# DIY fake plants?



## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

Silk plants are generally OK in the aquarium. Most are softer than the plastic things, and will move in the water column, looking more natural. 
Good point about the dyes. I would buy one stem of each item you are considering and put it in a test bucket. 

Be careful of the plastic stems. Some actually have metal in them, and this can rust. A trace of rust is not a bad problem, but I do not know how much is too much. A more important problem is the sharp ends. These can hurt the fish, especially if the long finned fish snag those long fins on the ends.


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## sinthesis (May 23, 2012)

Good point on the metal--I believe if I coat it in silicone or hot glue it will be ok. As for the sharp ends, yes, that's something I hadn't considered and would have to bend or coat or otherwise bury in something. 

So you're saying I might do well to buy some silk plants in the floral section at a craft store and work with that?

I was also thinking of buying silk (although "silk" to me is really lightweight, like a silk blouse, I don't know if it comes heavier at the fabric store, and I know it frays...) and cutting it and creating my own plants that don't really look like anything real, they'd just be sort of alien and artsy.


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## pejerrey (Dec 5, 2011)

Ew.

Why can't the other tank have real plants?


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## sinthesis (May 23, 2012)

LOL--well, mainly because it was formerly my boyfriend's, and he customized this awesome undergravel filtration system and built in this lava rock background/enclosure for all the works. Secondly, I just can't invest in all the lights and plants and all that again right now, especially considering there's so much more I want to do with the bigger planted tank I have. This thing's already so beautiful and red that I think, done well, it could be really cool with silk. 

Oh yeah and I really want bubble walls. I know. Maybe that's ew too.


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## pejerrey (Dec 5, 2011)

Yeah, you got a double EW today! Lol!


Post pictures of the process!


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

I would start with the store bought silk plants. Whether they are real silk or not I have no idea, but they probably have some sort of stiffener added to the fabric. Not a problem for the fish or the tank. I would use the store bought because they are multicolored, and look more natural than the plastic plants that are available, though some of the plastic plants are getting better than they used to be. 

If you are going to actually make your own silk plants then you may know more about working with fabric than I do. I would not want to attempt anything like that.


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## chibikaie (Aug 2, 2012)

The store bought silk plants do cost more for nice-looking ones, but they can be found. Some are very realistic.

I like bubbles! Not everyone on here is obsessed with CO2. (Don't have the lighting to require it.) There's a gimmicky thing for an "underwater river" of bubbles that end in a bridge, always thought that would actually look kinda cool.


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## sinthesis (May 23, 2012)

Yes! Bubble enthusiast represent! :hihi: You'll have to tell me more about this river of bubbles, I can't picture what you mean.

So after perusing three craft/floral stores I haven't found any plants that seem right at all. I got a remnant of iridescent green/rust red taffeta and am floating that in some water to see how it holds up. So far so good. Although my mom had a thought...how are you going to make the plants not lay on the ground without some kind of armature...and she's probably right. I'm not sure the water/current's going to be enough to keep the "leaves" sticking up. Might need to use like 30g wire and coat in silicone. It's all seeming like maybe unnecessary work and maybe a silly idea. But I still think it could be really cool.


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