Very nice, looks like really did your homework
Mike
Hi Avarax -
I really like how your setup is looking and have a couple of questions.
Is all that wood driftwood you found? Do you clean it with like a 10% bleach solution then rinse it real well? I live in Michigan by Lake Michigan...have various driftwood pieces just want to make sure they will not rot since I doubt it is cypress or rosewood. How many coats verathane did you do?
Also is the backdrop freestanding or mounted/silconed to the back like the one on blackjungle.com?
How are you going to seclude your pump? And I am more curious to know how your flase bottom is going to work...I understand how the false bottom is but if your pump goes under there how do you get it out to clean/maintain it? Do you have an access panel without much substrate on it?
I am in no hurry to get this done and not even sure what size tank it will be 15T or 29. Just want to continue gathering information/part for it.
Thanks,
Scott
Yes this is all beach found driftwood, and I do use a bleach solution. I also found some cool flat-cut bark sections too so I used those to make the background section a little more interesting. I used the exact process described at black jungle.
As far as keeping the wood from rotting I dont have much experience with that. I only used Verithane on the bowl of the water fall basin and on the piece of driftwood that will be in the water. Essentially all the driftwood and bark you see is uncoated. Any pieces or surfaces that will be immersed in water I coated just to prevent seepage and advanced rot.
My false bottom is in two sections, If there is a problem I will have to remove the ground cover (difficult but not the end of the world) you may also notice I have some holes in the eggcrate material. This will acommodate larger plants. basicly will provide a deeper section of soil for the plants as most of my ground cover will only be 1/2 to 1 inch thick.
Did the moss just stick or is it held down by something or what.
Brooks
The tank is laid down so gravity can do its job. I just laid the moss and tamped it down. I am misting with water and elenors vf11 plant food. I am leaving it like this for a week then I will stand it up to see how well the moss grows its roots into the backing material.
If this fails I will use the butermilk blender method, which is taking some clean moss and buttermilk blending it to a smooth liquid and then spreading it over the desired area in about two weeks it will spread like wild fire.
However I heard this method works too and I am impatient. LOL
Ok, thanks, I might try that sometime.
Brooks
You mean literally taking some moss and tossing it in the blender with buttermilk then spreading it? Is there a particularly successful ratio of milk to moss? Is there a link you can send me to? I've never heard of this method! Thanks a lot!
Sarah
I am not sure of the ratios involved but my friend swears by the buttermilk method she says she cleans the moss thoroughly then puts a bunch in the blender, she will then add a cup or two of buttermilk and liquify the mix. She gets a creamy-green liquid which she then spreads wherever she wants moss to grow. The moss particles are fed by the cultures in the buttermilk and viola healthy even carpets of moss.
But like I said, I am impatient and really wanted to see some moss in here, hopefully it will work if not BUTTERMILK PUREE' BABY!
By the way it has been over 24 hours since planting the moss, it was still moist when I got home this evening and although some bits have dried out and turned brown over 95% is still a healthy green.
Will post more as it comes along.
BUttermilk works good, but ive also used beer , and you can use water to make the puree, all three kinda work great, i use it in my cages alot, it works well.
Rih
Avarax,
How high is your humidity? What do you mean by having the moss take? Most moss will just grow very losely over the ground or rock. Most of the moss I have never really attaches to anything. Maybe I am doing something wrong, I wonder how many people have their moss attach to something. I have moss that is growing but I could still pick it up and move it without any problems. I dont doubt it has something to do with the type of moss you have also.
Mike
I have moss that attaches to wood and some pillow moss that won't attach to any thing. So I think it has to do with the type of moss.
Brooks
Well the moss all dried out and turned brown despite having kept it moist and humid. I may need to just wait untill my front piece comes from First Class Aquatics. I am begining construction of the light hood next, so maybee I'll Just wait untill it all comes together before atempting to plant any thing else.
the type of moss you used looks cool but in my experience it doesnt do well in tanks, ive never had it alive long in any of my tanks. Your best bet is the blender or to try another type of moss, good luck.
Rih