Charity ExoTerra Viv

[JayzunBoget]

As part of a local community charity auction fundraiser, the owner of pet store that I work for, Preuss Pets in Lansing, Michigan, asked me to create a 24"x18"x24" vivarium. This was to go under a christmas tree alongside Fluvals new "The Edge" aquarium. People bid on various local business' Christmas trees and the results went to the community charity.
I took step by step pictures of it's creation to share on our website and thought I would share it here while I'm waiting for our webmaster to post it.

[frogparty]

no pictures

[JayzunBoget]

First I plane down the back of corkbark with a tablesaw to get a good gluing surface. I have experimented with a few differant glues over the years and most break down over time so I use Liquid Nails Small Projects. I hold the bark in place on the back of the tank and circle the good gluing sites with a sharpie marker from the other side of the glass. I then put the tank on its back put the glue in place and place the wood on top and let gravity hold them in place.
I make sure to space the wood so I can get at least an inch or so of sphagnum between each of the pieces and also between the pieces and the side walls as well as the top of the tank.

[JayzunBoget]

There are alot of pictures and steps. This may take a bit.

[JayzunBoget]

The next important step is to drill for drainage. This allows the tank to constantly be rinsed through by pushing water through it with either an ultrasonic humidifier or a misting system such as MistKing's.
I then glue a small piece of vinal mesh over a bulkhead installed into the drilled hole so the next step, an inch or so layer of Hydroton drainage media, doesn't fall down the hole.
Over top of the Hydroton I place a layer of that vinal mesh. I find that keeps the Sphagnum moss that will go overtop of that from settling down below the hydroton overtime. this can cause the sphagnum to become sodden, compact and breakdown prematurely.

[JayzunBoget]

The next step is to stuff the sphagnum moss in the cracks of the background.
I do this thouroughly and methodically for a reason. I have found that if you pack the sphagnum in very tight, only an inch or so high at a time, that these compact "levels" recreate the conditions that sphagnum grows in, compacting as it grow upwards and then settles down in sphagnum bogs. If I then keep it wet and keep high quality light on it, I can usually get the sphagnum to come back to life.
Next I pick the wood carefully, as that determines the entire character of the tank. Here I used this rockin' two tone african hardwood that our store carries.

[JayzunBoget]

I then put down at least three inches of sphagnum as the substrate. I squeeze one handful at a time, quite hard so there is some pressure to give some resistance as roots grow in.
Then I add the plants. Here I used a Rhex Begonia that turns bright purple given intense enough light. Also Red Pepperomia, three various neoregalia bromeliads, some calathea and a button fern. Usually I put down a layer of live moss on top of this, but I was caught out of stock at the time of this build, oops.
Next I use black Oceanview background, which is a selfstick background, to hide the back and substrate as these are not the most attractive aspects of the viv.

[JayzunBoget]

And here are some pics of the finished product at the auction. And, oops, I was wrong, I didn't use any calathea but a torch begonia in that back left corner.

[JayzunBoget]

And just a few more at the auction.

[JayzunBoget]

By the way, my pet store has a tropical carribean theme. That is why our christmas tree is a palm tree and that is a foux sand island that is around the stands.