Decorative options for bare-bottom tank?

[siona]

One of my axies seems to get constipated every few weeks. There's no gravel in there so either it's gravel from last year when I did originally have him on gravel (unlikely I think since his appetite has always been ravenous), or he's been munching on sand and can't pass it...his tank mate is fine. He's on a diet of earthworms and occaisionally bloodworms.

Aanyway that's not the point - I'm rambling now - he's staying in the fridge until something comes out of him. If it's a stone or some foreign object, then that's that, but if it's sand, I'll remove the sand from the tank. But if I do that, you'll be able the bases of my plant decorations and that'll look horrid! So I'm wondering what other people do to pretty-up a bare tank? I have some bogwood and half a PVC pipe in there and a kind of moulded resin pebbly/stone decoration thing. But without the plants it'll look a little bare...Any ideas?

 

[jo nuskool]

I was wondering a similar thing, i've noticed how much substrate ours has been eating and switched to bare bottom. instead of leaving visible glass I've covered the bottow with some natural slate tiles. IMO looks fab, added some large bogwood pieces and some very large flat pebbles (bout the size of my hand) - Just dunno what to do about plants now, would just finish it off to get some greenery in there?

 

[lea]

I dont use real plants cause it seems I kill them without even trying but I have seen plants in the petshop that are in little pots already , they look really cute I must say. City Farmers had Java Moss on some ping pong balls tied to a weight and floating a different heights around the tank.

 

[Boo Penguin]

I know that Picies makes driftwood with plants growing already. I have seen some at my LFS and on ebay...pretty good option

 

[siona]

nice ideas! I'd forgotten about those plastic plants in cute little pots leanne...hmmm...I may do some shopping around and see what I can find. I do have a little java moss on my bogwood but it's taking a while to establish itself.

I like the slate idea too, Jo, but doesn't that get quite messy? Or have you fixed them down with sealant?

 

[mewsie]

Those ornaments you buy with plants already on are ace! Only problem I find is that they always seem to keep them in tanks with fish, which nibble at it.

However, if you get some anubias and attach it to rocks and stuff yourself, I bet you could keep it alive, even I manage to, and I can't keep a houseplant alive!

Ive used Aqua Essentials a few times and they are really good, they ship like lightening!

 

[jo nuskool]

I like the slate idea too, Jo, but doesn't that get quite messy? Or have you fixed them down with sealant?

only as messy as a bare bottom tank, haven't fixed them as they fit really snuggly only needed 3 large tiles as they are big floor ones. just a case of siphoning the poo up when water change which is the same as you would with sand but no need to turn filter off and stir up like you do with sand.

There is a guy just found on reptile forums classified page who makes slate caves, plant pots etc to your own designs measurements might add a corner cave and some plant pots, waiting for a quote now