DIY-More Realistic Breeding Grass

[Drumachine09]

Im sure we have all seen the breeding grass that is sold in an unatural looking square for $1 at walmart. I had an extra one laying around, so i decided i would fiddle with it to make it more realistic looking, so i would think about adding it to my tank. It turned out looking really cool.

~MATERIALS~
1 Tube Aquarium-Safe Silicon
1 Ugly Square-Looking Breeding Grass
1 Large Peice of Slate
4 Small Peices of Slate (optional)

~TOOLS~
2 Hands

~Time~
15 minutes tops

~COST~
Assuming you dont have any of the supplies (i had all)
$1 Breeding Grass
$6 Tube of Aquarium-Safe Silicon
$5 2 lbs Slate




~STEP 1~
Aquire your materials and sit down at a comfortable place (ie. my bed)

http://s162.photobucket.com/albums/t257/drumachine09/?action=view&current=DIY001.jpg

~STEP 2~
Remove all of the clumps of grass from the square frame. Grab near the bottom of the clump, hold firmly, and pull it off of the barbs.

http://s162.photobucket.com/albums/t257/drumachine09/?action=view&current=DIY002.jpg

~STEP 3~
Put a small dab of silicon on each clump, and push it onto your slate.

http://s162.photobucket.com/albums/t257/drumachine09/?action=view&current=DIY003.jpg

~STEP 4~
Arrange the clumps how you see fit on your peice of slate.

http://s162.photobucket.com/albums/t257/drumachine09/?action=view&current=DIY004.jpg

~STEP 5~
If you have leftover clumps that wont fit on your original rock, you can add them to another rock, or do as i did, and silicon them each individually to smaller rocks.

http://s162.photobucket.com/albums/t257/drumachine09/?action=view&current=DIY005.jpg



And there you have it. A cheap, simple, and effective DIY. I will be adding pictures of them in my tank, as soon as the silicon cures. I will be putting the big one into my 55, and the four small ones into my moms 10 gallon community.


Fin.

[Chrona]

Nice! If I may suggest though, a little extra silicone around each plant + a sprinkling of sand on it may make it look more natural.

[Drumachine09]

There is a small hole in the center of each clump, so if you push hard enough, silicon will go through that hole and anchor itself. The sand would only be needed if you saw extra silicon.

[Lady Hobbs]

Neat idea. And chrona's idea of sand is good, too. It would look like a little osasis right there in your tank.

[Chrona]

There is a small hole in the center of each clump, so if you push hard enough, silicon will go through that hole and anchor itself. The sand would only be needed if you saw extra silicon.

Right, but my point was to break up the area between the grass and the rocks, because carpet plants on a flat rock looks somewhat out of place without a "substrate." So there would actually be a decent radius of sand. Iunno, just a thought. Maybe I need to get some sleep.

[Drumachine09]

Right, but my point was to break up the area between the grass and the rocks, because carpet plants on a flat rock looks somewhat out of place without a "substrate." So there would actually be a decent radius of sand. Iunno, just a thought. Maybe I need to get some sleep.


Hmm, i could spread some silicon on the rock and sprinkle some sand from the neighbors sand box on it. would that look hokey?

[Chrona]

Hmm, i could spread some silicon on the rock and sprinkle some sand from the neighbors sand box on it. would that look hokey?

Just in a clump around the grass I think. You don't want to obscure the slate. Lemme know how it looks. Make sure test it on a small piece, lol.

[Drumachine09]

How do these look?

http://s162.photobucket.com/albums/t257/drumachine09/?action=view&current=DIY2001.jpg

http://s162.photobucket.com/albums/t257/drumachine09/?action=view&current=DIY2002.jpg

[Chrona]

Blurry ;)

Nah, they look pretty good. Maybe a little less symmetrical though, so it doesn't look as man-made.

[Drumachine09]

Blurry ;)

Nah, they look pretty good. Maybe a little less symmetrical though, so it doesn't look as man-made.


Does that mean im too perfect? XD

[Chrona]

Does that mean im too perfect? XD

Again with the self-flattery *sigh* :rolleyes:


;)

[Drumachine09]

Again with the self-flattery *sigh* :rolleyes:


;)

Hey, im allowed to imagine arent I?

[cocoa_pleco]

a little bit blurry. great idea!

[Lady Hobbs]

You're probably going to bury the slate in your gravel, aren't you? If so, guess it probably doesn't matter.

[Lady Hobbs]

Maybe I should do this and rip all my plants out! LOL

[Chrona]

Maybe I should do this and rip all my plants out! LOL

Hobbs, I think you may very well kill these plants too.




:ezpi_wink1:

[cocoa_pleco]

Hobbs, I think you may very well kill these plants too.






:ezpi_wink1:


PWN3d! lol

When i just ripped out the fake plants on my 20g to make it a rocky cichlid tnak, i couldnt believe how much waste was in there.

[crackatinny]

Very affective, looks great:thumb:

[holbritter]

Maybe I should do this and rip all my plants out! LOL

Ditto! Hope my fish like changes....gotta stop looking at these threads!!:hmm3grin2orange:

[kimmers318]

Very interesting look, I like it! Although I haven't ever seen that carpet breeding grass around anywhere yet.