[Dancing frogs]

Hi, I'm looking for some info on background materials.
Does anyone know what is used to hold coco and tree fern panels together, or are they just compressed?
I was considering one of the above to see if I can get springtails to live in or on the background...if I could, I think my imitator would appreciate it.
I think that the tree fern (though not the most enviro freindly thing) would be the best bet, due to the little spaces in it, but I've never seen a coco panel, would springtails ETC. be able to live in/on them?
Also for weldbond/coco-peat concoctions, does it absorb some water (enough to support plants), or does the weldbond seal it off?
Thanks in advance.

 

[Dancing frogs]

bump

 

[dmartin72]

Tree fern panels come that way naturally and cocos panels are compressed. I really like the way the tree fern panels look, but I guess it doesn't matter too much if you have things covering and growing on it!

 

[Rain_Frog]

No. weld bond cannot absorb water (talk to Kyle) or it will fall apart.

I have heard that coco panels are indeed pressed together with adhesive, not just compressed. In fact, one of my coco panels shipped to me still had quite a bit of glob of adhesive in the lower corners. How it is done, I have no clue.

Marcos has suggested using clay as a background. After all, clay is thick and very sticky. I doubt clay is porous enough for your needs though, Brian.

You might want to consider doing a little experimentation yourself and tell us. :wink: Peat and silicone do stick well, but once you coat a globule of silicone, it doesn't stick well to anything else. Perhaps if you force particles through silicone with a bit of mashing, you might be able to achieve what you are looking for. Good luck Brian!

 

[dmartin72]

People in WA state use leftover tree fern panel to culture springtails and it works incredibley!

 

[Dancing frogs]

I've cultured springtails on coco mat, and it worked fairly well (until it got infested with fungus gnats), But I'd rather not use it for a background, as it looks funky (to me), and I don't think it would hold up too well after the plants start growing on it.

I had been thinking about something like this when I seen the post with the "compostarium", which uses a tree fern panel to let the bugs through.

 

[dmartin72]

Cocos panels will hold up nicely as a background, but coco mats probably will not.

 

[kleinhanz]

My two personal favorites are corkbark and tree fern panel. If you want to mount broms, I lean towards cork bark, if you want to train something to grow up the back (creeping fig, pathos, bridals veil, pilea, ect) I would choose tree fern panels.

Just my preference

 

[StevenBonheim]

You all have to remember how they get tree fern fiber....coco mats and panels are an eco-friendly choice!!! I always use a byproduct when available.

 

[Guest]

Hi, try this page from black jungle

http://www.blackjungle.com/gallery/talltank/page1.html

It might help you a bit.


Cheers

Xavier

 

[Rain_Frog]

I believe the adhesive that holds coco panels together is not silicone, but wax. I once used T-Rex's crab island coco fiber background for hermit crabs, and I do believe it said it was held together with wax. (despite it was coco fiber, not coco peat).

If you look at the adhesive that holds coco panels together (its VERY noticiable, especially at the corners), it does have a waxy look and feel.

Beeswax I'm pretty sure is safe and biodegradable.

My best plan is to use an cake pan, and find an online vendor that sells pure beeswax and put chunks in with dried coco fiber (or peat moss) in the oven for a bit.

It would be fun to try, but the wax could be very expensive and you might as well just go ahead and order from Herpsupplies and get a three pack.

 

[StevenBonheim]

Its not bee's wax. I think they use urethane.

 

[Guest]

panels

i made something pretty similair to cocos panels using peat and liquid latex, it was even a little bit more flexible but it didnt absorb water at all like my cocos panels do and when you put it under water it turned grey then went brown when it dried out again.

 

[beeswaxx]

Yay, go beeswax! :wink: