# Plants rooting in coco bedding/great stuff background



## Guest (Feb 8, 2005)

I am considering doing a great stuff/coco bedding background in my new tank. My question is, if I create holes in the background for plants, will their roots grow into the great stuff? Or do I need to make the holes so that it holds the plants upright and then the roots just fill in the extra space in the hole.

Thanks,

-Jim


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## bluetip (May 18, 2004)

Great stuff is a rigid, non-breathable and neutral foam cure. It's quite tough for the roots to hang on to them so you have to make / alot holes for them to attach to. 

What I did, like most others, is we embedded small pots when applying the foam. This gives you a place to attach the roots of your plants...

good luck!


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## Guest (Feb 8, 2005)

I saw that technique on Black Jungle's website. I guess the roots just work themselves around the holes in the baskets. Do you ever put soil in the holes, or do you only use "air plants" on the back wall?

Thanks,

-Jim


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## bluetip (May 18, 2004)

The problem with putting soil in the baskets if you don't have any drain is that you'll get mud even if you used coco bedding, it will be too wet most of the time, especially if you have a water feature on your background wall. Some plants will do well in that type of soil. Ferns would die there if the water accumulates and sits in the pot. Broms would rot too. 

I would consider using a small drain on my pots if i were to redo it again, maybe a short straw to serve as a drain tube. 

I found some broms that would grow stalks and for some of the pots, what I did was just plug the stalks while keeping the entire plant elevated.

I am by no means an expert. Am sure the others would have more ideas on plants...

Bing


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## josh_r (Feb 4, 2005)

alot of the plants you would use (especially bromeliads and tillandsia) the roots serve as an anchor to an object and dont even need soil, or very little of it. other tropical vines and such may root in an area and then climb up the background and anchor to it, getting its nutrients from the base soil. others, like orchids, have roots that anchor the plant to the object (log, rock, false background) but they also act as a sponge sucking up any moisture and nutrients in whatever touches the root. your best bet is to just do research on the individual plants you want to put in there and plan out your tank from there with individual spots for the particular plants needs


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