# Bamboo sticks as hardscape?



## DogFish2.0 (Oct 7, 2011)

Anyone have any experience using ***DEAD-NOT-LIVING*** Bamboo Sticks in the tank as part of the hardscape?

If so how long did it last?

I'm thinking about using a pc of 1" thick Bamboo to anchor some Java fern on in a grow tank.


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## Aquat (Feb 1, 2012)

Bamboo are terrestrial plant, only their roots should be submerge. My mom use to own a bamboo shop, you can find any kinds of bamboo there. They're suppose to provide "luck" but they'll survive a week or 2 fully submerge. Now, if it's dried bamboo then sure.


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## Aquaticz (May 22, 2009)

I have seen a picture of a scape where dry bamboo was used to replicate a forest look



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD


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## BruceF (Aug 5, 2011)

Doesn't bamboo float?


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

DogFish, I've never used dried bamboo in an aquarium. But I have used it in landscape projects, and found that it rotted quickly when in contact with soil. This was common golden bamboo, a pest in Texas. My understanding is that there are tropical "timber bamboo" species that are much more durable.

Not exactly an answer to your question, but since you weren't getting much input, take it for what it's worth.


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## HX67 (Sep 24, 2009)

All sizes (3 - 50 mm / 1/8 - 2") of natural, untreated bamboo I have used submerged in a tank have blackened and started rotting pretty soon after dumping them in the water.

I read somewhere that you can treat bamboo with either lacquer or epoxy to keep it from rotting, but the idea of plasticised bamboo wasn't appealing enough for me to try it out...


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## neilshieh (Jun 24, 2010)

as others have stated it will rot quickly, either grow lucky bamboo or use those charcol bamboo thingies they have for shrimp.


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## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

Some of the people at www.loaches.com have used bamboo, and it seemed to last long enough that it was worth using. I do not remember if they treated it, but I think they did. 
Here is one thread about bamboo:
http://forums.loaches.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=21066&p=183249&hilit=bamboo#p183249


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