# vine wall? how do you do it?



## Jayson745 (Dec 13, 2006)

I'm about to do a 55 gallon and I love the way vivs look when a whole wall is covered in vines. How is it done though? Will the vines grow up and cover a regular great stuff background, or do you have to do something special?


this paragraph is gonna be hard to explain and probably unnesasary.
I was thinking about taking egg crate and soaking it in very hot water(to soften) then taking a pen and jamming it in each square to shape it. So each square would become a little pot to hold soil that can drain out the bottom. Mabey even removing every other vertical piece of plastic to make rectangles that would hold more soil. 

^ ^ I really thing that is gonna be hard to understand without pictures. And probably not needed anyway  

I made a big post about something simple  How do I make a wall of vines???


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## Jason DeSantis (Feb 2, 2006)

Basically plants the vines along the bottom of the wall and let it grow in. This usually takes atleast a couple months if not longer depending on what you want to use. You can even hang some from the top with some sphagnum moss to speed up the process. Actually dont hang it, attacc it to the top of the background.
Jason


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## Jayson745 (Dec 13, 2006)

I knew I was making things to difficult.

any suggestions on a fast growing, low light, big leaf, viv friendly, vine? I want it so thick I cant see the background


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## Jason DeSantis (Feb 2, 2006)

Any type of ficus or pilea. The pilea microphyla grows like a weed.
Jason


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## SappyHucks (Oct 4, 2006)

you could also use Pothos - though it gets out of control and quite large over time.

Also - people talk about toothpicks on here a lot. You could take the small wooden toothpick and bend it into a v without fully snapping the wood. Maybe soak it in warm water first.

Then train the vine to go up the wall by pushing the makeshift staple around the vine and into the background. when the toothpick rots away, the vine will have a good footing.


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## widmad27 (Aug 9, 2006)

Another couple of plants that work to cover the back wall are Creeping Fig...Takes only a few weeks to start spreading but it is a very cool plant...as stated above Pothos even though it can really get out of control fast and you will be cutting it back constantly...or even a philodendron which has that trailing look or viney look.


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## phyllomedusa (May 17, 2004)

Here's a list that has worked for me on backgrounds:

creeping fig- ( ficus pumilia)-grows quick- the standard green one is best

muhlenbergia sp(i think i am spelling it wrong- have a head cold right now)- grows well if the main roots aren't sopping wet

scindapsis- any of the species work pretty good

pellionia sp- the smaller leafed variety grows best

peperomia sp- there are several that work well

dischidia nummalariodes( i know this is spelled wrong)- does well if the original roots are kept moist not sopping wet

Pleurothallis grobyi(orchid)- my favorite and easiest to grow orchid that will cover a back wall


Then you have choices of background:
Cork- easy to find but some plants balk at growing on it

Treefern plaques- work the best- heres a tip: cut the plaques in half(thickness wise) with a bandsaw or hacksaw/coping saw- you get twice as much out of one and they take half as much of the depth of the tank.

Pond foam- much more work but well worth it.

will post more plants later as these were just off the top of my head.


Sean


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## Curt61 (Jan 16, 2007)

Hey, anybody know if Wandering Jew would work good on a background like this? 
Thanks, Curt.


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## Nash (Jan 29, 2007)

I have had success with wandering jew. My only complaint was that it grew very slowly. it is a nice looking vine though.


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## Curt61 (Jan 16, 2007)

Hey, the wandering Jew that I have grows fast, I have so much I don't know what to do with it all. 
Anybody know if I could make a checker pattern or something out of fishing string and get plants to grow on it in a tank for a background? Any other ideas at how to grow plants on a background and have the background totaly covered?

Thanks, Curt.


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## Dendrobait (May 29, 2005)

What kind of plants have you found to not like corkbark?

I have peperomia scandens and Microgramma percussa intending to be background plants. The Peperomia gets the idea except they like to grow up instead of across the background so due to their already high planting position need some training. The Microgramma fern is growing shoots but no new leaves and no attachment to the bark. Also, Begonia glabra has dug some roots into the corkbark too. This plant would probably make a great background. Heck, it is a great all around plant.


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## Nash (Jan 29, 2007)

Pleurothallis grobyi(orchid)- my favorite and easiest to grow orchid that will cover a back wall


Anybody know where to get this online?


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## Nash (Jan 29, 2007)

Pleurothallis grobyi(orchid)- my favorite and easiest to grow orchid that will cover a back wall


Anybody know where to get this online?


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