# DIY Planters



## CrypticLifeStyle (Dec 14, 2009)

Anyone have experience using plastic shower candies with suction cups as tank plant baskets or any home made in tank planters, besides quilting mesh? I guess also another thought is will suction cups be strong enough, or better off using magnets? I don't want to perm attach, I want to be able to move them up, and down to suit light needs, and growth rates.


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## BillD (May 17, 2005)

Olastic containers, such as those for yogurt and margarine can be used. A hole to accommodate the suction cup, and it should be good to try. the weight may be an issue for the suction cup. It may slide or pop loose. Easy to try though.


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## CrypticLifeStyle (Dec 14, 2009)

Yeah I decided to go with shower caddies. Picked them up for $2.50 each. Originally I had the tops open, but even then my leucostictas would dig them out. After coming home each night finding the dwarf sag floating for a week then replanting them each night was not only getting annoying, but taking a toll on the plants, but I'm determined to have them with GEOS lol.

So I bought black quilting tempelate, cut it to size, then cut 3x2 template notches out in 3 rows. Fed the plants through roots first til I filled all the notches, then hot glued the tempelate down to the shower caddie. I like how they came out, and the suction cups are holding up incredibly well which I was concerned about. I made them last night, and came home to no plants floating lol. 
Now I just need to see how they grow since these propagate via runners, might have to make some changes, and a pile of subwassertang seems to like it as well far which my fish seem to developed a taste for which was also becoming a mess.

Forget the size of the caddies but the leucostictas pictured are 6.5" - 7.5" for comparison.
Pardon the tank mess, they love digging up the tank, and spitting it out where ever lol


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## badspellar (Oct 14, 2009)

Nifty idea. The openings on the front are tempting to stuff another plant. I like the clear plastic look.


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## CrypticLifeStyle (Dec 14, 2009)

Yeah, if this works over the next 2 weeks i was thinking of attaching something to them to allow xmas moss or flame moss to hang from them, maybe some dwarf grass, and see if i can get it to grow around the caddies, or attach more black template to the front, and do a moss wall. I have java moss growing on that side of the tank you see, and xmass moss growing on the other side on more grapewood. The caddie holes were big enough to allow the sand to flow through anytime i made height adjustments, so i put white quilting template in front as well which i forgot to mention originally.


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## Yael (Nov 25, 2012)

Love the idea of a moss wall background.


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## cichlid-gal (Apr 27, 2012)

great idea :thumb:


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