Bamboo and how to season it

[cory1]

We have a large clump of giant bamboo, and i would like to make some caves from it...what i need to know is what is the best way to cure or season the bamboo before using it
Would appreciate any advice on the subject :-/

 

[thegeeman]

I did try some bamboo caves once. Love the idea of it but after soaking them in a bucket for a month (changing water weekly) they stank and were covered in a slime so i didnt want to risk it.

Cheers

thegeeman

 

[cory1]

I have heard that boiling it for a couple of hours and then letting it air dry ..but i just need to know for sure and:google:doesn't seem to be coming up with any helpful info

 

[fishheadz]

I take it you're refering to live/green bamboo? This will need to be harvested,dried and then prepared for tank use. It's a very long process IMHO.

I've got some in tanks at the mo with my L129s and some juvy L333. I boiled and rinsed them a few times ,then soaked them for a few weeks (bloody ages to be honest) changing water and re-soaking until the water was almost clear and then let them dry (not in full sun or they tend to split) for about a week before putting them in the tank.
They have gone darker since the pic was taken and they do still tend to make the water smell a little if you don't do regular w/changes but apart from that i've had no problems with them as regards to the health of the fishes. My 129s have even spawned in them.

Here's a link on curing/drying green bamboo http://www.guaduabamboo.com/drying-bamboo.html Long drawn out process IMHO. I'd stick to slate/clay caves.

Cheers
Steve

 

[cory1]

Thanks Steve for the link and info..will certainly give it a go

 

[foti]

cory i boiled mine dry bamboo but as soon as i walked it to the tank it had dried so i just left it floating for about 2 weeks then it sank by its self !

also if you like to thank fishheadz there is a pic of a thumbs up below this rely click on it!

best of luck
Foti,

 

[Brengun]

Got any solutions to those pesky plecos chewing the ends out of their bamboo caves?

 

[fishheadz]

Got any solutions to those pesky plecos chewing the ends out of their bamboo caves?

:lol: Yeah silicone a piece of slate or a stone over the end. The ends tend to be the first to rot anyway due to them being thinner and softer, especially the very centre, so what i did was knock out the soft end and stuck flatish rounded stones over the ends. This does mess a bit with the balance of them but aids sinking and they can be held in place either by siliconing them to lengths of slate as a base or just weighting them down with slate on top as i have done.


Cheers
Steve

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,
I've used them, as long as they are the dead seasoned old canes there is no problem. Try and find out which Bamboos are flowering locally to you (the whole species flowers at the same time at very long time intervals, and then the plants all die), as you should be able to harvest enough to last you a life-time.

cheers Darrel

 

[foti]

i have 4 bamboo caves none of them seem to of been having a problem with rot or plecs chewing there backs off ?

but then again there only been in there for 6 months i guess il check them after 2 years or so,

 

[Phenomena]

I have bamboo logs in my tanks for about 2 years now. They weren't fresh, so I didn't have to go through the drying process etc.
After 2 years, most of them are disintegrated. I guess the plecs chew on them. The same goes with my coconut shells. Man, they can chew alright...

 

[Breamlegend]

It has to very dry and even then it will stink when you first use it and will rot/ split over time unlike slate which lasts forever! Plus they are a bit light and tend to roll around. I made some caves with slate bottoms and backs (kinda like a d cave).

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,
The Australian plants of DENDROCALAMUS Sikkimensis flowered in 2006, so there may still be seasoned Bamboo canes available from that flowering.

cheers Darrel

 

[foti]

see my male are in the slat aka breams caves there 100% lov shack
but the bamboo i had and decided to add them for the females pepps which cave!

so yea if you want quality try get breams

 

[Sambo]

Get rid of the bamboo? as pesky and plec just don't go hand in hand for me, Slate all the way and it's way prettier and easier to incorporate into an aquascape, easy to clean, lasts indefinitely, tried and tested-can't knock it

 

[Brengun]

There are many varieties of bamboo. I planted a couple of edible ones where if I want I can harvest the shoots for myself.
For caves, harvest the canes at double the size of the cave you want as it will shrink on drying. I think it takes at least a year to air dry naturally.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,
Bamboo caves/tubes are preferentially used for both breeding and shelter by a lot of fish (Whiptails Rineloricaria etc) and shrimps etc, they are also part of the natural diet of many Panaque species, so I wouldn't discount them.

I've also found that they are a favourite resting place for Otocinclus, which is useful for fish that won't feed on algal wafers etc. as if you put cucumber etc on the bamboo cane they will find the vegetable and are much more likely to se it as a food source.

cheers Darrel

 

[Brengun]

I've gotten a couple of the canes to harvest size.
Apparently the time to cut them is a few days before a full moon when theres been no rain around. Its something to do with the canes having certain amounts of starch in them which you don't want too much of or they will split badly when drying. Don't let the cut end touch the wet ground or it will try to suck up more moisture. Now for the years wait for them to air dry lol.