# Why Bother?



## Guest

Why bother with plants? What are the advantages to having live plants v. fake? And don't say "oxygen levels". Just wondering.


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## Osiris

Live plants also act as filteration in water just like they do for us up here, trees and stuff. Also triggers some breeding for species, and makes more fish feel more relaxed as much more realistic. Live plants also in SW help keep nitrate levels low or 0, which i believe have same effects in FW. Their cool in tank when ur trying to make it look really realistic.


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## Guest

I think I'll stick with my fake plants. Maybe if I ever go saltwater (maybe this *christ*mass) I'll try real plants. Are they high maintenance?


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## blakeoe

nice name! Fish keeping is a hobby and keeping up with plants just adds to it. Gives us more to do.


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## Osiris

Well you need liverock almost always in SW, for biological filteration, and then best to have a refugium filled pack of liveplants or known as macroalgae. Easy as heck to do i converted a AC500 and AC300 into refugiums to grow live plants.


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## aquatic_dynasty

Live plants makes your tank pretty and lifelike. umm....nice name.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................


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## Aqua Essentials

IHadSexWithAllTheseFish said:


> Why bother with plants? What are the advantages to having live plants v. fake? And don't say "oxygen levels". Just wondering.


Are you serious :???: 

You'd probably be better off doing a google as there are hundreds of reasons why...


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## DavidDoyle

Before you worry about plants you need to research proper stocking levels, there is no way an oscar belongs in a 10 gal.

And if you want to continue getting serious replies to questions, you might want to pick another screen name.


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## Osiris

DavidDoyle, he described his name in introduction post, i think should be changed to something else but up to Shaggy about it.


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## Guest

DavidDoyle said:


> Before you worry about plants you need to research proper stocking levels, there is no way an oscar belongs in a 10 gal.
> 
> And if you want to continue getting serious replies to questions, you might want to pick another screen name.


At least I don't have to go through life with the name "_Dave Doyle_".


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## Guest

Aqua Essentials said:


> Are you serious :???:
> 
> You'd probably be better off doing a google as there are hundreds of reasons why...


Than could you please give me a few?


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## Ownager2004

The reasons to keep plants are that they help filtration, they look nice, some people enjoy taking care of a natural environment for their fish, and you know...
same reason why people have gardens and house plants and such, its a hobby... the reasons are different for everyone


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## Osiris

Here's a good informative site i came across:
http://www.elmersaquarium.com/c105liveplants.htm


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## Ghetto

I just don't like the fact that his name stretches out the forum.


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## SouthernJustice

Ghetto said:


> I just don't like the fact that his name stretches out the forum.


Could be worse, his name could be Ghetto -> 'Gangsta' fish keeper... Im sorry is this fishforums or Felpausch?


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## Osiris

ok so yea, back on topic....lol


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## Hamm35924

ya'll need to chill


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## Guest

Hmm... I'll avoid plants. Thanks for the info, but let's end this thread now.


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## Ghetto

SouthernJustice said:


> Could be worse, his name could be Ghetto -> 'Gangsta' fish keeper... Im sorry is this fishforums or Felpausch?



OMG that is like the best comback ever.


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## maxpayne_lhp

*Re*



Ghetto said:


> I just don't like the fact that his name stretches out the forum.


 Ya some other members told me that too... but I have no idea... just a weird feeling at first (about his name)...


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## Pareeeee

LOL...YOU GUYS!!!! 

I agree with everyone, dont like that screen name.
BUT Anyway...
Plants are GREAT because they look amazing, I get comments all the time on my tank because of the real plants. They filter the water as others have said, and it's so kool creating a miniature natural "environment in a glass box".

So, that is why I love plants.
Plus they stop algae from growing in your tank
Hoorah for plants!


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## maxpayne_lhp

Characin Gal, you use the UG filter rite? I wonder if it's a misconception that UG filter upset the plant's root.


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## Pareeeee

I use the UGF and it has never really harmed any of my plants. I have always had success with my plants. I believe it is a misconception, yes


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## SouthernJustice

Ghetto said:


> OMG that is like the best comback ever.


You wouldn't get it. But if you lived in Michigan you would. Spare me the woogie boogie talk. Maama Jamma


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## Guest

Ghetto said:


> OMG that is like the best comback ever.


I don't think "_ghetto_" gets it. It's not a comeback, it's a statement of fact. You understand, G?


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## Ghetto

IHadSexWithAllTheseFish said:


> I don't think "_ghetto_" gets it. It's not a comeback, it's a statement of fact. You understand, G?



So it's more of an inside joke. Is it a city in michigan?


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## Simoriax

The main reason i went for live plants is plastic ones look shit...


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## maxpayne_lhp

lol I onced found an underwater maple tree... I may bring some over for Chaaracin Gal lol


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## Lydia

simoriax: same here, although those probably arent the words i would use


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## Mr Aquarium

This is the reason people want live plants in their aquariums,











The reason people want plants that are live, the look nice, they take some of the nastys out of the water, they give back good stuff to the water and the fish thrive better with this prosses.

and to add,
I'm sure that name has a meaning, but IMHO, it doesn't belong here.....


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## Pareeeee

maxpayne_lhp said:


> lol I onced found an underwater maple tree... I may bring some over for Chaaracin Gal lol


Underwater Maple???? KEWL


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## Guest

Simoriax said:


> The main reason i went for live plants is plastic ones look shit...[sic]


I agree that real plants look good, but I think fake ones look fine, too.


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## shev

Some fake plants look pretty good. some are horrible, like the rainbow ones at walmart.


Good:









Not so good:


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## Guest

I agree. The most hiddeous tank I can imagine would have those rainbow colored pebbles with those bright red plants and one of those surfing skeletons.


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## Simoriax

LMAO! Who would use those? 

I stuck with plastic plants for seven years. Simply because it was easy. I thought they looked great. I went round a friends house and saw his newly planted tank and realised how much better they look. I'm so happy I've finally seen the light and have a much healthier and more natural looking aquarium.


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## Pareeeee

newest pic of my planted 33 gallon. exactly why i love plants.


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## Huugs

Those 2 tanks both look amazing. I hope I can get mine looking half as good!


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## maxpayne_lhp

*Have a look at this*



> Plastic Plants: The Least Common Factor ​ by Steve Coach, _of San Diego_
> Aquarticles​ When Benjamin Franklin said, "The least common thing is common sense," he must have been referring to his aquarium plantscape plastic plants.
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> As bio-wheel filtration has prevailed and conventional wisdom has leaned toward a lesser and lesser substrate (bottom gravel) the manufacturers of plastic aquarium plants continue to produce plants that are not well adapted to current trends. As home aquarium-keeping is currently so vast and growing one can only wonder at the thinking of those suppliers. To their credit, the best producers of plastic plants are achieving some very realistic approximations, but that is not the main problem.
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> In defense of the use of plastic plants I can only say this: After extensive research and a lot of eco-system problems in my own tanks - attempting in vain to maintain the most perfectly balanced aquarium environments I could, I have decided that live plants was not the best solution. First, let me say that if you have a thriving tank full of live aquatic botanicals, congratulations to you.
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> I found that the plants caused increased acid and ammonia. Plant fertilizers, no matter what I seemed to use, added yet another layer of complexity. The plants have their own decay, but the bits the fish pulled off didn't help. Keeping the intake baskets free of loose plant debris was another issue.
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> After noting none of the local tropical fish retailers in my area used live plants in their tanks, I headed for the Internet to see how the extremely meticulously controlled laboratory aquarists dealt with the issue. To my surprise I eventually discovered a bulletin board (Internet discussion board) where the forum was exactly the issue of live plants in the aquarium. It seems that around the world where professionally maintained research lab aquarists study aspects of freshwater tropical fish, live plants are almost universally considered a hindrance to maintaining a quality controlled aquarium environment.
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> My experience with fish is that they enjoy the plants. I also noticed that they are not overly particular about plastic plants versus real plants. Given a tank with no plants versus plastic only, I decided on plastic.
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> Problem is that I use a very thin substrate (and no under-gravel filter). So how does one "root" plastic plants with only ¼" to 3/8" of gravel - and still make them appear natural?
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> Plastic plants are typically purchased with some kind of plastic "anchor" at the base. This anchor is supposedly covered by the tank's substrate. When you have 2" or 3" of substrate this may not be an issue. But then you may have a more serious time trying to keep that much gravel clean and detoxified. The idea of a thinner gravel layer is that the tank's filters, bottom feeders, and bacteria work better when the substrate is not as deep.
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> You have a few options. With a thin substrate you can heap up a pile of substrate to bury the overly large plastic base that is intended by the manufacturers to help anchor the plastic plant. That looks very unnatural to say the least, and can be a source of tank putrification as toxins build up in the gravel pile. You could just position an ornamental rock (or other suitable item) in front of the base to cover it up, but then you still need to figure out how to keep the plastic plant fixed at the bottom. That's when I came up with my solution.
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> When all else fails, make up a solution! I decided that if the large plastic anchors were the problem, they had to go. I tried my idea and it works very well.
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> Simply remove the large old plastic bases and replace them using suction cups - the kind typically used for air-tubing holders (see below).
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> But what do you do with the plastic plants that had "stems" too awkward to easily get away with a suction cup, like this one?
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> Simple. I got out the trusty hot glue gun and grabbed some spare aquarium gravel and went to work. In short order I had a solution. When it works out right it looks something like this:
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> Care needs to be taken with the hot glue gun as the plastic used for plastic plants has a fairly low melting point. Damage to the plastic plant can easily result if not careful. Consider working in a well-ventilated area and/or use a fan. Another thing to consider is that you use a glue stick that is "non-toxic" for the sake of your fish.
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> You will find it easiest when placing the newly converted plastic plants in your tank if you first clear a small space in the gravel for the suction cup and place it prior to attaching the plastic plant. It will be easier to move the suction cup if you want to, and it will make it easier to keep from knocking off the freshly glued gravel from the plant.
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> If you do happen to knock some gravel off simply remove and dry the plastic plant. When dry grab your glue gun and have another go. A little patience works wonders.
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> So how does a tank look when the plastic plants have all been converted and are put in place?
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> Note the shallow gravel substrate along the front edge of the tank.
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> How do the fish like the new plastic plants? Just ask them!


Original: Aquarticles


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## maxpayne_lhp

MAybe it's a good solution for beginners after all... but I'll just keep my own opinion


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