Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Now that I have had my at least my one dart for 6 months, I am now a little more comfortable with the idea of getting more creative with the enclosure. I am interested in "mounting" plants on the background.... yet everything I read does not detail how to do so. Could someone please explain this method and how exactly to do so? Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks.

I have cocos mats siliconed to the back of my tanks and use bamboo skewers, for shish kebab, to pin my plants against the mat (for broomeliads and larger plants). For smaller plants and vines I use tooth picks. Kind of criss cross both ways and use the pressure from the sticks to hold in place until the plants root and by this time the skewer is dark and discolored and blends in. Use as many as it takes to secure. My tanks are planted heavy so the back of the tanks/cocos mat can't be seen after plants have grown for awhile. Good luck.

What type of background are you looking at using. Cork, coco matting, Great Stuff foam and Weldbond, etc.? You can get metal floral pins at Walmart or probably any craft store, that look like really long staples. These can be pushed into the background to hold the root of a brom or whatever in place. The skewers and toothpicks work too. You may have to dril a starter hole if you are using a cork background.
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Ken
Peace of the Tropics
www.PeaceOfTheTropics.com

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I was thinking of using the Great Stuff because I like the idea of being able to form the background to my liking.

Do these plants (epiphytes and what have you) do well just being pinned in this stuff? Do I just cram them in there and then pin them to stay? Does it look tacky for just a while and then the plant will grow to cover the pins?

Sorry for the 20 questions, I just want to make sure I do this right so I don't glue a whole bunch of crap together and screw up the whole tank just because I am an idiot.

Yeah, eventually the plants will attach to the background and the pins can be removed. Everyone has questions when first getting started, so don't worry about it.
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Ken
Peace of the Tropics
www.PeaceOfTheTropics.com

Bastimentos pumilios
Blue jean pumilios
BriBri pumilios
Intermedius
Lamasi
Imitators
Ventrimaculatus
Fantasticus
Aurataenias
Vittatus
Tricolors
Auratus
Red trivitattus
Green trivitattus

Thanks for the help, I appreciate it.

I am sure to post plenty more questions later this week when I get all of my supplies and actually get down to business.

Thanks!