65 gallon display (hopefully!) tank.

34935 Views 158 Replies 43 Participants Last post by eos, Feb 20, 2014

jacobi

Discussion Starter · Jan 30, 2012

Hi everybody. I've been lurking on the forum for about two years now, reading and learning. This is my first serious attempt at a tropical vivarium (I say tropical vivarium because I'm not sure when I'll be able to afford dart frogs, might be several months down the line), and I'd like to get some opinions. I haven't finished it yet, I still need to put in substrate and leaf litter, and then comes planting, and I'm in the middle of building the fan and fogging unit. I dont have many pictures of construction, its fairly self explanatory. If you have any questions, feel free to ask! Remember, this tank is still under construction. That's why the false bottom is littered with Tillandsia!

This is only my third tropical viv, the other two I created to practice landscaping. One survived, has a neat little dripwall which I built as a test. The other... Um... Well. One lasted for a year of experimenting, after which I decided I would try to drill in a drainage system. Turns out some manufacturers dont label tempered glass. Whoops...

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jacobi

Discussion Starter · #2 · Jan 30, 2012

Oh. And I will take some better quality pictures later on... Or link to an album. I also would like some advice on whether I am allowed to thank sponsors in this thread?

Reactions: 1

Azriel

· #3 · Jan 30, 2012

It looks great! Really similar concept to what I'm doing for the tank I'm currently building.

singhm29

· #4 · Jan 31, 2012

Wow is that one peice of wood? That actually looks amazing, gives such a nice root structure and the top looks great too. Make sure you dont cover up all those roots and take advantage of how great they look when your laying out substrate. Whats the background made from?

jacobi

Discussion Starter · #5 · Jan 31, 2012

The background is Epiweb, which I covered with sphagnum moss which I blended to a liquid consistency and covered that with live moss, also blended. My wife decided at this point that she didn't want to know what I was doing with her blender anymore LOL, and the cork "branch" on the left is actually several cork pieces which I glued with Great Stuff to the Epiweb, then filled the cracks in with extra pieces of sphagnum moss.

hydrophyte

· #6 · Jan 31, 2012

That stump is perfect.

How did you apply the liquified spagnum to the Epiweb?

I really like using 65G tanks. They have a real nice shape and plenty of room inside.

jacobi

Discussion Starter · #7 · Jan 31, 2012

hydrophyte said:
How did you apply the liquified spagnum to the Epiweb?

Manual labor

I had the tank on the floor on its back, and just poured the liquid on it. It was fairly thick, and I poured small quantities at a time, then just rubbed it into the epiweb with the palm of my hand and fingers. Messy but fun! I kept on rubbing and rubbing until most of the blended sphagnum was "absorbed" by the epiweb. Serves two purposes, gives moss somewhere to grow, and covers the rough epiweb so its smoother, way less abrasive.

fieldnstream

· #8 · Jan 31, 2012

I really like that stump! Where did you get it? Everything else is shaping up nicely as well, gonna look cool when the moss really takes off. Maybe some fern spores hitched a ride with the sphag...that would be neat-looking.

calvinyhob

· #9 · Jan 31, 2012

For once someone who didnt go overboard with a false bottom, very nice setup i look forward to updates on your build.

jacobi

Discussion Starter · #10 · Jan 31, 2012

Azriel said:
It looks great! Really similar concept to what I'm doing for the tank I'm currently building.

Except I dont have the artistic ability you have. Your tree stump is amazing! I cheated and just bought one

jacobi

Discussion Starter · #11 · Jan 31, 2012

fieldnstream said:
I really like that stump! Where did you get it? Everything else is shaping up nicely as well, gonna look cool when the moss really takes off. Maybe some fern spores hitched a ride with the sphag...that would be neat-looking.

I got it from The Driftwood Store he was really great to work with. I dont know if he has a vendor feedback thread here...
There should be some fern spores... I pulled the moss off the dripwall I set up specifically to cultivate moss for this tank and I had some ferns sprouting there, and that moss looks stunning. The idea is to get away from the standard bromeliad look, although I will put some in there. I am thinking about an Aeschynanthus to plant near the top so it drapes down the tank...

jacobi

Discussion Starter · #12 · Jan 31, 2012

calvinyhob said:
For once someone who didnt go overboard with a false bottom, very nice setup i look forward to updates on your build.

I'm not a big fan of stuffing every cubic inch of the viv with great stuff and wood and whatever... I prefer a lot of open space that can be used for foliage.

diggenem

· #13 · Feb 1, 2012

jacobi said:
I'm not a big fan of stuffing every cubic inch of the viv with great stuff and wood and whatever... I prefer a lot of open space that can be used for foliage.

I agree. I'm starting to like the more minimal setups myself. Good job!!!!! Keep us posted.

Plantnerd

· #14 · Feb 1, 2012

Simply love that driftwood

. Also an interesting webstore.. I wonder how much they charge for overseas shipping.

jacobi

Discussion Starter · #15 · Feb 7, 2012

Ok! Hopefully getting Turface this weekend so I can start work on the substrate layers...

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jacobi

Discussion Starter · #16 · Feb 14, 2012

Two full tank shots. Uploading from my phone so pic isn't good quality. I'll take and upload one with my camera tomorrow. But I'm impatient and want some feedback...
It isn't fully planted yet, moss on the background only just started to grow, needs leaf litter on the floor and substrate in the log.

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Jungleboy

· #17 · Feb 14, 2012

This is an awesome tank!!! I have a 65 drilled tank and this just gave me an idea on what to do with it!!! Where did you get the epiweb from? You may have already said but I didn't see.

jacobi said:
Two full tank shots. Uploading from my phone so pic isn't good quality. I'll take and upload one with my camera tomorrow. But I'm impatient and want some feedback...
It isn't fully planted yet, moss on the background only just started to grow, needs leaf litter on the floor and substrate in the log.

jpstod

· #18 · Feb 14, 2012

I did an Experimental Tank with a Similar background..The Moss did Not take off till I ran constant water through it..

jacobi

Discussion Starter · #19 · Feb 15, 2012 (Edited)

Ok. Full size full tank shots, and a photo of one of my favourite orchids, Dendrobium kingianum. I grew up with pots of this all over the house, so the scent brings back memories...

I still need to mount the Tillandsia's, and I may reaarange the plants a little, not sure if I'm crazy about the fern placement. And the Guzmania is blocking the view of the tree stump a little... I want some ferns growing out of the background, some vines climbing up the background and wood, and one or two hanging plants on the wood and background. Now I gotta find some leaf litter... And then frogs! Probably Leuc's, maybe Azureus, these will be my first dart frogs.

Edit: Ew. The photo quality is horrible. When the tank is finished I'll put in a photobucket link.

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jacobi

Discussion Starter · #20 · Feb 15, 2012

Jungleboy said:
This is an awesome tank!!! I have a 65 drilled tank and this just gave me an idea on what to do with it!!! Where did you get the epiweb from? You may have already said but I didn't see.

I hadnt mentioned it, I got it from EcoWeb Advanced Growing Substrate

If my tank was drilled I might have thought about a water feature. I never do a water feature unless the tank is drilled and I can connect a sump and filtration system.

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