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I have two 5 inch very active Stripefin Eartheaters in one of my 55g tanks. They uproot every artificial plant I have in there all the time.

My question is, if I used pieces of lead to weight them down, to not always find them floating in the mornings... will it be detrimental to them and all the other fish in the tank?

thanks,
dS

I would try larger sized rocks, not Lead weights as,
1) the lead weights would most likely not be enough weight.
2) there is lead poisoning. I know that birds die from lead weights in the wild so I can not see why a fish would not.

This is a hotly debated issue when it does come up here. For starters, lead weights probably won't be enough to keep a large determined cichlid from uprooting a plastic plant. I would silicone the plants to a rock if I were you.

In tanks with live plants, lead weights have negligible effects on fish health because the plants will sequester the dissolved/oxidized metal anyway. Also, lead doesn't seem to have as dramatic of an effect on fish as it does on birds and mammals anyway.

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does this make a difference in the concern that I'd not have enough lead to hold plastic plant bases down?...I have lead strips in 12" lengths about 3/8" wide.
I'd planned on puting about 10 ounces of weight on each plactic cup bases of each plastic plant and cementing them in with silicone. IF That is not enough, I can wrap the plastic bases another strip and with More weight!

I have No rocks to attach plastic plants to. And I don't care if the plant bases stay out of the substrate...just not be buoyant, and not float to the top all the time.

My concern is whether or not the lead would be detrimental to the chemistry of the water and my fish. A fish store owner said No, but I'd truly appreciate the learned experience of people on this forum.

????

Are we talking about using aquarium plant ties / weights here? If so, it was my understanding that they don't actually contain lead anymore (please don't ask me to quote a source though). If you're talking about using an actual lead product designed for some other purpose then I would be concerned about potential poisoning. The risk may be lessened by covering the weights with aquarium safe silicone, but I'm not sure on that.

I'd planned on putting about 10 ounces of weight on each plastic cup bases of each plastic plant and cementing them in with silicone

What about filling the plastic cup bases with aquarium gravel and siliconing it in? Would that compare to your original idea in terms of weight / staying power? There's probably no reason that you would have to keep the mix in the plastic bases either - you could build up a nice heavy mound of silicon/gravel mix around the base which would surely hold them down. A mound of gravel, if you used the same as is in your aquarium, would surely be a more natural look than metal plant ties also.

G_T

Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic.

daddySEAL I have found two sites that write about your problem.
They both say that you can use lead and the best way to do it.
Read
http://www.ehow.com/how_2224702_live-aquarium-plants-fish-tank.html
or
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/380992/top_five_ways_to_anchor_your_plastic.html

I'm of course, not talking about live plants...only plastic realistic plants wit plastic "cup" bases.

dS

Hi,
Personally, with those fish in the tank, I think you
are just spinning your wheels. Take the plants out and
consider some other form of decoration. Individual rocks
spread about the tank, not piled atop of each other, would
be a better form of decoration. A large piece waterlogged
driftwood would be a good idea as well.
Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Thanks Frank,
But I really want the plants in there for cover for the many other fish.

I truly don't care if the Eartheaters move them around all day and night, the other fish will adjust to any new locations. But rocks, etc. aren't going to give the other 20 fish what tall plastic plants do for cover. The only rocks here in central Texas are limestone which would change the pH...I already own plants, really don't want to go out and buy a bunch of rocks, please.

Again, I do not care if the plants get moved around...I just don't want to find them floating on the top, ya know?

Someone please help me with the question of lead hurting the fish and water in any way...Please?

'Lead (Pb) is a neurotoxic element that causes behavioral dysfunction in fishes within days of exposure to sublethal concentrations.' (Weber et al. 1997)
I haven't read the entire source article, but it looks to be relevant... http://icb.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/37/4/354.pdf

Now you need to find out how much lead (if any) leaches into the water from the weights you are planning to use.

Its really late here and I've had enough of researching for tonight... I'll have a bit more of a search when my brain is functioning better (ie after some sleep) if you are still interested.

G_T

Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic.

Thanks for that link, Gone_Troppo
I guess I'd better not take a chance.
Steven1982's link said that lead was used and OK:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/380992/top_five_ways_to_anchor_your_plastic.html
...now I'm Really confused.

Guess I'll just have find something else heavier than they are bouyant to weigh the bases down.

There is a chance that I could find a stream and get river (non-limestone)rocks, maybe....would those be the kind recommended earlier and OK? I'd boil them first to kill any "organisms" on them.

Hi,
If you are dead set on those fish and plants, the only
other option is to plant the plants in small flower pots and then scatter them about the tank buried in the gravel.
Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

well, that's not a bad idea.
I could break a flower pot and silicone the plant bases to the pieces and bury those. They would float up when disturbed then...Cool!
(Yes, I love the colorful Stripefin Eartheathers)

thanks, Frank

Get yourself a nice piece of driftwood for your other fish to hide in, and you won't regret it. Plants are nice, but so is hardscape like rocks and wood. Plus, wood looks tons better and more natural than plastic plants.

As a fishkeeper that keeps primarily fish that hide during the day, I believe that fish prefer the total cover that a cave gives than just hiding amongst foliage.

Of course, my plants are rather sad excuses for plants...

--------------------------------------------
The aquarist is one who must learn the ways of the biologist, the chemist, and the veterinarian.

As for non-limestone rocks, if you do want some you can go to your nearest masonry supply yard. They will probably give you smaller rocks for free, or at least they'd be very cheap at a place like that. Look under "stone" in the phone book.

><>

Thanks SuperLion. I'll give that a try.

Shinigami,
I do have some caves and places for my catfish and others to hide. But also have a number of other non-cave fish that appreciate "bushy foliage" type cover to stay not stressed. Driftwood was suggested to me by a friend also when I was interested in moderating the pH of my local water....but when he reminded me the the tank turns somewhat reddish/brown from the tanin that leaches out to do that, I Passed on the driftwood. There is One thing I value most in my tanks, and it is absolutely crystal clear water.

Thank you though...I will try to make rock caves, and add a couple half buried clay flower pots for the hiders to choose from.

Thank you both!!!
I LOVE the rapid helpful responces on this forum!!
dS

If you have geos, you have to deal with their substrate shifting tendencies.

That's fine and I knew that too.
I really love my Stripefin Eartheater Geo's...they are very "social" and cool...and Beautifully marked!

I just need to weigh the plants down for the other fish.

Thanks!

seems like they dont like the idea of your beloved plants huh? why not actully silicone the plants to the bottem glass? if u want to move them gently tear them off and move to another spot, and no one would know there was spots of silicone on the bottem as it would be covered in gravel. as an alternitive, you could silicone them to the bottem of a clay flower pot (like someone said b4) like just the round part on the bottem to make a disk, and bury that 2 inches bleow the gravel line, but youd need a decent diameter pot (prolly 4" diameter or more) to make them secure. i know u said u dont mind them flaoting around but it would look better if they stayed where u put them.

you could buy some of those small flower pots (like 2'' diameter if the plants will fit in that!) then fill them with gravel... more weight, plus a slightly better look... you could try bigger pots too for a floral arrangement look...

GOOD LUCK,
-Brandon

(ps i have lead weights, not a problem, if your worried silicone to seal them off form the water... but pots and grvel willbe heavier and less likely to move (bigger too!) )

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