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Which method do you use to tie Jave Fern with Drift wood?.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/corydoras/
Member of the Malta Aquarist Society - 1970.
http://www.maltaaquarist.com

Hi,
Get some black cotton sewing thread.

Lay the plant on the object that you want it to grow
onto in the direction that makes the plant look natural.
Remove the plant and then wrap the thread once or twice
around the object and tie a knot. Reset the plant over
the first wrapping of thread, gently hold the plant in
the position you want it to grow and start wrapping the
thread snugly around the plant and the object. The idea
is to hold the plant to the object, but not tight enough
to cut into the body (stalk) of the rhizome. Wrap the plant
with a turn or two every inch or so, and then knot it off
at the end of the rhizome.

Some use rubber bands, but these age and get brittle in the
water, and constrict into the body of the plant which can
eventually sever the plant and kill it.

Some use monofillament fishing line, but this does not rot
away and can, in the hands of a non fisherman (someone who
is not used to tying hooks with the stuff) become a real
chore to get the right knots. Additionally, this stuff
can cut a plant like a knife if you aren't careful.

Using Black Cotton thread allows the thread to fade into
the background colors (provided you don't over do
the turns and the thickness of the thread). The plant
leaves will grow over it as well as the new roots and the
big plus - over time the plant attaches itself to the
object (the whole idea of the thing) and the thread rots
away completely disappearing over time.

Hope this helps...

Frank

-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

I use a similar method as Frank,
I use hemp rope for tieing down my plants in the aquarium, the same twine I also use in my garden to tie up tomatoes and other plants. It works great, is a neutral beige color, and biodegrades rapidly in the water.


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I only use 15lb nylon fishing line reason being it has to be held firm to allow it go attach its self to the DW. I have tried other methods but they seem to rot or are too visible and spoil the effect of the aquascape. Yes it will cut the plant but this is so rare not even a problem. When I done the 5ft tank I never cut one piece at all and you can see how many I tied.

I tie it on the DW first leaving a long "tag" this allows for tying off to be done very easy

I will not be cutting any fishing line off for at least 12 months.

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Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
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Thanks alot Guys, for your help.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/corydoras/
Member of the Malta Aquarist Society - 1970.
http://www.maltaaquarist.com

Sneaky, thanks for the hemp tip - I didn't have any black cotton thread and didn't want to use fishing line to tie my Anubias to driftwood today, but I had some hemp twine, so I used that. So far, so good!

><>

Another reason for fishing line no chemicals used be careful with the hemp as it is a vegetable matter.

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

Hemp twine is usually all natural with no chemical treatments, at least the stuff I use is.


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It might not have any chemicals added but what about the growing process that would be my biggest concern.

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info

Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

Hemp is the kind of thing you expect not to have any chemicals associated with, period. Just think of all the irate hippies if they found out it had chemicals dumped on it...

><>

Trust me, its a different "hemp."

We used to sell a rope that was called "hemp" but then
we discovered that it had preservatives in it that could
discolor cloth. Additionally, I would rewind cat scratching
posts with it, and once I did you could not pay a cat to
go near it.

Later our company switched to Sisal hemp, a more
"pure hemp" that was untreated.
Now the cats love the rewound scratching posts,
and the twine is ideal for use in freshwater tanks.
However, I find it too rough and fibrous to use to
tie down delicate plants. I still prefer to use a
black, cotton thread.

Here is a link that will tell you a bit more about
Sisal Hemp: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sisal

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

frank,
cotton thread is a great Idea, looks like I will be leaving my fishing line in the tackle box from now on!

I have tried both the thread and the Fishing line and I prefer the Fishing line I use no more than a 4 lb test And I also tie it to the DW with a long "tag" I have never had a problem with it but the trick is tying the plant firmly but not cut in half tight. I mainly use a few turns around the plant. Bonus with the fishing line is if you tie it to rocks it wont give way by being cut loose, by the water flow. Incidentally I use the fishing line for several other uses around the aquarium, from tying Thermometers in place to holding DW down to the bottom of the tank.

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It's not that easy & you need lots of patience when tieing these Ferns. I did some yesterday & i will do the rest today.........

http://www.flickr.com/photos/corydoras/
Member of the Malta Aquarist Society - 1970.
http://www.maltaaquarist.com

When I had all the Anubias for the 5ft tank, it took a lot of time plus the wife helping me by holding the plants apart so that I could run the fishing line between the stems.

4lb line I don't think I could even see it now, and I used a lot finer when I was tying FW fishing flies

One thing about the fishing line is that I tie it to the DW first using a hangman's knot (that is a knot that slides along the line) leaving a long tag this makes it very easy to tie. Sorry to say this method cannot be done using no fishing line.

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info

Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

I also have lots of Anubias, but they are easier to tie than Ferns. The Ferns are more delicate & the rhizone very thin, when compaired with the Anubias.

I usually use sewing thread, but before i used to use fishing line.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/corydoras/
Member of the Malta Aquarist Society - 1970.
http://www.maltaaquarist.com