capillary matting

[LisaLQ]

*Grumble moan grumble*

My capillary matting bargain turned out not to be a bargain, I think it's the wrong stuff:



I take it I should just chuck it in the bin? Or does anyone use this kind?

Remind me not to buy things cheaply that dont have a picture on the site....on a slight positive note, it only cost me £4 and a bit.

[deadmansfinger]

that looks like loft insulation!

it's not the stuff I thought it would be.

Brian ;D

[sezzy5889]

Oops lol

[LisaLQ]

It was up on a bonsai site as capillary matting. So I'm assuming it does the same job as far as plants are concerned. Any good for snails though?

[ceiron]

www.cmsgardens.co.uk/greenh.htm

www.twowests.co.uk/TwoWestsSite/pages/product/product.asp?prod=CM&cookie%5Ftest=1

couple of sites selling the green stuff cheap.

[section8angel]

Well if it still holds the water I don't see why it should be any different. It's only a different colour. A very um.. funky one at that

Test it first and if it holds the water ok and nothing falls out of it or anything then in theory shouldn't it still be fine?

My big lot from Focus was different to the stuff I got at Wyvale. The stuff from Wyvale is just green whereas the Focus lot is green one side and white the other.

[sonicsnail]

Well, I agree with Brian, it does look like loft insulation! What about the dyes used in the material? Dyes and snails.....problems?

[LisaLQ]

Well surely the green stuff has dye in it too! *lol* ;D

Ceiron, they dont take my card. I've been trying to find somewhere that accepts Electron or Paypal - hence the bonsai site - it was all I could find. I didn't want the kit off Ebay as I didn't need that much, or the other stuff to go with it. All I need is a metre of capillary matting, you'd think it'd be easier to find!

And it's not thick like loft insulation, it's a bit like a tough version of fleece. Reminds me a bit of those rag rugs you used to see. It does have what looks like plastic on one side, I think, but dont quote me on this, that the fibres are punched through it as there's some fibre through the plastic underside too.

[copigeon]

Lisalq dont you have a b&q near you? £7 for 3 meters, 1 meter wide... or something along those lines. Mine went very far so the price was good, usually around the propogators, hidden on a top shelf, plastic bag packed.

Homebase probably has it too.

[LisaLQ]

Yeah we do, but they dont have it, neither do Do It All. I may as well stick to bloomin' compost at this rate *lol*

I dont need that much though - I only need enough for 2 storage boxes and a Tommy tank *lol* It's cheap though so if I can get it I will, would be paying that in postage with some folks online

[Arno]

I think it does hold water,because I've seen the same stuff used under plants in garden centers.Don't know if it would work with snails though.

[section8angel]

Did you ask them in Focus (Do It All)? As I had to, to find mine lol. Searched for 10 mins then gave up and asked

[Deleted]

it doesnt look a very snail-friendly material....i wudnt put them near it lol

[section8angel]

Lol normal capillary matting doesn't exactly look snail friendly either. But then I don't think something they can't burrow under is that friendly anyway, which is why I cover it with moss lol.

Sonicsnail don't forget there might be dyes in the "normal" capillary matting to make it green. That stuff looks more like it's just lots of different material squished together to me lol.

[LisaLQ]

Right, hubby's going back to Do it All for another look, if they dont have any there, he's going to B&Q again tomorrow - this time he's going to ask a member of staff instead of looking himself! ;D

[LisaLQ]

Finally managed to get some today from Do it All, but it's a kit - comes with plastic mat to go underneath - and I was wondering - am I supposed to use that?

Have also picked up sweet potato, broccoli and some other yummies for them - dunno whether I need to cook them or not though *lol*

[section8angel]

Lol I don't know. Mine was from there... I wonder if mine has it too. I haven't needed to use it yet as I'm still using my plain green stuff from Wyvale lol.

Is it white on one side and green on the other? And about 8' of it or something? lol

With the food, raw food has a higher nutritional value than cooked, and I think they can have all veggies etc raw?

[Val]

You won't need the plastic mat Lisa, just wet the matting and put it in the tank. I find that mine like sweet potato very thinly sliced (after peeling) they didn't eat it at first but I kept offering it and now they eat it fine!! Mine wouldn't touch broccoli at all, tried it par boiled and also raw - didn't want to know.

Val

[LisaLQ]

Thanks - shall chuck the plastic mat out (or re-use it for triplets painting sessions *lol*). I'm hoping this makes the dimis pick up a bit, I'm going to put them in with Sam, Cooper and Monty seeing as they're all little still - they've always seemed to do better as a group, and whatever's causing their problems isn't catching or else they'd have had it too. Am also hoping that the margies will start eating again (I'm going to use it in their tank too) - they've been off their food for a couple of days, although there was one munch mark in the apple this morning so that's a start.

And yep, it's green on top and white on the bottom - nothing like that other "capillary matting" I got!

I might do it tonight, or tomorrow triplet nap time at the latest, shall let you know how they get on

[section8angel]

If you can't find the dimis (or the others for that matter) don't panic, I found one of my dimis -under- the capillary matting the other day lol. It had gone under the matting that was under the egg tub lol.

As for the matting itself, the Focus one actually looks better than the Wyvale one so I think it'll be quite good.

[natrat84]

Just to say mine HATED broccoli too, wouldn't touch it.
Nat x

[LisaLQ]

Must say I've never used it yet, usually because the rats eat so bloomin' much of it I've usually got none left - but managed to save some to try this time!

[sonicsnail]

Same again! Mine dislike broccoli...