[Rain_Frog]

To extend this a little, I think we should include non Dendrobates/ mantellas/ atelopus in this topic....

Definitely, from many claims, many darts are pretty much fine at night at 60 degrees. In fact, many highlanders like tricolors need cool temps.

There is no more threat of overheating from bulbs, ballasts, etc., and you can grow as many kinds of plants you like, and keep the humidity high without compensating good air circulation.

The problem is still keeping things considerably cool. Not every climate would be suitable, but in general, I think some good shade cloth and evaporative cooling units would do great (many greenhouses use swamp coolers anyway)...unless you live in a hot/ humid climate like Kansas.

Many hard to breed anurans would readily cycle from natural temperature photoperiod, and lunar cues.

Greenhouses could potentially save (excluding heating/ cooling/ ventilation) a large scale breeder or keeper lots of money that would of been spent on tons of tanks, stands, lighting fixtures, etc. But of course, it wouldn't pay off for the smaller scale folks.

I am a huge exotic plant person, particularly carnivorous plants and orchids.

If I could find a way to keep the water cool in the summer, a greenhouse pond would be an ideal place for Xenopus, other pipids, and large, ranids or leptodactylids that are rather impractical indoors.

 

[Catfur]

In temperate climes, I don't think a greenhouse would be at all cost effective. Heating cooling costs would be far higher than taking a simple shed and insulating it very well. A subterranian structure would be even better. A greenhouse just won't do.

 

[bbrock]

There are a number of ways to do things. In cold climates like mine, I think making the greenhouse partial underground is the way to go. When we build ours, it will have 3 insulated walls built into a hillside and the whole deal will be sunk three feet into the ground so the whole foundation will also be insulated. Only the roof and part 2/3 of the south wall will be glazed which will cut heating costs considerably. Cooling is just a matter of getting enough ventilation to equilibrate with the outside air since it rarely gets that hot here.

But the other thing to consider would be a mix of what was already suggested. A well inslated shed or out building could be fit with insulated skylights to create a fairly energy efficient green room.

As for cooling water, remember that the ground below frost line stays about 55F year round. So in Kansas if you bury a water tank below 3 ft., the water should cool naturally to 55F. Get a big enough tank and you could have substantial cooling capacity for a cool water source.

I think greenhouses would be the ultimate for many frogs.

 

[Rain_Frog]

Once again brent, you are definitely using that extra 90% of your grey matter. :wink:

Actually, the heat issue doesn't seem to scare me as much as a vivarium does.

Being a big CP fan, I know many people who raise highland Nepenthes that need similar temps to mantellas, tricolors, Xenopus, etc. and they have raised them successfully. In fact, they need colder nights.

I definitely am going to attempt this....when I get my own place! :lol: I'm not living at home forever! I only have three years to get a bachelors, then its off to a masters, hopefully!

A misting system would come in handy, not just for the frogs, but for the plants well being!