# Mounting Plants



## Frog Novice (Sep 14, 2009)

Hello,

I am completely new to dart frogs. I have been scratching my head as to how I am going to build my terrarium. I see a lot of people mounting live plants in backgrounds and tree stumps, how is this possible? How does the plant get nutrients? Also what is a false bottom and how does it work? I thought a drainage layer and then a layer of substrate was adequate for a terrarium. Also what is this "great" stuff, is it coconut fiber? Sorry for all the questions, like I said I am new. Thanks!

Jacob


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## kthehun89 (Jul 23, 2009)

Frog Novice said:


> Hello,
> 
> I am completely new to dart frogs. I have been scratching my head as to how I am going to build my terrarium. I see a lot of people mounting live plants in backgrounds and tree stumps, how is this possible? How does the plant get nutrients? Also what is a false bottom and how does it work? I thought a drainage layer and then a layer of substrate was adequate for a terrarium. Also what is this "great" stuff, is it coconut fiber? Sorry for all the questions, like I said I am new. Thanks!
> 
> Jacob




All the platns mounted are air plants, or epiphytes that grown naturally on the bark. 

A false bottom is basically a raised up area that allows for adequate drainage of the soil. 

Great stuff is expandable foam that people use to make false-rock backgrounds


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## midget (Jul 30, 2009)

First off welcome. They get there nuterents from water sprayed on them or frog poo. I mount my plants on the background by bending a paper clip into a U shape. Great stuff is a type of spray insulation foam, and you have the right idea with subtrate. good luck


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## Frog Novice (Sep 14, 2009)

midget said:


> First off welcome. They get there nuterents from water sprayed on them or frog poo. I mount my plants on the background by bending a paper clip into a U shape. Great stuff is a type of spray insulation foam, and you have the right idea with subtrate. good luck


How does the background come out with the great stuff? Thanks for the help!

Jacob


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## kthehun89 (Jul 23, 2009)

the great stuff is just a base. next you have to put glue on it and then put soil and husk on it to make it look decent


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## midget (Jul 30, 2009)

^^^^^^^^^
How to make a GS background(not the only way)
1. get x amount of GS cans and 1 sheet of egg crate
2. cut egg crate to fit inside the tank
3. place egg crate inside the tank
4. lay down your logs,pots, and other thing you wish to have in it
5. spray down your GS
6. crave with rasor blade, dremil or other simlar tool if you wish
7. after GS is cured with gloves lay down your silcone/glue and quickly add your moxx/coco fiber(add more then you need and press hard)
8. remove excess husk and missed spots repeat step 7 too fix

Good luck


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## jeffdart (May 21, 2008)

In the toolbar there is a search tool. Im sure if you can find what you need with that.


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## Otis (Apr 16, 2006)

Just to clarify, the term "epiphytic plant" is pretty loose, there are definitely certain species or genera of plants which traditionally grow in trees, but there are many foreground species and "non-epiphytes" which will also do very well mounted. As long as humidity is high and there is adequate lighting, many vivarium plants will grow regardless of growing medium. A growing medium can be pretty much anything organic, for mounting purposes this can be sphagnum and cork, or treefern fiber (not limited to these though). 

Mounted plants get nutrients from water, fecal matter, and sometimes decomposing plants within the vivarium. If the plant is mounted low in the vivarium, it can obtain nutrients leached from higher up in the vivarium as well.


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