became problematic, or it could be really quick.
Better safe than sorry.

darkwolf29a

I ran some tests with Sculpey and sculpey 3. I tested them in clean water over a week.

You will need marine grade resin, available at most home improvement centers. The resin is the same thing they use on boats. You'll need that or the baked clay will end up with a white film on it. It ends up very slimy. LOL

fishgirl

Thnks for doing the test.
lol now I dont hve to do it my self.
Susan