[Mantellaprince20]

This has been a long time coming, i think i've had these 40's laying around since like august. Finally got the ball rolling, my buddy got me some sweet manzanita, and I think I am finally fairly pleased with the planting

For the backgrounds on these, I used the insulation cork board that is 1" thick from my cork supplier. I have used the thinner sheets before and they work well and last for a good amount of time. I just got tired of all the foam and silicone, just to be overtaken by plants anyway. I am saving time and money with this product, and I don't feel I would have to wait long at all for the curing process.....

I was trying to make them look like they ran together, but didn't have it in me to cut up this wood too much so I kind of abandoned that idea. Let me know what you think. I will get some better shots and the plant list put together later. Plenty of orchids, as with all of my vivs.

These manzanita pieces were fun to work with, but man they threw off my typical planting scheme!

 

[purplezephead]

Those look awesome. I've only braved easy plants in my tanks (philodendron, pathos, etc.), how do you attach orchids? I've read you can use wire, hot glue, hair bands..... I'm not sure the best method. I recently bought a dwarf orchid and was wondering what to do, I think this is going to be an exercise in futility as I can't keep orchids blooming outside a terrarium, but we'll see.

 

[wohlerswi]

Were those 40 breeders you removed the framing from to get a seamless look, or what? The tanks look good and Ive been thinking about doing this. I love the seamless look. Whats doing in them>?

 

[kgb]

Very clean looking!! Is that glass or lexan for the front and what did u use for screen holes?

 

[oneshot]

How do you hinge the bottom of the door?

 

[motydesign]

ok Ed i think i counted 29 now that i have the big pictures.... your such a show off

love the tanks and glad the glass was cut perfectly for you. now... lets get it misting!!!

 

[Mantellaprince20]

Those look awesome. I've only braved easy plants in my tanks (philodendron, pathos, etc.), how do you attach orchids? I've read you can use wire, hot glue, hair bands..... I'm not sure the best method. I recently bought a dwarf orchid and was wondering what to do, I think this is going to be an exercise in futility as I can't keep orchids blooming outside a terrarium, but we'll see.

There are a few different ways that I attach orchids. I usually though just bundle their root mass up in some moist orchid sphagnum, tie it up so it doesn't fall apart with fishing line, and then either use a hook made out of a paper clip, or more fishing line to tie it to a branch. I also mount them to pieces of cork bark or this cork board product, and then just attach that entire mount to the background. The one thing to keep in mind with orchids is that they each have their own unique requirements. They need to be placed where these requirements can be met.


These are 40 breeders that I purchased at the petco $1pergallon sale. I just took the trim off to get the seamless look. Also, I have had problems sealing the plastic rim up on verts before, it usually only lasts for a few years.... The fronts are 1/4" glass, drilled by myself. The vents are 60mm holes with a round insert that holds the screen tight. The hinge is just basic piano hinge purchased from outwater plastics. Outwater Plastics 2011 Catalog - page 289

Thanks for the comments, yes brian I am only waiting on you and my indecisive self for the misting system I still haven't tallied the orchids but I do think there are a few more than 29..........

 

[RyanD]

Where did you get the round inserts for the vents? In my tank I attempted to drill three holes in the glass and used 3/4" rubber grommets in them. After 2 holes The piece of glass I was drilling broke and I switched to lexan. Plus drilling that many holes in the glass must have taken a long time, not to mention several glass drill bits?

 

[WeeNe858]

Glass drill bits are ment to last more than just a few uses. Big tip for drilling is patience.

Sweet looking tanks. I have plans to do the same for a 10 gallon. Great work!

 

[AlexD]

Wow, looks really good. Did you build the stand, or did it just happen to fit the tanks that well? Also, what's your lighting system?

 

[kate801]

These look fantastic Ed! I'm truly jealous of your plant collection!

 

[motydesign]

collection? the rainforest is being cut done by the hectare each day, but Ed is almost matching them in the regrowth a bit over exaggerated but the collection puts most orchid green houses to shame.

 

[Mantellaprince20]

Where did you get the round inserts for the vents? In my tank I attempted to drill three holes in the glass and used 3/4" rubber grommets in them. After 2 holes The piece of glass I was drilling broke and I switched to lexan. Plus drilling that many holes in the glass must have taken a long time, not to mention several glass drill bits?

the round inserts are just 2" pvc pipe sections cut at 1/4" simple but some of the better looking vents I have seen, ha ha

There is a secret to drilling glass that I just learned, BUY A DRILL PRESS It took me about 15minutes to drill all three holes on 1 piece. The first piece I drilled I was doing by hand, took about 30mins per hole, and finally said eff this, bought an 80$ press from harbor freight, and walla, problem solved. My drill bit doesn't even show signs of wear yet and I have drilled probably over 30 holes with it. I keep a steady flow of water going while i'm drilling.

Wow, looks really good. Did you build the stand, or did it just happen to fit the tanks that well? Also, what's your lighting system?

The stand is custom built by myself. I am actually rather pleased with how it turned out, and the best part, all in I am at about $30 to make it

These look fantastic Ed! I'm truly jealous of your plant collection!

Start coming up and we will get your collection growing as well . I am getting to a point where I can actually start snipping some of my neat stuff!

collection? the rainforest is being cut done by the hectare each day, but Ed is almost matching them in the regrowth a bit over exaggerated but the collection puts most orchid green houses to shame.

if only if only........ your practically going to have a commercial size greenhouse worth of viv space here in the next week or so aren't you??? i'm going to have to start cutting down my rainforest to help you fill that space

 

[Mantellaprince20]

Oh yeah, the lighting system is: Odyssea T5 Aquarium Lighting

Plants LOVE these lights. I'm not kidding, I had neoregelia's rooted to a background in under a week with a 2bulb system.

 

[Azriel]

They look really good! And I like the use of cork board for the background.

 

[ktewell]

The plants in this picture look like the outline of the United States

 

[Mantellaprince20]

I took the time and wrote up my plant list: here it is

From Left to Right

Tank 1: Planning on putting my Southern variabilis in this one

Anthurium unk sp
Begonia "bowerii hyb"
Begonia luzoensis
Begonia sp african
Begonia sp. Lita ecuador
Cissus discolor
Dendrobium tetragonum
Dischidia sp unk
Fern unk sp
Ficus sp panama
Laelia rupestris
Lepanthes caprimulgus
Lepanthes gargoyla
Lockhartia parthenocomos
Maidenhair unk sp
Marcgravia sp unk
Masdevallia schroederiana
Neoregelia "hub bub"
Neoregelia unk sp
Oncidium croesus
Pellionia argentata
Peperomia argeryia
Peperomia caperata
Peperomia rubella
Peperomia sandersii
Peperomia sp costa rica
Peperomia unk
Pleurothallis dodsonii
Raphiodophora hayii
Restrepia striata
Ruellia makoyana
Selaginella uncinata
Sigmatostalix pichinchensis
Syngonium rayii
Syngonium sp unk
unk sp


Tank 2: My escudo's will be going in this one, they will love it

Aroid sp unk
Begonia "manaus"
Begonia luzoensis
Begonia prismatocarp
Bulbophyllum facsinator
Canistropis correla-arraujo
Cissus discolor
Cissus like vine sp unk from manuran
Clidema hirtzii
Columnea sp unk
Dischidia rhombifolia?
Espiscia sp unk
Gesneriad sp unk
Lemmaphyllum microphyllum
Marcgravia sp unk
Masdevallia pachyura
Microsorum linguiforme
Monocostus uniflorus
Neoregelia "sarahs hand"
Neoregelia unk
Ornithocephalus falcatus
Peperomia prostrata
Peperomia rubella
Peperomia sandersii
Peperomia turboensis
Philodendron sp unk
Pleurothallis endotrachys
Pleurothallis longipedicelata
Podangis dactyloceros
Podochilus muricatus
Raphiodophora hayii
Ruellia sp unk
Selaginella erythropus
Selaginella mollendorfii
Selaginella plana
Syngonium rayii
Trisetella nodulifera
Vanilla planifolia "small"

Tank 3: This will house my todd kelly variabilis

Angraecum leonis
Aroid sp unk 2
Begonia "bowerii hyb"
Begonia "manaus"
Begonia foliosa
Begonia luzoensis
Begonia polygonoides
Bulbophyllum lasiochilum
Chamaeranth venucosum
Cissus discolor
Dischidia rhombifolia?
Dischidia ruscifolia
Dresslerella caesariata
Epipremnum "cebu blue"
Lemmaphyllum microphyllum
Marcgravia sp unk
Masdevallia floribunda
Masdevallia schroederiana
Microgramma vaccinifolia
Neoregelia "rapha x betty head"
Neoregelia sp unk
Peperomia angulata
Philodendron "burl marx fantasy"
Philodendron "wend imbe"
Piper crocatum
Pleurothallis stricta
Podochilus muricatus
Scaphyloglottis radiata
Selaginella uncinata
Syngonium rayii
Zootrophion serpentinum

 

[ilovejaden]

What are you going to be putting in there Ed frog wise? Hope I can swing by to check them out in person sometime.

 

[Mantellaprince20]

left to right: Southern variabilis, Escudo, EU TK variabilis

You can come over anytime. I'm currently building a 65 gallon for some other cool frogs ...

 

[Tuckinrim8]

Got to see these in person the other day and all I have to say is "breath taking". Pictures don't do the depth in these vivs justice! I also find it funny that you said you wanted them to "grow in a bit" before you add the frogs! Thanks again for the vents Ed, the worked out perfectly!