My first Vivarium

Pitcom · Oct 6, 2008

Ya know, we should start an "Other Hobbies" area since so many of us seem to dabble in more than reefs. Anyway, I'd like to show a few pics of my tank in case anyone was looking to getting into PDF's.

This is a shot of the false bottom. There is a reptiflow 200 (45gph) pump and a 25 watt fish tank heater under the eggcrate.

Here Is the tank after i put in the substrate and creek bed. I actually made a spray bar and buried it in the gravel. The acrylic bed that i made is on a 1/2" pitch towards the front of the tank. The wood is a huge chunk of bog wood, which will not rot out from the high humidity.

This was taken on my iphone so sorry for the quality. This was before i installed the spray bar so you can see the tubing from the pump over the creek bed. I've since planted a brom and some Tri-color hoya. The tank is lit by a 2 bulb 18w current t5 fixture with 2 10k bulbs.

Azureus Frog

Luecomelas

The group, although there is 1 more luec who was hiding.

I just built a new tank over the weekend because i picked up this breeding pair of Patricia's. I went a very different route with the new tank by adding a waterfall and a bonsai tree which will handle the humidity. I'll post pics of it once it settles in. But here is a shot of the shy frogs who are still adjusting to thier new home.

revhtree · Oct 6, 2008

That is so cool!

What would be the cost for a set up like that with the frogs?

oceanparadise1 · Oct 6, 2008

wow! thats so cool! i would also like to know the cost and what is the purpose of the water and everything if its covered? does it just keep the gound moist?

Reef Pets · Oct 6, 2008

For some reason it seems as if the hobby of dart frogs and reef keeping go hand in hand. I have noticed this on other sites in the past. Not only that, I live near the Newport Aquarium and they had dart frogs on display a couple of months ago.

I am guess its because the unique colors of the reef and the frogs? Anyhow, very cool!!

I really like the blue one.

Pitcom · Oct 6, 2008

revhtree said:
That is so cool!

What would be the cost for a set up like that with the frogs?

I'll give a break down of what each component cost me.
Tank-80
Heater 14
Pump 14
Bog wood was 25
Egg crate was 12 but i got a broken panel at home depot for 1 penny!
Acrylic was 9 bucks for the sheet
Lexan caulk was 3.59
T5 light + 1 extra bulb 65
Bag of substrate was 15
Gravel 6
All the plants were from lowes and were 3.99 a pint, except woth the orchids which were 12.99
The frogs, cost will vary. but i paid 60 a frog. You can pay more or less, it depends on a few things. I paid 225 for the breeding pair of patricias.

Pitcom · Oct 6, 2008

oceanparadise1 said:
wow! thats so cool! i would also like to know the cost and what is the purpose of the water and everything if its covered? does it just keep the gound moist?

Well the water helps keep the humidity in the tank up. I covered the screen on the top of the tank with a piece of acrylic with some vent holes for air circulation. This also helps keep the humidity up. In the 2 weeks its been up the roots from the plants have already broken through the fiberglass window screen covering the eggcrate (this keeps the soil from falling through the eggcrate!) and tapped the water. Plus, the frogs love sitting in the water. I'm sure not all frogs do, but these guys sure like it.

Oh i forgot to add. The purpose of the fish tank heater is to keep the water at 75 degrees. This keeps the tank temperature up during the night time!

JGoslee · Oct 6, 2008

Great looking setup! I really like the Luecomelas.

FateX8 · Oct 6, 2008

nice setup
hows the maintenance on these?

edwing206 · Oct 6, 2008

Great looking tank and frogs. Keep an eye on the mixed azureus and leucs.
The maintenance is really simple. Just mist(I do daily) feed(dusted w/ vitamins, calcium), check temps and trim back the plants.(or let go wild if that's you thing). There's probably some stuff I missed but that's the gist of it. Oh, and you have to culture fruit flies. Pretty simple though.

surfn · Oct 6, 2008

cool!

i've been wanting to do this for several years, but i just can't seem to get my head around the plant thing. i've tried to do a vivarium without frogs and without water features, but the soil always got too wet and plants started to rot. could never figure out that aspect....

we definitely need to see pics of the new setup with the waterfall and bonsai tree! who cares if nothing is grown in yet. ;)

oh, about how many gallons (i.e. how big) is each tank?

Pitcom · Oct 7, 2008

surfn said:
cool!

i've been wanting to do this for several years, but i just can't seem to get my head around the plant thing. i've tried to do a vivarium without frogs and without water features, but the soil always got too wet and plants started to rot. could never figure out that aspect....

we definitely need to see pics of the new setup with the waterfall and bonsai tree! who cares if nothing is grown in yet. ;)

oh, about how many gallons (i.e. how big) is each tank?

The tank is 18x18x18, which is about 24 gallons.

GMaquarium · Oct 7, 2008

Very nice little setup. I used to be big into the vivarium and paludarium hobby. Had some really cool tanks. But over the years got out. Maybe because I was the only one in my area.

gooch · Oct 7, 2008

I have had mine running for about a month now. I will get some pics up. Mine has a water feature as well. I built it out of ceramic. No frogs yet. It is hunting season right now and I just have to many things going on. I leave for Canada in three weeks so I want to get them when I get back. I keep my water line very low and the water feature only fills a shallow pond when it is running. When I shut it off it drains down in seconds.

Yours looks nice. I screwed up when I planted mine. I added way to many plants at first.

Mine is also 18x18x18

FateX8 · Oct 7, 2008

im in the same boat as surfn
every time i tried a vivarium, plants rotted and died

ss7 · Oct 7, 2008

I've seen a couple of your posts over on dendro board.. I keep a pair of azureus myself. I love the guys. :)

psychedelicwonders · Oct 7, 2008

I had 2 little luc babys, but sadly I left my space heater on in the room I was living in and the tank overheated and they perished.

I really want to see the bonsai tree in your tank.

I wasnt aware you could put bonsais in vivs and this is a very cool idea.

Little bonsai, a couple of orchids and a a bromiliad or two if you can fittem.

Oh and these kind of leaves...

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a273/Czar024/FittoniainFlower-closeup.jpg

Purple and green leaves, those rock.

FateX8 · Oct 7, 2008

wheres the new fts with bonsai?

Pitcom · Oct 7, 2008

I'll take a pic tomorrow, the frogs are sleeping right now in the plants. I don't want to keep stressing them out or it'll take forever for her to lay eggs again.

I found a pic from the other day, but I'll still get another shot. I need to add some more stone and find some more plants. The tree is in the back. What Im hoping for is the foliage to cover the back.