# attaching plants/moss to driftwood and rocks?



## Elle (Oct 25, 2010)

Any good ideas on attaching plants or java moss to driftwood and rocks that doesn't look quite as obvious as rubber bands and doesn't pull the moss all apart? I'm trying to attach moss and anubias to driftwood and maybe a rock, but right now I've just banded the moss and weighted the anubias down with rocks on the driftwood. 

I'd eventually like to grow a driftwood "tree" with moss, but my early attempts aren't looking promising.


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## Mferko (Jun 8, 2010)

i forget the name of it but theres a special glue thats safe to glue your plants to the rocks/wood with and it even works when wet
hopefully someone else will know the name off hand and where you can get it


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## Johnnyfishtanks (Apr 21, 2010)

so i have 4 iches of moss on a little log it all came off how do i put it back on . i just used fishing line is that ok. i think i might of tied it tight butt there was lots and i wanted it to hold . help


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## neven (May 15, 2010)

fishing line or black/dark brown cotton thread are the best methods.

i did mine tight for mosses aswell, you want decent contact so it starts to attatch to the driftwood. for anubias/ferns i tighted the roots loosely , just enough to press the plant to the log until it grows more roots into the wood, then i snip it away.


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

Lots of people use the cotton hairnets to tie down moss/riccia to wood. As for Anubias, Crazy Glue would do it, but everything has to be dry. The Tailored Aquatics Aqua Glue allows you to do it when the stuff is still a bit wet (but not in the tank of course).


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## Johnnyfishtanks (Apr 21, 2010)

right on guys thanks for info


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## Johnnyfishtanks (Apr 21, 2010)

how long to keep it tied down a month


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## 1843 (Oct 23, 2010)

Be very careful with any kind of thread or line if you have plecostumus in your tanks (bristlenose, otos, etc.) They can get it caught in their gills while they're cruising around. I once had to hold a hypancistrus and cut off a noose of thread (that was right aroudn his 'neck' and embedded in his gills) with cuticle scissors. 

After that I took out all the hairnets, fishing line, rubber bands, and thread that I had securing various plants and stuff in all my tanks. I have a number of great driftwood things with java fern. I just tuck the roots into the little cracks of the wood, or tuck a bunch of roots under the rock or wood that I'm trying to get covered. After a while it takes root and grows all over the wood on it's own.

Same with rocks and java moss. You can tuck a bunch of it under the rock, or even put a rock in the middle of a handful of moss and fluff it up into a little shrub. If you want moss to grow on top of anything at all, just put it in the tank right next to something else that's growing moss and wait for the inevitable.


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## Ursus sapien (Apr 21, 2010)

I've had a bristlenose caught in fishing line- almost lost the poor thing. If you use cotton threat, it will eventually disintegrate, leaving the moss attached and no lingering danger to the fish.


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## KotR (May 6, 2010)

Unless you use riccia. it doesn't grow roots, so you'll need a more permanent solution, like glue or fishing line (or just keep tying it down again).


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## jkcichlid (Apr 21, 2010)

Last time I was at April's she had the Tailored Aquatics crazy glue

Looks better than string

If you do string make sure it is tight so the fish cant get under it. Lost 2 kribs by getting it stuck in there gills. No fun for them or me


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## Mferko (Jun 8, 2010)

Johnnyfishtanks said:


> how long to keep it tied down a month


was that meant to be a question?


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## discuspaul (Jul 2, 2010)

Following up on Garry's good suggestion, many dollar stores sell a 4 pack of 'beigey' colored nylon hair nets, called "invisible nets". Place your moss all over your dritwood as you want it, and pull one of the nets over the whole thing - they are elasticized around the circumference & will neatly tuck into the bottom side of the wood. (As long as the piece of wood isn't too big - the netting will however stretch quite a bit.)
It is almost invisible, and after a few weeks of the moss growing & rooting to the wood, it won't be visible at all. The netting will eventually disintegrate in the tank water.


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## Johnnyfishtanks (Apr 21, 2010)

Mferko said:


> was that meant to be a question?


yes ..........................


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## Elle (Oct 25, 2010)

thanks guys, I'll try the hairnet thing if I can't find aquatic glue.


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## neven (May 15, 2010)

i swear by hair nets for riccia.... man its a pain otherwise


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## roadrunner (Apr 25, 2010)

I tried cotton thread before, but it disintegrated too fast, so I've started to use clear thread (i think it's nylon), you can buy it pretty much in any fabric store. It's almost invisible and if you tie it down properly and cut the ends, there should be no thread to your fish.


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## 1843 (Oct 23, 2010)

Not to be a pain, but I doubt that nylon thread or nylon hairnets will ever disintegrate. 

I once made a cool moss wall by sandwiching riccia between two layers of nylon fly screen (the kind that goes in patio doors). You could try a riccia carpet that way as well.


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## tang daddy (Apr 21, 2010)

If you plan on using glue like I have done it's easy, only use gel super glue as the other type is too thin. Gel super glue contains cyanoacrylate which is safe for fresh or saltwater applications...gel super glue can also be found at any dollar stores for smaller 1 time applications. I take anubias and javaferns dry the roots on a paper towel even trim them abit if the roots are to long, then put a large glob of the gel glue on the piece off dry wood or rock surface and attach the roots on, let it set for 30secs then dip it in a separate bowl of water. When you dip it in water it hardens the outer skin of the gel glob, I would also suggest Leaving the plant alone in a low flow area for atleast 3 hrs so the glue can harden and set properly, hope this helps!

On more thing to add is you can't glue riccia or pellia down I only suggest gluing roots down!


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