Show me your fake planted tank!!

[NewFish]

Hey all, I am heavily debating between a live planted tank and just doing the same old plastic or silk plants. Can some of you post some pics of your plastic tanks?? To me they just look fake, but maybe I am buying the wrong plants. I appreciate it!!

 

[PBirdsong]

You know . . . I'm a HUGE fan of live plants, but I recently saw a pretty neat tank at a LFS that was "faked out" and it actually looked good. I'll get a picture this weekend. I think if you look around you can find some decent fake plants . . . but you have to keep them cleaned off. Diatoms seem to LOVE fake plants.

 

[Andyvette]

Fake plants

Fake plants can look great, but you have to make sure you spend the money on some really nice ones. The quality can change drastically from your cheap to expensive fakes. IMO, the only reason you need fake plants is if you have fish that cannot live with real plants and dig them to death. Other than that, if you have just the cheap ole' light that came with the aquarium, then get yourself a time for $5 at wal-mart, and set it so that your light stays on 12 hrs a day. You can get lowlight species such as crypts, java ferns, and some anubius plants, and even though they won't grow fast, they will be alive, let off oxygen, and fight nitrite and algae levels. There are only benefits IMO

 

[lovemybarbs]

I'm afraid to get live plants because I'm afraid I'll kill one. If I get the bigger tank that I want, I may start with one and see how it goes. Also, the entire CO2 science of it all is nothing I am interested in. I don't want to commit to an entire tank full and have to get new lighting and then have to deal with only ones that my fish will like. Yada, yada, yada.

 

[mr funktastic]

have u ever thought about going half and half? get some live plants for a trial run and then slowly replace the fake with real if the plants do well. here is a pic of my tank with fake and real plants to show u hot nice it can look. this is an old shot of my tank but i liked it alot when it was set up this way.

 

[Meredith]

I just recently got into having a fully planted tank. Before that my tanks were half and half. On my 55 I had very good luck with those aponogeton bulbs you can get at walmart for 3 bucks. And Java fern is a great low light plant. I have 30 watts total on that tank, so that is just over .5 watts a gallon.

 

[lovemybarbs]

I don't know which plant my little guys would even like. I have a 20 Watt bulb in a 29 gallon tank. I don't think it is a good idea for me because my pictus doesn't like bright lights. He likes the new bulb.

 

[pwrflpills]

I don't think it's a matter of what your fish like...it's not their food. All you have to worry about is picking the right ones for your set-up. I've got what I think is a great mix of Anubias and Crypts...if I remember tonight, I'll ty to take a pick for ya...or maybe there's one in my profile. Take a look if you can. I do have an upgraded light (Coralife T-5 2x14watt), but that's still not a tone of light and the plant maintenence is a non-issue.

 

[lovemybarbs]

well I know some fish pick at some plants. I don't want a plant that one of my fish might nip at to death. I know they don't eat them.

 

[Guest]

I actually have live plants right now. I have tried EVERYTHING to keep them alive but they are still dying. I am going to get more, but if they die this time it's adios amigo. I will keep the ones that are well and green and get fake SILK plants. Silk plants IMO look better and are healthier for your fish(they don't cut them). So I will most likely end up with half and half.

 

[DepotFish]

This tank is from the goldfish forum I frequent. It is 100% plastic.

 

[severum mama]

Ok, these pics suck because it's daytime and you can see a ton of reflection on the glass, but you get the point. This is my favorite tank of mine, a 29 gallon with crappy stock lighting, no ferts, and no CO2 whatsoever. There is less than 1 wpg in this tank, yet there is next to no algae at all and I now have more plants than what I know what to do with. Plus, the fish love all the hiding places.

My point, along with others here, is that you can have a planted tank without a whole lot of effort if you choose the right plants for your setup. I have 2 pieces of driftwood, one on each end, with java fern attached to them. I have 1 anubias in the gravel on the left, and the other attached to the rock caves in the middle (you can't really see the caves in these pics, though). I have no clue what the sword plant is and am honestly surprised it lived, and now it's creeping out of the tank. (If anyone can ID this plant, I'd be happy to know what it is). If you want to try plants, go for java fern and anubias for sure- they practically grow in the dark. Someone else mentioned crypts, some of those would work too. If you choose low light plants, you can just learn as you go. Man, my pics are awful.

prflpills- nice 20 gallon you got there, and sweet avatar too. Were you at Coventry?

 

[Devilishturtles]

Here is my "faked out" 55 Gallon Community tank. It does have some Java Fern and Anarachis ala JChillin in there. But I don't consider it a planted tank.

 

[Mazdaman]

i don't know how to bring a pic into here but check my gallery for a "faked-out" 75gal.

 

[tropicfishman]

nice tanks everyone

 

[NewFish]

beautiful tanks so far. So if someone can please make a quick reference list to the best starter plants. So far I am seeing Java Fern, Java Moss, Anubias so far seem popular. Also, for driftwood...geat places to get it??

 

[Florida8]

Anacharis (Egeria densa) is a great low light easy care pretty plant... with only 2 bunches at only 99 cent bunches I have more than I know what to do with and loads to give away! And my fish love it!

 

[NewFish]

Anacharis (Egeria densa) is a great low light easy care pretty plant... with only 2 bunches at only 99 cent bunches I have more than I know what to do with and loads to give away! And my fish love it!

.

Will you ship some to me?? I'll pay for shipping

 

[nikipike]

I've really enjoyed this thread!

Had been mulling over live Vs. silk plants myself for my female betta tank. It needs to be well planted & the price of silk plants was making my wallet cry.

Live would definately work better for me if I went with low-light plants plus all the added benefits.