[Mantellaprince20]

I finally finished my 55 gallon vivarium for my 8 mantella viridis. It has a waterfall in the center, it is a false bottom, coco mats were used for the background, and soon will have an ultrasonic humidifier plumbed in. Here it is:

The Left Half

And the Right Half

The moss will be replaced with leaf litter as soon as I can get some, it started snowing here today, what luck. I have many types of bromeliads scattered around, mainly neoregelia's, and many cryptanthus. I have a few different species of selaginella's, some aroids, lemon button fern, wandering jew, a tillandsi, and the cork waterfall looks great while running. Let me know what you all think.

 

[Guest]

Looks good Ed, what kind of lights are you using? What kind of leaf litter are you looking for? I've used our native shrub-oak leaves and the will definetly hold up, I planted a magnolia tree this fall, little does my wife know its strictly for the leaves next year....lol :lol:

 

[Jace King]

I like to combine leaf litter and spahgum moss. Just one or the other and i dont like it as much. i have not a green pillow or tropical moss in a long time. I wouldnt mind using a couple of patches though. so even though i voted for leaf litter im for all three of these togethers.

 

[Derek Benson]

I'd think all leaf litter would be awesome for mantella egg deposition sites, especially if there's a good layer of over lapping and it stays moist. Plus it looks killer.

 

[Guest]

Why not leaf litter with mossy patches. When I've seen Mantellas breed they usually chose the mossy chunks to lay under.
j

 

[Mantellaprince20]

Thanks for all the comments so far. I was probably going to leaf moss around the banks of the water, and use leaf litter elsewhere. Well, keep the comments/suggestions coming. This is my first self containing terrarium, so any little bit helps.

Ed Parker

 

[Guest]

I would go with mostly moss with leaves added on top of it in some spots.

 

[Guest]

I would go with mostly moss with leaves added on top of it in some spots.

agreed

landon

 

[Ben E]

how long will the cork hold up with water running on it?

 

[Mantellaprince20]

I am not going to run the water on it very often. I am just using as a "seasonal" thing. I will only run it for maybe a month or two at a time. This is just something they encounter in the wild, since they usually live around dry streams, which will flow during the rainy seasons of madagascar. But, I am not sure how long the cork will hold up. Hopefully long enough. If it doesn't, i will just replace it with a rock pile.

ED Parker

 

[Guest]

I should think it would last indefinitely, otherwise really old bottles of wine would be worthless. (er ok the movement might cause erosion eventually, but I think it would take quite some time.

 

[Ben E]

wine with its 10 or so % alcohol does a pretty good job of preventing decomposition of cork....just curious because i have seen cork rot in about 4 months when kept continually moist/wet but if he is just running it every now and then and it is allowed to dry in between i bet it will last for years.

 

[Guest]

really rot in 4 months? I've had several pieces stay wet for going on 14 months with no sign of rotting.

-Tad

 

[Mantellaprince20]

I have had some moist for the last year and a half, and it is soft, but not rotting. It even has some cool type of green moss growing on it. I am not to worried about it rotting though. I used great stuff to fill in the back, and that should hold it together as well.

Ed Parker

 

[Guest]

rotting cork bark!?!?

im very suprised at this. ive got a friend who sets up planted aquariums. on of his favorite designs is to have a piece of cork floating on top, with java moss growing on it, to create a shady area. i used a piece for about 9 mos, that held the land back in my first false bottom. ive broken that tank down, but i use that flat in another viv now. ive got a vert 10 with water flowing down it constantly, and a 110 with the entire back wall covered, which the bottom stays just below the water line. in the 10 there was some discoloration of the water for about a month or so, and the 110 has swelled a little but there seems to be no deterioration. both tanks are almost a year old now.

the only time i saw a problem was when i used a tube and ran ther water through the center. it constantly eroded away into my pond. i had it set up for almost 6 mo and the piece was worn all the way through. the inside is definatley not as good as the outside for running water.

landon