Do it Yourself Fish Tank Rocks

If the fish in your aquarium actually lived in the wild, they would not be swimming above baby pink or neon blue gravel. That pink and blue gravel also costs money --- maybe not much, but if you want to keep aquarium setup costs down and "go green" with your decor, you can find your own base and decorative rocks for your fish tank. With a little patience and work, you can provide your fish with a more natural setting.

Things You'll Need

  • Cloth bags
  • Rubber boots
  • Water
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Instructions

    • 1

      Scout out a gravel substitute. If you live near the ocean or a large lake, you are in luck. Small, sand-smoothed rocks are lying all over the beach, and you simply need to pick them up and take them home. If you don't live near a large body of water, find a park with woods and an accessible stream running through it. You need to go into the water to find the small stones you want, but they are there. Check any exposed banks also. Place your finds in a cloth shopping bag --- paper bags get wet from the stones and tear, and plastic bags may not be strong enough for the volume of stones you're collecting.

    • 2

      Keep an eye out for decorative stones. While gathering small stones for the bottom of your aquarium, look for larger stones that would look nice in your fish tank --- odd shapes, unusual colors or patterns or, if you're lucky, even one with a hole in it.

    • 3

      Look around your home. You could have decorative stones tucked away in a drawer somewhere. Onyx bookends you don't use, that rose quartz Buddha carving your aunt gave you, the remaining beads of a broken amethyst necklace, even the small crystal that came with your zen garden kit can all be incorporated into your aquarium's decor for a truly unique look.

    • 4

      Clean the rocks. Rinse the rocks you find thoroughly with water to remove the dirt, but do not use soap. Once the rocks are clean, you can place them in your aquarium.