[JakkBauer]

Ok so I am making a new viv using great stuff background and some plastic pot/cup things from the store to make planter areas. anyway I put one of them in just totally stupidly and the top opening of the cup is just facing the front of the viv so really it would look pretty dumb with a plant in it at this point.

My girl came up with the idea to make it into a cave using half a cork round, which I think is totally sweet because its going to be over a small water area.

My question to you the reader of this post is... Do I remove the plastic cup and shave down some gs to shove the cork round in there and silicone the gaps... OR do I place the cork round OVER the plastic cup thing and gorilla glue it into place before I silicone the whole thing and cover in fiber. The idea behind the latter would be having a larger cave, and a bigger outcrop of the cork round which I think looks cooler. If I do the second option should I cover the inside of the plastic part with some coco fiber before I place the round over it because it will be too difficult after it is glued on? Im wondering if it would present a future issue as far as me needing to get a frog out of there (from what ive read here if they can get into it they can usually get out...) or maybe even some eggs? Which I probably wouldnt even be able to see... but im thinking having fiber glued on there instead of just the bare plastic would prevent them from wanting to lay anything in there?

Sorry if this is a bit confusing. I am just trying to figure out the best way to proceed. Basically take cup out put round in hole, or glue round on top of hole... which would you do?

 

[shibbyplustax]

I would say take out the cup, shave it down, and maybe secure it in there with some more greatstuff.

 

[JakkBauer]

I would say take out the cup, shave it down, and maybe secure it in there with some more greatstuff.

Ya I think either way I do it will require more GS to secure it in place. So you think that the cave would be too big/problematic if I GS it on top instead of placing it in the cavity?

 

[frogface]

I would take out the cup. I would not silicone it in. Chances are your frogs will like it so much that they will lay eggs in it, and, you'll want to be able to take it out. I'd just dig the hole enough to make sure it sits in there securely.

Alternatively, you could secure it by smooshing sphagnum moss in around the edges.

 

[shibbyplustax]

I agree with frog face, take the cup out shave it down nice so it fits in there, then just pack some moss on the sides to make it secure. This way if you ever need to get back there for some reason you can.

 

[JakkBauer]

I would take out the cup. I would not silicone it in. Chances are your frogs will like it so much that they will lay eggs in it, and, you'll want to be able to take it out. I'd just dig the hole enough to make sure it sits in there securely.

Alternatively, you could secure it by smooshing sphagnum moss in around the edges.

Great idea! That avoids any worry I would have about not having access... this is sounding like the way to go. So in this instance at what point would you silicone the inside of that foam cavity with coco fiber to get rid of the yellow? Im thinking: shave down, fit, remove, silicone/coco, let it dry, and then shove it in with sphag. What would you do?
The tunnel idea seemed cool but I just have a feeling I would end up regretting it which is why I asked. The other suggestion I have gotten is to just continue with my original plan and plant that potter with quercifolia ficus or something like that, which is kind of what I was wanting anyways is a draping plant to come over the side and hang down. Im just afraid it will look so ugly facing forward but I guess its all about how I go about it...

 

[fieldnstream]

If you want to avoid having to pull the whole cork out in case of eggs, just secure it, stuff the hole with sphag, and put a filmcan in there. You have the look you are after without the worries. The sphag will also cover up the gs so you wont have to mess around with putting coco in there. I think the cork would look great sticking out a little further...you could fill out the hole with a little gs then stick the cork in while its still wet.

 

[JakkBauer]

If you want to avoid having to pull the whole cork out in case of eggs, just secure it, stuff the hole with sphag, and put a filmcan in there. You have the look you are after without the worries. The sphag will also cover up the gs so you wont have to mess around with putting coco in there. I think the cork would look great sticking out a little further...you could fill out the hole with a little gs then stick the cork in while its still wet.

Thanks bud. Making use of that 29g you gave me

Took the cup out and shaved it down so its shoved in there by itself now. Still wondering if I need to shave down the bottom part a little, I think I might because some of it will be in the water line if I dont...

 

[fieldnstream]

Thanks bud. Making use of that 29g you gave me

Thought I recognized that tank looks like you are off to a great start.
I have some cuttings with your name on em whenever we meet up. Can't wait to see the finished product, lemme know if you need any substrate stuff, I have like 30-40 lbs of organic peat left over from my clay BG fiasco, I would be more than happy to share some with ya.

 

[JakkBauer]

Thought I recognized that tank looks like you are off to a great start.
I have some cuttings with your name on em whenever we meet up. Can't wait to see the finished product, lemme know if you need any substrate stuff, I have like 30-40 lbs of organic peat left over from my clay BG fiasco, I would be more than happy to share some with ya.

Right on! YTMND!(your the man now dog!) Maybe if we go to ABG in the coming weeks I can grab that stuff. Could probly use some of that peat for the BGs if I hadnt made em up by then but I may get antsy and do it in the next few days . So when you say fiasco does that mean you wont be doing clay again or just that it was a learning experience lol...

 

[fieldnstream]

So when you say fiasco does that mean you wont be doing clay again or just that it was a learning experience lol...

I'm gonna try again...I did my 18x18x24 zoomed right before I went on vaca...when I got back it looked like the frickin sahara. Did you end up shaving that piece down? You are gonna go ahead and do three sides right

 

[JakkBauer]

I'm gonna try again...I did my 18x18x24 zoomed right before I went on vaca...when I got back it looked like the frickin sahara. Did you end up shaving that piece down? You are gonna go ahead and do three sides right

Lol damn gota make sure it doesn't dry out for real. Been cooler out this week so far. Didn't touch it today but I think I'm shaving it. Probly gona do those sides yea just gota get in create mode... been out of erm... creative plant materials ;P

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