Hey everyone! I posted a while back about turning a sunglass case into a viv for dart frogs, ended up using it for chameleons which worked out great! Now it's time I got cracking on my first viv. I started with a REAL beat up 55 front hex tank I got off CL for dirt cheap.
as you can see it had a HUGE crack in the bottom. I had my buddy cut me two sheets of glass the same size as the bottom and fixed it up nice. I didn't take any progress pictures of the fix, I was too excited to get it all done. I just sandwiched the two new sheets over the old broken one and sealed it into place. Water tested it with 55 gallons for about a week... No leak.
Next I built my false bottom, laid out my drift wood and cork bark. Then sprayed some expansion foam about to keep everything in place.
Sadly I got ahead of myself again and didn't take any shots of me rigging up the water feature, pressing all the the peat on, or even doing up the clay background. But here is where I'm at as of 15 mins ago.
I'll be shooting a video later tonight as soon as my phone is charged again. Please let me know what you think.
That was the plan, to do darts. You really think? Looking at the pictures it does make it look like there is a lot more water then there really is. The main landmass is aprox. 9inches deep by 2 feet long. But There are two ways I could make more floor space. I just figured with it being a 55, its got more ground space then the 20's I'm seeing. But I could fill in these two areas with gravel, then substrate to create a much much larger land mass.
I agree. Fill the water space in with LECA and cover it with a screen. Then use more substrate. The frogs need more floor space. You can keep a puddle but there should be more landmass.
Yeah its probably best to fill in most of the water area; but you could leave a puddle if you wanted. Darts won't utilize the water feature at all, and with a 55 you could get a nice group in there. You wouldn't be able to do that currently.
awesome thanks guys! I'll grab some LECA like mordoria suggested and fill in a lot of the water. Wish I posted my progress sooner so I could of saved myself the trouble lol. Where's the best place to get LECA from?
There are sponsors (Josh's frogs, Black Jungle,New England Herpetoculture) on the board who sell Leca or Hydroton or Terra-Lite. Most hydroponic stores sell it too. Youll get a better deal the more you buy. Shipping might kill you.
Its better anyway. Dealing with the water can be a pain in the butt. You'll be able to fit more plants in and the frogs will have more room.
The hydroballs are essentially the same, just smaller and darker (and waaaay more expensive). You should be able to get enough LECA to fill that in for around $25, while doing it with hydroballs will be more like $50, probably more. I've had problems with the hydroballs breaking down into sludge, but never had that happen with LECA.
snipped! Anything else you guys recommend I do? I just ordered some creeping fig clippings today, they are being shipped Monday. I have a small brom bud I got off a brom that was in my mall. Any suggestions will help.
Add about 200 more plants, and your set But really, you need more than ficus pumila. Broms, ferns, moss, etc. Looked much better with bigger land mass, and oh boy, I wish you didn't cut the pothos leaves off My pothos turned yellow, and after a few days under the light, just fine! 1 leave died, but it was upside down lol!
i ended up pulling the entire thing out and replaced it with a fresh vine. Along with a few other pothos vines around. looks real nice. I gotta buy a ton of plants. I have some java too, where is the best place to put that?
if the fogger sits in the water feature, it needs to go. they are prone to electrical shock hazards, and create fog by vibrating the water at high frequencies which if a frog came in contact with, i would imagine, could be a serious issue.
most people with foggers use a similar fogging device except that its encased in a unit outside the viv and it has a fan that pushes fog through a tube and into the tank where the frogs have NO chance of getting to the actual ultrasonic unit. the vicks/ KAZ ultrasonic "cool mist" humidifiers are commonly used. i have 3 and they work decently for the $8 a piece i spent on them.
your tank is looking good. im glad you took the advice and filled in as much of your water feature as you did. the frogs will be much happier. also the background looks very well made for a first dart tank. keep up the good work!
Thanks a lot for the info about the fogger! Ill take that out now. James, I saw you were selling locally picked moss. I posted a tread on moss in the plants section but no one posted on it. Think you could give me some advise?
i dont know where you live, but i collect my moss in a coastal subtropical area. its a type which i know to be particularly well suited to use in a vivarium.
Man, this viv looks really good so far. Can't wait to see more updates. The background looks awesome! I am feeling intimidated about starting my background in my 29 g build you saw. Hope mine turns out as nice as yours. Keep it up, let's see some planting
Gave the tank a day for the clay to get used to its new home before doing anything else to it. but lastnight I went to town and planted it all up. This what it looks like right now.
As always, your thoughts help me make it a better viv!
Looks great man! Nice work. I don't know much about dart frogs like all the experts here but I would think you could add some more plants in. I know they say to leave some space for the plants to grow but I think you could still fit more in at this point. Just my opinion, but otherwise it looks awesome
i got some creeping fig and some "air plant" leaves today. so it looks a little more full. Also added some more java moss about. Working on a circulation system now. I need to hit up micro center to pick up some little fans.
So I added some creeping fig and some more ivy. Here is where it's at so far.
While it is growing in, I'm thinking about my next project. I have a 55g tank, a 29g tank, two 20 highs, a 75 and a 40 breeder, and lastly a 110 extra high. Which should I start on?
Nice tank man. I think you shouldn't start a tank. Instead, give me your 2-20Hs, your 75, your 40, and your 110. i'll take good care of em!
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