# Method on how to build a planted "ledge"



## arian1123 (Mar 5, 2013)

Im trying to figure out how to build a type of ledge like in the photo i attached that has the bromeliad and other plants on it. Im looking to see how the whole thing is built, from the ledge itself to how to get plants to grow on it so easily. epiphytes are self explantory, but does anyone have any ideas on how to exactly build a construction like that? 
EDIT: the image im referring to is on the right side


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## VivariumWorks (Feb 27, 2008)

You will lose a portion of the tank below the ledge if you do this due to the light not being strong enough to support any plants. Even the low light ferns and mosses will have a hard time down there, though you could root some vines there and they'll migrate in the direction of the light. 

The way I would approach that would be to put the tank on it's back and using either cork, fake rocks, or just black GS spray foam, create a shelf. Use the GS foam as the glue if you use cork or fake rocks, put some drainage holes about the size of your finger into the shelf and cover with a small mesh so water won't sit in your ledge, and then use low amounts of soil up there to keep weight down. If done right it should hold.

The other option, is to make your ledge out of foam in the tank. Then take it out of the tank and cover it in epoxy or some other strong material. Then glue the entire thing in place with silicone. This method will last longer is more likely to succeed but it requires more work.


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## dragonkeeper (Mar 24, 2011)

I'ge built a ledge like that just using cork and silicone. I siliconed the back side of the cork an mounted it upside down. Drill a couple 1/4 inch holes for drainage and cover with mesh then moss followed by a little ABG and done.


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## wesly2007 (Jul 6, 2007)

It looks like they are out of GS foam and then held in place with magnets. You can see the magnets on the left side of the tank


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## Jeremy M (Oct 19, 2012)

It looks to me like the person here used magnets to attach the ledge, you can see what looks like a couple of them on the outside glass of the viv. Personally, I wouldn't trust these to hold it up alone, though I'm not sure this person did either. It's possible they drilled through the glass and added extra supports that way, but I have no way of knowing.

I can think of a couple ways to create such a ledge. I'm sure this can be done with just silicone or GS, but I prefer to have more support. A method I like to use is to squirt a little blob of great stuff onto a piece of cardboard and then cutting it off on a straight line once it's hardened. After that I adhere it to the glass by applying silicon or another adhesive to the flat section and then gluing that to the glass. I feel that this improves the strength and durability of the bond and it's simple to create small "ledges" to rest things on top of without a lot of fuss or excess great stuff. Now, it would probably make a better hold if you put GS to the whole corner (preferable in a wedge shape with the lowest point in the corner and tapering upwards towards the corners of the ledge, or even better, cover the whole wall below the ledge) and carve out a straight ledge and then place your ledge-building material on top of that.
For the shelf itself, you could probably just use cork bark with a few holes in it for drainage, or you could go with egg crate (florescent fixture plastic grid would probably be better) with mesh over it. This would fit more snugly wedged either in between or on top of cut away background. I would put spagnum down as a first layer to hold humidity, since the bottom will be exposed to the air. Apply a band of GS to the exposed front edge. This will form a lip for you to pile up substrate on top of. If you want it deeper, you could zip tie another piece of crate to the front of your ledge just the same way you would make a false bottom, then put GS over that. 

tl:dr; Basically, I have much more piece of mind if I know that there's a mechanism that will hold the weight of the ledge in place even when adhesive isn't applied and the ledge is simply resting on top of it. Of course, I still do apply adhesive.




VivariumWorks said:


> You will lose a portion of the tank below the ledge if you do this due to the light not being strong enough to support any plants. Even the low light ferns and mosses will have a hard time down there, though you could root some vines there and they'll migrate in the direction of the light.


I think that the attraction of a ledge like this isn't to have the space below available for planting, but for open space for the frogs to utilize. It would be good cover and a welcome retreat for when they want it, especially with plants growing on the light margin to create a dark, secluded location plus what will probably be a more humid microclimate. Plus, you can make a ridiculously tall pile of puffy leaf litter back there and it won't get in anything's way.


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## Jeremy M (Oct 19, 2012)

oh, an overly simple way to do this is just siliconing a branch or two going across a corner of the tank, maybe different lengths at different levels (forming a rudimentary basket) and then just jamming in spagnum in the gaps, maybe throwing in a brom while you make it. This works pretty darn well too, and the bromeliad's root system should work to keep everything in place.


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