# Alternatives to Cork Bark for Background



## ykh (Oct 27, 2011)

Hi! New member here. I'm constructing my first 29 gal vivarium. I would like to do a waterfall with egg crate false bottom. I really like the look of the cork bark but they are quite pricey for me to cover the back and one side of the tank. I know that people also use great stuff or floral foam block to carve out the rocks. I don't want to mess with clay at this point. Any other options that I've missed?

Thanks.


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## afterdark (Jan 16, 2007)

Epiweb


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## B-NICE (Jul 15, 2011)

tree fern.


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## ykh (Oct 27, 2011)

Thanks for your feedback.


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

OK, this one is still cork bark but can be a good bit cheaper. You use scrap cork bark bits. Little one to three inch pieces. Silicone them them to the back of the viv with small 1/2 to 3/4 inch gaps between every piece. After it's fully dried, you stuff the gaps with damp sphagnum moss. Plant bits of live moss amongst the sphagnum and it spreads nicely. It is nicely drained so it also works great to plant broms, orchids, and vines in. 
This is the Cork Bark Mosaic method. I learned this from Dendro Dave.


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## Judy S (Aug 29, 2010)

I hadn't seen that from Dendro Dave, but it does not surprise me...it really is a good idea...sorta covers a couple of issues..root zones for plants to latch onto, and not too much moisture while the plants are being established..plus not too much of an eyesore while growing in...good idea....


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

Found it. He used bigger chunks than I did. http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/pa...-mosaic-living-drip-wall-pond-method-how.html


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## ykh (Oct 27, 2011)

Doug,

Thanks for pointing this out, I like this idea too. Can you pls kindly tell me where I can get scrap cork bark bits?



Pumilo said:


> OK, this one is still cork bark but can be a good bit cheaper. You use scrap cork bark bits. Little one to three inch pieces. Silicone them them to the back of the viv with small 1/2 to 3/4 inch gaps between every piece. After it's fully dried, you stuff the gaps with damp sphagnum moss. Plant bits of live moss amongst the sphagnum and it spreads nicely. It is nicely drained so it also works great to plant broms, orchids, and vines in.
> This is the Cork Bark Mosaic method. I learned this from Dendro Dave.


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

Afraid I used what was left over after several builds. You can buy a piece or two and break it up to stretch it out.


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## phender (Jan 9, 2009)

ykh said:


> Doug,
> 
> Thanks for pointing this out, I like this idea too. Can you pls kindly tell me where I can get scrap cork bark bits?


If you have a store that sells reptiles near you, they usually sell cork pieces. Just search the bottom of their tub of cork and you will find smaller pieces that have broken off. Depending on the price of the small pieces, it might be more cost effective to buy a large piece and break it up yourself.

With the mosaic method you can also jut your pieces away from the back instead of flat to add more depth and ledges to your background.


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## Dendroguy (Dec 4, 2010)

Thanks for pointing that out Doug,I'll have to use that for my next viv


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

phender said:


> If you have a store that sells reptiles near you, they usually sell cork pieces. Just search the bottom of their tub of cork and you will find smaller pieces that have broken off. Depending on the price of the small pieces, it might be more cost effective to buy a large piece and break it up yourself.
> 
> With the mosaic method you can also jut your pieces away from the back instead of flat to add more depth and ledges to your background.


I don't why I didn't think of that! I did that with cork shelves in a clay background. Guess I need to start construction...


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## ykh (Oct 27, 2011)

Phil,

Great idea! Thanks.



phender said:


> If you have a store that sells reptiles near you, they usually sell cork pieces. Just search the bottom of their tub of cork and you will find smaller pieces that have broken off. Depending on the price of the small pieces, it might be more cost effective to buy a large piece and break it up yourself.
> 
> With the mosaic method you can also jut your pieces away from the back instead of flat to add more depth and ledges to your background.


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## phender (Jan 9, 2009)

I just did a mosaic build a couple months ago (I didn't know that was what it was called at that time. I just figured it would be easier to attach broms if I had cracks of Great Stuff in there.)

Here is a pic of what it looked like before plants and such. Its hard to tell, but I put some of the smaller pieces on edge and even overlapped a couple pieces to give more depth. Click on this to make it a little bigger.









I've included some pics of what it looks like now. One is shot at a downward angle to show the depth a little better. Others are closeups of some of the nooks and crannies.

I really like the look and the cork's ability to accept plants.


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## ykh (Oct 27, 2011)

Phil,

Thanks for sharing the pics, they look great! Now I need to go somewhere where they sell cork bark.


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## mordoria (Jan 28, 2011)

Where are you located? If you let the board know where you live, someone might have some....


ykh said:


> Phil,
> 
> Thanks for sharing the pics, they look great! Now I need to go somewhere where they sell cork bark.


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## B-NICE (Jul 15, 2011)

Petco had some good large pieces. They run like $20 a pop......


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## gnod (Sep 12, 2011)

ykh said:


> Phil,
> 
> Thanks for sharing the pics, they look great! Now I need to go somewhere where they sell cork bark.


petco - i bought 3 small pieces at $5.99 a piece which was enough to cover a 10G wall. I cut into pieces i saw fit and had left overs..


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## B-NICE (Jul 15, 2011)

I did a good water feature with cork.....


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## ykh (Oct 27, 2011)

I'm in the chicagoland, IL, just updated the location in my profile.



mordoria said:


> Where are you located? If you let the board know where you live, someone might have some....


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

The mosaic method can be used with other materials people mentioned also. Like tree fern and rock. If you go cork you can buy one or 2 of the Zoo med cork tiles commonly available and break it up. They are a little pricey but actually end up covering an area probably twice the square inches of the actual tile if you are smart about how you arrange the pieces. Remember you don't have to go all the way to the tank floor, just to where the substrate will be so that is quite a bit of area you don't have to cover whatever method you use. Also the zoo med tiles are not usually more then a centimeter thick so its best usually to keep the "cracks" between pieces within about a centimeter also so the moss or whatever will stay when you jam it in there if you go that route.


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## Zoomie (Jul 3, 2011)

Alright. I'll volunteer to be the latest guinea pig. I have two more Exo 18x18x24's softly calling my name.

I'll go with cork and sphag and see what I can do.


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