# coco panels?



## Gaz_dbd (Apr 30, 2009)

hi im just wandering on peoples thoughts of these for backgrounds?

ive ran out of time to do things properly so having to cheat and buy things now

also what is best to do with them to sculpt/mount things on and attatch them to the walls?

thanks


----------



## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

They look ok in some tanks, although I know some regulars don't like them :lol2: Stick 'em on with silicone sealant. Never thought about the 'sculpting' part; I'd have thunk that you could probably use some thing like poly shapes underneath them, sealed to the glass for interesting ledges and tree trunk shapes though.


----------



## Gaz_dbd (Apr 30, 2009)

cool, i have my main tank which is done properly - EVERYTHING natural that could be and that has a GG background, but ive ran out of time so buying some of these panels and cork backgrounds to do my other tanks

thanks for the advice, ill give the poly shapes a go and upload some pics when done


----------



## Wolfenrook (Jul 2, 2010)

I have coco panels in a couple of vivs. Hmmm, how can I put this? They look rubbish for absolutely ages, way longer than ANY other background PERIOD. BUT, if you can get stuff like cissus amazonica etc growing up it, eventually it looks pretty decent.










To attach broms, I made pockets using a closed pair of scissors by pushing these into the panel almost vertically, then prying the fibers out at the top. Then I wrapped a bit of live sphagnum around the stolon and poked this into this 'pouch'.

As to sculpting, you could always by one of the ones by Namibia Terra that come with pockets that form nice shelves.

All that said, there are lots and lots of nicer, better, backgrounds that are just as easy to fix. I reckon my thread http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/amphibians/749436-60-deep.html shows just how easy it is to create a good looking viv using even a fish tank background.

Ade


----------



## Gaz_dbd (Apr 30, 2009)

ah fair enough, ill just cover it with lots of sphag to hide it, i didnt realise there were ones with shapes already in,

do people like the cork ones? whats there opinions on them too?

im probably going to get ex-comunicated from this thread but my leuc just has aquarium background on the outside that looks like tree trunks, and a mix of live and fake plants, but that was before i was brave enough to try anything, so at UKFD im gona get plenty of good stuff for him, as these new dart tanks have DECIMATED my 2 year collection of mopani, cork, driftwood


----------



## Cornish-J (Sep 4, 2011)

I've just used the lucky reptile natural cork panels in my viv, really pleased with the look but i havent mounted anything onto the panels, just grown stuff from the soil below.

http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/amphibians/749434-dart-frog-project-progressing-8.html


----------



## Gaz_dbd (Apr 30, 2009)

cheers J

your viv looks awesome!!

im gona get some and do it on the back and 1 side you you have

might try to coax a few things onto it lower down and hope they grow up


----------



## Cornish-J (Sep 4, 2011)

Thanks mate 

Just out of interest how big is your viv?


----------



## manda88 (Nov 27, 2009)

Personally I'd go for the cork bark over the coco panel, it's more expensive by a long shot but it looks so much nicer. We've got coco panel backgrounds in with our 60x45x60 Exo and to be honest it looks a bit crap, however most of it has been smothered in ever growing ficus pumila and heartleaf climber so it doesn't look so bad now :2thumb: I can't say I'd use it again, in fact we did that tank before we discovered the miracle that is Gorilla Glue, I would like to redo it but the frogs are happy and it doesn't REALLY need to be redone.
As for attaching pockets and things, we just cut out triangle shapes and siliconed them on, simple as that! It's been about 18 months now and they're still holding on, even with my fat lummock whites sat in them!


----------



## Gaz_dbd (Apr 30, 2009)

there will be 2, 60x30x30 and 90x30x45 (cm lxwxh)

the problem is i have already ordered the panels so will use them for now and use the cork on another tank thats 90x30x30


----------



## Cornish-J (Sep 4, 2011)

sounds good, mines 75x40x40, you will have some good fun designing the 90


----------



## Gaz_dbd (Apr 30, 2009)

Cornish-J said:


> sounds good, mines 75x40x40, you will have some good fun designing the 90


haha ive just finished a 120x45x45 with a false bottom, GG background and waterfall, now that was fun designing, just waiting for things to sort out then i will take some pics, it is no way anywhere near as good as some of everyone elses


----------



## soundstounite (Sep 6, 2009)

Gaz i'm always a bit left field on your threads sorry dude :blush:,erm i don't care for the coco panels,but both Ade and Manda have shown it can be done well,anyway what i was going to say is that there isn't a rush,even with immenant frogs there is always time,here's the reason:I read alot of the american threads,they have a fettish :blush: shall we say about quarrantine,more than likely rightly so!!!!! But i can set up a temp qt tub in about a couple of hours,most of our frogs we have done this with,mainly for observation perposes,there can be problems with some tincs hating this set up ,but for frogs like auratus its a god send as they don't dissapear for 3 weeks like our male did when put in his viv,which had us thinking we'd lost him for good, which is a mare.
Basically we have a curver box about £7 fron b&Q cut some vent holes in the top and mesh them with around 0.4mm mesh, microwavae about 3/4 inches of coarse orchid bark for the botton subs,microwave about 2 more inches of oak/beech leaf mould for tops and cover this with a damn good layer of whole leaves,oak usually,we keep a stock of ficus pumilla and tradescantia which grow like weeds and chuck a couple of these in,get the humidity up and one temporary home untill their gaff is sorted properly,we have had frogs in one of these for 3 months(our mysties would have bred in thier if i hadn't moved them),again if tincs they might hate it!!!!!, with no problems,not actually because the viv wasn't ready but because i wanted to watch them like a hawk just in case they had something nasty,its not an ideal quarantine but its a start,and also a stopgap so in your case you can get the viv how you want,
sorry mate told ya i was off on one:gasp::lol2:
Stu
Stu


----------



## Wolfenrook (Jul 2, 2010)

I have a massive coco panel that I've had for ages, all still sealed up.

The problem with the size of the vivs you have is, Cork is gonna very quickly drain your bank account.

Here's my tip. Buy some black fablon and stick it on the OUTSIDE of your viv (back and sides), then on the inside silicone on pieces of natural cork. Then just put some bits of moss on the top edges, moss slurry on the surfaces. You can still guide your plants to grow up it, and it wont cost nearly as much!

See for yourself, it works quite well, and this is just a White's viv:-










I found White's don't do well with Gorilla glue backgrounds, plus that viv is 80cms x 50cms x 60cms, so cork panels would have been quite expensive. The black fablon gives the frogs that sense of security, and you a nice black background. Then you just use the cork like tree trunks.

Easy to obtain, easy to do and cheaper than panels. 

Just a different option for you. 

Ade


----------



## Gaz_dbd (Apr 30, 2009)

cheers stu, that is one thing i have considered as i have quite a few storage boxes that ive used as temp houses as well as many smaller tanks, so i think i will set them up, so that i can really go to town on a few after UKFD 

unfortunately the coco panels are on their way so im gonna have to use them, and ill just experiment and see what works. failing that i can rip them out or stick things to them ect

that is one main problem with the cork panels, for 1 of my 60s it will cost me £18, so i think im gonna go for your idea with the tape, what sort of tape is it and where is it best to get it? or is it possible to "cheat" like we did in the aquarium i worked in and paint the back of the tanks? it would be using ready mix paints so hopefully shouldnt be too bad

i would just like to take this opportunity to say thank you everyone for helping me and putting up with my newbieness, and i hope to see as many of you as possible at UKFD


----------



## Wolfenrook (Jul 2, 2010)

It's sticky backed plastic bud, brand name Fablon. I got my last lot in B&Q, usually near the wallpaper section. Before that I bought some on ebay, as it's good for hiding water filled voids under false bottoms, ugly gorilla glue backs etc.

You could indeed paint the back etc etc, but then you have the worry about fumes etc. But yes, it is an idea I got from my aquarium keeping days, where I used to pay far more than a roll of Fablon costs just for a glossy black aquarium background. 

Plus look at things another way, when was the last time you saw a "soil/tree fern/cork box in the wild? They're about giving the animals a sense of security mainly, which you can do just as well with a black covering. Then use things like natural cork, cork branches, liana etc to decorate it naturally. Plenty of folks in the US just put aquarium backgrounds on their vivs as they like to save the floor space that you lose with panels, foam, glue etc.

Me, I tend to experiment a lot.  Only method I tried that failed was the Titebond 3 method.  The frogs just want to feel secure, and maybe have something to climb on or hide behind/under. They could care less most of the time how you provide this. So I experiment with ways of doing this simply whilst maintaining a pleasing look.

Ade


----------



## soundstounite (Sep 6, 2009)

Gaz_dbd said:


> cheers stu, that is one thing i have considered as i have quite a few storage boxes that ive used as temp houses as well as many smaller tanks, so i think i will set them up, so that i can really go to town on a few after UKFD
> 
> unfortunately the coco panels are on their way so im gonna have to use them, and ill just experiment and see what works. failing that i can rip them out or stick things to them ect
> 
> ...


 Ade's idea on the tape mate kudos to him, speak to morgan freeman about the paint i think he's used it,i have issues with paint 'cause i've used them too much, 
it goes around in a circle Gaz folks help each other out different opinions areas of expertise,get passed on hopefully the phibs win in the end,tis a good thing
Stu


----------



## Gaz_dbd (Apr 30, 2009)

i think ill head to b&q on wednesday to get some of that tape then i also could do with something to cover the water section on my false bottom, and just order a shed load of pieces of various shaped bark when i put an order to surrey tomorrow. 

i used to use aquarium background and still do, but in general im trying to swap to better backgrounds, and also slowly decreasing my reliance on fake plants, but i still use some (orchids ivy ect just for the look) 

i always try to help people but usually there is some one with more experience or knowledge than me who gets their first haha, i dont really have an area of expertise haha


----------



## soundstounite (Sep 6, 2009)

Gaz_dbd said:


> i think ill head to b&q on wednesday to get some of that tape then i also could do with something to cover the water section on my false bottom, and just order a shed load of pieces of various shaped bark when i put an order to surrey tomorrow.
> 
> i used to use aquarium background and still do, but in general im trying to swap to better backgrounds, and also slowly decreasing my reliance on fake plants, but i still use some (orchids ivy ect just for the look)
> 
> i always try to help people but usually there is some one with more experience or knowledge than me who gets their first haha, i dont really have an area of expertise haha


 jack of all trades master of most:2thumb: :lol2: just so much to learn mate,thats a big part of the crack for me about this, in ten yrs this learning will still apply thats the beauty of this there is always someone with a different take,a different thought to try,not much of this is written in stone yet 
Stu


----------



## MARK.D (Oct 18, 2008)

Wilkinsons sell Fablon too. Got my last roll from there. : victory:


----------



## Wolfenrook (Jul 2, 2010)

MARK.D said:


> Wilkinsons sell Fablon too. Got my last roll from there. : victory:


Good to know I'm not the only one using it. :lol2:

Ade


----------



## MARK.D (Oct 18, 2008)

Wolfenrook said:


> Good to know I'm not the only one using it. :lol2:
> 
> Ade


Yup. its good stuff. :no1:


----------



## richie.b (Oct 27, 2008)

MARK.D said:


> Yup. its good stuff. :no1:
> 
> image



Yep Mark uses smarty fablon on all his vivs :whistling2:

Richie


----------



## MARK.D (Oct 18, 2008)

Defo Richie... its the way forward... Makes a lovely background. :crazy:


----------



## Wolfenrook (Jul 2, 2010)

Pure class, on the glass. 

Hmmm, Smarty Fablon+ Punta Clara pums?  Sweetshop themed viv anybody? lmao

Ade


----------



## Gaz_dbd (Apr 30, 2009)

ahrite i know what you mean now, at first i thought you meant like insulating tape, and i was thinking that would take ages to cover, but now i know what it is its all good

Ade that is my challenge to you, make a sweet themed viv, you could use really soily water in the waterfall - chocolate stream?

some red vines - strawberry laces?


----------

