# Cheap Decorating Ideas!



## TaylorW (Sep 4, 2010)

I thought I would share a few cheap decorating ideas that I used on my tank. I'm a college student on a budget, so I like cheap  I used poster board, glass clings, and duct tape. To make a cheap tank cover you need some kind of mesh (I used an old window screen) and duct tape.

You can get glass clings that look like just about anything, they even sell ones that look like stained glass online. I've even seen some cute ones that look like dragonflies at Walmart! I picked up holiday glass clings for a dollar, so now I have Halloween bats on my tank 

I also used a piece of neon poster board (the small, thin kind used to make signs) for the back of my tank. Poster board comes in a wide variety of colors, and sometimes it comes in multi-packs of several different colors for really cheap! Just cut it to size and you're ready to go! :-D You could even decorate the posterboard yourself if you want to! I used something similar to this http://catalog.teachingsupplystore...._Assorted__5_Fluorescent_Colors-p-131561.html

Duct tape comes in all kinds of patterns and colors, and I used TINY pieces to attach the poster board on the back of my tank. I also used it to make my tank cover.

For my tank cover, I took a piece of old metal window screening and cut it to fit the top of my tank. Then I wrapped the edges in colorful duct tape to keep the screen from unraveling. I use poster putty to attach the cover to the top of my tank so that my fish can't jump out. It looks cute with the matching tape, and it keeps my fish safe!

You can definitely do a lot more than what I did with the decorations I used, so I hope I gave someone an idea to go rummaging through their house and get creative!


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## TaylorW (Sep 4, 2010)

Ok, so I know it's a bit junky, but I really REALLY wanted some kind of a cheap background!


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## Lion Mom (Jun 14, 2010)

TaylorW said:


> Ok, so I know it's a bit junky, but I really REALLY wanted some kind of a cheap background!


Not to worry - I use black poster board & I think it looks GREAT!!! :-D


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## Alex09 (Aug 9, 2010)

I used black poster board but my betta totally went crazy (it turned the back wall of the tank into a mirror) I now use a crumpled up paper bag. Looks awesome


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## Jupiter (Aug 30, 2009)

Oh, thanks for this! I might make one since my tank doesn't have a lid.


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## Lion Mom (Jun 14, 2010)

Alex09 said:


> I used black poster board but my betta totally went crazy (it turned the back wall of the tank into a mirror) I now use a crumpled up paper bag. Looks awesome


I've never had trouble with that. Maybe I'm just lucky or my fish are just goofy! :lol:


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## TaylorW (Sep 4, 2010)

Jupiter said:


> Oh, thanks for this! I might make one since my tank doesn't have a lid.


You're welcome!  I couldn't find a cover or hood for my 2.5, so this was the cheapest and easiest way to go! You could probably make it look a bit better than mine though


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## purplemuffin (Aug 12, 2010)

Hmmm I might enjoy painting my own backdrop! That could be cool!


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## TaylorW (Sep 4, 2010)

purplemuffin said:


> Hmmm I might enjoy painting my own backdrop! That could be cool!


Ooh, paint it and post a pic!! :-D I think it would be awesome to decorate your tank with your own work of art!!


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