# Best way to attach Fissidens fontanus to bogwood tree?



## CallumM

I have just tried a take on the Dry Start Method, chopping the Fissidens up, mixing it with natural yogurt, painting it onto the bogwood where I want the growth to take, placing it in a container with a small amount of water, placed on a sunny window sill and misted once or twice daily.
This attempt was a failure. I probably used too much yogurt and the container wasn't airtight so the humidity couldn't build up so the end result was a load of mould on the yogurt!
I'm keen to get a bogwood tree growing but the Fissidens I have is not really suitable for being tied to the wood so I'm after the best method of attaching it to my bogwood.
Has anyone had success with the yogurt method? What has been the most successful methods for you guys?


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## Eboeagles

Tie it with cotton or super glue it on - both work well. I was nervous about using glue but it works and doesn't seem to have any detrimental effect's.


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## CallumM

It's loose and bitty so tying it will be a real pain in the backside but it's my preferred method. I am nervous about using super glue but I have heard plenty of people recommending that method on other forums. What glue did you use and when did you use it?


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## Eboeagles

CallumM said:


> It's loose and bitty so tying it will be a real pain in the backside but it's my preferred method. I am nervous about using super glue but I have heard plenty of people recommending that method on other forums. What glue did you use and when did you use it?


 
It was just some cheap superglue I had laying around. I simply pulled out the wood patted it down with some kitchen roll added the glue and fiss and bobs your uncle. I know exactly how you're feeling - I was the same, but once you've done it you'll see. The only thing to watch is that its all definitely stuck down before re submerging the wood - one bit of mine wasnt and now I have a little white spot on my wood where the glue is exposed...


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## CallumM

Thanks for the advice


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## dw1305

Hi all,


CallumM said:


> mixing it with natural yogurt, painting it onto the bogwood where I want the growth to take, placing it in a container with a small amount of water, placed on a sunny window sill and misted once or twice daily. This attempt was a failure. I probably used too much yogurt and the container wasn't airtight so the humidity couldn't build up so the end result was a load of mould on the yogurt!


 Sorry the  yoghurt/ DSM didn't work, I think "_sunny window sill_" & "_and the container wasn't airtight_" was probably where it all went wrong.

I'd recommend "cyanoacrylate super-glue" as well for _Fissidens_, it is really difficult to tie on, but once it is initially attached, it attaches itself really well as it spreads. If you get the gel type they are less messy.

cheers Darrel


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## Yo-han

+1 on the super glue! I was cautioned as well at first. but use it for all moss, ferns and Anubias now! Super fast, and safe after it is dry. Makes your life way easier!!


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## zanguli-ya-zamba

Hi I will soon have to attache mosses, fern and anubia and I wanted to use the glue methode so that it good to hear for you guys that it is safe and the easiest method to do so !!!
thanks


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## CallumM

Thanks for the advice, chaps! I was going to give the yogurt method another bash, with a couple of modifications, as I'm pretty sure I know where I went wrong and what I can do to get it to work............but Fissidens is expensive and I don't want to keep experimenting so I will probably use some Java or Spiky Moss to attempt the yogurt method, as I'm intrigued by it.

Please could you give me a method rundown on using super-glue? I have plenty cyanoacrylate super glue so I think I will use that but I would like to know how you guys have used it so I can iron out any possible mistakes before I make them! I don't want to end up with a patchy looking tree.


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## CallumM

Is it a bit-by-bit method?


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## CallumM

Just found this on YouTube, which answers my question.............


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## CallumM

Thanks for the advice, Guys. I've glued my Fissidens to the tree and it's now in place in my tank, looking healthy and ready to fill out on the branches.
I've also started another experiment, using yogurt to attach moss to bogwood. I know where I went wrong last time and have countered the mistakes so hopefully should get a moss covered bogwood ornament as a result within the next couple of weeks. I've used a spare piece of bogwood and surplus java moss so, if it doesn't work, it's no hardship...........if it does work, I can sell the ornament! (they're silly money in the shops!)


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## LondonDragon

in the past I just used cotton thread of the colour of the moss or wood! Fissidens will eventually attach to the wood itself, one of the few mosses that does that. Will be a pain to get rid of it afterwards, once had some on wood and then removed wood from tank and stripped off the Fissidens, few months later decided to use the wood again and put it in the tank, to my surprise the fissidens started growing again lol


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## GreenGrow

I've found that fissedens responds well to superglue as it tends to grow bush like around the origin point. Just make sure to use thick superglue as the more liquid one will run and look abit messy for abit.


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## 1colin

I  always wondered abour the whole superglue thing but im going to try it


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## harryH

Just coming in here to say I used gel (cyanoacrylate) superglue after reading about it on here, to fasten my weeping moss ( vesicularia ferriei) to already wet (soaked) redwood root. the wet wood only served to set the superglue more quickly and it was so easy to do.
After a week the moss is growing well.


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## nickmcmechan

How long is it until the superglue dries (is it about a minute or two)? And can you put the wood straight back in at that point?

I have shrimp in the tank


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## harryH

nickmcmechan said:


> How long is it until the superglue dries (is it about a minute or two)? And can you put the wood straight back in at that point?
> 
> I have shrimp in the tank



I have shrimp ( red cherry) in my tank too, no probs.
Using the gel s/glue as I mentioned above, it appears to set even quicker when applied to wet wood,  it does set in a minute or two and you can put it straight back in the tank without problems.
It's only downside is that the glue sets white but the moss soon covers that.

Harry.


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## nickmcmechan

harryH said:


> I have shrimp ( red cherry) in my tank too, no probs.
> Using the gel s/glue as I mentioned above, it appears to set even quicker when applied to wet wood,  it does set in a minute or two and you can put it straight back in the tank without problems.
> It's only downside is that the glue sets white but the moss soon covers that.
> 
> Harry.


Thanks Harry 

I have moss on way and there is a branch sticking up I was going to attach it to.

Was thinking about doing a large water change below the level of the branch and attaching in situ before refilling go the tank, looks like it will work ok and the gel is the best option as it won't run

Thanks


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## sciencefiction

I've used superglue many times myself. It does turn white which is the ugly part. However, from what I know although was too lazy to try it, if you leave it cure in air(providing the plants are moist not to dry out), there won't be white residue. 
 And it cures faster or rather immediately underwater so I don't wait. It's safe as long as it's not some fancy one with additives. I've used it in shrimp tanks too. It was produced to stick human wounds in medicine.


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## Martin in Holland

Yes, superglue will leave some white part, but Fissidens will grow fast over it and covers the little bit of white...
It cures really fast...about 10 seconds



 
All this moss has been glued with superglue....and looks like this now (next pic.)


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## Alastair

Martin in China said:


> Yes, superglue will leave some white part, but Fissidens will grow fast over it and covers the little bit of white...
> It cures really fast...about 10 seconds
> 
> 
> 
> All this moss has been glued with superglue....and looks like this now (next pic.)



Martin this is lovely. Do you have a journal on this???


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## Martin in Holland

I started a journal on this tank  http://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/dong-hu-gorge.29582/  , but as often when things go nice you stop writing...only when I have problems I start asking around for help.


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## tim

Martin in China said:


> I started a journal on this tank  http://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/dong-hu-gorge.29582/  , but as often when things go nice you stop writing...only when I have problems I start asking around for help.


Time to update the thread with a couple of new pics then Martin, looks fantastic mate.


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## X3NiTH

sciencefiction said:


> I've used superglue many times myself.........It was produced to stick human wounds in medicine.



Specifically, it was first used during the Vietnam war where it was deployed in an aerosol to patch up battle damaged liver tissue which is near impossible to sew. When I was building model kits as kid way back when, I read an article on Superglue featured in an issue of US forces Soldier magazine in the 60's. This was handy to know because I always occasionaly slipped with the scalpel and kept more superglue than plasters, lol. It's advantage in Liver repair was that the bond produced is porous and allows molecular transportation between the adjoined tissues across the bond. It's still used today in many areas of medicine, the medically safe version is known as Histoacryl (Hist-a-krill).

I'm currently constructing an Anubia wall for my shrimp tank, mesh is vinyl though so adherence for the Anubia to the plastic may be an issue using superglue. I suppose it won't stop me gluing the moss to the base of the Anubias though and letting it grow from there, should be safe as long as I don't smother the rhizome and restrict its growth (superglue won't stop nutrient transport across the bond).


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