[Perfiikt]

ok so i started my viv about a week ago. at first i was going to put in a water feature then i decided against it, then i decided to do it again. and this is where im at.

everything seems to be good...but i forgot pots for the plants =[
i dont know what im going to do for plants now.. are there plants i can get for the background without planting them? any criticism will be appreciated. thanks

 

[johnyrocks]

First off, good idea of saving space my integrating a river into the background (That IS a river, right? ;P ) but now for the OQ. Most plants, if given enough humidity, will root to the background without soil but I do recommend using some moss to help with humidity. I've grown wandering jew and pothos directly to the GS with no soil, just moss. Can't wait to see this done by the way.

 

[johnyrocks]

I would recommend the following plants: Almost all neo bromeliads and earth stars, Golden Pothos, Ficus pumila, Ficus repens, All types of Pilea, Black/white rabbits root fern, Red wandering jew, Java, riccia, spagnum, etc moss, Most Aroids, and if you have enough ventilation, some orchids (sorry, I've never had orchids, I don't know any types of them), and almost all Tillidansias. Good luck.

 

[Perfiikt]

thanks for the reply =]. yes that is a river or as i like to call it a stream. im going to mess with some slate to make that area look presentable. i plan on getting 3 or 4 species of plants and just sticking with that to keep it simple only because this is my first viv..certainly not the last though

 

[johnyrocks]

thanks for the reply =]. yes that is a river or as i like to call it a stream. im going to mess with some slate to make that area look presentable. i plan on getting 3 or 4 species of plants and just sticking with that to keep it simple only because this is my first viv..certainly not the last though

Actually, in a 55g, you'll notice how few 4 plants are lol. I have a 20 long vert with about 15 plants, and it still looks VERY empty, even after a month of growth. I wouldn't use slate, though. I've heard cases where darts have cut their bellies on slate. I would actually use more great stuff covered with peat or w.e you use to separate the false bottom from the water area. It has been done many times and looks great.

 

[Perfiikt]

good call on the slate..maybe ill use some river rock instead. im going to do some research now on some plans and tell me wht you think haha

 

[Perfiikt]

Ionantha 'fuego', Tillandsia Albertiana, Ficus Pumila "Creeping Fig",
Wandering Jew, Tillandsia Tenuifolia 'Blue Flower' for a start? idk

 

[johnyrocks]

Ionantha 'fuego', Tillandsia Albertiana, Ficus Pumila "Creeping Fig",
Wandering Jew, Tillandsia Tenuifolia 'Blue Flower' for a start? idk

Sorry for the late reply. All of those are great, the wandering jew and the ficus pumila will soon cover up the whole tank within a few years, but you needs some bromeliads. Some good broms for a 55g are Neo "Zoe", Neo "Fireball", Neo "Compacta", Neo "Midget", and a few others. Dart frogs utilized bromeliads and lay their eggs in the cups of bromeliads (most do, for that matter)

 

[Perfiikt]

i went to home depot yesterday and picked up a smaller brom. also they had a whole pot of creeping fig but i explained to them that i didnt need the whole hanging basket so they gave me a few clippings of it for free. however they are not doing so well i have them in the tanks with some sphagnum moss around the clipped part and i am keeping it real moist but they are shriveling up. hopefully they pull through.