fake plants

[surf city baby]

Having proven to myself that I haven't sufficient knowledge or patience for live plants right now, I've given up and I'm going back to plastic.

Rather than just grab haphazardly at what looks best on the peg board at the LFS, I'd like to get some opinions.

Anyone know of a particular brand that's "best?" Any tips you can offer to me? Thanks.

[OrionGirl]

I've heard good things about silk plants. They look closer to real, are easily cleaned, and you don't have to worry about sharp plastic edges shredding long finned fish.

[cpr4cpu]

Silk plants can also be washed in the dishwasher on the crystal setting (top rack).

They lose thier color eventually, but look much more natural in the water currents than plastics.

[TKOS]

I don't know the brand but Wal Mart has a nice selection of silk plants at decent prices. I used to use them with my Betta and he loved them. Plus no ripped fins. Also they move about a bit in the current like real plants.

[kveeti]

Silk are better because they come with the weighted base - although I have had a problem lately with my approx 1-yr-old silk plant bases flaking off the brown coating and it is white under. Not so attractive.

For me, plastic plants with the boat-type bases were a pain. You have to bury them quite deep and sometimes you don't want that much gravel. I found just filling the "boats" with gravel/stones and sitting it on top wasn't great, it would get knocked out easily during cleaning and those plants were always floating up.

I don't know if plastic ones come with weighted bases (?) Silk ones are more expensive though. I don't know what brand mine were.

[NJ Devils Fan]

You could also mix some real plants with fake ones. I did that in my tank. I have two tall fake plants that no one ever knows are fake. Maybe you could get something real like a single bunch of Anacharis, and then get what ever fake plants you like. I also heard that the silk ones look very nice. I have plastic and they look fine. It's up to you.

[KateA.]

We've carried three brands over the years and they all are the same qualilty and features. I never thought of putting them in my dishwasher!! Great idea.

[wetmanNY]

Just don't run those silkplants through the dry cycle.

For optimum use of the dishwasher dry cycle, take one whole Coho salmon, well wrapped in aluminum foil and lay in the same glass rack. Run the dry cycle. Repeat cycle if necessary.

Voila! Clean aquarium silkplants and a perfect poached salmon!

(Canadian recipe.)

kveeti! fake plants? you?

[brianfl]

Another cooking tip! LOL

[kveeti]

Originally posted by wetmanNY
kveeti! fake plants? you?

Just in my betta tank - real floating plants but silk on ground level. I hope that doesn't break any former-plastic-but-now-real-plant-convert rule. :) Must admit though, the silk ones aren't very interesting under the 'scope.

[ewok]

i picked my plastic the practical way. petco puts out a brand i think, or at least they endorse it. on the back of the plant is a coupon for "buy 1 get 1 free (or for a penny) fish". there's different coupons on different plastic plants and like the "buy 1 get 1" is good for 3 pairs of fish. they don't even have to be the same kind, most of the stores around here will charge you for the expensive one and give you whatever cheaper fish free if you don't buy 2 of the same kind.......... not the best plants, but if you bought 3 pairs of their most expensive fish it could save you basically $45.00 .........

you could also check craft stores for cheaper prices on silk plants i have seen mentioned before........