Has anyone seen or does anyone know how to make a fake mangrove root system? I had the store purchased root, but that's not going to work because they are too small. I want the illusion to seem like the roots continue out of the top of the tank with some growing perpendicular to the back of the tank. I've seen them in an aquarium, but don't know how to begin.
Making Roots?
- Thread starter Tanyoberu
- Start date
Use Skippers idea... http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=92536&highlight=concrete+tiki
Just adjust the size of the underlayment.
Dr Joe
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Just adjust the size of the underlayment.
Dr Joe
.
Oh wow! I could probably use regular .5 or .75 fish hose and can melt the pieces together as a template. Then do the rest like this Tiki project. Hmmm... now to find where to buy this cement and pray it'll stick to the hose. Going to a store tonight to see what I can find.
I went to the store with pictures of a Mangrove tree and it's root system. It was suggested that I should try rope since the diameter I'm trying to reach is small and it would give a lot more flexibility and I could either paint it with epoxy or coat it with cement for enforcement and then paint it. He figured with a diameter that small it would be hard to try to get cement to stick to smooth tubing.
I like the rope idea because it will allow me to make the branches by just tying one rope to the next but didn't know whether to try nylon or some form of organic like cotton or wool or a blend. I know enough to stay away from color, but which sounds better?
I like the rope idea because it will allow me to make the branches by just tying one rope to the next but didn't know whether to try nylon or some form of organic like cotton or wool or a blend. I know enough to stay away from color, but which sounds better?
Organics (including branches) are going to rot at some point, but will hold the cement better.
Nylon doesn't rot for a long time but isn't absorbent.
Dip chain in vinyl coating?
If you have ever lost a really nice fish to the mangrove gods, you'll understand my lack of affection for mangroves
.
Dr Joe
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Nylon doesn't rot for a long time but isn't absorbent.
Dip chain in vinyl coating?
If you have ever lost a really nice fish to the mangrove gods, you'll understand my lack of affection for mangroves
.Dr Joe
.
I didn't lose to the mangrove gods, but I did lose to the plastic root gods in my tank! I'm curious to hear your story, but mine goes like this.
All of my brackish fish started getting a white film over their bodies, nothing I've seen before or could even read about. I just about dismantled my tank and even moved them to another tank to try to resolve the issue! The problem? A dead eel in one of the hollow roots was poisoning the tank! What's worse is that I moved the dead eel in the new tank too!!! I knew they went in there and when I was trying to locate the third eel and saw part of his tail jutting out of the 'root', I just moved him with the rest!!!
Look at my personal pictures and you'll see all the lovelies I lost! I'm convinced at this too! I had an eel that was 'gravid' with eggs! All the fish in my signature were victims.
What happened on your end?
BTW, I have 1/4" cotton and nylon rope. I've already tried tying them in a 'box / barrel' knot, but duh, that makes the diameter 1"! Then I tried the light house technique, but it looks, well like a light house. I've decided to just loop one rope around a straight rope. That gives it the rigid-flexibility I need, with a nice diameter that will fit nicely. The cotton also has a nice surface to coat it with anything to give it a different look. But I also realized that I'd need to cover the cotton making it completely water tight in order to keep it for any decent length of time.
I'm looking into other tecniques as well. Please elaborate on "dipping chains..." if there was any sincerity to that option.
All of my brackish fish started getting a white film over their bodies, nothing I've seen before or could even read about. I just about dismantled my tank and even moved them to another tank to try to resolve the issue! The problem? A dead eel in one of the hollow roots was poisoning the tank! What's worse is that I moved the dead eel in the new tank too!!! I knew they went in there and when I was trying to locate the third eel and saw part of his tail jutting out of the 'root', I just moved him with the rest!!!
Look at my personal pictures and you'll see all the lovelies I lost! I'm convinced at this too! I had an eel that was 'gravid' with eggs! All the fish in my signature were victims.
What happened on your end?
BTW, I have 1/4" cotton and nylon rope. I've already tried tying them in a 'box / barrel' knot, but duh, that makes the diameter 1"! Then I tried the light house technique, but it looks, well like a light house. I've decided to just loop one rope around a straight rope. That gives it the rigid-flexibility I need, with a nice diameter that will fit nicely. The cotton also has a nice surface to coat it with anything to give it a different look. But I also realized that I'd need to cover the cotton making it completely water tight in order to keep it for any decent length of time.
I'm looking into other tecniques as well. Please elaborate on "dipping chains..." if there was any sincerity to that option.
The Mangrove gods have given sanctuary to many red fish, snook and trout that I was going to call mine. The barnacles that grow on the roots are incredibly sharp for this apparent reason (symbiotic relationship? 
).
I actually was serious... http://www.caswellplating.com/aids/plastidip.html
(home depot/lowes carry it here)
It could be used on the rope too.
Dr Joe
.
).I actually was serious... http://www.caswellplating.com/aids/plastidip.html
(home depot/lowes carry it here)
It could be used on the rope too.
Dr Joe
.
Ok, this rope thing is a pain in the butt! So I did some more research and reading these forums I saw a that a lot of people used styro-foam and coated it with cement etc.. I can't because this will be free standing, but looky what I found! http://www.avesstudio.com/Products/Apoxie_Sculpt/apoxie_sculpt.html
It's cheap enough for me to order and not cry if I fail. According to their site, it's completely aquarium safe! But here's my question to you and anyone else.
I want to use a wire frame to slap this stuff on. The frame should be completely covered and should not be exposed to water, but just in case, which type of metal causes the least amount of problems in BRACKISH water! I'm thinking copper as I'm not planning on having any crustaceans (minus the crayfish that will be consumed by the eels) in the tank. What about ALUMINUM foil?
It's cheap enough for me to order and not cry if I fail. According to their site, it's completely aquarium safe! But here's my question to you and anyone else.
I want to use a wire frame to slap this stuff on. The frame should be completely covered and should not be exposed to water, but just in case, which type of metal causes the least amount of problems in BRACKISH water! I'm thinking copper as I'm not planning on having any crustaceans (minus the crayfish that will be consumed by the eels) in the tank. What about ALUMINUM foil?
