[Scott]

OK - I'm looking for alternatives to Tree Fern Root or Coco panels.

I saw something really neat at IAD. For those of you there... did anyone else notice the Maryland cages tank that had 2" "chunks" of branches siliconed to the back wall? They were all nicely cut and the same length. Pretty much lined up flush with each other. This left all kinds of little nooks and crannies for frogs.

I thought it was really neat. Anyone else see it?

Anyone else have some neat ideas for alternatives to Tree Fern Root / Coco Panels / Foaming?

thx.

s

 

[Guest]

cork bark looks good, and it offers lots of hiding spots. Not the flats, but actually the curls.

 

[Guest]

I made a tank for my friend where I used flat styrofoam panels covered in black silicone and dusted with coco fiber. I also took a tree stump and sliced it in half. I then traced the stump on the styrofoam and cut out that area so the stump is sticking out of the back wall and the roots are dug into the substrate leaving a cave for the frogs. I planted Ficus Pumilio on the back so it will cover the styrofoam.

On another tank I also made a waterfall out of styrofoam where I cut slabs of styrofoam and shaped them and then fitted them into slits on the back styrofoam wall and covered it with silicone and dusted it with gravel. Both customers were happy.

 

[john_159]

i dont know if it would work but ive always wanted a 20 or 30 high with the entire backround being the trunk of the tree, with roots cascading down on the floor all the way up to the glass in front, leaving areas for moss and plants and pools. but i wanted to cut an actual tree (since i dont think i could create the right texture) into more of a slab so it doesnt take up so much room, and silicone it to the back, but i dont think that would hold up to the moisture. just a thought

 

[melissa68]

Scott,

I remember the tank you are talking about. They had some frogs in there they 'borrowed' from Sean Stewart.

For those who didn't see it, they took small tree limbs and cut them ~ 2" long. Then they took and siliconed them to the back.

I know the picture below is lame, but I think it might help people visualize the background. Each "O" represents a piece of wood attached to the background. They did this down the entire back of the cage.

--------------------------------
| O O O O O O O O O O O |
| O O O O O O O O O O O |
| O O O O O O O O O O O |
| O O O O O O O O O O O |
| O O O O O O O O O O O |
| O O O O O O O O O O O |
| O O O O O O O O O O O |
--------------------------------

Melis

OK - I'm looking for alternatives to Tree Fern Root or Coco panels.

I saw something really neat at IAD. For those of you there... did anyone else notice the Maryland cages tank that had 2" "chunks" of branches siliconed to the back wall? They were all nicely cut and the same length. Pretty much lined up flush with each other. This left all kinds of little nooks and crannies for frogs.

I thought it was really neat. Anyone else see it?

Anyone else have some neat ideas for alternatives to Tree Fern Root / Coco Panels / Foaming?

thx.

s

 

[Scott]

That's it Melis - nice representation.

I really liked it. I think it's something that would lend itself well to a PDF tank.

s

 

[Derek Benson]

Interesting, so it almost looked like those boards you see at carnivals, where you drop the puck in the top and let it make its way through the maze of wooden rods? What was the point of these if they were only 2", perches?

 

[Scott]

Perches yes... plants would grow right up it also (like many other backgrounds).

s