Tank Talk Magazine June 2010 | Page 6

5 Making Artificial Mould Stones for an Aquarium Jyrki Granath. Translated by Sari. Photos by the author. A member suggested article Soon after the 2006 AGA International Aqua scaping Contest results were announced, Erik Olson received an e-mail from a member asking how to contact the creator of the winning Biotope aquascape with the artificial rocks. Fortunately, the author had already published an article on how to make the rocks. The AGA contacted Jyrki and he was happy to have a friend translate his Finnish article into English for TAG. Sometimes you might want to use something from nature to decorate your tank that is not suitable as it is: for example a tree stump that f loats, or a large stone that is too heavy for the glass tank. Taking a mould of the object and making a copy of the original can solve the problem. This way you can create an element that is suitable for the tank, without solvents or harmful ingredients, which won?t float or weigh too much. Hollow elements don?t even restrict swimming space for the fish. In fact, it even makes it possible to have more fish in the tank because the fish can seek shelter in the caves of the hollow elements. Artificial stones can be just as attractive and safer than real rockwork.