After making papier-mâché volcanoes, I had the idea to try to make my favorite ocean habitat: hydrothermal vents. I did a little research and in order to make them withstand being submerged in fluid, I would have to use some pretty harsh chemicals and I really did not want to do that. So, I went to the local pet store and raided the aquarium supplies instead. I think that was a better choice. I found lots of things that worked well and decided to modify them a little bit to make my aquarium look more like a hydrothermal vent community on the seafloor. One thing I noticed after several weeks though was a residue in the water. I do not recommend putting live animals in the tank with your glittery painted volcanoes. You may be able to use a sealant that is safe for animals to prevent this from happening.
Supplies:
aquarium volcanoes for the vent chimneys
waterproof paint
glitter for sulfide minerals
black aquarium rocks
aerator (my volcanoes came with one already)
pump
This beautiful rock is from Kama'ehuakanaloa Seamount in Hawai'i. It is from a now-extinct vent chimney. Sulfide minerals are precipitates that result from hot hydrothermal fluid reaching the seafloor and contacting cold seawater.
Natural World Facts
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