# Silk plants? Fake Flowers? How do you guys use em?



## LyzzaRyzz (Dec 18, 2011)

Im contemplating using silk flowers in my tank il i can get plastic ones or hopefully live ones.

But all the silk flowers/leaves have metal in the stalk. And on almost all of them, the very tip of the metal is exposed! Which means itll rust.

Is there anything i can do to stop the rust from happening? Put superglue on the tip? melt the plastic over it?

I notice a few of them members have silk plants in thier tanks...How do you guys do it?


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## Sanguinefox (Nov 29, 2011)

LyzzaRyzz said:


> Im contemplating using silk flowers in my tank il i can get plastic ones or hopefully live ones.
> 
> But all the silk flowers/leaves have metal in the stalk. And on almost all of them, the very tip of the metal is exposed! Which means itll rust.
> 
> ...


Sometimes you can find silk plants that don't have metal in them at pet stores sold for aquariums.


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## LyzzaRyzz (Dec 18, 2011)

Hmm..id actually never thought of that. I just figured, if your at a pet store, you'd buy plastic ones...lol!

Im just looking for a cheap way to add stuff to block the mirror...since aquarium plants are expensive for a big tank!


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## Varkolak (Jun 9, 2012)

Bricks. Pile a wall of thin bricks and silicon it together into 2-4 peices so its removable but will cover the whole back - I think it would look nice


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## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

I wouldn't take a chance with anything metal in the tank. There are lots of silk plant online if you don't find anything you like in the pet stores.


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## aussieJJDude (Jun 9, 2012)

Varkolak said:


> Bricks. Pile a wall of thin bricks and silicon it together into 2-4 peices so its removable but will cover the whole back - I think it would look nice


What a good idea!
love it, simple and it would look great!


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## Varkolak (Jun 9, 2012)

I've seen pictures of people who have done it, only issue is either leave space at the back for fish to swim and water to circulate or seal it up with aquarium foam to prevent then from getting trapped and for waste to build up


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

i'll jump in.
i've used artificial plants in my tank,still do..
i change mine a lot because they get algea on them,and it's not easy to get it off,
so i buy new ones,i'm not a fan of the hard aquarium plants,they just don't sway
the same way that the silk ones do.
all my fish are healthy..perhaps i'm lucky...
i'm pants at live plants,i kill them very quickly,just don't have the knack.
so i brighten it up this way,many aqurists i've no doubt would cringe
if they saw the plants i have in with my cichlids,however i like how it looks
in my living room,they are all eating extremely well,no breeding as i don't have
females which i find keeps the aggression down better,and i like the way the
fish swim in amongst them.
when i have had a little rust on the end of a cut stem i have removed the rusty
bit. you could use aquarium safe silicon to seal them off.
:-D


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## LyzzaRyzz (Dec 18, 2011)

I like to brick idea! But im really hesitant to put any heavy rocks or anything in my tank. I have horrible, horrible luck. I would clean them, try to put them back,and tap the glass, and smash!

I may get some AQ sealant for the ends...

Its not that i cant find any aquarium plants i like, i like all of them! I just have bins of silk plants from my grandfathers old florist shop...And some of them would be perfect!


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## aussieJJDude (Jun 9, 2012)

Maybe have a strofoam backing and them put in the bricks (you could wedge the bricks in) or place it on the bottom for extra protection.


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## LyzzaRyzz (Dec 18, 2011)

^^ thats a good idea!

How much debris could get stuck behind there? Would i have to take the backing out everytime i w/c?


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## Varkolak (Jun 9, 2012)

if its snug to the back then quite a bit but if you leave a good half inch gap or more and put your filter where you get some water movement behind it then almost none. you could try sealing it up with sand behind it but you would have to do a really good job laying the bricks out to keep a layer of sand on the back wall, if you leave a gap just treat it like an ornament move it if you want to do a thorough clean otherwise just leave it alone when you do w/c


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## LyzzaRyzz (Dec 18, 2011)

if its not snug, wouldent it just tip forward? Thats what im scared of. it falling forward and again, rock meets glass...=/


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## aussieJJDude (Jun 9, 2012)

If a bit of the gravel/what sub. covers it it should be ok!


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## LyzzaRyzz (Dec 18, 2011)

I use very little gravel. In my smaller tanks, i usually do enough gravel to cover my fingernail, i find its easier to clean.
So, for the big tank, i have just a single layer on the bottom. I need to get more gravel, but am not planning on too much more.

Ive just never had much success with thick substrate. I can never get it clean enough with the gravel hose. And with the less substrate, more debris gets sucked into the filter!


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## Varkolak (Jun 9, 2012)

if your really worried get differently sized bricks and start large to small, do a base of like 4inch wide then a couple rows of 3 and the top however many as 2, not sure what size bricks come in but I'm sure you can find what you need at any gardening store, You may not even need a huge base, try stacking them when you find them and if it feels solid it will work fine... If your still worried at that point throw in a block of driftwood that you don't like behind it to brace it - I'm sure it will make some fishy a great house


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