# Coco fiber to silicone.



## GhostRidr (Mar 24, 2009)

Doing my first viv right now, applying coco fiber onto silicone (on to great stuff background). The coco fiber is bone dry, and while it is sticking to the silicone, it's not a very thick layer (I am pressing it firmly into it). Now that some sides are drying, I question how well this coco is going to hold up. Once I start misting, does the humidity in the vivarium actually stabilize it, and make it stick to the background better?


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## fishr (Dec 20, 2010)

I'm confused about the "bone dry" coco fiber. The coco you're using, is it the "brick" that expands when you add water or is it loose in the bag? My recently built Exo which was my first build without guidence, I used cocoo fiber for my great stuff background. I layed on the silicone THICK when I was sticking the coco to it. I used the exandable bricks at Home Depot. Cost was $3/brick. I have a ton leftover which I'll use for the bug eaters.


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## freaky_tah (Jan 21, 2009)

I use a lot of silicone, and a lot of coco fiber each time i do a section of the background. Just make sure that you have so much coco fiber over the area you can't really even feel that there's silicone underneath. Then you can press real hard and get it in good. Then repeat on the open areas again till its covered.


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## sports_doc (Nov 15, 2004)

IMO what works best is to use fir bark, 'jungle mix', coco husk bedding and the like...
and NOT the fine dried coco fiber [brick form or otherwise]

Try it next time with the other media mentioned and I think you will like it much better.

btw, you need to layer on the silicone [I use brown GE] thick....2-3 tubes for a 20 gal.

best,


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## GhostRidr (Mar 24, 2009)

It's the brick form coco that I've already expanded and then dried out. I say bone try so no one would think I'm trying to apply it while still wet.

I've only used one tube for the background and about a 1/3 of each side on a 24x18x24 Exo Terra. I put a bead down about half an inch from each other, then took a little foam paint brush to smear it all around, and get into the crevices.


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## fishr (Dec 20, 2010)

> I put a bead down about half an inch from each other, then took a little foam paint brush to smear it all around, and get into the crevices.


I did the same thing. Tedious, but it worked. When you're done, or "think" you're done...  ... pick up a cheapie paint brush and pat the background to make sure there aren't any bald spots where you might have missed.



> IMO what works best is to use fir bark, 'jungle mix', coco husk bedding and the like...and NOT the fine dried coco fiber [brick form or otherwise]


+1 to to coco husk. It sticks to the silicone much easier. I really wanted a big bag for a fair price but could not find anything in my area so I opted to try the brick form. Because the jungle mix zapped one of my Sarracenia, I've developed a hate relationship with it. 

What kind of froggies are going into their new pad? Darts? Mantella? Other?


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## GhostRidr (Mar 24, 2009)

Today I'll stand it up on it's own from drying and see how it looks. I know there will be many little spots to touch up. And i expect a lot to fall off immediately when I stand it up. Hopefully the majority of it will stick.

Looks like I'm going with Azureus for the tank. I keep looking at the Suriname Cobalts, and sure like those a lot, but I'm going to stick with Azureus. They are what got me interested in this hobby to start with. Maybe the next tank


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## dtown (Jan 5, 2011)

I also used this technique and I thought it turned out really well. I also have the same question about misting. Does the coco fiber become part of the substrate after misting Does anyone know anything on the subject??


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## MichelleSG (May 1, 2010)

Yes kind of. You have to use an ungodly amount of silicone to get all the coco to stick. After I let mine dry I hosed it all out. It did 2 things, helped get rid of the silicone stench and showed me where the coco/silicone had not adhered. If it can survive a hosing it can survive misting.


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## dtown (Jan 5, 2011)

I bet that works really really well, however my viv is a little bit to delicate to be spraying it with a hose. It is my 1st so I kind of did things in the wrong order (whoops). However it is coming together fantastically, and I am very excited about it.


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## Zooxan (Jan 30, 2011)

Any update on how it went when you tipped it upright? getting ready to attempt the GS background in my 75 this weekend. I've done a lot of reading on it, but any tips or tricks would be greatly appreciated!


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## Steve25 (Jan 29, 2010)

I just completed my cocofiber/ peat background on GS. Make sure the cocofiber is totally dry or it won't hold. Wait an hour or two.. You can vacuum excess or use a 1" brush and dust excess off. I used many bottles of silicone for my 29gal. I'm very pleased.


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## GhostRidr (Mar 24, 2009)

Zooxan...it seems to be holding ok, about 99% intact. Right now the mister I'm using it one of the Exo Terra pumps. It's mist is not quite as fine as I would hope, so I saw lots of coco fiber falling down when I initially started spraying the tank down. I'm hoping later when I got to a Mist King, that mist won't be as harsh. So my final viewpoint on this...I think I should have slathered on more silicone than I did. However, the tank looks good and is holding up well so far, so I'm not really upset or anything. I should have an updated picture later this week (in my build thread) when I get my final plants in.


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## nschmitz06 (Feb 20, 2011)

I ended up using 2 silicone's on about 3 square feet of gs. Tried to get it about 1/8 " or more. then for the coco, I put on everything i had that was dry. Then i just vacuumed off the rest. One brick was more than enough for 2 full sides of an 18x18x24. If that helps, basically, use tons of silicone and lots and lots of coco. (they are both so cheap that its worth the hassle of not putting enough on in the first place)


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## Zooxan (Jan 30, 2011)

Thanks for the tips and the update! Ghost, could you link your build thread? For some reason I'm not able to find it.


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## GhostRidr (Mar 24, 2009)

Sure: http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/parts-construction/65401-grs-24x18x24-construction.html


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## Golden State Mantellas (Mar 12, 2011)

Another thing that works great, instead of coco husk, is organic potting soil. I used it for my White's viv and it has held up great for almost 2 years now. It has a lot of great textures too.


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