# Backgrounds



## trimtrig (Feb 15, 2004)

Hello,
I am about to build a few 10 gallon tanks that are going to be inverted. I am planning on putting a cork background, so I can plant, attach broms and other plants to. Now, which is better for the broms to gro- natural cork which is flat on one side- or the brown cork flats. 
TQ


----------



## Guest (Feb 20, 2004)

The tiles are completely flat so that there is no worry of frogs getting back there...but they are also twice as much money. For half the price i would buy regular cork bark flats and either stuff moss behind it or squirt great stuff foam back there.


----------



## Guest (Feb 20, 2004)

You could also use tree fern panels. The are really cheap if you go through calwest orchid supplies.


----------



## trimtrig (Feb 15, 2004)

*fern?*

I have never heeard of the fern background. What is the webpage to look up the info. Do the broms like to grow in it?
TQ


----------



## AlexB (Feb 15, 2004)

tree fern's are one of the best if not the best background to use for a vivarium. they provide good drainage and last longer then any other bkground materials except for cork. 
(correct me if im wrong)
the problem is that they are kind of hard to get. sthe orchid site though has them for really cheap.

http://www.orchid-supplies.com/treefern_supplies.html


----------



## trimtrig (Feb 15, 2004)

*tree fern*

I will look into the tree fern. I was going to use the foam behind curls, but, for a ten gallon, thats alot of trouble.


----------



## kyle1745 (Feb 15, 2004)

*Re: tree fern*

The problem would be getting the foam behind the cork in a 10gal vert. I really like cork, it looks the best in my opinion.



trimtrig said:


> I will look into the tree fern. I was going to use the foam behind curls, but, for a ten gallon, thats alot of trouble.


----------



## christina hanson (Feb 16, 2004)

The flat cork panels are lovely, and good for frogs in the imitator group who like to lay their eggs behind them, we have them in our D. lamasi tank. However, they do start to degrade a bit over time and you can see the backing where the cork has rotted away in places.

What frogs are you going to put in the inverted 10? You may want to rethink and go with a 20 high, the only frogs we've had breed successfully over the long term were a pair of D. reticulatus. This tank is not inverted.

Christina


----------



## trimtrig (Feb 15, 2004)

*10 inverts*

Well, actually, I will be putting in my P. klemmeri, and peacock, and my cepadiana in the 10 gallon inverts. 
I did hear that the thums like to lay behind the cork.
TQ


----------



## kyle1745 (Feb 15, 2004)

Just have to fill the back with moss, or foam or whatever. My imitators can not get behind mine.












christina hanson said:


> The flat cork panels are lovely, and good for frogs in the imitator group who like to lay their eggs behind them, we have them in our D. lamasi tank. However, they do start to degrade a bit over time and you can see the backing where the cork has rotted away in places.
> 
> What frogs are you going to put in the inverted 10? You may want to rethink and go with a 20 high, the only frogs we've had breed successfully over the long term were a pair of D. reticulatus. This tank is not inverted.
> 
> Christina


----------



## christina hanson (Feb 16, 2004)

We usually put moss behind the curved panels too, but it will break down over time, plus the frogs are much cleverer in finding a tunnel to the back than we are at filling them in. Another benefit of the flat panels is they take up much less space than the cork bark, so if you're doing something in a shallow tank you actually have room to plant. They are way expensive, though.

I would use the real cork pieces for everything but the frogs in the imitator group (although they love them, and if they're good about picking up and dropping off tads you have nothing to worry about).

Christina


----------



## trimtrig (Feb 15, 2004)

*cork*

Well, I have a bunch of the curls, and would rather use the crok flats. I have some tiles, but I too like the look of natural cork. I need alot of the cork panels, who would you reconmend for a large quanity?
I just have to becareful as what background I use because I will be keeping herps other than darts in there, and they like to glue their eggs to everything.
Thanks
TQ


----------



## Guest (Feb 20, 2004)

*Re: cork*



trimtrig said:


> Well, I have a bunch of the curls, and would rather use the crok flats. I have some tiles, but I too like the look of natural cork. I need alot of the cork panels, who would you reconmend for a large quanity?
> I just have to becareful as what background I use because I will be keeping herps other than darts in there, and they like to glue their eggs to everything.
> Thanks
> TQ


Black jungle sells cork in bulk but they charge extra if you get picky about the pieces they send you...I don't like that. What if they send me 30 pounds of corner pieces? Ken at Peaceofthetropics sells great qulaity cork and doesn't mind picking through it to find the sizes you need. He was running low a couple of weeks ago, in fact I cleaned him out. Contact him to see if he restocked.


----------



## trimtrig (Feb 15, 2004)

*new cork backing*

Well, I did find at PetCo, it fits the size of a 10 gallon back. You soak it and it expands a bit- its for hermit crabs to climb on- Anyone try this one?
Thank you,
TQ


----------



## AlexB (Feb 15, 2004)

I also have a question
where do all of you people get your corks?
thanks


----------



## TimsViv (Feb 16, 2004)

I used an electric planer to flatted the back of my cork panels before mounting them. That gave them a much better mounting surface. 

Here's a pick of the back of my tank.

Tim


----------



## Dancing frogs (Feb 20, 2004)

*mounting cork*

I found that if you soak the cork in water for a while it becomes a bit more pliable, then if you screw it to a flat piece of plywood to flatten it out, let it dry when you take the screws back out the piece will usually stay fairly flat, which will save some space.


----------



## AlexB (Feb 15, 2004)

did anyone ever try collecting cork from the neighborhood?


----------



## Guest (Feb 24, 2004)

What do you all think of the simulated rock backgrounds? I want to make a waterfall like look in the tank, and water flowing over wood seems a bit odd to me. 

Tree Fern panels are hard to find because they are being farmed out. it takes about 100 years for it to form and people harvest it right out of the rainforest for sale. Granted it does last for a very very long time, and orchids absolutely LOVE it, but it's bad for the environment. That said, go order some from blackjungle.com =)

Another method is using the dutch method of "flexpol" this is a chemical used in concrete making that is an adhesive. you can mix this stuff with any substrate you want to make a muddy mess that you can mold and shape and then it dries as hard as rock. you have to use foam to create the shape and them put this stuff on top of it. I found the stuff at Ace hardware, brand name WeldBond. Looks really REALLY natural if you have a little artistic talent and looks like a lump of poo if you dont. =)


----------



## melissa68 (Feb 16, 2004)

*Don't think so...*

I doubt you will find any in the US. Thje cork oak tree grows primarily around the Mediterranean Sea.



AlexB said:


> did anyone ever try collecting cork from the neighborhood?


Melissa


----------



## pa.walt (Feb 16, 2004)

*cork source for backs*

http://www.jelinek.com/frmain.htm
check out this place for your cork sources. i have not gotten anything form them but i'm sure that most of the cork and cork flats people/vendors are getting might be thru this company.
walt


----------



## Scott (Feb 17, 2004)

Walt - that is the place.

I'll say that the Cork Tiles *will* come apart in high humidity.

Better to go with a solid piece. The Tiles are bits and pieces flattened on a background. The glue is no danger... but the cork pieces do seperate.

s


----------

