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Bog wood: Anchoring and Stability

mark4785

mark4785

Member
Joined
4 Jan 2011
Messages
451
Location
Derbyshire, UK.
I was recently reading THIS article and one thing that has always puzzled me is how aquascapers manage to branch out their bog wood pieces horizontally from a central point. If you observe some of the pictures you can clearly see that a lot of the bog wood is arranged like this.

How is this achieved? Is there some glue or string involved? Where can such pieces of bog wood be acquired as I've personally only come across bog wood that resembles a big boring boulder?

Thanks in advance,
Mark
 
i've used cable ties before. String also good. Silicon sealant can be used as glue (aquarium safe). i've seen more complicated weighting of larger, taller bits of wood by drilling a hole into the "base" part to fix it to a piece of slate to stop it toppling.

best way to find out what the experts have done tank by tank is work through some of the more detailed setup journals.

best regards,
john
 
I Like to use a Hot Glue Gun. Works perfectly for wood and attaching plants like moss, anubias aswell.
If I am using Hot Glue, Then I presoak the Wood, And then Dry them over the hob or in the oven. Glue then Together onto a Peice of Slate and Let them Dry - Job Done.

I have seen a few people screw them onto slate, Drill them and use Plugs, Drill them and Attach weights to them to weight them down. I have Used Building Bricks in the past, to Help Position them straight up or at an angle with Gravel to set them in postion inside the holes of the brick.
 
Then I presoak the Wood, And then Dry them over the hob or in the oven. Glue then Together onto a Peice of Slate and Let them Dry - Job Done.
Click to expand...

What type of pieces of wood would you or others typically glue together and then glue onto slate? Would you purchase any of these?: http://www.aquaessentials.co.uk/aquasca ... 8_515.html

Presumably, where you have glued the wood to slate you would put some rocks or substrate there so it's not obvious that glue is holding it in place?

Can you recommend a 'Hot Glue Gun' (with glue included which is fish-friendly) that I could purchase?
 
mark4785 said:
Then I presoak the Wood, And then Dry them over the hob or in the oven. Glue then Together onto a Peice of Slate and Let them Dry - Job Done.
Click to expand...

What type of pieces of wood would you or others typically glue together and then glue onto slate? Would you purchase any of these?: http://www.aquaessentials.co.uk/aquasca ... 8_515.html

Presumably, where you have glued the wood to slate you would put some rocks or substrate there so it's not obvious that glue is holding it in place?

Can you recommend a 'Hot Glue Gun' (with glue included which is fish-friendly) that I could purchase?
Click to expand...

Yep works fine for that wood. And yes glue substrate or smaller rocks around the point of glueing. Unless it will be covered with the substrate anyway.

Glue Gun, I just use the one in the DIY section of a Department Store/Discount store. Never had any probs.
 
Gill said:
mark4785 said:
Then I presoak the Wood, And then Dry them over the hob or in the oven. Glue then Together onto a Peice of Slate and Let them Dry - Job Done.
Click to expand...

What type of pieces of wood would you or others typically glue together and then glue onto slate? Would you purchase any of these?: http://www.aquaessentials.co.uk/aquasca ... 8_515.html

Presumably, where you have glued the wood to slate you would put some rocks or substrate there so it's not obvious that glue is holding it in place?

Can you recommend a 'Hot Glue Gun' (with glue included which is fish-friendly) that I could purchase?
Click to expand...

Yep works fine for that wood. And yes glue substrate or smaller rocks around the point of glueing. Unless it will be covered with the substrate anyway.

Glue Gun, I just use the one in the DIY section of a Department Store/Discount store. Never had any probs.
Click to expand...

Umm, sorry to keep firing the questions but where exactly do you acquire the slate and could you possibly recommend the exact glue-gun you use?

I'm VERY anxious about putting glue into the water so the exact glue you use would be very helpful!!

Mark.
 
No Worries, will have a look in the garage for you to see which brand it is. In the Morning :)

The Slate, Large Diy chain like B+Q quite cheap or most garden centres stock it.
 
Hi Mark,

Tom Barr wrote a few posts on how he attaches and stabilises his wood to slate:

mounting and stabilising wood

Although I have never checked, I believe most garden centres should stock slate.
 
I think only the last picture is missing from the actual guide, the majority of the pictures are from the various pieces of manzanita that Tom sells. I presume he removes the images once he makes a new topic for all the new wood he has to sell.

Sorry I can't help you more as I've never actually tried it myself. I'm planning to do something like it soon though so I bookmarked the link :)
 
Gill said:
No Worries, will have a look in the garage for you to see which brand it is. In the Morning :)

The Slate, Large Diy chain like B+Q quite cheap or most garden centres stock it.
Click to expand...

Did you manage to find the name of the 'glue-gun?'

I visited B&Q today and found absolutely no slate. Just the very thick slate that is used for flooring! o_O
 
Tom said:
You could try the "Aquascaping Clay" or Milliput reefers use for securing rocks. I used it in my last scape.
Click to expand...

Milliput is one i never thought of.
 
Gill said:
oh yeah, it was a Stanley one, and another I have is 3M
Click to expand...

Thanks for the brand name!

Do I need to use a specific type of glue in the aquarium with this gun?

Edit: I have been going through some of the journals and I'm finding it difficult to find anybody who has glued bog wood to some slate. Most people seem to balance them on rocks or panes of glass. Thankfully my dad as sourced some slate from a friend of his; I think it must be 30cm by 20cm. I will obviously need a smaller slice than this.

I've searched eBay and another online aquatic shops and I just cannot imagine any of the pieces of sumatra/bog wood looking interesting in the aquarium.

I'm looking to achieve something like this:

drawingd.jpg
 
Deanne said:
Look on eBay at Fennstones. I’ve had large slate pieces from them, they are very helpful
Click to expand...
I think he might have found a piece by now- look at the post date 2011!

I didn't realise people had used pieces of slate to stabilise the wood before; I thought that was my idea - obviously not.

Anyone interested reading this now and having questions you can get decent pieces of slate from places like topps tiles which are also honed.
I found using aquarium safe silicone and A4 grade stainless steel wood screws work a treat.
Drop me a message if you have any further questions.
 
Has anyone had success using a putty like the one below to adhere wood to slate or other stones, rather than going down the drilling route?

Obviously drilling would be more secure, but using a putty, it may be possible to experiment was positions before it sets.

www.finestaquatics.co.uk

D-D Aquascape Aquarium Epoxy (Rock Grey)

D-D Aquascape Aquarium Epoxy (Rock Grey) Aquascape is a two-part epoxy putty that has been specially developed by D-D for use in saltwater and freshwater aquariums and other underwater applications. Aquascape has been developed to be stickier than most epoxies so that it bonds easier to wet...
www.finestaquatics.co.uk www.finestaquatics.co.uk
 
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