The Great Plant Experment

[Sulla]

Just wanted to post about an experment I am doing on plastic and silk plants you buy at hobby stores. I am sure if any of you have ever looked at these plants you will have noticed they are much larger and cheaper than the Aquarium plants you can buy. Also if you have looked it looks like they are made exactly the same out of the same materials. Well I have used the solid plastic ones for years without any problems but I have held back on the silk plants. I was worried about what ever they used to attach the silk leaves to the plastic and possibly paint on the leaves. Well I decided just to test them on my 125G tank. Below you can see an image of the tank with all of the plants in it. So now I have to wait and watch and see how my Silver Dollars do. I figure if they make it 6 weeks it will be fine becouse with water changes levels of anything in the tank will never get any higher.

Also all of the plants seem fine except for one that had silver highlights. Some of the silver paint is coming off in flakes but floating and being sucked into the filters. Also one plant had a film on the leaves when I was rensing them off so its going to soak for several days. I will try and keep every one updated.

 

[Sulla]

Oh and after I got all of the plants in I am missing one of my 8 Silver Dollars. So if he does not show back up I am going to have to pull them all out and see if I trapped him or if he just died. He was the one that got picked on all the time that did not look to good anyway. Always something

 

[mumrah]

cool head

 

[Meredith]

Wow, that looks really nice. Did you weigh them down with anything or just push them down into your gravel?

 

[Sulla]

I I did was stick the base of them into cracks etc. Seems they dont float much.

 

[greenmaji]

Your DIY 3d background is looking great!! Have you seen and algae growth on it? How
much and what kind of light have you used in the tank?

 

[Sulla]

Up till now I have used single bulb low watt 32 inch light in the middle. I just changed to the Compact Floresent High Out Put 96W 6700K. Only growth is some ugly brown stuff but not to much .

 

[jrp1588]

Where did you get those cool rockey things on the sides of the aquarium? That looks great.

 

[greenmaji]

The stuff is all made out a styrophome this tank is the one in the DIY sticky for 3D backgrounds..

 

[jrp1588]

So they sculpted that rock themselves? Fantastic. Though, that would take up too much space in my tank.

 

[Sulla]

Yes I sculpted all of it. You can make it as thick or thin as you like.

 

[jrp1588]

Are you into sculpture or something, because that looks so realistic. Did you also paint it or something, because the colors look right too.

 

[greenmaji]

Are you into sculpture or something, because that looks so realistic. Did you also paint it or something, because the colors look right too.

It sounds like the thread on the project will answer most of your questions about it..
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=31078

 

[Sulla]

Ya the thread does cover most of it. But if you have any other questions after reading over the thread I will be happy to answer them.

 

[jrp1588]

That is fantastic, but way beyond my artistic means. I do very well in 2D, but in 3D art I am lost. You could probably make a business out of that, I'd buy some, but I'm sure it would be EXPENSIVE with all the labor involved.

 

[greenmaji]

That is fantastic, but way beyond my artistic means. I do very well in 2D, but in 3D art I am lost. You could probably make a business out of that, I'd buy some, but I'm sure it would be EXPENSIVE with all the labor involved.

sorry if this is too off topic..
If you do very well with 2D art then it would just be a matter of practice to do well with 3D IME. Ive been drawing since I was about 6 years old and didnt learn to sculpt untill I was nearly 16 (studio art class in high school).. I was supprised to find out ist much like 2D art in 4 directions with the background its more 3 directions since the back is relitivly flat....

 

[Sulla]

My background in all 2d art also. But really in many ways I find the 3D easer.

 

[QTOFFER]

The tank looks amazing!
I remember following your DIY 3D background thread. It really came out fantastic - you truly are an artiste!!!

Have you had any problem with brown diatoms on the 3D background and the silk plants?

 

[jrp1588]

I'm ok with clay, but I am terrible with everything else. Foam is too much of an unforgiving medium for me.

 

[Sulla]

Not much problem with with anything yet.

Foam is not bad as long as you plan it out in advance.