Sticking Air Plant on Driftwood

[David]

Hi everyone

The driftwood I have in my tank sticks out about 4in off the waterline and I was thinking of sticking some air plant onto that portion. Question is, how do I stick the plant onto the wood?

Anyone with any pointers?

[David Moses Heng]

hot glue gun

[David]

Are you serious? If you are, how about silicone?

[Zeonic]

Use hot glue is the norm for airplant. But then it cannot be removed. I suggest you use fine stainless tube rod or wire to fashion a spiral holder or a hook to latch on to the driftwood instead. So that it can be removed for soaking/watering. Always to let it be fully dry after than.

Stainless steel rod is a few cents from hardware shop
Aluminium flexible wire roll can be found at daiso.

An easy way is to use a bottle and wrap the cable around the neck. Remove the bottle and you have a spiral holder.

[HeMan]

A few options

1) small rubber bands ( those ladies use to tie their hair. You can choose
brown to match your DW
2) slim cable tie
3) fine stainless steel ( those who they use to make filter inlet guard) u can peel them out 1 by 1
straps out

Hope my suggestions do help

[Zeonic]

Copper is poisonous to airplant btw. Don't use copper wire.

[cdckjn]

stainless steel wire or aluminium wire, the rest of the options would not allow you to soak the airplant for water. Remember that airplant requires sufficient air circulation for good growth

[David]

Hey Zeonic, Heman and cdckjn...thanks for all the advice of using rubberband. Stainless steel or aluminum wire. Thanks for the heads up on copper as well.

I am an air plant newbie...I was under the impression that air plant uptake of water is from the atmosphere? What is the purpose of soaking them?

Are they heat tolorent plants? They will be quite near the MH lights like perhaps 4in or so away.

Thanks guys for all the input...

[limz_777]

soaking them is just like water the airplant , i kept some before , mostly moisture tolerant ones , if grown long enough the roots will start to anchor to the branch

not sure about mh but i used 2 x 39 watt t5 it work well

[Zeonic]

They need water and absorb water through their leaves. Soaking them for 1-2 hrs and best to hang them upside down to dry. Any water left in the crown will cause them to rot. Once a week will do. Too strong light will also burn them aka sunburn.
Their roots are for anchoring only, not to absorb water. They dont live on air! Mist their leaves or soak them in water. Never let them soaking wet for long periods. Best is to provide filtered lights and airy environment.

My guess if they are 4 inches from MH light, they will be burnt. The leaves will turn brown. 4 inches from LED still ok.

[kohanson]

I have grown air plant before and I literally let them rest on top of the rim of my little pot and the roots were below aand hanging. I mist the leaves once everyday and they produce about 2-3 purple stem with yellow flower and lasted for a few weeks. No direct sun light as I placed them in my kitchen top. I am not sure if this air plant is similar to yours.

[David]

Perhaps not such a good idea with the MH lights ...but thanks anyway...perhaps I find another way to beautify my tank with air plants...learn a lot about them with this thread...thanks guys for sharing!!!!

[cdckjn]

air plant is a very funny plant, basically too much water or humidity they will die by rotting. Too wet by over watering also kills them, too dry they will also die. So the best trick here is air circulation. moving air provides sufficient moisture (we are in Singapore) and especially as you are putting it in a fish tank (air circulation may be a problem if you have a cover - so you will need a fan - tjis will increase vaopration of water in your tank - which is another problem).

The only other concerns here is light - too bright the plants will get "sun-burn" - tips of leaves turns yellow/brown/dry out. Too light also not good.

Well, you have to try it out and see if your species of air plant can survive in the conditions that you have.