10 Fun DIY Aquarium Decorations Ideas (#3 May Surprise You)

One of the most daunting tasks of aquarium setup is decoration. It’s not easy to imagine what your aquarium will look like once it is completed. Will all of the colors clash? What if it’s too plain? 

Luckily, there are some tried and creative ideas for DIY aquarium decorations that will help to make sure your fish have a beautiful and healthy home. For any decoration (or renovation) woes, this list has exactly what you need to feel inspired about tackling your “dream” aquariums.

#1 Build Your Own Super Mario Levels

A fantastic project for all of the Nintendo lovers out there. These pieces of the Super Mario world you can get from LEGO. Though they are expensive, they are aquarium safe ^[1]. To make it cooler, try these enemies from the water levels instead of using Goombas and castles as long as they are available.

One thing to consider when adding any type of 3D plastic to your aquarium is that it could be potentially unsafe for your fish. Ensure that any pieces you use will not release toxins into the water.

For further details, you might want to check the process here:

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#2 Lego Construction Fishy Site

You never know the possibilities you could come up with LEGO sets. This Lego Construction Fishy Site is a great example of that. It features different colors and shapes that will keep your betta fish entertained and engaged.

However, please don’t overdo it! These LEGO minifigs or creations are waterproof, but not watertight. As a result, algae and fuzz can grow on them over time. Additionally, I can imagine how difficult to do regular maintenance with all of those nooks and crannies like this one.

#3 Build Your Fantasy Avatar’s Pandora

Now we have a Super Mario aquarium for all the gamers out there, and it is time to target another group, the sci-fi geeks. If you’re looking to take things to a whole new level, you can build your fantasy underwater world that looks like it’s right out of the movie “Avatar.”

What you need are dragon stones, aquarium moss(Fissidens spp.), and fish line. You can find all of these things at your local pet store. Once you have everything, arrange them in your aquarium to look like the floating islands in Pandora.

This might be a bit trickier to achieve than the other two, but it will definitely be worth it in the end. Check the tutorials for some inspiration:

#4 DIY ‘Star Wars’ Themed Aquarium

Star Wars fans, rejoice! You can now have your very own DIY “Star Wars” themed aquarium by easily using this aquarium-safe AT-AT (75313). It is small enough to fit in small aquariums.

To make it more “Star Wars” themed, I will add blue lighting and white gravel to represent the ice planet Hoth, exactly what James did in his Betta fish tank. You can also get creative and add other Star Wars toys or decorations to your aquarium. Just be sure that anything you add is safe for your fish.

#5 DIY PVC Aquarium Tunnel

Give some excitement and life to your fish tank by building a unique aquarium tunnel. It’s fun and will dramatically change the whole look of your aquarium. Don’t be limited by your imagination; you can make it as long or as short as you want.

You will need some PVC pipes, connectors, a hacksaw, aquarium-safe spray foam, spray paint, and silicone sealant to put everything together. Once you have all the materials, you can find instructions on how to build the tunnel here: instructables

Looking for a simpler version of this? You should try this one: Multi-Hole PVC Pipe DIY Aquarium Caves

#6 DIY Hobbit Hole Plastic Cave

This is a really simple and easy decoration to make that will provide your fish with plenty of hiding places. All you need is a piece of plastic mesh and java moss. Simply roll the plastic mess into a tube and attach the java moss to the plastic mess. Voila! You have a cute little hobbit hole for your fish to hide in.

You might be interested to know: how to attach java moss on driftwood and plastic mess

#7 DIY Concrete Aquarium Castle Decoration

Concrete is widely used in building outdoor fish ponds. But did you know that you can also use concrete to make unique aquarium decorations and backgrounds? You can use it to create all sorts of different decorations, such as caves, rocks, and even a castle. The possibilities are endless! Plus, it is also very cheap.

This video will show you how to make a concrete castle for your aquarium. You can find the instructions and materials needed in the description box of the video.

#8 DIY Aquarium Zen Garden with Rocks

Aquarium Zen gardens are a popular trend right now, and for good reasons. They are beautiful, calming, and can be easily achieved with some rocks and plants. The key is thinking about the décor you plan to create and arrange them to create a calming and natural oasis for your fish.

The Buddha Statue is a popular addition to Zen gardens because it represents peace and tranquility. You can find small Buddha Statues on Amazon. Ensure the buddha statue, rocks, plants, and substrate you use are carefully placed.

#9 DIY Aquascape Waterfall with Lava Rocks

Lava rocks are great for aquariums because they have a unique appearance that can really make your aquarium stand out. In this video, you will learn how to use lava rocks and moss to make an aquascape waterfall in small fish tanks.

Be careful. Some of the lava rocks that have pointy edges can injure your fish. You will need to smooth out the edges before adding them to your aquarium.

#10 Large Aquarium Wood/Forest Decoration

Some of you might have seen Joey’s video of his best large aquarium decoration made out of wood. These non-floating and natural-looking standing logs may look extremely beautiful in Discus display aquariums owing to their height and texture.

Unfortunately, they come with a hefty price tag, but for Discus fish keepers, these are definitely worth the money.

For those who plan to try this forest decoration in smaller tanks, here is a step-by-step video that might give you some ideas.

Time To Get Crafting!

We hope you enjoyed this list of DIY aquarium decorations ideas. No matter how experienced you are, we are sure you will find at least one decoration idea that you can try out. So what are you waiting for? Get crafting!

Meanwhile, if there is any idea that you think we should add to the list, feel free to leave a comment below! 

Article Sources:

1. Can LEGO Go in an Aquarium – Creating Fish Fans of LEGO! [Link]