Coco Bedding Help!!

[djfunkshowkid]

Im trying to work with this coco bedding now, and its not behaving! I have sqeezed the water out, and baked it...and its still moist! It is not applying to the silicone very thick. How do I use this stuff and get an outcome like most people have here in the forum that have used it.

Please Help!!

 

[DaSlackMan]

It doesn't matter if it is wet or dry. I just dumped it on the silicone.... let it dry... brushed of excess with a brush... and voila... A few pics of my Red Eye Tree frog viv build. Click on pics to enlarge

 

[djfunkshowkid]

Does anyone know if watered down white elmers glue will hurt chams? Maybe im using the wrong type of silicone

 

[Woodinville]

Did you tip the viv on it's back, or on it's side to pack the coco bedding onto the silicone? That way gravity will keep the bedding on the silicone until it's dry. Be liberal in your application of the fiber and the silicone, and just gently squish it into the wet silicone. Here's a link to a site (you've probably seen this site) but it really helped me with my viv. Here are a few pics of mine after the cock dried onto the silicone, and the viv now. I wouldn't try Elmer's Glue. 100% Silicone is really the only thing that's going to stand up to the moisture. And make sure it's Black Silicone. Cheers
http://www.blackjungle.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=2108

 

[Woodinville]

Pics

Not sure why my pics didn't post, but I'll try again. Here area the various stages of coco bedding in silicone in my viv.

 

[djfunkshowkid]

Yeah, we tipped it on its back to do it...now it just looks like a really really worn out felt table. We used the wrong type of silicone. I will pick up some of the black stuff soon. I guess while im waiting to pick up the silicone, it will just give the coco bedding more time to dry out.

Even though the shower has a really rough coating on it...it still gets me quite excited...and gets my imagination flowing. thanks for the help.

 

[Mesnik]

Having used coconut fibers, I say dry is the way to go, and not wet or moist.

Yes, it is a pain in the neck to dry it off!! I used one of my wife's (shhhhh) baking pan and dried a little at a time. You will get it all nice and dry. Like I said, it takes time and it is a pain.

Then you have to cover by parts. Apply the silicone on the surface, say about one foot square, and sprinkle the fibers on top, in excess, that way you assure you have not missed a spot and it goes on not too thin.

Now, when you are doing parts of the surface, leave about 1 to 2 inches of silicone without fibers so now, when you move on to the next part, you will make sure to apply silicone starting from where you ended the previous one. (Is it making sense? Let me know...).

Keep going untill you get tired, then the last part you do that day, make sure to cover complete (don't leave that 1 or 2 inches like you were doing while at work).

You might have to stop even if you are not tired, but because you have to let what you have done dry out, so you can take the coconut excess out so you can move forward again.

Hope this gets you moving again!!! One more time, it is a painful process but it looks great at the end!!!

Take care,
Roberto.

 

[Mesnik]

I guess we were all typing!!!


Good call on Woodinville's part! Make sure to pack it a bit as you go.

Also, I used a 1 inch brush to spread the silicone glue. As I used the expanded foam (Great Stuff) as the base, I had lots of cracks and crevasses that make it easier to accomplished by using the brush.

I know it sounds obvious, but make sure to cover ALL the surface with silicone so you don't see missing spots... And don't apply the silicone too thin or it won't grab enough fibers to look good!

Okay, I am done.

 

[DaSlackMan]

I used the brown silicone...

 

[Woodinville]

I bought the compressed bricks of coco bedding, and just broke them up and put the chunks in a blender to pulverize it. The coco fiber that I smashed into the wet silicone was compact and dry. I think that may have helped it adhere to the silicone. Then, when I eventually sprayed water onto it, the compact coco fiber expanded a little, but held fast to the silicone.

 

[djfunkshowkid]

Interesting.....Well....I already got it wet. I bought a 3 brick pack which expanded to quite a bit....however I may have to buy another brick or two. Guess I will have to evaluate it better once it actually sticks to the walls and looks decent.

 

[djfunkshowkid]

Remind me not to go cheap anymore. I used 100% silicone and it worked PERFECT. Then a friend gave me this Latex caulk with silicone....and I wasted about a brick of coco bedding. Now, I get to scrap it all off....buy more coco bedding and buy the RIGHT type of silicone. GRRRRRR

 

[Dez]

Very very interesting post! I will have to try making my own