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Thread: Plants - Real & Fake

  1. #1
    Registered Member Vinni Smith's Avatar
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    Default Plants - Real & Fake

    I have kept real plants in my tanks for years and years.
    Also plastic ones as well.
    Sometimes mixing the two.

    These plastic plants and corals nowadays are spectacular!

    Back in the olden days, maybe 50 years ago, (yes I am old enough to remember those days) fake aquarium plants were horrible!
    And the plastic and ceramic corals were something you would see in a Little Mermaid movie.
    Just ridiculous looking.
    Might as well put a scuba diver and a treasure chest in your tank.

    But, sometime around the 90s they started to get much more real looking.
    First I noticed it with the corals. EXPENSIVE but magnificent.
    Then after the turn of the century I noticed the freshwater plants getting a makeover.

    Nowadays, as far as looks go, I prefer the plastic over the real ones by far.
    Upkeep is WAY easier too.

    Just brought home a bunch more for a few of the tanks.
    The more plants I put in the discus tank, the better the fish act.
    The smaller ones like to hover right behind them looking at me thru the leaves.
    When feeding time comes along, BOOM, they come out from everywhere like the little people on Wizard of Oz.

    plants.jpg

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Plants - Real & Fake

    Hey, now! Every tank should have the treasure chest air stone rig. The lid fills with air, opens, lets out the bubble, and then closes up tight. Thus providing hours of entertainment for the entire family. Also Bradford Exchange has several Wizard of Oz collectables starting as low as 49.95 and up to over 150.00 beans that make a nice addition to any Oz themed aquarium. And if you want me to I can send you my plans for a Star Wars theme aquarium. It has a Millennium Falcon that floats on the surface which makes it appear that it is really flying and then Luke fighting with Dark Vader and if you are dead set on having the little people work in some Ewoks in there I can. What say you, Vinni Give it a try, you must.
    Last edited by peewee1; 07-26-2020 at 03:05 PM.

  3. #3
    Registered Member Vinni Smith's Avatar
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    Default Re: Plants - Real & Fake

    Quote Originally Posted by peewee1 View Post
    Hey, now! Every tank should have the treasure chest air stone rig. The lid fills with air, opens, lets out the bubble, and then closes up tight. Thus providing hours of entertainment for the entire family. Also Bradford Exchange has several Wizard of Oz collectables starting as low as 49.95 and up to over 150.00 beans that make a nice addition to any Oz themed aquarium. And if you want me to I can send you my plans for a Star Wars theme aquarium. It has a Millennium Falcon that floats on the surface which makes it appear that it is really flying and then Luke fighting with Dark Vader and if you are dead set on have the little people I can work some Ewoks in there for you. What say you, Vinni A good plan it is. Then give it a try, you must.
    Peewee,
    All this sound good and fine BUT
    Nancy is a Star Trek fan, she really does not like Star Wars.
    So, can you set me up with some Picard stuff? Maybe Borg or Android thingies?
    Maybe just a big picture background of Jean-Luke peering thru the new plants??? Heh???

  4. #4
    Registered Member Vinni Smith's Avatar
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    Default Re: Plants - Real & Fake

    I do have to admit though, Ewoks sound better than Oz little people.

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    Moderator Team LizStreithorst's Avatar
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    Default Re: Plants - Real & Fake

    You two are a hoot. Vinni tell your wife that I'm a Star Trek lover as well. I only saw the first star wars movie and I just didn't get it.

    As far as plants, I dislike fake. I'm a live plant person. But only in tanks for fish and shrimp that prefer them. For my Discus I'm 100% BB. No junk to get in the way of the fish.
    Mama Bear

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    Default Re: Plants - Real & Fake

    Quote Originally Posted by Vinni Smith View Post
    Peewee,
    All this sound good and fine BUT
    Nancy is a Star Trek fan, she really does not like Star Wars.
    So, can you set me up with some Picard stuff? Maybe Borg or Android thingies?
    Maybe just a big picture background of Jean-Luke peering thru the new plants??? Heh???
    I can make it so. But please understand that any USS Enterprise would be too large to float in any but the largest of tanks. So may be a Ferengi marauder. Data might be a better choice for peering through the necessary electric blue and orange plants needed to simulate many Class W worlds.

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    Default Re: Plants - Real & Fake

    Quote Originally Posted by Vinni Smith View Post
    I do have to admit though, Ewoks sound better than Oz little people.
    There is a point to this, Vinni. If you are looking for realism you would go with the Ewoks. With little people some might say that's not right how could a person hold their breaths that long? But with Ewoks no one knows for sure how long they can hold their breath. So you don't have that criticism to deal with anyway.

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    Default Re: Plants - Real & Fake

    Quote Originally Posted by LizStreithorst View Post
    You two are a hoot. Vinni tell your wife that I'm a Star Trek lover as well. I only saw the first star wars movie and I just didn't get it.

    As far as plants, I dislike fake. I'm a live plant person. But only in tanks for fish and shrimp that prefer them. For my Discus I'm 100% BB. No junk to get in the way of the fish.
    Same for me. Live plants and live music have no comparisons. As for discus BB except for a branch for timid Timmy to hang around. And maybe a breeding cone for the love birds. But that is it!

    For me Star Trek is more people/relationships space opera stuff while Star Wars is space cowboy stuff. This is why Murdock Mysteries will always be better than Sherlock Homes, even if they throw in Downey Jr as Homes.

  9. #9
    Registered Member Vinni Smith's Avatar
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    Default Re: Plants - Real & Fake

    Quote Originally Posted by LizStreithorst View Post
    You two are a hoot. Vinni tell your wife that I'm a Star Trek lover as well. I only saw the first star wars movie and I just didn't get it.
    Just curious.... Did you watch the Picard series this year?

    If not, you should. We thought it was excellent.

    Data: Why are you stalling, Captain?
    Picard: I don't want the game to end.
    Last edited by Vinni Smith; 07-26-2020 at 04:43 PM.

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    Default Re: Plants - Real & Fake

    Quote Originally Posted by Vinni Smith View Post
    Just curious.... Did you watch the Picard series this year?

    If not, you should. We thought it was excellent.

    Data: Why are you stalling, Captain?
    Picard: I don't want the game to end.
    Where is that found, Vinni? A 2020 version?

  11. #11
    Registered Member Vinni Smith's Avatar
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    Default Re: Plants - Real & Fake

    Quote Originally Posted by peewee1 View Post
    Where is that found, Vinni? A 2020 version?
    Right here. I could watch that scene a thousand times


  12. #12
    Silver Member Iminit's Avatar
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    Default Re: Plants - Real & Fake

    Ok Vinnie you may need new glasses. Fake is fake. Sorry I don’t get the BB tanks. Plain and boring. Yes great for breeding. If that’s your goal. If keeping and enjoying your fish you have to have something in the tank. Even a treasure chest or sunken ship. When I last left discus keeping the goal than was the planted tank. I’ve done it and plenty of others too! Just go on Facebook there’s plenty of successful planted discus tanks.
    If interested Vinnie I can send you some live plants!! Those discus aren’t hovering there in shock!! Does he believe these are real!!! What next sponge bob!!!

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    Default Re: Plants - Real & Fake

    You have given me an idea, Tom. The Titanic. I don't have plants And I agree that the planted tanks are as artist as any outdoor landscaped garden.

  14. #14
    Registered Member Vinni Smith's Avatar
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    Default Re: Plants - Real & Fake

    Quote Originally Posted by Iminit View Post
    Ok Vinnie you may need new glasses. Fake is fake. Sorry I don’t get the BB tanks. Plain and boring. Yes great for breeding. If that’s your goal. If keeping and enjoying your fish you have to have something in the tank. Even a treasure chest or sunken ship. When I last left discus keeping the goal than was the planted tank. I’ve done it and plenty of others too! Just go on Facebook there’s plenty of successful planted discus tanks.
    If interested Vinnie I can send you some live plants!! Those discus aren’t hovering there in shock!! Does he believe these are real!!! What next sponge bob!!!
    I honestly, really like the BB and fake plants. I've had substrate and planted aquariums for years. I am still finding and throwing out all the liquid plant foods. They are cool but just a lot of extra care. I put a nice sandy colored mat under the tank so it is the color of sand for them when they look down. Also, all the poop collects in one spot and easy peasy to suck out. These discus LOVE these tall plants. And besides, I asked them ahead of time what colors and styles they wanted. They let me know before the purchase! LOL

    Now, Sponge Bob peering out from behind the driftwood my be a cool option. Even better than Picard background. I am still considering the plastic flamingos in there however...

    On a more serious note... Billy F Gibbons told me the other day that Peter Green passed away in his sleep. He was a HUGE inspiration to a lot of us in the guitar world.
    Last edited by Vinni Smith; 07-27-2020 at 08:22 AM.

  15. #15
    Moderator Team LizStreithorst's Avatar
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    Default Re: Plants - Real & Fake

    Once upon a time a long time ago a friend of mine was banned from this forum forever for being rude to a woman who was making a Barbie doll themed Discus tank. This is a true story. He was an international Discus judge! But this was far from his first offence here. He's one of the ones I respected who are no longer here for one reason of another. I miss him.
    Mama Bear

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