# Weekly Topic: Tying to Driftwood, Rocks



## tsunami (Jan 24, 2004)

One aquascaping technique used commonly by hobbyists from all over the world is dressing up hardscaping material (driftwood, rocks) with plants.

Some plants often used for this technique are:

Anubias barteri v nana
Anubias barteri v petit
Bolbitis heudelotii
Christmas moss
Erect moss
Java Fern (regular, Narrow, Windelov, Tropica, Philippine, etc)
Monoselenium tenerum (Pellia)
Vesicularia dubyana (java moss)

For tying Anubias and ferns (Bolbitis, Java Fern) to driftwood, thin rubber bands can hold them in place. By the time these rubber bands rot, the plant should be firmly attached to the driftwood. Be careful not to crush the plant by using a rubber band that is too wide or too tight. Fishing line (my preference) also works very effectively, especially since the transparent thread is nearly invisible unlike the rubber bands.










For tying mosses and Pellia to driftwood and rocks, it is best to use fishing line (although cotton thread works, too, but this eventually rots). First, spread the moss or Pellia thinly across the surface of the object (the thinner the spread, the better it will grow out). Then, take the monofilament line and wrap it around the object repeatedly in intervals of ~0.5 inches across the piece of wood or rock.










How about algae? A thin patina of it on a piece of rock or wood adds a lot to an aquascape, in my opinion. Some layouts, especially iwagumi rock arrangements, could be improved by having a slight patina of algae on the rocks. Otherwise, it looks too sterile and new.

Discussion question:

1) What does tying ferns or plants to driftwood add to an aquascape? What does it add to the wood itself?

2) Has anyone had a plant grow well attached to driftwood that is not mentioned above?

Carlos


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## Gomer (Feb 2, 2004)

I would like to add that using a hairnet works really well with pellia and moss on round rocks you do need to periodically re-net it, but you get a nice bushy look.


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## Daemonfly (Mar 21, 2004)

I've used black Nylon thread on some pieces.

On the ones where I want the thread gone in a few months, I use 100% cotton thread - it will decompose a few months after being in the tank, usually enough time for some plants to take hold.


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## C_perugiae (Feb 26, 2004)

I like using polyester thread because it doesn't rot, like cotton does. I've also had some luck using long strands of java moss to "tie" riccia to driftwood and small rocks. If I take a small amount of the riccia and wind java moss around the object, the moss will usually take hold well enough that the riccia just grows into it. Every once in a while, it needs to be redone, but that method works pretty well for smaller rocks that would be difficult to tie or put a hairnet on.


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## Aaron (Feb 12, 2004)

I noticed something rather interesting today when I was changing water in one of my tanks. I have a large piece of driftwood covered with xmas moss. The wood breaks the surface of the water and the moss has grown above the water line. Right at the waterline, a piece of Hemianthus micranthemoides that was floating around got stuck to the moss and has since put down roots into the moss. It is a small piece but when I tried removing it, it was well anchored. The Hemianthus has both semersed and submersed growth. A living substrate for growing plants?!?!?? Imagine the possibilities!! I am going to do some experimenting later this week. Has anyone tried this by the way?


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## Steve Pituch (Jan 25, 2004)

I went recently on a trip down the San Marcos River with HeyPK. At two dams their faces were covered with a thick layer of moss. Plants were growing like crazy out of the moss. Leaks in the dams were watering the plants.

See:
http://users.ev1.net/~spituch/Steve's Page/Aquarium/Expedition 1/Expedition 1_13.html
and

http://users.ev1.net/~spituch/Steve's Page/Aquarium/Expedition 1/Expedition 1_20.html

Regards,
Steve Pituch


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## misterchengmoua (Dec 22, 2005)

if the piece of driftwood has a lot of crevices in/on it, i usually just slide the rhizome into it to avoid having to tie it down(just make sure you dont move it around too much while rescaping or else it'll jsut end up floating up to the surface)


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## BryceM (Nov 6, 2005)

Steve Pituch said:


> Leaks in the dams were watering the plants.


A similar thing happened in the town I grew up in. The difference was that the leaks in the dam turned into a huge hole. The plants, cows, streets, and houses were all watered. Most of the town kind of floated away. (Teton Dam Flood - 1976).


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## Rek (Jul 19, 2005)

i have more plant on wood like pellia microsorium vesicularia and bolbitis

i like use Fishing line .... cotton line i don't like because it "marcisce"


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## corinroyal (Aug 25, 2006)

*Superglue for Fastening Plants*

Justin at Ocean Aquarium in San Francisco uses superglue to secure java fern and anubias to wood and rocks. The advantage is no tying, no threads to look at, and the superglue adheres even when the plant and wood are damp. The stuff is toxic though, but he hasn't seen any problems because of it.


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## sarcare (Sep 10, 2006)

I have some giant hygro that has grown roots into the crevices of a huge piece of driftwood. Though I never intended to have it attach, it is pretty firmly grown into the wood. 

Yesterday I pulled out my rocks covered in ricca, and there was some baby's tears that had grown onto the ricca covered rock.


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## Troy McClure (Aug 3, 2005)

corinroyal said:


> Justin at Ocean Aquarium in San Francisco uses superglue to secure java fern and anubias to wood and rocks. The advantage is no tying, no threads to look at, and the superglue adheres even when the plant and wood are damp. The stuff is toxic though, but he hasn't seen any problems because of it.


I've used Crazy Glue on a moss wall in a tank before with no problems, and it was a shrimp-only tank at that. It's an old reef/frag technique that really comes in handy when a zip tie won't fit or there isn't a clear or inconspicuous way to use string.


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## LindaC (Nov 7, 2005)

I don't know why but for some reason, I just cannot seem to grow moss on my driftwood. It always starts out growing so nicely and then after a few weeks, it starts to turn brown a little at a time until I eventually end up taking it off the wood. 

I initially tie it on to the driftwood with cotton thread, could this be the problem? I read that eventually the cotton thread will rot, would this cause the moss to rot too? When this has happened to me, all the other plants in my tank would be growing very well, so I just can't figure it out. Anyone have any thoughts on why moss would start turning brown? I've tried Java Moss, Weeping Moss and Christmas Moss. I would love to be able to grow this on some driftwood, I think it really looks spectacular when it's fully grown in.


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## Troy McClure (Aug 3, 2005)

That is very strange you can't grow java moss. Sometimes it takes mosses a long time to adapt to new conditions, and sometimes the temperatures are too high. I had a similar experiene with Taiwan moss (or maybe it was Singapore or Christmas) - A lot of it browned out but a few months later, it came roaring back in a big way.


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## Craig Tarvin (Jul 26, 2005)

corinroyal said:


> Justin at Ocean Aquarium in San Francisco uses superglue to secure java fern and anubias to wood and rocks. The advantage is no tying, no threads to look at, and the superglue adheres even when the plant and wood are damp. The stuff is toxic though, but he hasn't seen any problems because of it.


Corals are superglued to live rock in reef aquariums, there are no toxicity issues.


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## Minsc (May 7, 2006)

tsunami said:


> For tying Anubias and ferns (Bolbitis, Java Fern) to driftwood, thin rubber bands can hold them in place. By the time these rubber bands rot, the plant should be firmly attached to the driftwood. Be careful not to crush the plant by using a rubber band that is too wide or too tight.


I'm sure there are plenty of people out there who have had success using rubber bands, but IME they rot before moss can attach, and I actually had an anubias rhizome rot underneath the rubber band. By the time I noticed it, it was a goner.

So, IMO, rubber band=:thumbsdow With nylon thread, you can always cut it when it is no longer needed.

Super glue is a very intriguing idea... I'll have to try that next time.


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## freakmonkey1423 (Jan 21, 2007)

On the note of the San Marcos river dam, I live in San Marcos and that dam is no longer there but they replaced it with a much nicer one . I will have to put up a picture of it. Our river is a great source of inspiration and it is home to several creatures and plants that ony grow in it in the wild. Kind of cool when I think of it.


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## stepheus (Jun 13, 2006)

I use Bonsai Wire to tie my epiphytes i.e. moss, anubias, ferns. Well it doesnt have to be bonsai wires to work, it could just be stainless steel gardening wires for fastening plants. I find this easy even as the wood has already been secured into the hardscape, underwater. A word of warning tho, some might be made of copper or metals that are poisonous to fauna.


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