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What are Aquarium Decorations?

• Many fish use what we call decorations for shelter.
• Live rock, while decorative, are invaluable in terms of the natural bioorganic filtering that they provide. Live rock isn't actually living rock, but rock that is teeming with bacteria and other microorganisms as well as macro-organisms that help clean the water.

Freshwater Aquarium Decorations

• Manufactured decorations:
  • fake plants (plastic or silk)
  • fake rocks (plastic or ceramic)
  • fake wood (plastic or ceramic)
  • novelty items (plastic or ceramic castles, divers, etc.)
• Organic (dead):
  • Driftwood
  • Real rocks
  • Substrates (gravel, beach sand, river sand, coral sand, and peat are popular choices)
• Organic (living)
  • Live plants

Saltwater Aquarium Decorations

• Manufactured decorations
  • Rubber / synthetic coral
  • novelty items (scuba diver, shells, pirate, mermaid, etc.)
• Organic (dead)
  • Dead coral
  • Real shells
• Organic (living)
  • Live corals
  • Live algae

PROS & CONS for Manufactured Decorations

• Fake decorations are long lasting. They won't rot.
• Fake decorations are easier to clean than living decorations.
• With fake decorations, you're not interfering with nature since you're not taking from the environment.
• With fake decorations, there's one less living thing you need to worry about in your tank.
• You'll have more choices as far as colors and sizes if you go with fake decorations.
• Fake decorations can be fun. It all depends on your personal sense of style.
• Fake decorations should not affect tank chemistry (You should always confirm what they are made out of).

• Fake decorations can look cheesy.
• Fake decorations often do look cheesy.
• Depending on what you're getting, some fake decorations (manufactured corals or rocks) could actually be more expensive than the real thing!

PROS & CONS for Organic Decorations (Dead)

• Organic (but dead) decorations will be more realistic. Therefore, the end result will be less cheesy for your tank.

• Organic decorations can occasionally affect tank in minor ways (e.g., driftwood can make water more acidic over time). This is not usually a problem but should be monitored. You definitely should not put driftwood into a saltwater tank.
• You'll need to be careful that organic rocks are okay for your tank. Some rocks are inappropriate for freshwater or saltwater tanks. They will leech off harmful minerals. For example, limestone will raise the pH of the tank. Slate, volcanic rock and quartz are completely inert. Both Volcanic rock and quartz can be sharp-edged so watch out. Sandstone should be okay to use as well.
• You'll need to be careful that the natural decorations are safe for the fish. Look for sharp edges.
• If you have your heart set on a particular look, you may find it harder to pull it off with natural decorations since you're limited to what you can get your hands on. If you go with manufactured items, chances are if you can't find it, you should be able to find somebody who can make it for you.

PROS & CONS for Organic Decorations (Living)

• Living organic decorations will provide you with the most realistic and possibly interesting results.

• Keeping real organic decorations can be an expensive venture. You'll need to replace them when they reach their natural life span.
• Natural organic decorations are harder to care for. When they die, if you don't keep tabs on them, they can really make problems for your tank (anywhere from just making it incredibly dirty to actually releasing dangerous toxins into the water).
• Your fish may consume them!
• In an interesting twist, you may find your decorating plans compromised by natural choices. Selection may be limited in terms of natural colors and sizes.

Tips for Decorating Your Tank like a Pro

• Aquarium Style by Matthew Christian. Published in 2000, list price $24.95. Great ideas!
• Aquarium Designs: Inspired by Nature by Peter Hiscock. Published in 2004, list price $27.95. Peter Hiscock KNOWS his plants.

Online Sources for Aquarium Decorations

• http://www.123aquariumsupplies.com/products2000.htm offers both corals (dead) and rocks for your tank
• http://liverocks.com/cart.html and http://reeferrocks.com provide live rock from the Florida Keys.
• http://www.aquariumbeauty.com has many manufactured decorations including fake corals, castles, and Oriental architectures.