DIY background using Cork Bark

[Second Hand Pat]

This looks to have some awesome possibilities. Anyone do this?

http://plantgeek.net/article_viewer.php?id=13

[Harriett]

Pat,
A couple years ago I researched cork bark for doing a tropical orchid terrarium sort of thing..sort of a dutch aquarium but cork with plants going up the back wall--a tall tank set up for this, with front opening doors. I wonder a couple things: cork WANTS to float, so you will need to silicone the heck out of the back since the stress on it will be to go UP. Second, clean--maybe hard spray it to get any crumblies to come off, so there is not particulate matter coming off once it it's filled. Be ready to enjoy any algae that may collect, because there will not be any remedy for it--you won't be able to scrub it. For a planted adventure, I saw one tank somewhere where they planted a cork wall completely with fern and anubias and it looked splendid. Don't know how old the tank had been up to mature but it was great. See your PMs.
Harriett

[Second Hand Pat]

Thanks Harriett, I did. If you covered the cork bark in plants (java fern etc) I would think algae would be a non issue but don't really know since I'm not doing plants.