# Fixing/Attaching Tillandsia



## pristurus (May 27, 2012)

I've been looking at getting 2 or 3 tillandsia for my terrarium. After looking at a few websites, the same fertilizer and air plant fixative (silicone) kept popping up, and I thought this would be an ideal place to ask this. What do you guys use to fix your tillandsia in place, and what do you use for fertilising?


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## hypostatic (Apr 25, 2011)

I've used a hot glue gun for affixing my tillie (and letting the glue cool for two seconds before affixing the plant), and most people don't use any fertilizer in their frog tanks, opting instead for "frog manure".


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## goof901 (Jan 9, 2012)

hopefully this will help
New England Herpetoculture LLC - Tillandsia Care


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## therizman2 (Jul 20, 2008)

Ive always used the same toothpick method as I use for some broms. Two toothpicks forming a 90 degree angle going into the background and the brom/tillie in the center of that. There are very few tillie's that do well in terrarium conditions though, most like more air flow than what we typically can offer them.


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## pristurus (May 27, 2012)

Thankyou for your posts. 

Rizman - That sounds interesting. Just so I get this right, the sticks essentially go into the background at 45 degrees in opposite directions forming a 90 degree angle where they cross? Sort of wedging the plant in place?


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## therizman2 (Jul 20, 2008)

Yep. Downside is only works with cork/great stuff/baked cork where you can actually put something in. It does work very well though, with broms allows you room for a little sphagnum as well to hold moisture in around the roots, for tillys, allows plenty of airflow around the base which seems to be a key area for rot with several other methods of mounting.


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## JacobP (Feb 21, 2012)

Silicone, hot glue, or tooth picks are usually the best option so you do not need to remove any wire after it roots to the background. 

In a tank with inhabitants I would opt for the hot glue as it cures in seconds and will not produce harmful fumes. Plus it seems to keep them a bit drier as the New England Herp link suggests, keeping them from making direct contact with the background. Air flow is critical for tillandsias' in a vivarium, and should be the primary concern for the placement, so keep that in mind.

Good luck, I have a tillandsia stricta I am dying to add to a viv, but I don't have any with enough space at the moment.


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## pristurus (May 27, 2012)

I see alot of you guys use fans (computer fans?) and Im thinking about using one to increase air flow, do you just put them on timers to come on a few times a day??


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## nonliteral (Mar 26, 2012)

pristurus said:


> I see alot of you guys use fans (computer fans?) and Im thinking about using one to increase air flow, do you just put them on timers to come on a few times a day??


I've got them a couple of ways -- either running 24x7, or on the same timer as the lights (I only mist when lights are on). The plants don't seem to care much either way, and I don't see a lot of difference in humidity overnight (fans are just for internal circulation, but I have a fair amount of ventilation also).


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