Hello All! and a few questions

1299 Views 8 Replies 5 Participants Last post by FCA, Mar 4, 2005

Iheartdarts

Discussion Starter · Mar 3, 2005

Edit: This post is much longer than I planned =)

I have a feeling you'll be hearing a lot from me so I'd like to do the intro and ask my first (of many many) questions:

My name is Dave Tower I'm 26 and I've lived in Massachusetts all my life.

I'm still in the planning/research phase of my dart ownership but I've been hooked for the past week or so and reading everything I can. I'm really looking forward to getting set up but I plan on taking my time to get it right the first time.

I've been checking out most of the major internet sites and I'm learning a lot. I'm going to be heading over to black jungle in Greenfield, MA when they get back and I'll also check out the upcoming convention in Manchester, NH.

off the top of my head questions:

1. I really like the acrylic vivs over at First Class Aquatics. It seems perfect for a first timer. The only thing is that I was planning on getting a pair of either D. Azureus or some form of D. Tinc morph and I'm thinking a 10 gallon cube like that is not big enough. Any thoughts on that?

2. Can bottled spring water be used safely in a vivarium?

3. Regarding water features:

I've never owned a fish tank or any kind of tank and I'm a little confused about the water features in the vivarium. In a false bottom viv...say with pvc spacers....would you use the water on the bottom as the reservoir for the waterfall? Would the pump be concealed within the viv...say under one of those pump cave hiders? If yes.....where does the water go once it's pumped though? Some sort of drain back to the bottom?

Is a 10 gallon tank even large enough to warrant a water feature?

4. Misters:

If I do decide to use the assembled viv from FCA with the built in mister heads (how cool is that?) I'll have to attach a tube to those mister heads coming from a reservoir of water with a pump. (yes?) what is recommended to hold that water and what sort of pump would be needed? I'm assuming it would not have to be a large pump as the water does not need to travel up (yay gravity)

Ok....I'll conclude my first installment of "Let's all point at the newb and laugh"

stay tuned for part 2 entitled "Who let this guy in here anyway?"

Thanks in advance for any advice

Most Humbly,

Dave

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Blort

· #2 · Mar 3, 2005

Iheartdarts said:
Edit: This post is much longer than I planned =)

I have a feeling you'll be hearing a lot from me so I'd like to do the intro and ask my first (of many many) questions:

My name is Dave Tower I'm 26 and I've lived in Massachusetts all my life.

welcome to Dendroboard!

1. I really like the acrylic vivs over at First Class Aquatics. It seems perfect for a first timer. The only thing is that I was planning on getting a pair of either D. Azureus or some form of D. Tinc morph and I'm thinking a 10 gallon cube like that is not big enough. Any thoughts on that?

Do you plan on getting a sexed pair, froglets, etc.? Both of those frogs are somewhat large and active. They are also more terrestrial than other frogs according to some. You might get away with a 10g but maybe a 20g would be be better. Here are some care sheets from Doyle's Dart Den:
http://www.doylesdartden.com/Dazureus.html
http://www.doylesdartden.com/D_tinc_main.html

2. Can bottled spring water be used safely in a vivarium?

Probably. But it depends on what kind. Here are some definitions:

http://www.bottledwaterweb.com/qna.html

So, spring water I don't know. But, if it is labeled purified, probably. I think most folks use either RO or tap water that has been left out to let the chlorine evaporate. Water with low mineral content, eg RO, won't stain the glass of the vivarium and has a neutral pH.

3. Regarding water features:

I've never owned a fish tank or any kind of tank and I'm a little confused about the water features in the vivarium. In a false bottom viv...say with pvc spacers....would you use the water on the bottom as the reservoir for the waterfall? Would the pump be concealed within the viv...say under one of those pump cave hiders? If yes.....where does the water go once it's pumped though? Some sort of drain back to the bottom?

Is a 10 gallon tank even large enough to warrant a water feature?

Check this out:
http://www.amphibiancare.com/frogs/arti ... rfall.html

4. Misters:

If I do decide to use the assembled viv from FCA with the built in mister heads (how cool is that?) I'll have to attach a tube to those mister heads coming from a reservoir of water with a pump. (yes?) what is recommended to hold that water and what sort of pump would be needed? I'm assuming it would not have to be a large pump as the water does not need to travel up (yay gravity)

You will need a pump that is is high pressure and either low or variable flow. Your regular old pump probably wont cut it as the impeller will not produce enough torque to mist the water through the nozzle. I think the Mist King ones are the best value:

http://www.mistking.com/

Marty has done a truckload of research and is an active member of the boards here.

stay tuned for part 2 entitled "Who let this guy in here anyway?"

lol

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FCA

· #3 · Mar 4, 2005

Dave - Welcome to the board!

As for my tanks, if you want a certain size, just let me know. I will customize the tank to whatever size you want. I can also sell you the entire misting system. Basically, you can get all the major components in one place (How easy is that?

). Email me any time and I can get you a price quote on whatever size vivarium you want.

Paul

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Blort

· #4 · Mar 4, 2005

There you go, Dave. One stop shopping for a high-quality cube and pump in one place, can't beat that!

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dvknight

· #5 · Mar 4, 2005

Spring water is typically heavy in minerals which will stain your glass and be detrimental to epiphytes. Go with R/O.

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· #6 · Mar 4, 2005

Dave,

Just what this board needs: another hippy MA liberal

LOL. I'm from Hampden, MA. Turning to your water question, I think it would be best to invest in a nice RO unit. You can get 7 stage 100GPD units on ebay for like $110 shipped. The unit will basically pay for itself in a couple months, and you will have great drinking water too. This will really keep your misting water in top notch shape, and will keep your tanks from getting mineral stains from the bottled water. Good luck and welcome to the addiction!

~Joe

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Iheartdarts

Discussion Starter · #7 · Mar 4, 2005

Thanks for all the replies!

I will definately look in to getting a RO water set up.

FCA Paul:

That's awesome! You'll certainly be hearing from me about a custom job. I'm thinking something along the lines of a 20 gallon long set up but with some extra height as well (not sure if that's doable but your ability seems up to the job)

I guess I'll get a few more questions out of the way:

1. regarding mosses and epiphytic plants:

I really like the look of tropical pillow moss. It's nice and clean and nice and green. Do you just place it on top of a substrate area and let it attach itself? Does it, in fact, attach itself and grow? From what I understand that's how the java moss works?

Could one, if one were so inclined, cut a small hole in a bed of pillow moss and grow some plants up through it for shade/hiding? From the viv pictures i've seen that use moss, the moss areas are bare of any plants. Does it need direct light to grow?

The plants: If I understand it right, the epiphytic plants don't use a true root system that needs dirt. They take their nutrients and such from the air/water? Is that why you can just drill a hole in the background (great stuff/coco fiber) and stick a stolon in there and have the plant grow (broms for instance). I like the idea of making little planter areas in the foam also for plants that root themselves.....those planter areas don't stay too waterlogged?

I was thinking about creating a cliff area on the back wall for plants and also as a second tier/level for the darts to explore.

Does water damage/dissolve great stuff foam? The reason I ask is that for the cliff area I suggested above I was thinking about just shaping it out of great stuff and hollowing out the top for some substrate/growing area and drilling some drainage holes in the bottom.

Does that sound like it would work? Any suggestions on how to do it better?

Thank you so much for you assistance and support. I am hooked!

-Dave

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mydumname

· #8 · Mar 4, 2005

I would put silicone on top of the great stuff, like you did for your background. This way, no yellow is showing too.

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FCA

· #9 · Mar 4, 2005

Iheartdarts said:
FCA Paul:

That's awesome! You'll certainly be hearing from me about a custom job. I'm thinking something along the lines of a 20 gallon long set up but with some extra height as well (not sure if that's doable but your ability seems up to the job)

I can make it any size you want. Just about anything is doable.

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