PDA

View Full Version : Attaching live plants


hoangben
09-30-2009, 06:12 PM
What is the best way to attach live plants to a 3-D background, can it be done with silicone?
hoangben
10-01-2009, 11:54 AM
Any suggestion is greatly appreciated..
rickztahone
10-01-2009, 12:18 PM
i would say no on the silicone idea. what material is the background.
hoangben
10-01-2009, 02:00 PM
the background is made of styro foam with a layer of cement and paint
rickztahone
10-01-2009, 02:00 PM
the background is made of styro foam with a layer of cement and paint

yeah i honestly do not see how you would attach live plants to that. what plants do you plan on putting on the background?
hoangben
10-01-2009, 02:02 PM
I would like to place some ferns and some anubias on it
rickztahone
10-01-2009, 02:04 PM
I would like to place some ferns and some anubias on it

those would be good choices but again i don't see how you would do it. is there any type of pieces protruding? if so then you can always fish line tie them to the background. it would be difficult for the plants to attach though. pictures would be nice.
bettebulldog
10-01-2009, 02:04 PM
maybe some sort of staple would work. Stainless steel?
rich815
10-01-2009, 02:12 PM
Crazy Glue.

I know it sounds crazy but it works and many in the planted tank community do it with anubias and ferns to driftwood. No issues with fish.
hoangben
10-01-2009, 02:36 PM
Crazy glue ay.... what type of crazy glue?? liquid kind or the jelly kind?
rich815
10-01-2009, 03:28 PM
Crazy glue ay.... what type of crazy glue?? liquid kind or the jelly kind?

Either. I've glued anubias and ferns (by their rhizomes) to rocks and driftwood. It should work for styrofoam but test first as the glue may melt the styro. Either way I do it with the rock or driftwood out of the water or when water level is low during water change time. When water hits crazy glue it instantly solidifies.
hoangben
10-01-2009, 05:19 PM
I got the liquid super glue.....
thanks, hope it works..
rickztahone
10-02-2009, 02:20 AM
i don't know who would have put crazy glue in an aquarium in the first place but i give them credit for risking their fish. i know i wouldn't have done it, and even now with someone saying it's safe i wouldn't do it.
rich815
10-02-2009, 02:30 AM
i don't know who would have put crazy glue in an aquarium in the first place but i give them credit for risking their fish. i know i wouldn't have done it, and even now with someone saying it's safe i wouldn't do it.

I had been wondering what was taking so long for this reply!
rich815
10-02-2009, 02:38 AM
See here:

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/general-planted-tank-discussion/76531-crazy-glue-idea.html
jeff@zina.com
10-02-2009, 08:46 AM
i don't know who would have put crazy glue in an aquarium in the first place but i give them credit for risking their fish. i know i wouldn't have done it, and even now with someone saying it's safe i wouldn't do it.

Then don't get into reef-keeping. Coral frags are commonly fastened to plugs using cyanoacrylate (Super Glue). It is water proof, inert and sets in water. The gel kind was a godsend to reefers.

I also wouldn't join the military or get into any situations that might risk serious wounds or bleeding. The same stuff is now used to glue wounds together. On humans. And, from experience, works great.

And yes, it works well for plants too. :)

Jeff
Disgirl
10-02-2009, 08:57 AM
Does this mean that I can take out the waterlogged wood in my angelfish tank, put super glue onto it and stick on a piece of Anubias, then put back into the tank right away? If so, this is amazing!
Barb:)
rickztahone
10-02-2009, 12:52 PM
I had been wondering what was taking so long for this reply!

i was doubting the method at all, i just wouldn't personally do it myself. i find no need to do it since i already have plants attached to my DW
rich815
10-02-2009, 01:18 PM
i was doubting the method at all, i just wouldn't personally do it myself. i find no need to do it since i already have plants attached to my DW

No worries! I should have put a little winking guy there. It's just that of course put glue in the aquarium seems so nuts but everything you can read about it on a lot of forums show people doing for corals frags, anubias, ferns, etc. with no issues with fish.
jeff@zina.com
10-02-2009, 01:28 PM
Does this mean that I can take out the waterlogged wood in my angelfish tank, put super glue onto it and stick on a piece of Anubias, then put back into the tank right away? If so, this is amazing!
Barb:)

Works fine with attaching corals. Except you don't even take them out of the tank. Squirt the gel glue on, press in the coral frag and you're done.

Jeff
Disgirl
10-02-2009, 03:43 PM
Thanks Jeff. I am going to try this with some wood in a tank with no fish yet. I will let you all know how it works. It seems like a great idea!
Barb :)
zamboniMan
10-11-2009, 05:49 PM
Be carefull about what you trust on planted tank. Not all advice is good advice. Alot of the people on planted tank don't have live fish in their tanks and therefore tend not to worry about what they put in their tanks. I have also heard crazy glue is safe but I wouldn't use it either... Just my two cents worth.
jeff@zina.com
10-12-2009, 09:21 AM
If you're worried about Crazy Glue or other glues of this type, try it in a tank with dither fish, Mollies, Platies, Guppies, Danios, whatever. Might also refer to:

http://www.3reef.com/forums/general-reef-topics/super-glue-reef-safe-55605.html

http://www.reeflounge.com/showthread.php?t=22900

http://www.garf.org/algae2/glue_evalu.html

FWIW, I use a generic brand 100% cyanoacrylate gel with no problems in fresh and salt water.

Jeff