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R.E.:Backgrounds made of plants. Read !

I use cork backing instead of needle point sheets because I hate tying
stuff with fishing line!Good Lord ! I'd be spending days upon days
roping the amount of plants I have !
   Cork works far better than anything I've seen so far.By using wire
,cut with wire cutters @1" or however long you need ,bending this
straight piece into a "U" shaped nail ,you can attach plants very fast
to any surface covered with cork.Place the plant in the "U" and push
into the wall.That's it !This also gives you a vertical planting surface
instead of just a horizontal
one . A good example is the entire back of your tank! Amano uses black
backgrounds .I prefer plants.Quite a few Europeans use the cork also.
So I silicone a sheet of cork 1/2" thick to the backs of some of my
tanks. On this ,I attach java fern-moss,Anubias, Bolbitis (these do very
well) and Riccia etc........You don't have to do something as permanent
either.Just clamp the top piece of cork with a small plastic clamp and
bury the bottom in the gravel so it doesn't move around.
   Another very useful technique is to glue a piece of cork on a
glass(or any rigid or bendable material that sinks).
These can be shaped any way you wish.Glueing cork OVER this material
will allow you to make any 3D shape or 2D shape you wish ! Yes, even
Aquatic topiary ! Abstract art or ..........
Flat slats covered on one side are very useful for terracing and they
cover up perfect and because you can use glass or whatever you wish
you'll be able to get the perfect size for your needs .No more looking
for that perfect piece of driftwood . This works with paladiums too !
It's cheap to play around with also and really makes for a unique work
.Moving the plants on the background is a snap with the U nails and
makes for a modular aquascaping possibilities .Try it .
   No plants at all in the gravel but only on the background give new
possibilities .I saw a tank with Bolbitis all over the back with a bunch
of SA cichlids that normally dig and uproot anything .Being very dark
green ,the Bolbitis made a beautiful contrast with the vivid colors of
the fish on the background I must say.
 I think I'll make an aquatic topiary of a cat using the litter box in
my next tank<G>!
    Tom Barr     AGA