fake seaweed/kelp forest ?

[Mermaid Momo]

i have this crazy idea of using those fake vines you can find at almost any store in the decorating aisle, attaching them to fake rocks with aquatic cement and using them as stage props under water in videos since here,in arizona we dont have many places to swim with clear water and i was going to fake the ocean or lake. Do you think that this is a crazy idea or that it just might work?
2343i was thinking that something like this would make it look like i'm swimming in a garden pond.
2344i should probably tell you that i mean that i'll glue the bottom of the vines down(so imagine these pictures upside down)

[Jeblily]

Hi, I am a little new to being a member but I have looked at the forums for a little while, and I have a little insight for you. Depending on what you use, the plants might not float correctly and they might look a little odd. I would test it out. I volunteer at the Georgia Aquarium and they had to use fake kelp. You see kelp naturally has what is called Pneumatocysts, which are gas filled pockets which cause the plants to float. At the Georgia Aquarium to replicate this they made little plastic bubbles to float the plastic plants so that they would work and look correctly. So if you can't get them to float then you could add plastic little balls, and I know the ones at the aquarium look really real because of it. :)

I think the thinner the material the better for looking like aquatic plants, try to find something shiny, that would look good too.
http://www.p-wholesale.com/upimg/7/332a2/plastic-plants-with-sand-base-p-9002-435.jpg

Oh and it is pink but this would be cool maybe you could find a waterproof spray-paint and change the color? http://www.ebay.com/itm/HUGE-9-Ft-Long-Plastic-PINK-Aquarium-Plant-NEW-/370167603183?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item562fb55fef#ht_617wt_1037
It is 6 feet of aquatic plant and cheap.

I think your idea is really good though.

Here is what the Georgia aquariums kelp looks like with the flotation bubbles.
http://travelphotobase.com/i/USGA/GAAQ31.JPG
Good luck, and hope i helped!

[Mermaid Photine]

To make it wavier underwater, you could pull/chop it off of the big wire stems and tie it onto fishing line or some green or matching nylon cord.

I'd love to go to a kelp forest pool. It would be so interesting to swim in!

[Mermaid Momo]

Hi, I am a little new to being a member but I have looked at the forums for a little while, and I have a little insight for you. Depending on what you use, the plants might not float correctly and they might look a little odd. I would test it out. I volunteer at the Georgia Aquarium and they had to use fake kelp. You see kelp naturally has what is called Pneumatocysts, which are gas filled pockets which cause the plants to float. At the Georgia Aquarium to replicate this they made little plastic bubbles to float the plastic plants so that they would work and look correctly. So if you can't get them to float then you could add plastic little balls, and I know the ones at the aquarium look really real because of it. :)

I think the thinner the material the better for looking like aquatic plants, try to find something shiny, that would look good too.
http://www.p-wholesale.com/upimg/7/332a2/plastic-plants-with-sand-base-p-9002-435.jpg

Oh and it is pink but this would be cool maybe you could find a waterproof spray-paint and change the color? http://www.ebay.com/itm/HUGE-9-Ft-Long-Plastic-PINK-Aquarium-Plant-NEW-/370167603183?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item562fb55fef#ht_617wt_1037
It is 6 feet of aquatic plant and cheap.

I think your idea is really good though.

Here is what the Georgia aquariums kelp looks like with the flotation bubbles.
http://travelphotobase.com/i/USGA/GAAQ31.JPG
Good luck, and hope i helped!
nice! and from your link, i made a new search and found these:http://www.ebay.com/itm/6-HUGE-20-inch-PLASTIC-AQUARIUM-PLANTS-6O-/350303385451?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item518fb5776b#ht_2487wt_1270
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l2736&_nkw=huge+aquarium+plant

[Jeblily]

Those look great too, glad I could help. Oh and don't forget to post pictures, I can't wait to see what it might look like!

[Mermaid Assana]

Wow, this is actually a really good idea! I also live in Arizona so I know the feeling of being unable to swim the places we would like to. Maybe we can collaborate a project? :D So I did some research online and found a company that makes high quality artificial marine plants (including seaweed and kelp), the same type that they use in museums, aquariums, zoos, Sea World, etc. They will even take custom sizes. Unfortunately though, their website does not mention what their prices are so I imagine it may be a little expensive. But it never hurts to send them an email and ask :)

Here is the company's website: http://www.livingcolor.com/aquarium-products/artificial-seagrass-and-kelp

[Odette]

11036 This is one strand of the kelp forest im making.Its going to include a bunch of those, some sand and maybe a few plants in between.

[Aziara]

Personally (not sure if this would work right, don't have a pool to test in) I'd tie a rock to the bottom, make sure it's long enough to reach the surface, and tie a blown up balloon to the very top, so that it floats on the surface. If the shoots are all underwater, the balloons shouldn't show.

[FreshWaterMermaid]

11036 This is one strand of the kelp forest im making.Its going to include a bunch of those, some sand and maybe a few plants in between.

Odette! How did you make that?!
Looks so real!


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[Mahi Mermaid]

you could also tie the vines to the lane bouys in the pool

[Odette]

Aziara, rocks dont work.It falls off eventually .good thought tho.I'm still working on the sand overlay piece that will cover the weight. It's good that you thought of making sure it floats properly, but Balloons like to pop in water and could create a mess.I used a more efficient method of bobbers.
freshwatermermaid, thank you! looks good underwater but not out.I think i may sell some if anyone is interested.I have a short film I'll be working on that will have them in the background so that should help everyone see how they move and if it still looks awesome.
Krystal Patrick, I think they would get mad if they were tied there,but its a fun way to make a long line of kelps and to scatter them across all the lanes would look really cool!

[dreadfairy]

I know this was posted long ago, but I too would REALLY like to know how these were made? What are they made of? I can tell it is plastic bags, but are they just trash bags? They look nice and green, not black, where can you get green plastic?

[Kumori Kitsune]

You could use hot glue I'm think of experimenting and making a mertail from trash bags

[Mer_Adella]

This is exactly what I was looking for. We have a dry mermaid lagoon and I wanted to add some kelp for "curtains" for our tent that covers the lagoon and I wanted to know how to make something so large instead of buying it. We're kinda on a budget lol

[MerEmma]

You could use hot glue I'm think of experimenting and making a mertail from trash bags


Hot glue will destroy in water.

[Mermaid Momo]

Hot glue will destroy in water.

Yeah maybe try nail glue or gorilla glue for it.


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[TheChimera]

Friggen amazing idea, im totally trying this sometime, when i have the cash to get more mermaid stuf, was looking for a way to spruce up the ol' pool lol, it just really sets the scene, just be careful of not destroying them when you swim past