Fake Scenery??

[richie6]

New 36 gallon Bow Front has been started and ready to add fish per water test.

One thing, my wife likes the fake scenery and not the live/dry rock look. Has anyone used the fake scenery? Plus/Minus to them??

https://www.bigalspets.com/florida-coral-reef.html

 

[chefbill]

The rock is not for decoration. It is your biological filter. it is necessary in a reef tank

 

[richie6]

The rock is not for decoration. It is your biological filter. it is necessary in a reef tank

So I will add both then (live rock and scenery). I believe they will blend in together.

Thanx!

 

[chefbill]

Every bit of plastic scenery I have ever seen looks fake. Obviously fake. Glaringly fake. If you or she likes it go ahead and add it. Just realize that removing it at a later date may cause problems. Also make sure that it is reef safe and that there is no metal on it

 

[richie6]

Every bit of plastic scenery I have ever seen looks fake. Obviously fake. Glaringly fake. If you or she likes it go ahead and add it. Just realize that removing it at a later date may cause problems. Also make sure that it is reef safe and that there is no metal on it

I believe you how that stuff looks. Going with the rock, then adding coral at a later date.

 

[chefbill]

I understand making the wife happy. I really do. But for the money and time investment I personally would want it to look is real as possible

 

[richie6]

So true! Thanx for the help.

 

[Ricksreef]

You would not be happy with the fake very long,algae will need to be cleaned off it frequently.


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[54seaweed]

these things look horrible IMO

if you don't want coral go fowlr , plastic reefs just don't have any true life characteristics
and the fish wont benefit from them plus over time they just start to deteriorate been there done that , with live coral things always are changing as things grow plastic don't grow and change ,
me personally if it don't look real it's just a waist of your good hard earned money , I don't encourage instant reef just drops in insert and be done, you'll learn more from your tank with living organisms and coral, your spending all that money to start a saltwater tank why waist that money on a $80. insert , not all live coral costs a small fortune ,
actually for that $80. you can buy $10. frags and they will spread over time and you can build from there you'll be happier in the end , there are a lot of online vendors who sell cheap frags , fake just looks horrible in a saltwater tank , and IMO a big waist of money .
just realize the amount of work maintaining a fake insert tank to a live coral tank is about the same except you don't get the joy of seeing things grow and spread natural tanks provide a natural filtration as plastics do not , something to think about ,
remember taking short cuts don't make it easier it just leads you to be unhappy over time , wishing you went live from the start , another thing to consider is the fish's natural environment , a lot of saltwater critters like to burrow into rocks with a fake inserts these critters hermits /shrimp / crabs can't do there normal activity's , and most likely wont be happy

 

[richie6]

So went and purchased Live Rock and happy with the outcome. Once up and running, coral frags will be purchased. Can't wait to add those.

Thanx all for your input