I Might Be A Convert To Plastic Plants :")

[ellena]

I have always had a hatred of them, mainly instilled by my dad. But having got through 5 live plants already while I'm cycling I decided to leave plants until the cycle has finished.
I bought another tank from eBay and a few plastic plants came with it, so I stuck them in my cycling tank and I quite like the way it looks. And I know they won't rot like the live ones have done so far. I think I will try a couple of other species that might be better suited, but if that doesn't work out, I think I could happily go with fake in this tank. Just hope my dad doesn't notice

 

[shelaghfishface]

sneaky!!
have you got The Range near you? they have an excellent choice of fake plants and really nicely priced too

good luck on the dad front lol

 

[saz326]

Oh dear - there's always one black sheep in the family - you'll break your dads heart after all the things he tought you.

Plastic plants are a great idea while the tank is cycling, and also good for background plants (nice big tall ones) coz you dont have to keep cutting them back - but when you're finished cycling it would be good to get some smaller foreground plants that would look the business and also help to eat nitrates and phosphates helping to control algae etc.

....that was a long sentence. Pah!

 

[Bobtastic]

I was thinking about the decor of a cycling tank and decided that it's not really neccessary. The next tank I setup is gonna be cycled bare and the decor will be added at the final water change. Would certainly cut down on any dead plants and algea growth over all the rocks and wood.

 

[karigupi]

Whilst I can keep fish alive & thriving, plants are not my friends, an odd occassional one does well, but most become snail food. You can get some really lovely artificial plants if you shop around.

 

[Cheery-up Bear]

I noticed a tank picture on here recently with silk plants and I thought that looked fantastic.

 

[Macko1968]

I have silk plants in my tank & everyone, including other fish keepers, have failed to realise they are silk.

 

[youngfisher]

I hope I don't have these problems in my future planted tank.

 

[waterdrop]

I've been sorta thinking about what the main problems with plants are for beginners and here's my speculation:

1) #1 no carbon source: You've got to dose liquid carbon or fuss with a DIY fermentation bottle or spring for Pressurized CO2 (there are other alternatives but I'm trying to keep it simple)
2) #2 not enough plant food: A new tank is way too "sterile" for plants if you don't take the time to figure out the nutrient dosings needed.
3) Too much light: Lighting can often be started at only 4 hours per day and gradualy increased as the plants begin growing more. If there is too much light prior to growth getting underway (a lot of plants are in a sort of dormancy from being moved I believe.) then algae will surely take advantage.
4) No attention to matching the amount of light to the species of plants being grown. Low-light plants should be matched to the correct light intensity.
5) Not enough plants: Not having enough plants just makes it harder to deal with algae problems. Not enough water movement around the tank is similar.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[ellena]

Thanks for the thoughts
Not sure what the problem was with the plants I had. The design of the tank is a bit bad in that the filter is at the back of the tank, stopping light getting down. And of course, the back is where you want to put plants.
I have tried vallisneria which just rotted from day 1, and cabomba which grew tall so that I had to trim it down, but it kept rotting too until there was very little left. Not really much algae problems, just some brown but I think that's to do with the cycle?
I thought I would try amazon sword and the variations on java ferns (staghorn and lace) and wisteria before I give up completely.
I'll keep an eye out for the Range-not seen one near here.
After almost finishing my first cycle, I don't think I'll cycle with live plants in future. I don't like to see bare tanks though, so plastic would plug the gap perfectly.

 

[wilsonian]

Plants always die on me except java fern and moss

I taken the plunge and gone for silk plants, they look nice and they wont die on me

 

[Honeythorn]

I've been sorta thinking about what the main problems with plants are for beginners and here's my speculation:

1) #1 no carbon source: You've got to dose liquid carbon or fuss with a DIY fermentation bottle or spring for Pressurized CO2 (there are other alternatives but I'm trying to keep it simple)
2) #2 not enough plant food: A new tank is way too "sterile" for plants if you don't take the time to figure out the nutrient dosings needed.
3) Too much light: Lighting can often be started at only 4 hours per day and gradualy increased as the plants begin growing more. If there is too much light prior to growth getting underway (a lot of plants are in a sort of dormancy from being moved I believe.) then algae will surely take advantage.
4) No attention to matching the amount of light to the species of plants being grown. Low-light plants should be matched to the correct light intensity.
5) Not enough plants: Not having enough plants just makes it harder to deal with algae problems. Not enough water movement around the tank is similar.

~~waterdrop~~

I don't use liquid carbon, or CO2, or root tabs, or any sort of ferts, I have one bog standard fluorescent tube ( AquaGlo ) and I can grow plants quite well.

I do have basic plants, Echinodorus, Moss balls, Aponogentons, a big crypt and Cabomba. But you can fill a tank with these and make it look great.



The only thing I've ever done, was to put down a 1cm layer of basic pond soil when I first set up the tank. I topped that with 2 inches of plain aquarium sand and that'sit. Since then I've had very little trouble. There's some algae on the glass at the sides and back (doesn't botjher me ) but I do keep the fron clear. I 've had no algae blooms, no green water or cloudy water, Nothing.

I'd say go for pond soil under your substrate. It's cheap and it works fine for basic plants.

 

[Dazzlearoobob]

Had never considered fake plants but will now.
D

 

[bagu]

Had never considered fake plants but will now.
D

im tempted too =/

 

[Richard22b]

Can anyone point me in the direction of good quality fake plants. I don't want to order anything online unless it actually looks as if it was real.

cheers