Red Mangroves for the Win!

[KellyFrancis]

Ok. Got the wire today at Menards. I got two gauges mostly cuz I have no clue what I I'm doing...



And here are the trees....



Wired the first one without too much problem. I anchored the wire in the suction cup hole and just wrapped it up. Using the lower gauge wire, I wrapped it twice and this is what I got. It's like half upright.... Lol



Then I tried the big one....



This is what I wanted it to look like



But I failed miserably. The smaller wire wasn't getting the job done and the tree was wilting on me so I just gave up. The larger gauge wire, I can't even work with so that was a waste of money. I put them on the tank, hit them with trace, and got the bubbler back in the bucket. I didn't even try the third one. Its the thickest.

I was advised to use fishing line but when i experimented with pulling on the trees where the line would, it did nothing but pull them out of the gravel.

So. Kelly's back to the drawing board....

I'm going to let the reds rest overnight and come back at it fresh in the morning. Any ideas?


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app

 

[KellyFrancis]

I'm a genius. Lol.





I found some random ribbon laying around and decided to test the fishing line theory again. For whatever reason, it worked this time. Maybe last time, I pulled too hard or tried the wrong one? Or was just too stressed out with the wire to think about it clearly... I don't know... I do know that the really long one pulled right out of the gravel when I tried to string that one up too so I just left it alone. I'm hoping that the exposed roots turn into aerial prop roots... Lol

And all this time, I'm freakin screwing around with wire... FML... Got two of three... Not bad. I'll take it. The other one, the long one, I just propped up on my bottle of trace which I set on top of the filter. He's gonna have a funky shape when all's said and done. Lol. So much for doing this professionally....hahahaha


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app

 

[Hawaiianfishkee]

use a whip stick... for the cats... haha.. that's what I would do when my cat would attack my feet while I tossed and turned at night... it was kinda funny... just to give them a lil sting..

 

[KellyFrancis]

How I wish I could.... lol. Then mom would turn around and use it on me.... They're doing fine on top of the tank. For whatever reason, the cats don't go up there. I had to hide a bonsai tree from them up there last winter. They gave that tree several haircuts before I found a safe place. I told my mom the next plant I bring into the house would be poisonous so we knew who the culprit was! lol

 

[petspoiler]

I'm a genius. Lol.

I found some random ribbon laying around and decided to test the fishing line theory again. For whatever reason, it worked this time. Maybe last time, I pulled too hard or tried the wrong one? ......................

And all this time, I'm freakin screwing around with wire... ................So much for doing this professionally....hahahaha

LOL girl, u r so funny. You've never seen that green plastic ribbon for tying house & tomato plants, etc? it stretches a bit, preventing damage to plants while u r tying them in place and 'gives' when plants grow or move with it on.
I doubt I'll ever have the patience to make a serious run at a planted tank project, like you & FH.
;-)
LOVE your pics )

 

[KellyFrancis]

Lol. Thanks. It's really not that much of a commitment. Just gotta keep em wet but that's what the glass box is for.... : )

I have never heard of the green tape. This whole wiring fiasco has seriously made me rethink wiring my other trees to train them. I'll just let them go wild. Bonsai folks are freakin nuts....


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app

 

[petspoiler]

............

I have never heard of the green tape. This whole wiring fiasco has seriously made me rethink wiring my other trees to train them. I'll just let them go wild.....

plant tie ribbon is at any garden nursery, sometimes even in kmart garden centers during growing season.

but could you use something like pvc pipe, cut in half lengthwise, to hold the backside of your plants. tie them against it with stretchy ribbon? and sharpen tiny dowels, stick them down in roots to hold everything upright?
there's probably some tubing that's even lighter weight than pvc, clear, & you could make breathable holes if needed..
I have no idea if your root system base could hold anything like that.

 

[KellyFrancis]

My dad told me about the hose trick. Basically what you're talking about. Cut a slit in a hose and tie it up between three stakes and give the tree enough room to move in the hose but not enough to fall over. The problem was where am I going to put three stakes on the top of my tank? lol. And I know that one, for sure, isn't going to have the root-system yet to hold it down under those conditions. I really worry about that one...It pops out of the planter every time I look at it, no matter how many times I repot it. The other two are so far staying in the planters being tied and wired back. I'm going to stick with what is working for now to minimize stress on everybody. They are so sensitive when they are young...you know? I'll keep the tips in mind though if this fails...

 

[petspoiler]

............ The problem was where am I going to put three stakes on the top of my tank? lol. And I know that one, for sure, isn't going to have the root-system yet to hold it down under those conditions. I really worry about that one...It pops out of the planter every time I look at it, no matter how many times I repot it. The other two are so far staying in the planters being tied and wired back. I'm going to stick with what is working for now to minimize stress on everybody. They are so sensitive when they are young...you know? I'll keep the tips in mind though if this fails...

I had no idea ;-)
ya can't just hammer the stakes in somehow, somewhere?

...told you I have no patience for that kind of project, LOL.

 

[KellyFrancis]

Wish me luck! After adding another tablespoon to the acclimation bucket and testing the salinity, I'm up to a SG of 1.024 and the tank is 1.025ish. So I decided to try one out in the tank. Hope he does ok! I'm going to let it sit for the day and keep an eye on it. If all's well in the morning, I'll put the other two in.






Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app