Fake plants

[scottcjag]

I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions on fake plants to use. A certain brand that looks really good, plastic or silk? I dont really feel like hassling with real plants for the time being, but maybe in the future. Thanks

[fishmasterflash]

personally, I think silk plants look better, but then again there are some great looking plastic ones. It pretty much all depends on what is aesthetically pleasing to you. The fabric ones made by Foster and smith aquatics look really good, in my opinion. The only thing you should know about plastic plants is that you should clean them off in some warm, running water with your bare hands from time to time or algae will build up.

[Fisharefriends27]

Plastic can sometimes cut fish

[mermaidwannabe]

You'll just need to look at what's out there and decide what you like best. The silks are more lifelike and softer, yet the plastics come in some really interesting colors.

I like to combine fake and live plants. The fakes are all the ones I "plant" in the substrate. The live ones are mossballs which just sit on the substrate and look really cool, and floating plants which include hornwort, water sprite, riccia and anacharis. The live floaters provide some nibbling snacks for some of my fish, and also serve as soft bedding for them to rest in at night. They provide some shady areas and hiding places, and they help keep nitrates in check, as do the mossballs, which are a deep rich green and look like closely compacted little furballs.

The live plants I've mentioned here don't require a lot of bright light, nor do I need to fertilize them. They do just fine with a regular aquarium light and whatever nitrates are already in the tank.

You might like to combine fakes with easy-care live plants. They can really look interesting together.

-- mermaidwannabe

[nmb7895]

I found that to make plastic plants look more natural, buy ones that are too big for your aquarium and fan them out. If they go over the top too much, simply trim them.

I use a 50 gallon sized plastic plant in a 10 gallon, and the plant filled the tank nicely and looks more natural than my dinky 10-20 gallon plants.

[skullduggery1]

I like aquarium systems fancy plants(giant)They hold up to aggressive well and once some algae gets on them they naturalize well.Also the larger plants fronds lay across the water for a topcover.

[DrNic]

As far as fake plants are concerned, silk is the way to go for the best lifelike appearance. My mom recently picked up a bunch for her 45G bowfront. When I saw them I was convinced they were real until she let me pull one out.

I'm not sure where she got them but I'll ask her.

[nmb7895]

As far as fake plants are concerned, silk is the way to go for the best lifelike appearance. My mom recently picked up a bunch for her 45G bowfront. When I saw them I was convinced they were real until she let me pull one out.

I'm not sure where she got them but I'll ask her.
I had silk plants, and they fell apart and were difficult to clean. I had to throw them all out, because they had basically been ripped to shreds.

Although they don't really make large leafed plastic plants, which is one of the plants I really miss from my old set of silk plants.

[Taurus]

I have a plastic amazon sword plant in my 20 long that is 12" high and 8" wide.
I like plastic plants with the weighting on the bottom to hold them in place. When they get nasty, I just soak'em in a weak bleach\water solution and let them dry. Then rinse them in a bucket of water with a healthy does of Prime in it. Hey, it might be a bit tacky, but it's great cover for the fish.:ssuprised:

[Roscoe47]

I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions on fake plants to use. A certain brand that looks really good, plastic or silk? I dont really feel like hassling with real plants for the time being, but maybe in the future. Thanks

I have just purchased some silk plants,didn't think that the plastic ones were worth looking, they look cheap and nasty, nothing like the quality of the silk plants!

Will find the manufacturers that I used, and will pm you later!

[scottcjag]

Thanks for the suggestions all! I grabbed 3 silk plants from my LFS, and I am really happy with them. I decided to cut down on plants by putting a large piece of driftwood and a cave that I built out of slate in my tank. It looks really good, and provides plenty of cover for my fish. As soon as I find my camera (just moved to a new house and its still packed away), I will upload some pics!

Thanks,

Scottcjag

[nmb7895]

What's the best way to make a rock cave? Do you have to glue it, or do you just lay the slate carefully on top of eachother?

[Goes to 11!]

What's the best way to make a rock cave? Do you have to glue it, or do you just lay the slate carefully on top of eachother?

It's best to silicone [Aquarium safe silicone only] it so there is no chance of an accidental collapse.

This is after you spend a bunch of time playing w the bits to get it right. thumbs2:

[nmb7895]

I've heard Super Glue is aquarium safe

Is this true? Would that be alright to use?

SG is 1$ a bottle
Silicone Glue is 5$

Which is why I'm asking, to be perfectly honest.

[Goes to 11!]

I've heard Super Glue is aquarium safe

Is this true? Would that be alright to use?

SG is 1$ a bottle
Silicone Glue is 5$

Which is why I'm asking, to be perfectly honest.
30 seconds on Google & I found that "as long as we're talking true cyanoacrylate" it is.

But I will ask you a far more important question:

Do you really want to risk your entire tank of fish and plants for 4$?

No way I would risk it without doing more research [& Google never closes. so you're in luck there]

[scottcjag]

What's the best way to make a rock cave? Do you have to glue it, or do you just lay the slate carefully on top of eachother?

I went to home depot and got some pieces of slate tile that had fallen off the pallet for free! I then went to my LFS and got some aquarium safe silicone. I stacked the sides together, gluing each piece as I went, and I just set the top piece on top, for easier cleaning.