# Stump + Overhanging Plants?



## Terra Incognita (Jun 12, 2007)

So I've always wanted to create a tank that sort've resembles the bank of a river, or where a tree overhangs into/over the water, but I haven't ever been able to think of a way. I was flipping through an older Aquarium magazine that showed a tank that had a large stump in it, and it was taller than the tank, so some was sticking out. On the part that was out of the water, some type of plants were hung so their roots were in the water, and they got what they needed. Has anyone done something similiar, or have any ideas on how this could be done? I've attached a little diagram showing kind of what I mean, since I'm not too sure if I can articulate accuractely how it looked.










Now, of course, this could be done simply - that is, if you found the one in a million peice of driftwood that could be a stump with branches. In the original tank, I believe the root/stump was some sort of Mangrove. There were also higher "levels" on the stump which held plants that were land-lubbers and didn't need to touch the water to live, and it created shadowy areas under them. So, since this mythical peice of driftwood probably won't be found for a long while, what would be some other ways to achieve this? It was basically (I assume, I couldn't read it, since it was in Japanese) designed to mimick a tree growing right out of the water. Are there any other ways this could be done without putting plants on the rim of the aquarium?

I've always been curious, and maybe now I can find out. I should've worked on my art work a little bit, since I really don't like outduing Michael Angelo, but some things have to be done.


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## zer0zax (Mar 25, 2007)

If you go fishing at all you can gather some pretty neat driftwood yourself instead of paying $40 a piece, just soak it well for awhile. Google up dart frog vivariums, theres a lot of neat tricks people do with those. Google up Tillandsias also, you can mount these plants just about anywhere and they are easy to keep in good condition, giving the driftwood above the water line the appearance of a living tree.

I am also searching for the perfect stump to use, but in the meantime I use long branchy driftwood and stack them together to form a tree stump, mosses anubias or java fern fill the gaps:mrgreen: .


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## Terra Incognita (Jun 12, 2007)

Yeah, over at the Monster Fish Keepers forums, we've been juggling around ideas. Someone there made their own peice of driftwood, by combing others with dowels and aquarium-safe glue. The peice he "created" was very natural looking. I imagine I could do the same and have it "straddle" the center brace in an aquarium, or even make my own little crossing for it to straddle, such as a cut peice of PVC pipe which would be hidden. Also, I like the look of Pistia stratiotes' root systems. I was thinking about something similiar, except with moss. Is there any moss that could be tied to the wood (like how Java Moss is tied), and letting it drape down into the water in some parts? Almost like a mini-forest directly around the "stump" out of Pistia stratiotes roots, but insted of Pistia stratiotes, using some kind of Moss?


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## zer0zax (Mar 25, 2007)

Those dangling roots do look neat, I have seen people use small floating rings to keep floating plants in a circular group while the roots conceal the ring. If the ring was around the stump it would look like the plants were growing out of the trunk.

I have grown java moss emersed and it flourished wherever there was water, especially in waterfalls. The moss still fared well out of water as long as it was misted everyday, so draping it over "branches" is very feasible (remember to mist!). An open top aquarium will have plenty of humidity for moss dangling in the water, but remember to mist!


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## bpimm (Jun 12, 2006)

That is the kind of look I'm working towards, I got a stump out of a local lake to try. I cut the back off with the chainsaw and stuck it in the tank. I added a bunch of Anubias around it and the rocks. After looking at that for a couple weeks I added a suspended branch with Bolbitis rhizome's attached just below the waterline. Now I wait to see how the plants grow in, the Bolbitis is sending out shoots both under the water and above so I'm hoping it will have the effect of a fern hanging into the water. Still deciding what other plants to add in.


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## zer0zax (Mar 25, 2007)

Wow Bpimm, that is a killer tank! Obviously you found the stump I have been searching for, can I have it back?

I think some ferns near the surface would give the exact look we are striving for. I really like how you mounted your plants on it without overwhelming the the details of the stump itself. Very nice!


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## mellowvision (Jun 18, 2007)

so I guess you've ruled out putting your tank under a dead tree...


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## bpimm (Jun 12, 2006)

zer0zax said:


> Wow Bpimm, that is a killer tank! Obviously you found the stump I have been searching for, can I have it back?
> 
> I think some ferns near the surface would give the exact look we are striving for. I really like how you mounted your plants on it without overwhelming the the details of the stump itself. Very nice!


No you can't have it, I found it first:fencing:

I have 3 other stumps I collected sitting here you could look at, after all I'm just across the river.

They came from Swift Creek reservoir, you need a boat.


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## bpimm (Jun 12, 2006)

mellowvision said:


> so I guess you've ruled out putting your tank under a dead tree...


that would be tough, but I have thought of finding a tree about the same diameter and mounting it on the wall above the tank...


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

bpimm said:


> that would be tough, but I have thought of finding a tree about the same diameter and mounting it on the wall above the tank...


Be sure to do a DIY thread on that when you get started. I can wait.


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