Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i have recently finished my vivarium and im now putting some finishing touches.one thing i have done is filled in some areas and shaped some areas using clay.i figure it will harden and,since its organic,plants and moss will grow over it.i used tree bark as a background,but didnt use one big sheet,i broke up smaller pices and used that so there are gaps inbetween.i made tiny pots out of clay and squeezed them into the gaps.i filled them with dirt and i figured it will be something for plants and such to grow from.anyway im just curious what you guys thought about using clay in a vivarium.i have a question though,i recently bought some small leaved tropical plants from the nursery near me.when i got them home i broke up the root ball and split the plant into three and planted it in 3 corners of my tank.that was about a week ago and this morning i noticed all the leaves ad fallen off.new leaves are growing but all the leaves that were originally there have all fallen off almost overnight.im wondering if this is root shock or something and if its common and if the plants will survive it.my second question is about silicon fumes.i have my tank almost entirely planted but i do have a couple things i want to add.will new silicon fumes in my vivarium when i glue new things kill any exhisting plants?im only asking because im worried about the plant i told you about whos leaves fell off.i transplanted and trimmed the roots about a week ago and the leaves didnt fall off untill lastnight,when i just happened to add some new glued items to the tank.any thoughts??silicon fumes are pretty strong for about15 minutes while getting tackfree.after that they have no fumes but its those first 15 minutes im worried about.i wish i did all my gluing before adding plants but i had a problem and something had to be redone after i have done all my planting.anyway,just looking for a reason why all the leaves may have fallen off overnight and if anyone here has glued silicon in their tanks after there was plants in there.does root shock cause leaves to fall off?does it happen a lot when you break up root balls? is there a way to avoid it?

First, Dude...Paragraphs...it makes things SO much easier to read.

Clay was probbaly not the best idea. I'm an avid ceramic artist, and have made many things for my tanks. but they have to be fired to somewhere in excess of 1000* (right now I use B mix with grog, to cone 4 then glazed to cone 6) or they will just melt away the first time they get wet, or crumble under pressure if they dry out. it can work horozontally, but vertically, probbaly not. Pictures would be a great way to get a better idea of what you did. you set up sounds cool anyways, i'd love to see pics of the whole thing!

also, where did you get the clay from? clay from an art store will be nice and steralized, BUT in nature clay works as a natural filter (usefull in vivs!) but, it can be full of stuff (waste, chemicals ect....) you dont want in with anything living. just a thought. you can clean it, but its a long boring process.

In my vivs I use a "mono foam type thing"... its very perminent, and fills spaces very nicely. you can cover it with silicone and fiber. it looks very nice, and its what a lot of people do
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What type of silicone are you using? The GE I or II works best for me. Avoid the bathroom caulk type, as it contains mold inhibitors that may affect your plants. I usually do all of the siliconing before planting, but fume damage shouldn't be permanent with most plants. Just be sure it "cures" for at least 72 hours or more before adding animals. Some people use silicone to attach bromeliads, but I find that it damages the surface of the plant where it is attached. Clay pots should be fine, but may not be necessary, depending upon the kind of plants you are adding to the background. What type of tree bark are you using? Cork bark and Fern tree panels work best, as does pressed cocoanut fiber. Most other kinds of bark will rot away rather quickly, and anything from conifers, especially pine that contain terpentines may be toxic to your frogs, as well as rotting in a relatively short time.

The photo is part of a cork bark water fall.

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Patty
Pahsimeroi, Idaho

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