The easy way…

Using long-handled pliers or, better yet, Vise-Grips, start at the rim of the pot and I crush” little areas at a time in the jaws of the pliers. With the Vise-Grips this should be an easy, but somewhat lengthy, process. It will be more difficult with the pliers, especially around the rim, where the clay is thickest. With the pliers, you may end up twisting off small chips instead of crushing them, which is a bit more dangerous, as the pots have an exasperating tendency to crack in unexpected directions. A third method is the “scoring and tapping” method, which uses a small sharp grinding wheel to score out a proposed fracture line along the pot, Cutting one-third of the way into the pot, then, using a small ball-peen hammer, gently tap on the inside of the pot along the scored line.

The pot will usually break cleanly along that line. This technique works best along straight lines and is good for splitting pots lengthwise to make two long, low caves. For small curved openings, it is best to use a combination of these last two techniques - scoring the outline of the desired opening and then using the pliers to chip or crush it out. This really works quite well. No matter what technique is used, you should go over the broken, or chipped, edges carefully with a coarse rasp to remove the sharp projections and smooth the surfaces as much as possible. After all, you are trying to make
your fishes more comfortable, not harm them. If you are making shelters for a  community of aggressive fishes such as many of the African cichlids, you should cut a medium size “front door” in the pot and a small “back door” as well. This allows the smaller, pursued fish to dash in the front and duck out the back with its larger pursuer unable to follow.

To anchor the wood, set your decorative piece in a position that is most pleasing to your eyes and choose two inconspicuous spots on it where you can drill holes. If you can manage it, have the holes in the back where they won’t show. Don’t hurry drilling the wood. This is a work of art remember, and not just any old decoration.  If the wood is still wet, the drilling will go slowly, but don’t overheat the bit. The bit should be just large enough to allow your plastic tubing to slip through the hole it makes. Next, put the tubing through the holes and set the whole thing on the slate.

Mark where the tubing hits the slate and drill matching holes in each end. Put the tubing through the slate and the wood, and trim off the excess. Heat the soldering iron and melt the plastic on each end of the tube into a flat disc - you’re actually making plastic nailheads. Make certain that everything is secured, then let everything set for a few minutes.
Put it in your tank and cover the slate with gravel. Now you have a beautiful piece of driftwood that will stay put.

There are three basic ways to cure driftwood for use in your aquarium. First, however, make sure that you are using only true driftwood— wood that has spent a long time under water. After selecting the pieces that you wish to cure, remove the surface dirt with sandpaper then use one of the following methods: (1) Boil your driftwood for four hours or longer and, if the water becomes red or cloudy, change the water at least three times.

(2) Or, soak the driftwood in chlorine bleach and water at the ratio of I part of bleach to 5 parts of water and allow to soak in this solution for at least 48 hours. Rinse, and soak in fresh water for at least 24 hours. (3) Or, soak the driftwood in salt water (1/2 pound un-iodized, or rock salt, to 5 gallons of water) for one week, then soak it in fresh water for 24 hours. After you have finished one of these methods, allow the driftwood to dry in the sun which will not only finish the curing process but also keep it light in color.

The Water Sprite family consists of one genus, Cera top teris, with C. thalicoides being the accepted species most commonly found in aquaria. Floating plants range from 2″ to well over 20″ in diameter. I recently entered a single mother in M.A. S.’s annual exhibition that occupied an entire 20 gallon aquarium, from comer to comer, from top to bottom. The leaves are greatly incised, especially in the emersed form, and are generally a translucent light green color. The delicate texture of the leaves makes them a favorite snack of snails, Silver Dollars and any other fish inclined to eat plant matter, so caution should be taken when mixing these fish with Water Sprite.

In nature, Water Sprite occurs in tropical areas of Asia and Central and South America, where they grow in shallow ponds or marshes. They prefer more acid water, with a pH of 6.5 or lower, however, I have had success growing domestic Water Sprite in a wide range of water conditions. Extremely hard alkaline water should be avoided though, as my best plants are grown in a 130 gallon Discus tank which has plenty of Crypts (which make water acid), and in which partial water changes are less frequent than in smaller tanks.

Propagation is no problem with this plant. Soon after introducing it into the aquarium, small plantlets will begin forming along the edges of each leaf. Later, these will separate and become new I mother plants. ” Should a leaf be broken off in transporting or rearranging your Water Sprite, leave the broken piece floating at the surface, and several new plants will form on this one piece. By keeping a tight lid on the tank to retain humidity at the surface, and letting the water level drop to create a 2″ to 3″ spaceat the surface, emersed leaves can be grown. These are heavily incised and in extreme cases, resemble clumps of pine needles. I have had emersed leaves grow up to 6″ above the tank through a space left open in the rear of the aquarium, Water Sprite is an excellent plant to use in spawning gouramis and Bettas as its large, heavily incised leaves are perfect for holding bubblenests together. Its thick tangle of roots provide hiding places for young fry, as well.

In addition to being one of the more attractive floating plants, Water Sprite can also be grown completely submersed, much like an Amazon Sword, and makes a beautiful centerpiece or background plant. The leaves become less incised and grow straight upwards, rather than spreading out across the surface. Also, when transferring Water
Sprite from the floating to planted form, much stronger light is required for a healthy plant. This may include some supplemental incandescent light. Regular 60-100 watt house bulbs work ine. Under optimal conditions mature plants will grow to the surface of even the largest tanks.