Alternative To Bogwood/mopani Wood For Scaping With Java Moss

[Curiosity101]

Basically as in the title really. I need something preferably mouldable (cause I would prefer natural looking shapes as opposed to super straight lines.
Ermm, needs to be heavy enough to stay put.
Fish safe, ie. not leach.

Best idea I could come up with was either moulding something like chicken mesh/wire type stuff into nice tube shapes and putting fern on that but it's a bit risky cause it'd be hollow.

Other idea was threading ceramic rings onto some wire and doing it that way...

All ideas appreciated! Basically I'm just going to go for something that looks a bit mangrovey and rooty. Hope that makes sense.

 

[Truck]

Stone? you can chisel bits of it out.

 

[Curiosity101]

Not a bad idea, but that would require some serious chiselling skills to get it all nice n twisty n such like I want it to be.

 

[Truck]

Seiryu stone is like that already, it's full of holes and nooks.

 

[Curiosity101]

It definitely is a good idea. I'm just not sure I'm skilled enough to carry it out. Where as I'm sure I can bend some chicken wire.

 

[VaegaVic]

Might I suggest winding chicken wire around some ceramic plant pots?
Added weight and prevents fish from getting trapped in it whilst the moss grows.

 

[ellena]

From your description, sounds like wood would fit the bill perfectly! Why don't you want wood?

What about that fimo stuff?

 

[Curiosity101]

Wood is expensive and I'd have to search for literally the perfect shapes. Plus I'd want quite a bit of it.
It's going to be going in a divided 60l that will be housing shrimp. I want to give them maximum use of the aquarium by basically making it like a natural jungle gym if that makes sense?

Is fimo safe in tanks? If it is then that's a great idea.

 

[ellena]

I was thinking bendy hair rollers, then I thought of those spongey air curtain things. They're flexible and you could stick them together with aquarium silicone/superglue to make bigger structures. Fairly inexpensive too. Hmmm, they'd need weighting down though.

Or, what about the hosing of a gravel cleaner? Those cheap ones are only about £3 and you could make loads of shapes? Filled with water, they'd stay down.

 

[Curiosity101]

The hose or possibly airline tubing would be great. I'd need to get some bendy wire to put through them so they could actually be molded into specific shapes but I think you've just come up with the best idea so far there! Thanks.

 

[grumpysteve]

how about branches from your local park? all you have to do is strip the bark off, leave it to dry out, and if you really want to you can put it in a container with a pump and carbon to take care of anything it leeches. as long as its a hardwood and isn't rotten it'll be fine

 

[Curiosity101]

I'm not very good with ID'ing trees. But I will keep that in mind for sure. Can't believe I hadn't thought of it before actually, but then I guess normally I'd be wanting pieces that were the sorta size that you'd be waiting months for them to dry out enough.

 

[kizno1]

thats what ive done theres a forest right newt to me so i just found some wood that had fallen where the bark was falling of naturally and then sanded of the rest then soaked and boiled it.

 

[grumpysteve]

I'm not very good with ID'ing trees. But I will keep that in mind for sure. Can't believe I hadn't thought of it before actually, but then I guess normally I'd be wanting pieces that were the sorta size that you'd be waiting months for them to dry out enough.

oak tree's are pretty common, and their branches are perfect. if you find a branch laying about try and snap a bit, if it snaps really easily it's probably a softwood. or see if you can push your nail into it after it's dried out, if you can it's a hardwood.

i recently found a few bits of oak, took them home and stripped the bark, they had dried out before i finished sanding it down so it doesn't take too long. and it's well worth it if you find a nice bit, better than paying £20 for a bit of redmoor anyway

 

[Curiosity101]

I will definitely have a wander around in the woods near my house and see what I can find.