# Stabilizing Cut Bamboo



## RarePlantBroker (Aug 3, 2008)

Well, I'm into my next project, which is a new tank for my Mantella madagascariensis. I've decided to use some bamboo to provide some nice height in the tank, and a few "broken" pieces for possible egg-deposition sites.

In the past, I've preserved bamboo (color intact) with a generous covering of epoxy. Does anyone else have any other ideas/methods? I'm not overly fond of the idea of my bamboo being "shiny" all of the time.


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## Phyllobates (Dec 12, 2008)

I've been stewing about this too. What have you used for epoxy? Is it possible to sand the epoxy to take the shine off?

Chris


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## zBrinks (Jul 16, 2006)

I use bamboo in my gecko vivariums with no preservatives/epoxy, etc. After a short and minor run with mold, it appears to hold up well (at least for the past 6 months or so, with no sign of deterioration). There are some open 'cells' that function as water dishes, which still hold water just fine.

As far as stabilizing it, you could silicone a suction cup to the top of the piece, then attach that to the top glass. A quick squirt of gs or gorilla glue to attach the base to an egg crate false bottom would work well, too, without impeding access to the top portion of the bamboo.


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## JoshH (Feb 13, 2008)

You can definately use a clear epoxy for this. When dry, sand or wire brush parallel with the length of the bamboo stalk, this will take off the shine. Polygem's #1319 clear coat epoxy would do well in this application.

I usually take a 1x6 board or something similar, then drill a few big holes for the bamboo to sit in. Once they are in their holes, I pour epoxy in the hole around the base of the bamboo, permanantly sealing it to the base. Then clearcoat the whole thing, stalks included.


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## Phyllobates (Dec 12, 2008)

Josh is there an online retailer for polygems or do you have to order it direct?


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## JoshH (Feb 13, 2008)

Phyllobater said:


> Josh is there an online retailer for polygems or do you have to order it direct?


Direct, at Welcome to POLYGEM! - POLYGEM, Inc.. Another one to try is Sweetwater epoxy paint for ponds. Either will run you about $100, though it should last a long time....Other epoxies work too, it's just that most are amber colored or not frog safe.


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## RarePlantBroker (Aug 3, 2008)

Sorry for any confusion. As for "stabilizing", I meant preventing rot (no problems with mounting/installing).

I've used some cut bamboo without preserving it in a couple of snake cages, but it looses all of its color over a short period of time. While I know it's not a species found in Madagascar, I love the look of my Gigantochloa pseudoarundiacea (nice pastel yellow and green stripes). I have a couple of old canes with some nice algae/lichen growth at the base, and thought these would be perfect to preserve in the current state.

I guess I'll try using the epoxy coating (I use West Marine's epoxy--as it's formulated for complete submersion), and sand afterwards with some 220 grit.

Anyway, thanks everyone for the responses.


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## RarePlantBroker (Aug 3, 2008)

Well, experiment number one was a complete failure! 

After drilling through the membranes at the nodes, I epoxied the fresh bamboo, inside and out, and let cure. I then used some steel wool pads to "sand" the finish, which did eliminate the shine or "wet look" from the epoxy.

It's been 2 1/2 weeks, and the bamboo has begun to shrink inside the epoxy shell. The epoxy is now peeling from the bamboo--and the bamboo is begining to turn brown. 

I'll try and get some pics tomorrow, and post them if anyon is interested.

Soooo, back to the drawing board.

For the next attempt, I think I'm going to try using some already dried/preserved bamboo, paint it, and then seal the canes....


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## SMenigoz (Feb 17, 2004)

Keep trying...many of us would like to hear of your success. 
Unfortunately, with the pieces I've tried in my tanks, they rot after a year...trying epoxy never even crossed my mind.
Scott


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Pieces that are fairly dry and sealed well will eventually rot in a couple of years. We had pieces at work that were dried and sealed with epoxy (not a heavy coat) and in cages that were misted one or two times a week the bamboo all rotted out within about 3-4 years. I would suggest sealing it and then using in a manner that it could be popped out and then a new piece slid in when it started to go.... 

Ed


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## RarePlantBroker (Aug 3, 2008)

Ed said:


> Pieces that are fairly dry and sealed well will eventually rot in a couple of years. We had pieces at work that were dried and sealed with epoxy (not a heavy coat) and in cages that were misted one or two times a week the bamboo all rotted out within about 3-4 years. I would suggest sealing it and then using in a manner that it could be popped out and then a new piece slid in when it started to go....
> 
> Ed


Definitely good advice Ed. I had installed the other pieces (from the first experiment) into the vivarium. Three of the pieces I had installed were siliconed to the glass--it took me over an hour to remove them.
I'll most likely make some miniature "post holes" in the concrete/grout base so that the new bamboo pieces can be inserted as needed. 
I have the new pieces painted, and will seal them with epoxy resin later today. I'll let you know how it turns out.


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## d-prime (Sep 29, 2008)

In my Uroplatus Lineatus tank I use a bamboo leaf litter, with dried bamboo poles I got from a greenhouse, which arnt shiny and have been preserved naturally to retain a yellow/brown/green color.


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## RarePlantBroker (Aug 3, 2008)

Well, I haven't finished with the new bamboo pieces yet. Anyway, here are pictures of the first experiment: The first is of the bamboo as soon as the epoxy had cured. The second is of the epoxy chipping as the bamboo dried/shrunk.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

If you are trying to stabilize the color and prevent shrinking you can cut the end of fresh bamboo and place it in a glycerine solution (see Method and composition for plant preservation without leaf curling - Patent # 5627132 - PatentGenius) and then coating with epoxy. 

Ed


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