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20 Long Vertical Tank

23K views 113 replies 13 participants last post by  johnyrocks 
#1 ·
I'm creating a 20 long vertical tank. It'll have about 6 bromeliads and a lot of vines. What frogs do you think I can pop in hear? I was thinking a pair of imitators? The substrate will be ABG mix and the background will be clay.
 
#43 ·
How tall do umbrella plants get like in height, and is it gonna be a focal plant ( I think that's the correct term lol. :p) and two tubes of silicone shhould do fine that's what mine took. And lucky on great stuff can prices I paid like 15$ for those two cans
 
#46 · (Edited)
The scientific name is Schefflera arboricola. It's basically a type of bonsai tree, but my species will grow about 2 feet tall, so it;s got a few inches to go. In your vivarium you can try it, it might outgrow the tank because of height concerns, but it's only about 8$ and comes in a tube. Forgot to mention, the type I got has thin stem, unlike a bonsai tree for like a zen garden.
 
#54 ·
The 20 gallon kits there are for 20H tanks, not 20L. Anyways, aaafrogs has one for 26$ too, but i'll make my own. I'm getting 2 pieces of plexiglass so I wont have a vent unfortunately, and make a silicone hinge using black silicone/electrical tap. All together it will cost 20$, and I already have silicone, so 10$. And I will not have to get it shipped :)
 
#52 ·
Call me crazy, but I don't understand why people don't buy used exo terras more. I've got 2 and have seen several other exos on craigslist for around 30-50 for 18" cubes. I don't get why someone would want to pay over a hundred for them when they can buy one after someone owned one for 2 months and starts regretting their impulse buy...
 
#55 ·
I know lol. I don't even like exo terra though. The tank design is nice, but with a cube you don't get much ground vertical space. This is why I like 20 longs. On it's side (horz) you get more ground space than any exo terra, and on its other side (vert), you get more vertical space than any exo terra. It's a win-win, but about people not buying them on craigslist, i've seen them, They usually are cracked or don't have the awful exo terra background, but if you get lucky, you might get a whole kit + extras for 60$ (which is what it's worth lol) An 18x18x24 exo terra or zoo med is around 100$, but it's only worth about 40$, they just know they can do that, because people get lazy and buy one that's already vert. If you have time on your hands, you can make a better tank than any exo or zoomed.
 
#57 ·
This tank might be getting done today! The plants are coming in the mail hopefully today, I just put the peat/coco/etc on with black silicone, and if my fiance isn't a twit while she's out and about, she'll be getting my glass cut (I'm lazy lol!). So today/tomorrow and this puppy will be done :D
 
#58 ·
Ugh! My fiance didn't get the glass. What a b1tch lol. Oh well. I just finished touch ups with black silicone and peat. The plants came though! No idea what most of them are, it was a lot. No broms yet. Will post pics when the silicone/peat dries and i'll post pics of the plants. I'll I know is I got 2 types of pepormila, a pothos, and some ficus pumila. Hard to tell. Will be easier to tell when it's planted.
 
#59 ·
Here's pics of it lightly planted, still need to figure out how the umbrella plant will go w/o blocking the other plants. I still need the glass, but the BG is done. I got all of THESE plants for 10$ from a lot on ebay.
Here's the whole tank

Pothos

More pothos

Ficus pumila

2 types of Wandering jew

If you have any questions, let me know. I will buy some bromeliads and put in the umbrella plant soon. It looks kinda emty now, but most of these are vines/creepers and they will take hold soon. More pics down below.
 
#63 ·
Here's updated pics. I think the purple wandering jew might die, and sadly maybe the golden pothos. Maybe they're just settling down though. Their leaves are a bit soft and shrivled, but then again they were in a carboard box in 100f summer heat for a week.
The whole tank-substrate

Purple jew

Unknown, def not looking good!

Good look at background!
 
#66 ·
I have this thing wrapped up in duck tape until I can get the glass, lol. I forgot to air it out, so it reeks of silicone, but i'm sure the plants won't mind as long as I leave a small vent hole. Also the ficus pumila is growing a new leaf, and I put on more lighting, which is a high output T5 bulb. It's only temp, it hangs about 5 inches on each side of the tank lol!
 
#71 ·
I know how you feel man. I'm about to flip lol. Well, the glass cover is on, but it still stinky from silicone, I had to take it in because it got way to hot outside and I was worried about glass breaking. So I put in my room with the fans on 100% and a window open, It'll take 2 days for it to finish :(. Oh well. A good thing though is since my plants are in my grow tank (2 T5's, 100% humidity, waterfall, etc. It's pretty hi-tech for a grow tank lol) i'm seeing some good growth. My ficus pumila has grown 4 new leaves, and everything's looking good. Can't wait though.
 
#72 ·
Hey guys, sorry for the wait. Here's pictures of the tank as it is, and if the fumes are gone tomorrow, i'll plant it again. I'm using a fan to get rid of the fumes faster, and they're almost gone. The leaf litter (maple), substrate (I finally got supplies for ABG mix), cocohut, and conversion kit (2 pieces of glass, no ventilation :) ) is all on and good to go. The other pics are my grow tank and my awesome Leopard Gecko. Enjoy!
Tank with lid open/fan blowing fumes out

Tank with lid closed

Leaf Litter

Close look at hinge (silicone hinge, Thanks Grimm)

Grow tank (was gonna be dart tank, but too small from waterfall)

Leopard Gecko Tank (my first pet)

One of my ficus pumila's new leaves

Pepormia Red Time Defolia growth

All my tanks (10 gallon vert next guys!)
 
#74 ·
I'm using 2 t5's in the grow tank, and only 2 13w CLFs in the 20L vert. It needs better. Need to find a fixture that fits that cal use tubes. Also a side note, it looks dark because my camera has a "dramatic" setting that darkens darks and keeps light things the same. It looks nice and bright in real life.
 
#79 ·
Was thinking micheals or if I can just get them locally. I don't have them yet because I never thought i'd get this stinker done but apparently I did lol. I like micheals more because they have a great sellection, but if they dont have the ones I want I might want to try the new england herp ones, i've heard they have good ones.
 
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