Cork Bark Background

[JadeButterfly]

Hello all.

I know Tom has written an article concerning cork bark backgrounds. I was wondering if anyone on the forums have any experience with them. I want to add it into my current aquascape and would like to know the 'best' way...

Using aquarium safe silicon to glue it to the back...I'm afraid it will take several days before it will dry and I do not know where to put my current fishes in...are there other methods as to getting them onto your glass? I do want to be able to take it off in the future if necessary...

I read that you can take metal clips and make a 'U' shape to hold plants like java fern, windelov, etc...but what if I want to have a moss wall going? how might I be able to get it growing on the corkbark?

Is there anything to prepare prior to putting the cork bark into the tank? will it leach tannins into the water?

Hope this ain't too many questions.
Hope to hear some comments.

Thanks.

 

[chubasco]

Re: Cork Bark Background

Ok, here goes:
You can get the 12" square corkboard at some building supply houses and
silicone them in place on the back glass. The nicest ones I've seen use
"raw" cork cut with a jig saw that have irregular patterns and grain to it, looks
like the bark of a tree. Visit APD archives and type in the search window "cork
backgrounds" ...your quest begins there Good hunting!

Bill

Oh, BTW, cork is highly bouyant and silicone is generally accepted as
the best way to affix it to the glass

 

[Ian H]

Re: Cork Bark Background

Ok, here goes:
You can get the 12" square corkboard at some building supply houses and
silicone them in place on the back glass. The nicest ones I've seen use
"raw" cork cut with a jig saw that have irregular patterns and grain to it, looks
like the bark of a tree. Visit APD archives and type in the search window "cork
backgrounds" ...your quest begins there Good hunting!

Bill

Oh, BTW, cork is highly bouyant and silicone is generally accepted as
the best way to affix it to the glass

It IS the bark of a tree Bill. And as such it will add tannin stuff. I would avoid any treated bark also.

Ian

 

[Tom Barr]

Re: Cork Bark Background

Ianm, you can buy a piece of glass abnd afix the cork to that, then this will weigh to cork down and you slip this along the back glass tank wall. Clip two C clamps on each end and tuck the lower part under the gravel. This will avoid using any glue in the tank.

Thicker cork is better. Pieces slowly break off over time(about 10 years or so) depending on what species you grow on there and remove peroidically.

Silicone needs the full 24 hours to cure.


Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[chubasco]

Re: Cork Bark Background

It IS the bark of a tree Bill. And as such it will add tannin stuff. I would avoid any treated bark also.

Ian

Thanks, Ian, good catch. No wonder it looked like the bark of a tree
Stuff is kinda 'spensive getting the thick, natural (raw, untreated) stuff over
here.

Bill

 

[travdawg]

Re: Cork Bark Background

That idea of getting a piece of glass to fix it to is simplistic genius.

 

[Tom Barr]

Re: Cork Bark Background

Okay, now go do it.

My article disscussed using glass slates with cork glued to them for terracing and you can attach plants to them easily and quickly, a simple U shaped 18 gauge wirte works grent to nail the plants to the cork.

That makes the terracing a wall of green instead of a rock or wood.

Regards,
Tom Barr