Mitch's 18x18x18 Zoo Meds

Mitch · Mar 31, 2011

This thread is a journal for my two 18x18x18 Zoo Meds. They were both recently planted and stocked but were seeded with microfauna weeks before the arrival of plants and frogs. Here are some details about them.

Tanks: Two 18x18x18 Zoo Med Naturalistic Terrariums with glass covering all but one inch of the screening in the front to keep the glass clear.
Lighting: Fishneedit 3 ft. T5 HO fixture. Holds 2 x 39w bulbs, 6700K. Photoperiod of 12 on/12 off per day.
Substrate: 2 inch layer of hydroton followed up by a few inches of ABG mix with leaf litter on top. Leaf litter is regular oak and live sand oak.
Background Material: The right tank has GS/Silicone/Tree fern fiber while the left tank has GS/Silicone/Peat.
Plant List:
Left tank: Pellonia ''Waffle'', Begonia partita, Pilea involucrata, Philodendron wendimbe, Wandering Jew Bolivian, Begonia sp., Christmas Moss.
Right tank: Neoregelia 'Hot Pink', Neoregelia ampullacea 'Rio de Janeiro', Neoregelia 'Grapevine', Ficus Pumila, Peperomia angulata, Peperomia sp., Begonia sp., Wandering Jew Bolivian, Several Plants that I need ID of that come from plant package from Brooklyn Dart Frogs.
Frogs: Left tank has a probable pair of D. azureus and the right has a trio of R. ventrimaculata 'Iquitos'.

Tank Pictures:

Double Tank Shot

Right Tank

Left Tank

Frog Pictures:

R. ventrimaculata 'Iquitos'

D. azureus

Plants:

Neoregelia 'Grapevine'

Neoregelia ampullacea 'Rio de Janeiro'

Neoregelia 'Hot Pink' - Needs to color up

From Plant Package - Need ID

Begonia partita - Currently flowering

Pilea involucrata - Starting to take off

Philodendron wendimbe - My favorite viv plant

_________________________________________________________________
These vivs still have a lot of settling in and growing in to do. I'll be updating this thread often just like my other journal threads. Thanks for reading

dendroman1234 · Mar 31, 2011

Nice job

Mitch · Mar 31, 2011

Thanks Brian

PantMan · Mar 31, 2011

nice, what is the large leafed begonia in the right tank. Looks kinda like rex begonia.

Mitch · Mar 31, 2011

I do not believe it is a begonia... I got it from Andy at the meet. I'll try to ask him what it is.

mordoria · Mar 31, 2011

They look sweet.
Id love to know where you got the Philodendron wendimbe from. I love how tall it gets. Do you know if it grows as easy as other Philodendrons, from cuttings?

Mitch · Mar 31, 2011

I got it from Josh's Frogs. It grows very well under this light. It was a plantlet when a first got it but has since grown many new leaves in just a few weeks.

oddlot · Apr 1, 2011

Looks good Mitch!I really like that grapevine brom.Where did you get it?

Mitch · Apr 1, 2011

I got it from a member here... I actually got 2. They arrived today and I'm hoping once they settle in they will color up some more. Their coloration is very purple. Here's a photo of the mother plant: http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h287/Tarencedale/Mobile%20Uploads/grapevine.jpg

Dartfrogfreak said:
Looks awesome!!!

Todd

Thanks Todd!

Dartfrogfreak · Apr 1, 2011

Looks awesome!!!

Todd

eos · Apr 1, 2011

They look great Mitch.... Wend Imbe is one of my faves too. I've been in the hunt for that plant for a while.

Mitch · Apr 1, 2011

Thanks Riko. It's definitely an awesome plant... I believe Josh's frogs only had 1 left in stock when I bought mine.

How are your tads doing? I just had one morph out yesterday. It's hopping around with a big tail haha.

GRIMM · Apr 1, 2011

Looks awesome man! Your foregrounds look extremely well filled with a diverse selection plants, yet still look like a natural dart habitat. Just gotta let the backgrounds fill in and they will be a couple of jems!

...Oh yeah, and your sig is friggen awesome! Hahahaha

Mitch · Apr 1, 2011

Thanks GRIMM... That's what I am going for. And yes, my sig is awesome. Thank pumilio for that one.

freaky_tah · Apr 1, 2011

Nice lookin tanks dude, that Philodendron looks pretty sweet

Mitch · Apr 2, 2011

Added an Anubias barteri to the right tank to replace the dead large-leafed, begonia like plant. It'll have to adapt to emersed conditions but once it does I think it'll look great.

Also I like this new "like" feature. I think I'll overuse it though

Wallace Grover · Apr 2, 2011

This tank needs progress photos, it looks like it would be PERFECT for seeing the plants grow in and meld with each other!

Mitch · Apr 2, 2011

It's been like 3 days since the last update! hahaha

I'll post update photo's every so often though and I'll definitely try to get some YouTube videos up too later on.

Mitch · Apr 5, 2011

The Neoregelia 'Grapevine' do not appear to be doing very well... the leaves seem like they are rotting. Is there anything I can do to help? All the other broms are doing fine as of now and the Hot Pinks seem to be coloring up nicely.

Mitch · Apr 6, 2011

Pictures from today - 4/6/11

Begonia partita in full bloom today

Pilea involucrata growing well

Knock Knock

What do you want?

Hot Pink starting to color up

Grapevine not doing very well

I don't care how common azureus are... they are still awesome!

Mitch · Apr 17, 2011

Today I replaced the Grapevine Broms with a Neoregelia 'Fireball x Green Apple' and a Neoregelia 'Fireball x Burgundy'. They look pretty nice, Ill try to get pics up later. I also got a cool epiphytic fern from BJ, which didn't look to healthy but I'm hoping I can get it growing again.

Mitch · Apr 17, 2011

Update - 4/17/11

Mostly just pictures...

Right tank FTS - with newly added broms

Left tank FTS - looks a little sparse because I just gave it a trim. The plants were looking a little leggy and I'm trying to get more compact growth.

Philodendron wendimbe

Pilea involucrata

Chillin'

Neoregelia 'Fireball x Green Apple'

Neoregelia 'Fireball x Burgundy'

Azureus amongst foliage

Azureus shot... messed with it a little to make it look old

That's basically it, everything is doing well. I just haven't seen the vents in 2 weeks but last I saw them they were nice and plump. Thanks for looking.

eos · Apr 17, 2011

Lookin' good as usual.

Mitch · Apr 17, 2011

Thanks Riko!

GRIMM said:
Looking awesome Mitch. I love plant picture updates. Your tanks are so simple yet look complex at the same time. Good plant choices and placement

I love the pic with the azureus all the way at the top. He has an amazing jungle floor to roam but decides to be a loner up top haha.

And since you asked me the same question, what lighting are you using? Broms look very happy.

Thanks for the complement! The azureus likes to wedge herself up in that crack before bedtime... no clue why but she likes it.

Lighting: Fishneedit 3 ft. T5 HO fixture. Holds 2 x 39w bulbs, 6700K. Photoperiod of 12 on/12 off per day.

GRIMM · Apr 17, 2011

Looking awesome Mitch. I love plant picture updates. Your tanks are so simple yet look complex at the same time. Good plant choices and placement

I love the pic with the azureus all the way at the top. He has an amazing jungle floor to roam but decides to be a loner up top haha.

And since you asked me the same question, what lighting are you using? Broms look very happy.

dendroman1234 · Apr 18, 2011

Lovely Vivs Mitch

Mitch · Apr 18, 2011

Thanks Brian. How's the pygmy chameleon viv doing? You should post some pics!

saruchan · Apr 18, 2011

Great looking viv's I especially like the one with the tree fern background were does one get that from?

Mitch · Apr 18, 2011

Thanks! I got the tree fern fiber online from a bonsai supply store.

Mitch · Apr 25, 2011

A Few Pictures From Today - 4/24/11

Azureus Posing - 1

Azureus Posing - 2

I'm seeing the vents more and more each day. I'm glad they're getting bolder. Sorry about the crappy shot, I had to take it through the glass or else they'll hop away.

eos · Apr 25, 2011

Lookin good Mitch. I'm not sure if I asked you before, but how old are your azureus?

Mitch · Apr 25, 2011

Uh, I think about a year? I got them from Mike at NEHERP as a probable pair but he got them from Andy at Brooklyn Darts so I believe they're about a year, maybe less. These frogs have definitely gotten around, and I'll have to sell them when I leave for college next year, so that'll be their 4th home.

Nigel Moses · Apr 26, 2011

Great vivariums and pictures all around!

Mitch · Apr 26, 2011

Thanks!

Today I got some awesome orchids from Fleshfrombone... pics to come soon!

Nigel Moses · Apr 26, 2011

Can't wait!

Mitch · Apr 26, 2011

Orchid Pictures

I got these orchids yesterday from Fleshfrombone. They arrived in great condition and he sold me a few nice vivarium-friendly orchids for cheaper than you can get them anywhere else. If your looking for orchids I'd definitely talk to him. I don't have ID's right now but if you see this fleshfrombone feel free to comment... or anyone else. For now they are just species 1,2, and 3.

Orchid 1

Orchid 2 (bottom left) and Orchid 3 (top right)

A different Orchid 2.

I'm hoping they'll do where where I'm keeping them. I have the right conditions for them so I'll be happy to see them grow.

fleshfrombone · May 12, 2011

Orchid 1
Mediocalcar decoratum

Orchid 2
Random pluerothallid (ie no idea

)

Orchid 3
Encyclia/Dinema polybulbon

Orchid 4
Restrepia sanguinea (massive flowers for the species on that clone)

dendrobateslover · Apr 26, 2011

Looks great. Those orchids look like they're doing pretty well. I really like the fact that some plant matter has grown on the hut; it makes it look more jungle-y.

Mitch · Apr 26, 2011

Thanks! I've only had the orchids for a day so I'm not sure if they're liking the conditions yet. As for the coco hut, all you have to do its spread some sphagnum moss on it and cover that with christmas or java moss, and when the moss acclimates it'll grow like mad. The sphag is also coming back to life which looks cool too.

dendrobateslover · Apr 26, 2011

I might actually try that. Thanks

Mitch's 18x18x18 Zoo Meds

Top Contributors this Month

Recommended Communities