I'm setting up a 15gal tall replacement for my 5 gallon tank. It's a
very tall Oceanic Eclipse tank (20"x10"x20" high) and I thought an
asymmetric V shape with two pieces of plant-covered bogwood would make a
beautiful Amano style setup. I've found two pieces of long, 3" wood but
they're rather heavy and difficult to prop in place to make the V. I'm
afraid they'll fall and break the glass.

My first thought was to silicone them to the glass, but they'll be hard
to clean around. Burying the ends in the substrate might work, but I'm
not sure enough to risk the glass trying it. I would use rocks at the
base of the wood in a bigger tank but I don't want to lose any more
substrate room, because I want heavy plantings. My favorite thought so
far is to support the wood with a plexiglass rod, concealed in
plantings. I could drill into the high end of the wood and set a
vertical rod in the wood that would sit on the bottom of the tank and
support the wood to keep it from sliding down. Does this sound workable?

Has anyone tried to arrange bogwood propped at sharp angles against tank
glass? How did you do it? I'm open to all ideas because I'm not sure I
like any of mine.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

"Elaine T" wrote in message
...
I'm setting up a 15gal tall replacement for my 5 gallon tank. It's a
very tall Oceanic Eclipse tank (20"x10"x20" high) and I thought an
asymmetric V shape with two pieces of plant-covered bogwood would make a
beautiful Amano style setup. I've found two pieces of long, 3" wood but
they're rather heavy and difficult to prop in place to make the V. I'm
afraid they'll fall and break the glass.

My first thought was to silicone them to the glass, but they'll be hard
to clean around. Burying the ends in the substrate might work, but I'm
not sure enough to risk the glass trying it. I would use rocks at the
base of the wood in a bigger tank but I don't want to lose any more
substrate room, because I want heavy plantings. My favorite thought so
far is to support the wood with a plexiglass rod, concealed in
plantings. I could drill into the high end of the wood and set a
vertical rod in the wood that would sit on the bottom of the tank and
support the wood to keep it from sliding down. Does this sound workable?

Has anyone tried to arrange bogwood propped at sharp angles against tank
glass? How did you do it? I'm open to all ideas because I'm not sure I
like any of mine.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

Congrats on the new tank :-)

I've got two very large pieces of bogwood in one of the tanks. I just put it
in - it hasn't moved (unless I've moved it during cleaning) for 9 months. It
does rest against the glass in places - mainly because of it's size.

Gill

Gill Passman wrote:
"Elaine T" wrote in message
...
I'm setting up a 15gal tall replacement for my 5 gallon tank.
It's a very tall Oceanic Eclipse tank (20"x10"x20" high) and I
thought an asymmetric V shape with two pieces of plant-covered
bogwood would make a beautiful Amano style setup. I've found two
pieces of long, 3" wood but they're rather heavy and difficult to
prop in place to make the V. I'm afraid they'll fall and break
the glass.

My first thought was to silicone them to the glass, but they'll be
hard to clean around. Burying the ends in the substrate might
work, but I'm not sure enough to risk the glass trying it. I
would use rocks at the base of the wood in a bigger tank but I
don't want to lose any more substrate room, because I want heavy
plantings. My favorite thought so far is to support the wood with
a plexiglass rod, concealed in plantings. I could drill into the
high end of the wood and set a vertical rod in the wood that would
sit on the bottom of the tank and support the wood to keep it from
sliding down. Does this sound workable?

Has anyone tried to arrange bogwood propped at sharp angles
against tank glass? How did you do it? I'm open to all ideas
because I'm not sure I like any of mine.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

Congrats on the new tank :-)

I've got two very large pieces of bogwood in one of the tanks. I
just put it in - it hasn't moved (unless I've moved it during
cleaning) for 9 months. It does rest against the glass in places -
mainly because of it's size.

Gill

Get a piece of perspex or glass cut to slightly smaller than the internal
dimensions of your tank, silicone the pirces of wood to this and place it
in the tank then cover with your substrate, that should hold them.

--

Don`t Worry, Be Happy
Sandy
--
E-Mail:-
Website:- http://www.ftscotland.co.uk
Looking for a webhost? Try http://www.1and1.co.uk/?k_id=2966019

Sandy Birrell wrote:
Gill Passman wrote:

"Elaine T" wrote in message
om...

I'm setting up a 15gal tall replacement for my 5 gallon tank.
It's a very tall Oceanic Eclipse tank (20"x10"x20" high) and I
thought an asymmetric V shape with two pieces of plant-covered
bogwood would make a beautiful Amano style setup. I've found two
pieces of long, 3" wood but they're rather heavy and difficult to
prop in place to make the V. I'm afraid they'll fall and break
the glass.

My first thought was to silicone them to the glass, but they'll be
hard to clean around. Burying the ends in the substrate might
work, but I'm not sure enough to risk the glass trying it. I
would use rocks at the base of the wood in a bigger tank but I
don't want to lose any more substrate room, because I want heavy
plantings. My favorite thought so far is to support the wood with
a plexiglass rod, concealed in plantings. I could drill into the
high end of the wood and set a vertical rod in the wood that would
sit on the bottom of the tank and support the wood to keep it from
sliding down. Does this sound workable?

Has anyone tried to arrange bogwood propped at sharp angles
against tank glass? How did you do it? I'm open to all ideas
because I'm not sure I like any of mine.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

Congrats on the new tank :-)

I've got two very large pieces of bogwood in one of the tanks. I
just put it in - it hasn't moved (unless I've moved it during
cleaning) for 9 months. It does rest against the glass in places -
mainly because of it's size.

Gill


Get a piece of perspex or glass cut to slightly smaller than the internal
dimensions of your tank, silicone the pirces of wood to this and place it
in the tank then cover with your substrate, that should hold them.

That sounds MUCH easier. Thanks!

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

"Elaine T" wrote in message
...
Sandy Birrell wrote:
Gill Passman wrote:

"Elaine T" wrote in message
. com...

I'm setting up a 15gal tall replacement for my 5 gallon tank.
It's a very tall Oceanic Eclipse tank (20"x10"x20" high) and I
thought an asymmetric V shape with two pieces of plant-covered
bogwood would make a beautiful Amano style setup. I've found two
pieces of long, 3" wood but they're rather heavy and difficult to
prop in place to make the V. I'm afraid they'll fall and break
the glass.

My first thought was to silicone them to the glass, but they'll be
hard to clean around. Burying the ends in the substrate might
work, but I'm not sure enough to risk the glass trying it. I
would use rocks at the base of the wood in a bigger tank but I
don't want to lose any more substrate room, because I want heavy
plantings. My favorite thought so far is to support the wood with
a plexiglass rod, concealed in plantings. I could drill into the
high end of the wood and set a vertical rod in the wood that would
sit on the bottom of the tank and support the wood to keep it from
sliding down. Does this sound workable?

Has anyone tried to arrange bogwood propped at sharp angles
against tank glass? How did you do it? I'm open to all ideas
because I'm not sure I like any of mine.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

Congrats on the new tank :-)

I've got two very large pieces of bogwood in one of the tanks. I
just put it in - it hasn't moved (unless I've moved it during
cleaning) for 9 months. It does rest against the glass in places -
mainly because of it's size.

Gill


Get a piece of perspex or glass cut to slightly smaller than the
internal dimensions of your tank, silicone the pirces of wood to this
and place it in the tank then cover with your substrate, that should
hold them.

That sounds MUCH easier. Thanks!

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__


Using a hacksaw, cut off the ends so they are flat against the base of
the tank, and at the desired angle. Then take an inert material (slate,
plastic etc) and drill slightly oversize holes through, and then drill
smaller holes through the wood. Purchase some stainless steel wood
screws to fit. Slate bases are better for dealing with very buoyant
driftwood, otherwise plastic will suffice, if you can pile enough gravel
and rocks on it (sand doesn't usually work as it gets sucked under).

You can also simply screw pieces to themselves (use the tank cover to
hold them down, sometimes looking like tree roots reaching down by not
touching the bottom). Use your discretion as the buoyancy might push the
cover upwards. I've also used driftwood on slate bases like this, with
the slate ty-rapped to the cover.

I often took pieces off their slate bases and re-attached them sideways
(to make tiers). Sometimes I could use the same base (or that piece of
wood) to anchor other pieces.

In regards to the distance between the wood tip and the glass, avoid a
slight gap (fish swim into it and get wedged). No gap and you often have
some growth/detritus/algae/fungus accumulation where it contacts the
glass, so use your discretion if you think this is manageable or not. If
leaving a gap, try to leave double the width of the widest fish. hth
--
www.NetMax.tk

NetMax wrote:
"Elaine T" wrote in message
...

Sandy Birrell wrote:

Gill Passman wrote:


"Elaine T" wrote in message
.com...


I'm setting up a 15gal tall replacement for my 5 gallon tank.
It's a very tall Oceanic Eclipse tank (20"x10"x20" high) and I
thought an asymmetric V shape with two pieces of plant-covered
bogwood would make a beautiful Amano style setup. I've found two
pieces of long, 3" wood but they're rather heavy and difficult to
prop in place to make the V. I'm afraid they'll fall and break
the glass.

My first thought was to silicone them to the glass, but they'll be
hard to clean around. Burying the ends in the substrate might
work, but I'm not sure enough to risk the glass trying it. I
would use rocks at the base of the wood in a bigger tank but I
don't want to lose any more substrate room, because I want heavy
plantings. My favorite thought so far is to support the wood with
a plexiglass rod, concealed in plantings. I could drill into the
high end of the wood and set a vertical rod in the wood that would
sit on the bottom of the tank and support the wood to keep it from
sliding down. Does this sound workable?

Has anyone tried to arrange bogwood propped at sharp angles
against tank glass? How did you do it? I'm open to all ideas
because I'm not sure I like any of mine.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

Congrats on the new tank :-)

I've got two very large pieces of bogwood in one of the tanks. I
just put it in - it hasn't moved (unless I've moved it during
cleaning) for 9 months. It does rest against the glass in places -
mainly because of it's size.

Gill


Get a piece of perspex or glass cut to slightly smaller than the
internal dimensions of your tank, silicone the pirces of wood to this
and place it in the tank then cover with your substrate, that should
hold them.


That sounds MUCH easier. Thanks!

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__



Using a hacksaw, cut off the ends so they are flat against the base of
the tank, and at the desired angle. Then take an inert material (slate,
plastic etc) and drill slightly oversize holes through, and then drill
smaller holes through the wood. Purchase some stainless steel wood
screws to fit. Slate bases are better for dealing with very buoyant
driftwood, otherwise plastic will suffice, if you can pile enough gravel
and rocks on it (sand doesn't usually work as it gets sucked under).

You can also simply screw pieces to themselves (use the tank cover to
hold them down, sometimes looking like tree roots reaching down by not
touching the bottom). Use your discretion as the buoyancy might push the
cover upwards. I've also used driftwood on slate bases like this, with
the slate ty-rapped to the cover.

I often took pieces off their slate bases and re-attached them sideways
(to make tiers). Sometimes I could use the same base (or that piece of
wood) to anchor other pieces.

In regards to the distance between the wood tip and the glass, avoid a
slight gap (fish swim into it and get wedged). No gap and you often have
some growth/detritus/algae/fungus accumulation where it contacts the
glass, so use your discretion if you think this is manageable or not. If
leaving a gap, try to leave double the width of the widest fish. hth

This is the heavy mopani wood that won't float at all. That's why I'm
concerned about it crashing down. I've had too many close calls in
African cichlid tanks with rockwork. Mounting to plastic with a SS
screw sounds like an elegant solution. I'll have to see if I can find
some heavy plastic that I can drill.

Thanks for the tip on fish not getting stuck. Mind the gap! ;-) The
tank is smallish so I think I'll set it against the glass and use a
toothbrush and razor blade to get in and clean.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

If you need to fasten the 2 pieces of bogwood try using an epoxy putty
sold by lfss and aquarium merchandise dealers. It can be used under
water and it will completely bond/cure under water and in an hour it
can even be drilled! Good luck - and yeah, netmax's idea sounds best.
Later!

On Sat, 30 Apr 2005 01:09:56 GMT, Elaine T
wrote:

NetMax wrote:
"Elaine T" wrote in message
...

Sandy Birrell wrote:

Gill Passman wrote:


"Elaine T" wrote in message
y.com...


I'm setting up a 15gal tall replacement for my 5 gallon tank.
It's a very tall Oceanic Eclipse tank (20"x10"x20" high) and I
thought an asymmetric V shape with two pieces of plant-covered
bogwood would make a beautiful Amano style setup. I've found two
pieces of long, 3" wood but they're rather heavy and difficult to
prop in place to make the V. I'm afraid they'll fall and break
the glass.

My first thought was to silicone them to the glass, but they'll be
hard to clean around. Burying the ends in the substrate might
work, but I'm not sure enough to risk the glass trying it. I
would use rocks at the base of the wood in a bigger tank but I
don't want to lose any more substrate room, because I want heavy
plantings. My favorite thought so far is to support the wood with
a plexiglass rod, concealed in plantings. I could drill into the
high end of the wood and set a vertical rod in the wood that would
sit on the bottom of the tank and support the wood to keep it from
sliding down. Does this sound workable?

Has anyone tried to arrange bogwood propped at sharp angles
against tank glass? How did you do it? I'm open to all ideas
because I'm not sure I like any of mine.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

Congrats on the new tank :-)

I've got two very large pieces of bogwood in one of the tanks. I
just put it in - it hasn't moved (unless I've moved it during
cleaning) for 9 months. It does rest against the glass in places -
mainly because of it's size.

Gill


Get a piece of perspex or glass cut to slightly smaller than the
internal dimensions of your tank, silicone the pirces of wood to this
and place it in the tank then cover with your substrate, that should
hold them.


That sounds MUCH easier. Thanks!

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__



Using a hacksaw, cut off the ends so they are flat against the base of
the tank, and at the desired angle. Then take an inert material (slate,
plastic etc) and drill slightly oversize holes through, and then drill
smaller holes through the wood. Purchase some stainless steel wood
screws to fit. Slate bases are better for dealing with very buoyant
driftwood, otherwise plastic will suffice, if you can pile enough gravel
and rocks on it (sand doesn't usually work as it gets sucked under).

You can also simply screw pieces to themselves (use the tank cover to
hold them down, sometimes looking like tree roots reaching down by not
touching the bottom). Use your discretion as the buoyancy might push the
cover upwards. I've also used driftwood on slate bases like this, with
the slate ty-rapped to the cover.

I often took pieces off their slate bases and re-attached them sideways
(to make tiers). Sometimes I could use the same base (or that piece of
wood) to anchor other pieces.

In regards to the distance between the wood tip and the glass, avoid a
slight gap (fish swim into it and get wedged). No gap and you often have
some growth/detritus/algae/fungus accumulation where it contacts the
glass, so use your discretion if you think this is manageable or not. If
leaving a gap, try to leave double the width of the widest fish. hth

This is the heavy mopani wood that won't float at all. That's why I'm
concerned about it crashing down. I've had too many close calls in
African cichlid tanks with rockwork. Mounting to plastic with a SS
screw sounds like an elegant solution. I'll have to see if I can find
some heavy plastic that I can drill.

Thanks for the tip on fish not getting stuck. Mind the gap! ;-) The
tank is smallish so I think I'll set it against the glass and use a
toothbrush and razor blade to get in and clean.


I did something like NetMax suggested, drilled some holes in a chunk
of sandstone, used stainless screws into the wood.

The sandstone I got at a place where they sold decorative stone as
flagstone. Masonry shops should have it as well.

Put the sandstone on the bottom, covered it with substrate.


--
Charles

Does not play well with others.

wrote in message
oups.com...
If you need to fasten the 2 pieces of bogwood try using an epoxy putty
sold by lfss and aquarium merchandise dealers. It can be used under
water and it will completely bond/cure under water and in an hour it
can even be drilled! Good luck - and yeah, netmax's idea sounds best.
Later!


I've never used an epoxy which cures underwater (that could be useful),
but when I tried using adhesives to hold driftwood together, the results
were not very good. I had used silicone and generic driftwood (probably
a western cedar). Eventually the outer bark absorbed enough water for
the adhesive bond to start falling apart. I think the success of
adhesives will vary according to the type of driftwood, and the Mopani
Elaine is using would be a good candidate, though I'm still partial to a
well-hidden stainless steel screw now. ymmv
--
www.NetMax.tk

"Elaine T" wrote

Has anyone tried to arrange bogwood propped at sharp angles against tank
glass? How did you do it? I'm open to all ideas because I'm not sure I
like any of mine.

Yes, I have driftwood which leans against the back of the tank. No worries.
Since I get mine from the local beach, I soak it for a couple of months in a
garbage bin with a clay pot to keep it submerged until it is sufficiently
salt-free and waterlogged enough to stay where I put it without tying of any
sort. Once a week or so I change the water its soaking in and then at the
end I give it a strong chlorine soaking for a couple days, then leave it in
the sun for a few hours to kill off the chlorine and bobs yer uncle--in it
goes to the tank.

Pardon my ignorance. What is the difference between driftwood and bogwood?
Or is it the same thing? And if it is different, where can you collect or
purchase it? In years past have collected driftwood around the river near my
home. But now I am more concerned about contaminants and polution, in
addition to natural pests and parasites you have to get rid of. Is bleach
enough to rid of all the nasties?

Just a newbie,
Paulette

Mermaid wrote:
Pardon my ignorance. What is the difference between driftwood and bogwood?
Or is it the same thing? And if it is different, where can you collect or
purchase it? In years past have collected driftwood around the river near my
home. But now I am more concerned about contaminants and polution, in
addition to natural pests and parasites you have to get rid of. Is bleach
enough to rid of all the nasties?

Just a newbie,
Paulette


Bogwood is usually tropical root wood like Mopani or mangrove that is
collected from underwater. It doesn't rot or rots only very slowly and
sinks fairly easily. Driftwood is collected from rivers and beaches and
usually floats until waterlogged (this can take many weeks). It can be
any sort of wood. It's softer and tends to rot and fungus more readily
than bogwood but comes in lots of interesting shapes and sizes and is
free if you live by the water.

Driftwood from the ocean won't harbor FW parasites since salt kills
them. To handle driftwood from FW, boil it if you can. You can boil
one half of the wood, flip it over, and boil the other half if your pot
isn't big enough for the whole piece. Bleaching is not safe becuase
it's VERY hard to rinse bleach back out of wood. If the wood is too
large to boil, you can treat with potassium permanganate since it's less
toxic and small amounts of residue won't harm your tank.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

Thank you Elaine,
Again you come to my aid.
I just happen to have a daughter that lives on James Island in Charleston
SC. I will be giving her a call.LOL
I did not even think of the Ocean. What about brackish areas? Is it salty
enough to kill stuff?
I bought a piece of grape vine that is actual for reptiles and for birds to
chew on.
I thought if it is ok for birds it should be ok for a tank.Right? Or will it
rot quickly? I hope not, it wasn't cheap but very interesting looking.

Thanks,
Paulette


"Elaine T" wrote in message
...
Mermaid wrote:
Pardon my ignorance. What is the difference between driftwood and
bogwood?
Or is it the same thing? And if it is different, where can you collect
or
purchase it? In years past have collected driftwood around the river
near my
home. But now I am more concerned about contaminants and polution, in
addition to natural pests and parasites you have to get rid of. Is
bleach
enough to rid of all the nasties?

Just a newbie,
Paulette


Bogwood is usually tropical root wood like Mopani or mangrove that is
collected from underwater. It doesn't rot or rots only very slowly and
sinks fairly easily. Driftwood is collected from rivers and beaches and
usually floats until waterlogged (this can take many weeks). It can be
any sort of wood. It's softer and tends to rot and fungus more readily
than bogwood but comes in lots of interesting shapes and sizes and is
free if you live by the water.

Driftwood from the ocean won't harbor FW parasites since salt kills
them. To handle driftwood from FW, boil it if you can. You can boil
one half of the wood, flip it over, and boil the other half if your pot
isn't big enough for the whole piece. Bleaching is not safe becuase
it's VERY hard to rinse bleach back out of wood. If the wood is too
large to boil, you can treat with potassium permanganate since it's less
toxic and small amounts of residue won't harm your tank.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

I don't know the characteristics of grape vine in aquariums, but the
mention gives me pause. I vaguely recall some issue with it, so I
recommend that you research this a bit more before going ahead. Note
that what is fine for birds will not necessarily be fine for fish, for
example, birds don't have to 'breath' the oils which come out of the
wood.
--
www.NetMax.tk

"Mermaid" wrote in message
...
Thank you Elaine,
Again you come to my aid.
I just happen to have a daughter that lives on James Island in
Charleston
SC. I will be giving her a call.LOL
I did not even think of the Ocean. What about brackish areas? Is it
salty
enough to kill stuff?
I bought a piece of grape vine that is actual for reptiles and for
birds to
chew on.
I thought if it is ok for birds it should be ok for a tank.Right? Or
will it
rot quickly? I hope not, it wasn't cheap but very interesting looking.

Thanks,
Paulette


"Elaine T" wrote in message
...
Mermaid wrote:
Pardon my ignorance. What is the difference between driftwood and
bogwood?
Or is it the same thing? And if it is different, where can you
collect
or
purchase it? In years past have collected driftwood around the river
near my
home. But now I am more concerned about contaminants and polution,
in
addition to natural pests and parasites you have to get rid of. Is
bleach
enough to rid of all the nasties?

Just a newbie,
Paulette


Bogwood is usually tropical root wood like Mopani or mangrove that is
collected from underwater. It doesn't rot or rots only very slowly
and
sinks fairly easily. Driftwood is collected from rivers and beaches
and
usually floats until waterlogged (this can take many weeks). It can
be
any sort of wood. It's softer and tends to rot and fungus more
readily
than bogwood but comes in lots of interesting shapes and sizes and is
free if you live by the water.

Driftwood from the ocean won't harbor FW parasites since salt kills
them. To handle driftwood from FW, boil it if you can. You can boil
one half of the wood, flip it over, and boil the other half if your
pot
isn't big enough for the whole piece. Bleaching is not safe becuase
it's VERY hard to rinse bleach back out of wood. If the wood is too
large to boil, you can treat with potassium permanganate since it's
less
toxic and small amounts of residue won't harm your tank.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com