Lush, Easy, Fast & Cheap - Fake Plants & Getting The Biggest Bang For Your Buck

When I first got back into fish as an adult, I really wanted to create a lush, gorgeous tank, but I was strapped for cash.

The cheapest live plants I could find locally started at $4 for one tiny thing. And fake plants were either crazy expensive or ugly. Most were both.

After a bunch of research & experimentation, this is what I came up with.

20170206_132014

• Old Town Fish Geek
• Nov 16, 2017

62 gallon tall aquarium. Zero live plants!

This tank is decorated with all fake plants. I spent about $30 decorating it.

Some of the smaller plants came from the dollar store for $1 a bunch. The larger plants were from a thrift store and were about $4 total.

The black sand is Black Diamond blasting media. I got about 50 pounds for less than $15 at Tractor Supply.

I collected the rocks locally for free.

I pained the outside back glass turquoise for about $1.50 with cheap craft paint from Wal-Mart.

Anyone else have tips for cheap & easy aquarium decor?

 

What brand of plants are they?
I'll be scaping all of my tanks Dutch Biotopes after Christmas.

I'm massive ordering a ton of realist plants, even though they aren't live.

 

Nice job! Looks fantastic!

 

I love the dollar store. Tanks look great!

 

Looks great. Like you, I collect rocks from outside, but also driftwood and sand from rivers and lakes. I just grabbed a 5 gallon bucket and fill it up and get home and rinse it simply with tap water. Spread it out to dry in the sun and it’s ready for the aquarium.

 

I can't view pictures are there dollar tree plants that are aquarium safe

 

Love it looks alive!

 

Very nice!! That has to be one of the most natural looking tanks with fake plants I have ever seen! Nice job!

I am always too paranoid to use things in my aquariums that aren't made for aquariums. Like plants from the dollar store or thrift store. But that is probably just me being overly cautious!!

 

Looks really nice!
Basically all of the rocks I have in my tank came from outside. I've also heard of people buying terracotta pots from the craft store for about a dollar and using those. For my tank's background, I just cut up and sticky taped on a black garbage bag, construction paper also works.

 

I stick to fake plants that don't have any odor. Seems like the "silk" plants & plastic plants work.

I saw some similar large fake plants at JoAnn Crafts. I really wanted them, but couldn't justify $20 per stem! If I'd gotten them at the craft store instead of the thrift store I probably would have paid more than $100 instead of $4.

 

I stick to fake plants that don't have any odor. Seems like the "silk" plants & plastic plants work.

I saw some similar large fake plants at JoAnn Crafts. I really wanted them, but couldn't justify $20 per stem! If I'd gotten them at the craft store instead of the thrift store I probably would have paid more than $100 instead of $4.

Can you try posting pic again can't see the first one

 

kjlife I have used the fabric "silk" plants from dollar tree. I like the fake ferns a lot.

 

20170206_132014

• Old Town Fish Geek
• Nov 16, 2017

62 gallon tall aquarium. Zero live plants!

 

Yea it won't display for me I'm really interested to see also

 

@khlife maybe you'll be able to see it if you follow the direct link to it.

20170206_132014