Slinky_Bass
01-01-2007, 09:47 PM
Well, be tired no longer as I have finally put together my 'xtreme micro grounding net' (tm). And if you are wanting to make one for yourself it's very simple:
1. You need to buy some plain old netting and some fine fishing tackle.
2. Wash the netting and tackle and cut the netting into rectangles (or squares, circles whatever you want) and remember you'll need at least an inch of that material as hemming.
3. Take some smallish gravel bits from your tank and enclose in a hem along two parallel edges of your netting. Thread through the fishing tackle to close the hem up.
4. Take your microswords and separate into smallish clumps.
5. Cut some small holes in the netting to widen the holes just enough to thread/gently pull the microsword blades through, leaving the roots and runners on the underside of the net.
6. Repeat step 5 until the netting is full of microswords
NB. do not fill up your grounding net too much with microswords, leave them room to send out new runners and to allow waterflow between the blades. If your micros are too densely packed together debris will get stuck in the blades and in no time it will be green with algae. Micros are pretty slow growers, so if you leave enough space for it to grow out, it will be a while before you will have to worry about pruning your grounded micro.
So for all of you out there having a frustrating time with floating Micros, I hope this helps. It took me a good three hours to make three nets of about 2 x 4 inches. But I tell you what.. it was worth it, there's no chance in hell my skunks are up-rooting them tonight!
PS. I will post some pictures as soon as I can get my hands on a camera.
1. You need to buy some plain old netting and some fine fishing tackle.
2. Wash the netting and tackle and cut the netting into rectangles (or squares, circles whatever you want) and remember you'll need at least an inch of that material as hemming.
3. Take some smallish gravel bits from your tank and enclose in a hem along two parallel edges of your netting. Thread through the fishing tackle to close the hem up.
4. Take your microswords and separate into smallish clumps.
5. Cut some small holes in the netting to widen the holes just enough to thread/gently pull the microsword blades through, leaving the roots and runners on the underside of the net.
6. Repeat step 5 until the netting is full of microswords
NB. do not fill up your grounding net too much with microswords, leave them room to send out new runners and to allow waterflow between the blades. If your micros are too densely packed together debris will get stuck in the blades and in no time it will be green with algae. Micros are pretty slow growers, so if you leave enough space for it to grow out, it will be a while before you will have to worry about pruning your grounded micro.
So for all of you out there having a frustrating time with floating Micros, I hope this helps. It took me a good three hours to make three nets of about 2 x 4 inches. But I tell you what.. it was worth it, there's no chance in hell my skunks are up-rooting them tonight!
PS. I will post some pictures as soon as I can get my hands on a camera.