Various Questions - In need of Bright Ideas

Nicte1983 · #1 02-01-2009, 09:12 AM

I have already done the GS method for my background. Can a branch still be mounted to stick out of the wall (glass aquarium), if yes, how? What tools/skills would I need? (I was eyeing the bird perches at the pet store, but I don't think I can drill a hole in the glass without cracking it).

Speaking of sticks, any crafty methods for getting sticks without paying a fortune? (I am a city dweller and have no trees lying around to harvest from, assuming I could get to them, there is still more than a foot of snow out there).

If the cork background that you get at the pet store is in contact with standing water does it decompose/leech tannins?

What is a a proven mix for the top layer of a frog/plant substrate? I don't want to risk impaction and I will be letting my frog hunt in the viv, not hand feeding.

What are the easy/best/favorite strategies for hiding egg crate, both from inside (like around a pond area) and outside the viv?

What is a good way to hide cords inside the viv? I have two power cords and as I said, I hadn't thought of it until after my background was on.

I'm sure I'll think of more, but this is all for now. Thanks in advance!

repman01 · #2 02-01-2009, 02:23 PM

I have already done the GS method for my background. Can a branch still be mounted to stick out of the wall (glass aquarium), if yes, how?
you could always silicone it to the glass or gs

What tools/skills would I need? (I was eyeing the bird perches at the pet store, but I don't think I can drill a hole in the glass without cracking it).
you can use a glass drill bit the size that you need also look up on google how to drill glass

Speaking of sticks, any crafty methods for getting sticks without paying a fortune? (I am a city dweller and have no trees lying around to harvest from, assuming I could get to them, there is still more than a foot of snow out there).
if you have a friend or family member you can ask them to get you a piece of wood. just make sure you boil it first

If the cork background that you get at the pet store is in contact with standing water does it decompose/leech tannins?
i dont know if it would but i am sure someone else knows lol

What is a a proven mix for the top layer of a frog/plant substrate? I don't want to risk impaction and I will be letting my frog hunt in the viv, not hand feeding.
eco-earth is good it comes in a dehydrated brick also there is moss that comes the same way

What are the easy/best/favorite strategies for hiding egg crate, both from inside (like around a pond area) and outside the viv?
i wpould say the best way is to silicone aquarium rocks to the gs

What is a good way to hide cords inside the viv? I have two power cords and as I said, I hadn't thought of it until after my background was on.
one way you cann do this is get fake vines and plants and then cover them up

heartagramtc · #3 02-01-2009, 10:23 PM

1. yes you could always just make a hole in the GS then re-GS it or silicone it in place.

2. for drilling glass you need special bits, and i do believe you need to have water running on the part your drilling or else it would mess it up.

3. i agree with this one, you need to be careful because some types of wood cant handle the amount of moisture in a norm frog tank. and they would just mold and decompose.

4. im sure it decomposes, almost all wood decomposes. its just a matter of how fast. as for leeching im not sure if the cork leaks tannis or not, your best bet boil it first to get rid of as much as possible.

5. ive always used sphagnum peat moss, but i know ppl use a bunch of dif mixtures so just search around and see what suits you best.

6. ive always used the screen to help hide the egg crate, then i would silicone rocks or peices of slate to hide it, as for outside, you could try black vinly.

7. as for the wires, is hide them behind plants or vines as repman01 stated, but i just thought of a way that i will have to try out,
basically you take wire loom that will fit the size of the wires you need to be covered preferably black. then you can coat the wire loom in tons of silicone then roll it around in some DRY coco-bedding. let it dry for 24hrs. then you should be able to still slip the wires in the slip along the wire loom and guess what! you now have a vine that you can maybe give a little bend to! hmmm. now i need to try this out!

Nicte1983 · #4 02-02-2009, 03:58 AM

Thanks for the answers so far! Of course they add to my questions!

I was thinking the branch sticking out might not be secure enough and fall if it is only siliconed from the end, even if I carve a GS hole for it.. I'm probably overreacting though, it won't be a HUGE branch, approx. 7" long.

In my pond area I was thinking of attaching rocks, per your suggestions but doesn't this block the water flow to reservoir defeating the purpose? You need to leave gaps right? Is there a scientific method to the gap leaving or do I just guess at how fast the pump draws?

froggsong · #5 02-02-2009, 04:35 AM

Don't carve a hole for the branch, cut a slit in the GS and put the branch in. With someone else holding it (or some other way to keep the branch steady), spread the slit so that you can spray more GS inside, then let it close. The foam will expand, filling (and likely overflowing) the slit you cut, holding the branch in as well as (maybe better than) it would have if you had put it in to start with. I have several thinner branches just driven into the GS, and they hold very well (plus I can remove them occasionally for tank maintenance, though I avoid it).

When you glue rocks to the eggcrate, don't glue down the entire rock, glue it just enough to keep it in place, that way the water can flow around the glue.

lowcountryfire · #6 02-02-2009, 08:54 AM

Quote:

7. as for the wires, is hide them behind plants or vines as repman01 stated, but i just thought of a way that i will have to try out, basically you take wire loom that will fit the size of the wires you need to be covered preferably black. then you can coat the wire loom in tons of silicone then roll it around in some DRY coco-bedding. let it dry for 24hrs. then you should be able to still slip the wires in the slip along the wire loom and guess what! you now have a vine that you can maybe give a little bend to! hmmm. now i need to try this out!

Heart, I have seen that done before, what they did was bought some wire loom, and then they covered it in silicone and coco bedding (just as you stated), but, then they took a wire coathanger, and slid it into the loom as well, that way, he was able to bend it into any shape he wanted, and it had enough stiffness to hold his WTF's....