[gootswa]

I just recently built a 125g viv and I tore apart my 40g for various reasons. Now it is time for reconstruction. The tank is just two 20g longs stacked on one another. Each one has a crack, but they were mended before the previous build w/o any issues, so I am not concerned about them what so ever. They are circled in red.

The eggcrate that I have one the side is going to be for the powerhead, which will cycle the water feature. I am always a sucker for water features, so any chance I can get I will add one.

I have some driftwood, cork bark, stones, and other supplies that I will post shortly, but for now this is what I'm working with.

 

[Youngherp420]

cant wait to see what your going to do with this

 

[Bowser]

Maybe this will give me inspiration to build something with my 40 breeder... have fun! What substrate do you plan on using? i'm still deciding on mine

 

[gootswa]

Maybe this will give me inspiration to build something with my 40 breeder... have fun! What substrate do you plan on using? i'm still deciding on mine

-Coco Fiber Bedding
-Fir and Sphagnum Peat Moss
-Forest Bark (Exo Terra)
-Beaked Moss
-Charcoal (Josh's Frogs Mix)

The charcoal will be a layer underneath of everything, this is the same mix that I just used for my 125g and it seems to be working out great.

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/parts-construction/70627-125g-viv-build.html

Hope it gives you that inspiration that you need my man!

 

[gootswa]

These are some of the woods that I am using, I will have to scrounge up some more though. The white one is manzanita wood, the other is mopani, and the rest are just cork bark.

 

[gootswa]

I just constructed the water fall, I hope it turns out alright I had to use white silicone.

These two just show the power head in it's place. It's a marineland 550.



I siliconed all the pieces down, filled in the cracks, and spread soil all over the top along with some beaked moss. If the silicone shows through a bit I will have to paint it with something.

 

[gootswa]

Turned out perfect, I am not going to check the actual water flow for a day or two, but I tested the pump and hose prior and they worked perfect.




I photoshpped some blue lines on here to represent what the water flow will probably turn out like.


I ran out of clay so I will have to pick up some more kitty litter to make another. Judging by how quickly this is going, I would say that it will be done by Wednesday.... good thing that I have something to do this summer!



Just messing around with placement of the manzanita wood. Probably not it's final spot.

 

[ConFuCiuZ]

CONGRATS on your build... Keep Going at it.

 

[gootswa]

Thanks, you can count on it!

 

[Youngherp420]

looks great so far. are you going to have a ponds area or anything in that nature

 

[gootswa]

Yeah, to the the very right or the tank. I want to have like a cave next to the water fall and not a particularly large water feature, but big enough to make a statement. All will be revealed shortly.

 

[Youngherp420]

sounds like you have a plan. update soon

 

[gootswa]

I tested the powerhead out and it was way too strong! It practically shot the front of the tank. I am going to have to switch that with one of the pumps in my 125 and then put the powerhead in there.

 

[gootswa]

Alright, large progress has been made on this build. I have finished the walls, about to have the water feature up and running and have the first few layers of soil down.
I will do a photo update later today, have to resize all the pics and whatnot.

 

[Youngherp420]

make sure no dirt or anything gets into the water and the pump. experinced that. the water got bad. but can wait till pictures

 

[gootswa]

This is the third and final time that I make a background from clay, nothing but trouble and a waste of time. I couldn't take a lot of pics because my camera died, but I tried my best.

For the background I mixed Dr Elsey's Cat Litter, Sphagnum Moss, Beaked Moss, Reptibark, and Coco Fiber Bedding.
I am upset though because the water is hitting areas of the clay that I didn't think it would, so I am going to have to find someway around this.


This is what it looked like before I put soil on top of it.

With soil.


The area that is circled is the problem area, I not sure at all what to do about it. Probably going to have to scrap the whole build.


This is what I couldn't get pics of, but I layered to soil. I put the false bottom down, then surrounded it with gravel. After that I put down a layer of clay pellets. Then I put a layer of weed blocker over top of that, near the water feature gravel is on the weed blocker which transition into the rest of the soil, so that way the soil is not on the very edge of the weed blocker. Next I layered charcoal and then some sphagnum moss. After that I put down a mix of coco fiber, sphagnum moss, beaked moss, reptibark, and peat moss.

 

[xcwa8900]

In the corner where the water hits you can probably just get the clay out of there clean that area up the best you can then silicon some thing in that spot.

 

[gootswa]

Yeah either that, or with the expanding foam. I am just going to take a break on it for a little while and then go back to it though.

I am going to order a bunch of plants for my 125g, did you want any plants?
I discovered that a few of my plants weren't able to handle the humidity, while the ones I expected to great, are. Either that or too much light.

Idk man, just text me it you want anything.

 

[xcwa8900]

Just take the plants out that can't handle the humidity and keep them as house plants. I don't need any plants except for maybe a few small tillandsia's