Real Plants versus Fake Plants...

[steampunk]

I went real with my white's and they love it!

If you get the soil right and choose the right plants then everything basically looks after itself. I have a Philodendron, Peace lily and a anthurium. They sit in a mixture of organic soil which is topped off with coco peat and then spaghnum moss. This rests on a false bottom which helps drainage which links to a pond area with a waterfall and water heater. If you do decide to go real just remember that the excess water that comes from watering the plants needs to be drained or soaked up to stop root rot. Im also toying with the idea to get some grandfathers beard moss, which looks pretty cool hanging down from a feature wall.

Here is my enclosure,


Gadget and Gizmo chilling on the Philodendron

[HerpDerp]

I use both real and fake plants. The real plants are use are pothos, dracaena, bromeliad, and a snake plant. But I also like to use fake plants that suction cup to the side of the tank. I also want to get a planter that goes on the side of the tank for a rope hoya. A false bottom is your best bet if you want to directly plant them in the substrate, as Scott said.

[deranged chipmunk]

It all depends on your comfort level. If you have a green thumb, then by all means, go for the real plants. If you have the tendency to kill plants, then maybe you are better off going with fake, or a mixture of both. Personally, i love the look on people's faces when i tell them everything in my tanks is real and alive.
Oh and the choice between the 2 frogs? I have both species, but admittedly, i lean more towards my white's. They are bumbling klutz's like me, so it's a perfect fit.....lol