# tree fern panels?



## kermit70 (Jan 24, 2006)

I am thinking about experimenting with tree fern panels. Does anyone know about them. How are they used? Are they any good? etc...

thanks!!

james


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## Dunner97074 (Sep 19, 2004)

James,
I use them on the sides of my vivs. They are rigid even when wet and hold up under the moist conditions. They are porous and allow climbing plants to grab hold. I have a piece as a drip wall and no sign of it breaking down after 8 months. The moss in my tanks love it plus It's a nice texture change from great stuff covered in peat. 
Mike


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## Scott (Feb 17, 2004)

They're also completely non-renewable. A mature, live, tree must die to provide Tree Fern Panels. They are sliced up pieces of the root of some species (maybe someone else will know specifically what type of plant).

I rarely use them anymore. I like them - but I just do not like the environmental cost of them.

s


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## gary1218 (Dec 31, 2005)

I've heard the tree fern panels can have snails in them. Anybody experience this? Anybody "sterilize" the panels before you use them?


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## littlefrog (Sep 13, 2005)

Never had a problem with snails. Could be, though. I've been using up a huge 'log' of tree fern that is probably 30 years old (found in a friend's barn), and I'm not sure I'll get more when that is gone. No snails in that!

I have heard that tree fern (not really a tree...) is farmed and harvested sustainably. I'm confident in the farms... Less confident in the 'sustainably' part. Tree ferns (I think there are several different species used) are very slow growing plants. If you want true sustainability, go with cork. The cork oaks are extensively farmed and with the popularity of plastic wine corks the oak plantations may get turned into subdivisions. So buy more cork!

Anyway... I think that tree fern is an excellent material for orchid mounts, and might be better used for that purpose. I do have two vivs with tree fern panels (sawed off the big log) as background. They are doing fine and look pretty good. But, I have two vivs with far cheaper synthetic panels made out of coconut husk that look almost as good and I feel a little better using them.

Rob


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## Guest (Mar 8, 2006)

This is a little off topic but since its was brought up I thought this link might be of some interest to those of you concerned with sustainability.

http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/dse/nrenpa.ns ... EA00246F86

Matt


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## Scott (Feb 17, 2004)

From the link ...


> The plan also addresses the management of illegal harvesting and trade.


That's fine and good - but it only applies to people who are willing to be managed.

s


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## Guest (Mar 8, 2006)

Sure whatever. 

Im not interested in debating the link scott. Just thought you might find it interesting.

Matt


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## dmatychuk (Apr 20, 2005)

I think the link was great if you believed that tree fern was completely non-renewable. It certainly showed that there can be management techniques, which is great. thanks for sharing, Matt.


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## Guest (Mar 8, 2006)

Treefern panels are good in vivs but there is a substitute now that is even better. Its called EpiWeb http://www.dusk.se/epiweb.html

Terrarium people here in Europe are beginning to use this more and more because of the good features of it and the moral aspect of treefern panels.
Plants and mosses loves to grow in it.


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## Guest (Mar 8, 2006)

hey, that stuff looks pretty interesting


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## defaced (May 23, 2005)

Is it offered in the US? What's the price like?

Times like this I'm glad I don't do backgrounds.



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## Guest (Mar 9, 2006)

I heard thru the grapewine that First Rays Orchids probably will sell them.
http://www.firstrays.com
Don't know what the prices will be. But here in Sweden you get a 50*50 cm. plate for 19$


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## littlefrog (Sep 13, 2005)

That seems awfully expensive... It will probably be more in the US. 

Ray is a good guy though. A leader in the online orchid world.


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## Guest (Mar 9, 2006)

I dont know the prices for treefern in the US. But here in Europe you would pay about 40$ for the same size of treefern plate. :evil: 

And you would have to change it to new every 5 years.


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## littlefrog (Sep 13, 2005)

As a continuous piece, that is a huge slice of tree fern... So I bet it would be expensive. I bet that two 50x25cm panels would cost half as much as one 50x50 though. 

That is a nice feature about this synthetic product, you can make it as big as you want. I might pay 20 dollars for it...



epi said:


> I dont know the prices for treefern in the US. But here in Europe you would pay about 40$ for the same size of treefern plate. :evil:
> 
> And you would have to change it to new every 5 years.


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## Guest (Mar 9, 2006)

I don't think there is treefern panels that large. What I meant was if you buy the same area of course :wink: 
And the price for about 3 pieces of 20*30 cm or 2 pieces 25*50 would be around 40$...not cheap!

Is the treefern cheaper in the US?


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## Ghazanfar Ghori (Oct 5, 2005)

Tree fern panels run about ~$5-$6 for a 12"x12" peice - here in the US.


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## rzlinux (Feb 16, 2006)

Ghazanfar Ghori said:


> Tree fern panels run about ~$5-$6 for a 12"x12" peice - here in the US.


Ghazanfar can you tell me where you got them.


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## Ghazanfar Ghori (Oct 5, 2005)

Got them from
http://www.orchidsupplies.com


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## rzlinux (Feb 16, 2006)

Hey Ghazanfar one more question Im about to order some wood from http://www.manzanita.com/ what did you have them ship you reptile pieces or something else. I definatly want the root looking pieces you got.


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## Ghazanfar Ghori (Oct 5, 2005)

Call them up - they're very accomodating and take the time
to try and select peices based on your descriptions. Tell them what
you're going to be using it for - they do a pretty good job.
Order more than you think you'll use, that way you still have a
few peices to pick from.


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## Guest (Apr 14, 2006)

I dont know much about this hobby yet as I am a noob to dart from keeping but it says on the epiweb website under support then cultivation "Due ot the fact that epiweb in an inert material, and has no nutrients itself the need for a good fertilizer is important. In a long perspective the level of nutrition must be slightly higher. We recommend 20% more" . Now i thought any chemicals in the dart frog enclosure was bad, including fertilizers? Am I on the right track or am I off the beaten path? Looking for clarification on this.


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## rzlinux (Feb 16, 2006)

I think the Frog Pooh is the clue!


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