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Aquarium, Decoration, Easy Project, Featured

Hippopotamus Floater Decor

Inject some unexpected charm into your aquarium with the adorable Hippopotamus Floater model! This design captures the look of a curious hippo resting just at the water line, creating a unique and smile-inducing feature. We recommend Resin (SLA) printing to capture the texture and facial details, though the model is scalable for Filament (FDM) machines.

This support-free model is designed to be printed flat on its bottom, ensuring a smooth, display-ready surface. Print one or an entire pod for a playful aquatic display!

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Recommended Settings

Assembly & Installation

Changelog

Recommended Settings

⚙️ Recommended Print Settings

Since this set is highly versatile, settings are provided for both popular printing methods. Achieving buoyancy is key for both methods, requiring different techniques.

SLA/Resin Settings (Recommended for Detail & Quality)

Material: Standard UV Resin (Flesh, Light Pink, or Grey recommended as a base for painting).
Layer Height: 0.05 mm or finer.
Orientation (CRITICAL): Print flat on the model’s bottom as designed.
Preparation (MANDATORY): These files require the user to perform hollowing and drainage hole addition before slicing. No supports are required for this design.

FDM/Filament Settings (Alternative for Larger Scales)

Material: PETG or PLA (Flesh/Pink filament recommended). PETG offers better long-term water resistance.
Layer Height: 0.2 mm.
Infill Density: 0% or 5% (Gaps only). The model must be hollow to float.
Wall/Perimeter Count: 2 or 3. Note: This low count requires fine-tuning to ensure a fully watertight seal.
Orientation (CRITICAL): Print flat on the model’s bottom to guarantee a perfectly sealed bottom layer for buoyancy. No supports are required.

Important: Always thoroughly clean your final print before placing it in an aquarium. Avoid using metal-filled or abrasive filaments. For long-term use, ensure your chosen material is chemically stable in water.

Assembly & Installation

🛠️ Preparation & Post-Processing Steps

Successful printing and safe use require specific preparation steps tailored to the printing method.

To ensure buoyancy and print success, you must use your slicer software (e.g., Lychee, Chitubox) to:
- Hollow the model.
- Add a drainage hole (ideally on the underside) to allow uncured resin to escape.
- Supports are not required for this design.
Sealing Drainage Holes (Resin Only)

After washing and initial curing, the drainage hole MUST be sealed to prevent water ingress. Use a small dab of liquid UV resin and cure it instantly with a UV light/pen to plug the hole.

📦 Required External Tools (Resin Prints)

Liquid UV Resin: Required to seal the drainage holes after cleaning.
Small UV Light/Pen: Required to cure the resin used to seal the holes quickly.

🎨 Optional Realism Painting Guide (Brown Dry Rub)

Achieve a realistic, textured look using this simple dry rub technique:

Print Base: For best results, print the model in a Flesh, Pink, or Light Grey color (resin or filament).
Dry Rub: Take a small amount of brown acrylic paint on a dry brush. Lightly brush across the top of the hippopotamus’s back and head. The brown will settle into the texture details, enhancing the skin’s look.
Safety Seal (MANDATORY): Once the detail paint is dry, seal the entire model with a coat of gloss clear acrylic spray paint. This step is required for waterproofing the paint.
Curing: Let the sealed model sit for a minimum of 24 hours before introducing it to the aquarium.

Changelog

📝 Changelog

Keeping our designs current and addressing user feedback is a priority. This tab will track all official updates to the STL files found in this download.

Version V1.0

Date: 11/26/2025
Notes: Initial Release. Clean STL files provided. Optimized for Resin (best quality) or FDM (larger scale). Requires user hollowing and support setup.

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