Faking It

[CrystalClear16]

Plants that is

I have a few basic plastic plants in my tank but they are too fake-looking. I did a bit of research into live plants but it all seems a bit too technical and too much of a hassle for me.

Is it possible to have fake plants that don't look horrible and plasticy?

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

I believe silks are pretty life-like these days, but if I can keep water plants alive, anyone can

(Plus they will consume ammonia and lower the nitrate levels)

 

[CrystalClear16]

Ooooh silk plants. I have not seen those before but just Googled - I approve!

I would like live ones, but I am rubbish at identifying plants. I would probably end up buying something that isn't aquatic at all >.<

 

[ellena]

I have tried several ways of growing plants, except with CO[sub]2[/sub] injection, and I have failed miserably. I think it's not the plants it's what you do with them Real plants can look rubbish if not placed well, and plastic can look great if carefully setup.

All plastic but the java fern. I know you can tell they're plastic, but I still think it looks good. And they stay looking good-no rotten leaves to pull out every week

 

[PDSimon]

There are easy to grow plants such as amazon swords (echinodorus bleheri), java ferns etc just have a look in the planted tanks section there are a couple of lists of easy to grow plants but if you simply don't care about plants I wouldn't bother and would stick to fake plants, even if planted tanks look nicer!

 

[TimNorwich]

Hello there, I have spent ALOT of money on live plants in the past, and I have none of them right now. I change my mind about my tank like I change underwear, so I decided to go for some silk artificial plants. MY LFS sells some really nice ones, large ones are 5.99-6.99 but they look very good like you wouldn't tell.


Another pro of having artificial plants is not having to clean up all the dead leaves that those akward fish have killed.

There are easy plants to grow and harder, I'm sure you already know about the planted section of the forum, and I'm sure theres some guides. Vallis, Crypts and Java Fern are the basics.

Another thing is, the artificial plants will also 'wear in' a bit too, they won't always look as new as they do in the shop once they have a bit of algae on them and begin to look more natural from then on.

 

[mtv8dmarine]

Having real plants is a matter of personal opinion. Everybody will agree that live plants can really make a tank and it's fish stand out. Likewise, it can do the opposite too. I wouldn't recommend live plants for anyone that was less than serious about them and learning about them. It is after all, a completely additional dimension to a tank both good and bad. I personally don't mind the upkeep but I know that others don't want to "work" any further with their tanks but instead enjoy it from the couch. It's perfectly understandable. I just wanted to say that having a planted tank is not as scary as one might initially think.

 

[CrystalClear16]

To be honest I would love some java moss on my slate and a plant on my bogwood, but from what I read this is meant to be very difficult!

Can a mixture of real and silk plants work? Or will the real ones make the fake stand out?

Another thing is, the artificial plants will also 'wear in' a bit too, they won't always look as new as they do in the shop once they have a bit of algae on them and begin to look more natural from then on.

My plastic plants have worn in as you say. Unofotunately this seems to highlight their plastic-ness >.<

 

[mtv8dmarine]

I think there can be a tasteful middle ground between plastic and real.

 

[meguro]

seeing as how my beautiful post is now gone...

u dont get fake fish so why get fake plants?

 

[CrystalClear16]

seeing as how my beautiful post is now gone...

u dont get fake fish so why get fake plants?

Because I got into fishkeeping to enjoy the fish, not to garden.

I think there can be a tasteful middle ground between plastic and real.

I might experiment a bit with some java moss then and see how it goes. If I fail epically I will go for silk plants

 

[mtv8dmarine]

Ya know, I love these forums but the one thing that really irks me is some people's inability to respect others' personal choices with what they do with their tanks. If she would rather fake plants, then so be it. That's her choice. Respect it. If you can't respect HER CHOICE then don't post.

People come here to socialize and get questions answered or problems solved. They don't come here to be criticized for their tanks. I could see if she was grossly overstocks and killing her fish...that warrants some respectful but firm advice sometimes, but a choice that doesn't help or hurt the fish is of no consequence to anything.

 

[Neon guy]

Ya know, I love these forums but the one thing that really irks me is some people's inability to respect others' personal choices with what they do with their tanks. If she would rather fake plants, then so be it. That's her choice. Respect it. If you can't respect HER CHOICE then don't post.

People come here to socialize and get questions answered or problems solved. They don't come here to be criticized for their tanks. I could see if she was grossly overstocks and killing her fish...that warrants some respectful but firm advice sometimes, but a choice that doesn't help or hurt the fish is of no consequence to anything.

I agree 100%-I have a garden out back and a tank in the house.

 

[meguro]

Ya know, I love these forums but the one thing that really irks me is some people's inability to respect others' personal choices with what they do with their tanks. If she would rather fake plants, then so be it. That's her choice. Respect it. If you can't respect HER CHOICE then don't post.

People come here to socialize and get questions answered or problems solved. They don't come here to be criticized for their tanks. I could see if she was grossly overstocks and killing her fish...that warrants some respectful but firm advice sometimes, but a choice that doesn't help or hurt the fish is of no consequence to anything.

i was asking a question so i could understand because i dont know the answer myself

 

[GAB99]

seeing as how my beautiful post is now gone...

u dont get fake fish so why get fake plants?

Because I got into fishkeeping to enjoy the fish, not to garden.

no offense meguro but, you need aloe vera for that burn?

anyways, yeah imo its not that bad, but i like natural so i went with real, like someone said swords are a nice starter but i really screwed up my swords,they look more like evil bushes than those elegant things i seein tanks my argentinians doing good though so its not a total loss.