Cocofibre backgrounds have long been used in creating naturalistic tropical terrariums due to the ease with which mosses and epiphytic plants such as Orchids, Bromeliads, Tillandsia and Ferns can be rooted on to them.
The cocofiibre backgrounds provided in the Pollywog shop are held together with a natural rubber making them more robust and able to withstand humidity much better than a lot of those currently available on the market. Below is a guide on how to use them.
Installation:
- Starting with the side pieces the first step is to measure up the terrarium and mark out the shapes needed on the cocofibre. It is important to accurately measure each internal edge of the terrarium as more often than not each edge will be slightly different. Depending on the type of set up you are creating it may be advisable to cut your background to start flush with the substrate layer rather than fit to the base of the terrarium.
- Next using a straight edge and a sharp knife cut the background to size.
- The cut sides are now put in position, any slight trimming can be done with a pair of scissors.
- Both sides now in position measure the back wall of the terrarium between the side pieces, mark out the shape on the cocofibre, cut and position in the terrarium.
- Any gaps can be easily filled with left over strips of cocofibre, these strips are cut slightly wide to ensure a good tight fit and an almost invisible seam.
- All panels now cut to size can be removed and glued into the terrarium using a high modulus acetic cure 100% silicon as sold for aquarium manufacture. If you have cut your background to start flush with the substrate layer rather than the base you may need to turn the terrarium on it's side and weigh the background down to hold it in place while the silicon sets. The silicon will need to cure for 24hours before continuing to the next stage.
Planting:
Climbers:
- Trailing and climbing plants can be planted into the substrate at the base of the cocofibre background and trained to climb, over time they will spread and cover the cocopanel. Small wire U staples can be used to hold the plants runners against the cocofibre as they take root. These staples can be removed once rooted so they do not become a danger to the terrarium inhabitants.
Epiphytes:
- Epiphytic plants such as Tillandsia and Bromeliads can be planted into pockets in the cocofibre background.
- Take a sharp knife such as the one you cut the background to size with and create a slit in the cocopanel, then using your finger open the slit to form a small pocket in the fibres.
- The stem and any roots of the plant are inserted into this pocket and the main body of the plant is held in place using epiphyte planting sticks available from the Pollywog shop.
- Moss can be added to help retain moisture at the base of the plant encouraging it to take root quickly. Be careful not to cover too much of the plant with this moss as excess moisture can cause the plant to rot.
