PepsiGirl71

My 20 gal tank looks so awful. I just can't buy anything nice around here for decor, and my husband won't go for me using the credit card on the internet. I have a sorry Walmart ornament and 2 sickly looking plants (bought them that way) they are actually starting to look better now. I ordered a Doctors Foster & Smith catalog hoping it could help me out. They have a standard package of mixed aquatic plants but is for 30 gallon minimum. I don't see where you can just buy plants individually in the catalog. Should I just go ahead and order it anyway or am I asking for more disapointment? I ended up purchasing balloon mollies and I really like them. It's just that their home looks so pathetic that I don't even want to look at it. I am too ashamed to post a picture, but will if I really need to.

Lucy

My husband is the same way about the credit card and interent.
How will you order from F & S if you can't use the credit card?
As far as decor, have you ever been to craft stores like JoAnnes or Hobby Lobby? They have wonderful glass or clay things that make great caves and such.

CHoffman

Poor girl....I know how you feel..All we have is Walmart junk..lol..Hubby doesn't really like me ordering online either..lol..I bought the terra cotta pots for .25 each at walmart for a make shift cave. I also got two packs of fake plants at Walmart..They were like 6.50 a piece and each one comes with 2 larges and 2 mediums plants or you can get different sizes..I figure it will do untill I can get some real plants..The tanks don't actually look to bad..you can look at my two 10 gallons in my albums.

PepsiGirl71

I don't think he'll have a problem with me ordering out of the catalog and calling the order in with the credit card. He thinks it's not safe on the computer and his mind is set on that. They are building a Michaels here right now. It seems the harder I try it just doesn't work out. I even tried getting the little clay pots. Lowes, Home Depot, AND Walmart won't have any until Spring. I did purchase some beautiful grapewood but it was a disaster so I opened the back door and threw them out into the woods. I'm really hoping this catalog will save me from despair.

catbtony

I feel your pain-I have limited resources too. You can never have to much stuff and plants you get are some times small to grow into the space and maybe by the time they grow-up you will have your 90g set-up needing plants..think good thought.......so what kind of CO2 system are you using on your planted tank I want to get one and do a planted tank so bad-just don't have the money for one now....good luck

PepsiGirl71

No CO2, don't think my tanks really counts yet as a planted tank.

PepsiGirl71

HE thinks there's nothing wrong with it. So I'm posting so I can prove him wrong.

Red1313

Depending on the type of plants and the way you like the 30 gal plants would work in your 20 gal and just treat the 20 as a heavily planted tank. (or else add the ones you don't want into another tank )
I haven't checked but I think that you may be able to call orders in here. I haven't tried it though. I believe that there's a number that you can call.
Good Luck and don't give up!!!

P.S. 'd me!
I like you're cave...

CHoffman

Does your Walmart sell fake plants..Even if you bought a couple you'd feel better...Also try Freecycle.org..You might get lucky and find some stuff or craigslist.

Dozey

This is but then again I'm already kind of known for that around here.

As far as the credit card and Internet thing, remind your husbands that every time you use your credit card the information about you, your card, and your transaction is being broadcasted over the Internet. Virtually all transactions are electronically now. My credit card doesn’t even have raised numbers making it virtually impossible to use in one of the old style machines that used carbon paper to record the transaction.

There is a risk on some websites and I wouldn’t dream of using my credit card on them. But any respectable website is likely using VeriSign or PayPal for their electronic transactions. As VeriSign is the same company securing your transactions at the grocery store, automotive service center and about almost every other place you use it, using your credit card on line is every bit as safe.

I am a Network Engineer and I would much more prefer to use my credit card on line then in a small shop. Convenience stores have been plagued with fraudulent card readers that don’t actually process your transaction but rather records your card’s information.

At this time I would like to turn the conversation back over to the decorators.

PepsiGirl71

Actually, yes they do. I purchased a bunch of them. My husband set up a new aquarium and I gave them to him thinking I was going to make my tank look better. ROFL... His tank looks WAY better than mine! I checked out Craigslist. There's some aquariums and supplies available a little less than an hour away, I'll keep an eye out and maybe something will turn up. That is if I don't order from this catalog. In this catalog I can get 7 live plants for $36.99. Not sure about the shipping and tax though.

jdhef

The last statistic I read claimed that there was far less fraud with credit cards used over the internet than there was fraud from calling in a credit card number or using a credit card in a store. You just need to make sure the little lock shows up on your browsers tool bar to ensure you have a secure encrypted connection.

On a side note, if you use Discover Card they have some kind of software you can install on your computer that will supply a random one use only credit card number each time you make an internet purchase.

Dozey

I would have to concur with that statistic. In fact the number one place to have your credit card information stolen is in restaurants. You hand your card over to the waiter who goes away with it. That’s all the time they need to scan your card for reasons of theft and scan your card in a legitimate machine to make you pay for your meal.

Kind of like paying someone to mug you.

fishlover78

oh, don't give up!

wxohio88

Look, I have looked many other places. I am not ashamed to say that walmart with some smart thinking really has my tank starting to look good. Have you thought of changing the substrate? The live plants are delicate. You need photosynthesis to occur. For this you need a few things. Light, and CO2....its much more complex but you can google that.... Depending on how many fish you have you may not be able to provide the level of CO2 for your plants to efficiently. They do have things that help the plants grow...organic CO2. You may also have to change the light that you have in your tank. Dont give up just because you cant have a tank that looks like a perfect picture yet, it takes time

GouramiGirl1221

You might want to try thatpetplace.com for your plants. They've got a ton of stuff that you can buy individually, and their shipping is pretty reasonable (sorry, I don't remember how much exactly). I've gotten 2 shipments of plants from them, and everything looks great except for my amazon swords, which I kind of expected because I'm a bit under the recommended amount of light they need. I'd recommend anacharis, java fern, java moss, and wisteria. If you check their website I'm almost positive there's a number where you can call in an order. They've got some pretty awesome decor too, so you might want to check that out while you're on there. Best of luck to you, and don't give up!

EDIT: I just checked, the phone number is in the bottom right corner of the home page.

Zackj

If you have a bank account, then try pay pal, and if you like asian themes, I saw a couple nice things at www.marinedepot.com, www.thatpetplace.com, and www.liveaquaria.com. Liveaquaria has a nice selection of fish and other tank animals. I myself dont since im not 18.

soldieroffortune1974

PepsiGirl71 No no no,we can't have you giving up.

So,here's my ...........

1) picture what you want your aquarium to look like (money's no problem since I wont have you spend a dime)

2) go outside and look around rocks,trees,branches, You live in Missouri,go look at the river.....lots of plants,grass,moss growing in rivers.

3) Don't pick up just anything,look around. when you see what you're looking for you will know it.

4)The skies the limit,it just takes a little time and patience.

Everything in nature can be used in your aquarium IF it's cleaned properly (**hint** I can help with that) I have NEVER bought a rock, gravel, driftwood, or decor for my aquariums (except plants and fish) and I get a lot of plants from the local river and lake. A quick bleach bath and a soak in dechlorinated water,most plants are great for the aquarium or pond.

Picture what you want and go find it <-------- That's how I decorate ALL my aquariums,with a little ingenuity and imagination,we can make your aquarium your dreamscape,and let your husband have all the fake stuff.

Definitely don't give up,it's a slice of nature we are imitating,so why not let nature provide what we want?

PepsiGirl71

I took your advice and found some beautiful rock along the river in front of our house. I have been trying to figure out what it is and think that it might be granite... Now I need your help on how to clean it. I have an anubias, and a java fern to attach to them. I hope I can use dental floss to tie them to the rocks because I forgot to buy thread!

PepsiGirl71

Here are the rocks dry...

Here are the rocks wet...

Dozey

I can not help to identify your rocks, which you will need to do as not all rocks are aquarium safe.

To clean rocks, boil them for several minutes. This will kill any bacteria or parasites that may be living on the rocks. Let the rocks cool to room temperature. Then give the rocks a good scrubbing under tap water to remove any of dead bacteria so it does not decay in your tank. Let the rocks dry. When dry apply a small amount of vinegar to each rock. If the vinegar bubbles up (like peroxide does on a cut) discard the rock. If however the vinegar runs off like water with no reaction then they should be safe for your aquarium. Soak the rocks over night in de-chlorinated water. Add to tank.

agabr123

Although you've already gotten some decorations, in the future what you can do is just buy a Visa Gift Card. you can use them anywhere on the internet that you can use a visa credit card, without any of your information being used.

joy613

Your rocks look great now you need to look around for some driftwood. This link may help http://www.aqua-fish.net/show.php?h=aquariumdriftwood. If you want live plants check out native aquatic plants, there are people that actually decorate their whole aquarium with native plants, wood and rocks. The only thing with dental floss it will show up, you can always retie it.

PepsiGirl71

Thank you for the tips. I just found out what the rocks are...


CHERT


Chert is a chemical precipitate formed by groundwater. Chert can also form by biochemical accumulation of silica-rich fossils in deep marine environments; however, distinction requires microscopic examination.
Sediment type: chemical/biogenic
Composition: quartz
Grain Size: microscopic
Common Sedimentary Environments: groundwater precipitate or deep-marine biogenic accumulations
Other Characteristics: highly variable in color but easily recognized by its high hardness, very fine grain size and conchoidal fracture