# Epiphyte Branch in 90G Tank



## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

*Epiphyte Branch in 90G Tank*

I'm starting on another epiphyte branch project. This one will go into a 48" (90 gallon) aquarium enclosure. 

My original plan for this new project was to carve a branch feature from pink extruded foam, and then seal it with epoxy clear coat. I have changed my mind and now I think I will just do it with a length of manzanita branch. This will be much easier and cheaper and I think that it would also be hard for me to replicate the subtle natural contours of a real branch with a carving. 

I have some thicker pieces of manzanita here, but the longest are only about 30" I will join two branches together with a lap joint, stainless steel nuts & bolts and Gorilla Glue as I did for the smaller project in a 30G tank. 











The one drawback of using real branches is that they will weigh more, but this pair of branches that I have picked out weighs only about 5 pounds. The wood will take on some more weight as it soaks up some moisture and as the plants grow in, but if I mount it right I think it will be OK. I will also use the same mounting assembly that I used for my smaller 30G setup, with a sturdy plastic disc bolted to a vertical brace along the tank side panel.










I want to devlop a plant theme for this new project. The 30-gallon epiphyte branch (below) was planted with a mixture of plants that I had on-hand. It has grown in really nice, but I want to do something new with this new project. 










I might have pictures of the bare manzanita feature pretty soon.


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

Sweet! Always love your builds


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

frogparty said:


> Sweet! Always love your builds


Thanks so much. I will try to get some updates pretty soon. I have so many different projects in the works, but I just need to get started with them.

How is your project with the Hygrolon background doing? I have wondered about getting some _Vriesea racinae_ for this new project as a way to incorporate some orderly upright bromeliad urns without using neos.


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

I love the hygrolon. Working out really well with the matala underneath


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## ZookeeperDoug (Jun 5, 2011)

Looking forward to this. I did something similar to your previous branch in a 20 vert.


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

Thanks you guys!

That's smart to put the Hygrolon on top of the Matala. 

Doug do you have any pictures of your setup? What kinds of plants did you use.


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

Yeah, but that's for a different thread. Don't want to clutter up this one. 
Microgramma Rhaphidiophora lots of orchids and mosses have been working well


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

Can anybody tell me the name of that unusual liverwort with the pendant growth habit that looks more like an orchid? There was a picture here somewhere of that plant, but I can't find it again.


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## ZookeeperDoug (Jun 5, 2011)

hydrophyte said:


> Thanks you guys!
> 
> That's smart to put the Hygrolon on top of the Matala.
> 
> Doug do you have any pictures of your setup? What kinds of plants did you use.


I'm effort in got get some good ones. I made some compromises as I wanted it to house frogs. I'll share soon.


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## scoy (Jan 22, 2013)

hydrophyte said:


> Thanks so much. I will try to get some updates pretty soon. I have so many different projects in the works, but I just need to get started with them.
> 
> How is your project with the Hygrolon background doing? I have wondered about getting some _Vriesea racinae_ for this new project as a way to incorporate some orderly upright bromeliad urns without using neos.


If you want some vriesea racinae tropiflora just offered up a few along with racinae crispa. I just recieved mine today. I think some crispa would be great for your project. I also have a quick question, I need to look back on the other build. Do you drill the bolts to the support for the branch through the glass?


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## Bunsincunsin (Feb 11, 2008)

Awesome, I can't wait to see how this turns out! What plants do you think you will use? Have you thought about going with some sort of biotope?

My only suggestion would be to scour flickr for in-situ epiphyte branch photos from Ecuador, Costa Rica, etc. and then try to replicate one of those using similar moss, liverwort, fern, orchid and other trailing species - though I'm sure you've already done this and probably already have something in mind.

Also, as hard as it may be, try to limit yourself on how many species of plants you put in - it will end up looking more natural in the long run; I would say maybe four or five species tops - but, again, it depends on what you're going for...


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## WeeNe858 (Sep 13, 2010)

I'd keep up with you on those branch builds if I had the financial means! 

Wonderful work as always!


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

scoy said:


> If you want some vriesea racinae tropiflora just offered up a few along with racinae crispa. I just recieved mine today. I think some crispa would be great for your project. I also have a quick question, I need to look back on the other build. Do you drill the bolts to the support for the branch through the glass?


Thanks for that tip! Maybe I will place an order with them.

The plastic base disc is bolted to a piece of 3/8" acrylic that is held in place with a large steel stationery clip fastened over the aquarium top plastic rim. It is very sturdy and easy to remove/replace. 



Bunsincunsin said:


> Awesome, I can't wait to see how this turns out! What plants do you think you will use? Have you thought about going with some sort of biotope?
> 
> My only suggestion would be to scour flickr for in-situ epiphyte branch photos from Ecuador, Costa Rica, etc. and then try to replicate one of those using similar moss, liverwort, fern, orchid and other trailing species - though I'm sure you've already done this and probably already have something in mind.
> 
> Also, as hard as it may be, try to limit yourself on how many species of plants you put in - it will end up looking more natural in the long run; I would say maybe four or five species tops - but, again, it depends on what you're going for...


Thanks. I have looked aroudn flickr some already. It looks like there are lots more nice _in situ_ pictures there. 

I don't think I will do a biotope planting--mostly I just want something that will look cool and represent the arboreal habitat--but I do intend to use some kind of theme or combination of themes. I have thought about the more natural kind of look you can get by using just a few different species, but it is also advantageous to have some diversity so that you will be more likely to have some plants blooming and other action most of the time. I suppose this is a trade-off.

Here are groups of plants or kinds of plantings that I can use to think about as themes while selecting species...


sympodial orchids with pseudobulbs
_Neoregelia_ and other urn-shaped bromeliads
upright bushy plants, such as _Vireya_, some Ericaceae and others
mosses combined with _Peperomia_, mini ferns and mini orchids
pleuorthallids with distinctive growth habits and foliage
pendant plants (orchids, Ericaceae, others)
somewhat larger and more upright ferns, such as _Lecanopteris_
smaller mat-forming orchids, such as _Sophrinitis cernua_ and _Encyclia polybulbon_
One important idea is that I want to maintain the definition of the branch contours, so I don't want to use plants that will grow very big and thick and obscure it. However I do want plants that will grow into the space to a certain degree with finer foliage and inflorescences. 



WeeNe858 said:


> I'd keep up with you on those branch builds if I had the financial means!
> 
> Wonderful work as always!


Thanks so much!

You could make a real nice setup like this with some moss and mini plants in a 10-gallon fish tank and light it up with a five-dollar CFL lamp from the hardware store.


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

Last night I put two manzanita branch pieces together and I got real nice result making a longer shape with pleasing curves and contours. I will try to get a picture.


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## Giga (Mar 31, 2011)

Where do you get the manzanita?


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

Giga said:


> Where do you get the manzanita?


I buy it in big crates.


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## Phyllobates (Dec 12, 2008)

Impatiently awaiting some pics....


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## dneafse (Nov 1, 2006)

FYI, I've used manzanita a few times for epiphytic plantings, and I find it rots relatively quickly under a regime of two one-minute mistings per day. Branches with a diameter of a half inch or less rot all the way through in 18 months. Branches with larger diameters have not failed yet, but show signs of imminent failure. 

I'd suggest an inorganic substrate, or at least something more rot-resistant than manzanita, for any planting intended to last more than a couple years. It's disappointing to see the substrate fail right about the time when the plantings start to get really established. I'm going inorganic (ecoweb/hygrolon) for all branch plantings in the future. 

-Dan


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

dneafse said:


> FYI, I've used manzanita a few times for epiphytic plantings, and I find it rots relatively quickly under a regime of two one-minute mistings per day. Branches with a diameter of a half inch or less rot all the way through in 18 months. Branches with larger diameters have not failed yet, but show signs of imminent failure.
> 
> I'd suggest an inorganic substrate, or at least something more rot-resistant than manzanita, for any planting intended to last more than a couple years. It's disappointing to see the substrate fail right about the time when the plantings start to get really established. I'm going inorganic (ecoweb/hygrolon) for all branch plantings in the future.
> 
> -Dan


I have observed that this depends upon the individual piece. In my tarantula setup, which is not especially humid, I have three thick branches that reach to the floor. One of these began to rot and soften after just a few months, but the other two are still quite solid after two years. I just went to test the branch in my 30G setup--I poked it with a pin--and it is still firm everywhere. That enclosure is going on a year and the top branch surfaces are covered in sphagnum moss that is moist all of the time. 

I have wondered about sealing up the large branch for this project with epoxy clear coat. This one is intended to last for several years, so this might not be a bad idea. I don't want to try to build a large synthetic branch. This would consume a lot of time and expensive resin and other stuff. I don't think I could ever carve a shape with these beautiful natural contours.


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## eos (Dec 6, 2008)

Subscribe me


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## dneafse (Nov 1, 2006)

An epoxy clearcoat on manzanita is a really interesting idea. You could lightly rub a towel on it when tacky to avoid getting too glossy a final finish, and help with plant adhesion.


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## ZookeeperDoug (Jun 5, 2011)

I have found that manzanita gets pretty "rotten" after a few years in a wet Viv. Not sure how I'd feel about epoxy coating it. I think water would find it's way in eventually.


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

I don't know. Maybe I am using a different kind of manzanita. This other planting that I have is going on 18 months and it is moist all the time. But all of these small (3/8" - 1") branches are still solid.


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

I havent used manzanita- all I know is that ghost wood holds up for years saturated. I have pieces 6 years old in vivs doing amazingly well. Mushroom and moss growth cant hurt it!


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

I have a couple of quick picture.

Here is what I have so far.










I made this variation in Photoshop. I think I might like this better. It would be easy to enough to cut the pieces up an reattach to make this.


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## scoy (Jan 22, 2013)

I would flip it over so it curves up. Either way I'm sure it will look good.


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## rigel10 (Jun 1, 2012)

It looks like a surgical work! Nice!


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

I have an enclosure to use for this project! It was gong to be costly to set up another 4-foot tank with stand and lighting and everything else, but I just came across a used 75G with stand. I will use this for starting the planting. I will want the branch to be in a taller tank, but I can wait till later to get a new 90G or 110 High. 

I'm still not really convinced with the branch feature that I made. I might get some more manzanita and try again to see if I can build something that I like better.


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## Panther (Feb 23, 2014)

Super cool! Can't wait to see how this progresses!


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## toaddrool (Feb 5, 2013)

Nice project. I like the idea of using a Vireya on it, I have_ Rhododendron _'Alisa Nicole' growing well on driftwood in one tank, and just planted a little piece of _R_. 'Little Bo-peep' and _R._ Ruby Grace' in two other piece of drift wood. We'll see how it goes. I only worry that lighting has to be bright enough and temps low enough. 
I think a combination of pendant and upright bushy plants would look really well. I'm attempting that in my tank as well. I use _Ceratophyllum rauhii_, _Sphyrospermum buxifolium_, _Trichosalpinx patula_ and an _Ophidion pleurothallopsis_ as pendant growths, while using other orchids like _Platystele stenostachya_ and _Lepanthopsis astrophora_ as upright growths. The mosses also tend to grow high and look tall on the branch. As I said ealier, I just introduced some vireyas to get some bushy upright growths on the branch.

Can't wait to see your final product.


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

toaddrool said:


> Nice project. I like the idea of using a Vireya on it, I have_ Rhododendron _'Alisa Nicole' growing well on driftwood in one tank, and just planted a little piece of _R_. 'Little Bo-peep' and _R._ Ruby Grace' in two other piece of drift wood. We'll see how it goes. I only worry that lighting has to be bright enough and temps low enough.
> I think a combination of pendant and upright bushy plants would look really well. I'm attempting that in my tank as well. I use _Ceratophyllum rauhii_, _Sphyrospermum buxifolium_, _Trichosalpinx patula_ and an _Ophidion pleurothallopsis_ as pendant growths, while using other orchids like _Platystele stenostachya_ and _Lepanthopsis astrophora_ as upright growths. The mosses also tend to grow high and look tall on the branch. As I said ealier, I just introduced some vireyas to get some bushy upright growths on the branch.
> 
> Can't wait to see your final product.


Thanks so much. I agree that _Vireya_ would be good for a planting like this. I have even thought that I could maybe train a _Vireya_ or other upright bushy plant to look like the foliage of the tree branch. I have some _Sphyrospermum_ on the way that is part of a trade for some other plants.

I learned something interesting last night. Red mulberry (_Morus rubra_) is apparently one of the most rot-resistant of North American trees. This is surprising because it is such a weedy, fast-growing tree. We have lots of it here in town. I might try to get some branches to de-bark and try like this. I don't know if red mulberry might be like some other such trees that are rot-resistant in the heartwood(?). The smaller branches will be mostly sapwood. 










(Wikimedia Commons image: File:Morus rubra.jpg - Wikimedia Commons)


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

Hey! I have a new update for this project. I decided that I did not like the shape of that manzanita branch, but I decided to carve a different form from pink styrofoam. This thing is about 48" long, so I will need to cut a few inches off the butt end. The whole thing will be sealed up withe resin and fiberglass. I found an piece of manzanita stump that looks good on the end and I just have it taped in place here.


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## nburns (May 3, 2005)

Loving the concept. Can't wait to see what you end up coming up with.


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## L8apex (May 2, 2014)

Has anyone ever tried molding and casting a branch? I'm not sure what you could use, but that would be one way to get natural shapes on artificial medium. Some kind of wire support inside of a foam casting maybe? I guess I'm thinking out loud, but this build has got me thinking. Great project!


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