I am starting my 3rd Natural Style build. This one is on a struck budget. I am trying to nail down how much (or how little) I can spend and get the tank fully up and running. I had a spare 18 x 18 x 24 on hand, but for fairness sake I will include the price of it in the budget to have a real life estimate on doing more in the future.
Total budget max budget for this tank (Frogs not included) is $295
Tank - Exo Terra 18 x 18 x 24 - Amazon 109.99 (Prime Shipping - Free) - $185.01 remaining
I measured the inside width and depth of the tank and headed to the local nursery to find the rocks for the base of this tank. I set a $25 max budget for rocks. I came home with more than enough rocks for this build for $12.00 - $173.01 remaining
I took a hammer to the 2 pieces of flag stone to get them down to the shape and size I was going for. I used 2 pieces of stone for the land mass and laid them down on smaller round stones to raise them up above the water line in the tank. The bottom will have 3 - 5 inches of water in the bottom of the tank. This will allow room for a Aquatic heater to heat the tank and some water life to be added as well.
Here are a couple pictures of the tank with the rocks in it.
I'll get a side shot of the tank tomorrow.
The egg crate is leftover from the Mantella tank so that saved money on buying a $12 sheet of the defuser to cut to size.
It will take a couple weeks to price shop around the web and town to gather the rest of the pieces. Just thought I would get the thread started.
1.1.0 - Oophaga Pumilio 'Blue Jeans' (2014 Nicaragua Import)
1.1.0 - Oophaga Pumilio 'Chirique Grande' F1
1.1.0 - D. Tinctorius 'Citronella'
1.2.0 - D. Tinctorius 'Azureus'
0.0.2 - D. Tinctorius 'Sipaliwini'
0.0.2 - D. Tinctorius 'New River'
0.0.4 - D. Tinctorius 'Leucomelas'
0.0.4 - Terribilis 'Mint'
1.1.0 - R. Ventrimaculatus 'French Guiana'
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/hashtagfrogs
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgC...sEZiZQoT8sOuuw
I can't wait to follow the progress
Karen from Montana
The Reasons that I have to Work:
1.2.0 - Equine - Butter Baby, Freedom
0.1.0 - Feline - Cassie
3.1.0 - Canine - 1 Min Schnauzer, AJ
1 Lhasa Apso/Poodle X, DaniLyn
2 Giant Schnauzers, Trucker & Trooper
0.0.4 - Axolotls - Hewey, Lewey & Dewey, Angel & Fire
0.1.0 - Hermann's Tortoise - Ari
0.0.3 - Bufo Boreals - Wynken, Blynken, and Nod
1.0.0 - Humanus Maritus - Ron
Part of the remaining supplies were ordered and will be here on Saturday.
$173.01 remaining
All the following supplies were ordered from NEHERPs website.
Malaysian Driftwood Large - $15.99
Malaysian Driftwood Medium - $10.99
Split Seed Pods x2 - $5.98
ABG Mix - $13.99
Moss - $10.00
Plants - $13.99
Total - $70.94
Remaining - $102.07
Still need to do a small Amazon order, buy the light, and have some glass cut to replace the screen top.
I won't be doing any work on the tank till the light and glass top are purchased and in place, but we are right on target to stay on or under budget.
1.1.0 - Oophaga Pumilio 'Blue Jeans' (2014 Nicaragua Import)
1.1.0 - Oophaga Pumilio 'Chirique Grande' F1
1.1.0 - D. Tinctorius 'Citronella'
1.2.0 - D. Tinctorius 'Azureus'
0.0.2 - D. Tinctorius 'Sipaliwini'
0.0.2 - D. Tinctorius 'New River'
0.0.4 - D. Tinctorius 'Leucomelas'
0.0.4 - Terribilis 'Mint'
1.1.0 - R. Ventrimaculatus 'French Guiana'
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/hashtagfrogs
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgC...sEZiZQoT8sOuuw
Very cool Paul! I am so grooving out on these natural style builds!
1.0.0 Oophaga Pumilio 'Black Jeans'
0.0.10 Phyllobates Vittatus
0.0.3 Phyllobates Terribilis 'Mint'
0.0.3 Dendrobates Tinctorius 'Patricia'
0.0.5 Dendrobates Leucomelas
0.0.2 Dendrobates Tinctorius 'Powder Blue'
0.0.2 Ranitomeya Variabilis 'southern'
0.0.3 Epipedobates Anthonyi 'zarayunga'
1.2.0 Phyllobates bicolor
0.0.3 Dendrobates tinctorius 'azureus'
0.0.1 Avicularia Avicularia
0.0.1 Gramastola porteri
0.2.0 Canines
1.0.0 Tabby/Maine Coon Mix
2.1.0 Genetics Experiments
0.1.0 Bed Bully
Thanks Bill I am loving it. The down side is they go together so quickly... just makes me want to buy another tank and do another one lol.
Remaining budget $102.07
1/4in glass cut to 16 15/16 x 15/15/16 = $11.31 (I could of gotten 1/8in thick glass for $6 but I decided on 1/4 for the added strength.)
Remaining budget - $90.76
I decided to go ahead and put the inside of the tank together today. Mainly because I wanted the plants to get in there and acclimate as soon as possible. Below is photo journal of that process.
First are several different layouts for the wood I played around with before I settled on the final layout.
Below is the final layout I started by adding in soil and then the moss. I put some soil under the moss, but not to much. The moss is being used to block the soil from washing off into the water section, allow the soil to be built up deeper, and to help keep the humidity up in the tank.
I added a rock in the front for a flat surface to place food on.
I added the split seed pods in the back. The piece of wood in the middle blocks the view of them from each other. I put some moss over the top of them to provide the hollows with a bit more depth and privacy.
And then the plants and leaf liter.
The glass top is in place. the light over the tank is not the final light for the tank, but will stay in place until the light is purchased.
I will be placing the final order of supplies for this tank (not including the frogs this afternoon).
1.1.0 - Oophaga Pumilio 'Blue Jeans' (2014 Nicaragua Import)
1.1.0 - Oophaga Pumilio 'Chirique Grande' F1
1.1.0 - D. Tinctorius 'Citronella'
1.2.0 - D. Tinctorius 'Azureus'
0.0.2 - D. Tinctorius 'Sipaliwini'
0.0.2 - D. Tinctorius 'New River'
0.0.4 - D. Tinctorius 'Leucomelas'
0.0.4 - Terribilis 'Mint'
1.1.0 - R. Ventrimaculatus 'French Guiana'
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/hashtagfrogs
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgC...sEZiZQoT8sOuuw
2 of the 3 items needed to complete the tank have been ordered
Aquatic heater - $10.96
Water Filter - $15.72
Remaining budget - $64.08
The remaining budget will be spent on the lights and maybe a plant.
1.1.0 - Oophaga Pumilio 'Blue Jeans' (2014 Nicaragua Import)
1.1.0 - Oophaga Pumilio 'Chirique Grande' F1
1.1.0 - D. Tinctorius 'Citronella'
1.2.0 - D. Tinctorius 'Azureus'
0.0.2 - D. Tinctorius 'Sipaliwini'
0.0.2 - D. Tinctorius 'New River'
0.0.4 - D. Tinctorius 'Leucomelas'
0.0.4 - Terribilis 'Mint'
1.1.0 - R. Ventrimaculatus 'French Guiana'
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/hashtagfrogs
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgC...sEZiZQoT8sOuuw
Added water to the tank yesterday and it showed a small leak that did not present itself during the leak test. I made the hard call to take the tank apart to patch the hole. I re siliconed the whole bottom of the tank and am in the process of letting it cure before doing another water test and rebuilding the tank.
1.1.0 - Oophaga Pumilio 'Blue Jeans' (2014 Nicaragua Import)
1.1.0 - Oophaga Pumilio 'Chirique Grande' F1
1.1.0 - D. Tinctorius 'Citronella'
1.2.0 - D. Tinctorius 'Azureus'
0.0.2 - D. Tinctorius 'Sipaliwini'
0.0.2 - D. Tinctorius 'New River'
0.0.4 - D. Tinctorius 'Leucomelas'
0.0.4 - Terribilis 'Mint'
1.1.0 - R. Ventrimaculatus 'French Guiana'
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/hashtagfrogs
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgC...sEZiZQoT8sOuuw
That sucks. Is it a seam leak??
1.0.0 Oophaga Pumilio 'Black Jeans'
0.0.10 Phyllobates Vittatus
0.0.3 Phyllobates Terribilis 'Mint'
0.0.3 Dendrobates Tinctorius 'Patricia'
0.0.5 Dendrobates Leucomelas
0.0.2 Dendrobates Tinctorius 'Powder Blue'
0.0.2 Ranitomeya Variabilis 'southern'
0.0.3 Epipedobates Anthonyi 'zarayunga'
1.2.0 Phyllobates bicolor
0.0.3 Dendrobates tinctorius 'azureus'
0.0.1 Avicularia Avicularia
0.0.1 Gramastola porteri
0.2.0 Canines
1.0.0 Tabby/Maine Coon Mix
2.1.0 Genetics Experiments
0.1.0 Bed Bully
Hard to tell where it was coming from. This is the tank I cleaned up from the original Red Eye build. I had to scrap silicone off all 3 sides so I am assuming I cut some of the needed silicone out away from the seams. I went ahead and scrapped the rest of the silicone off the inside of the tank, cleaned it with Alcohol and then re apply silicone over the seams.
1.1.0 - Oophaga Pumilio 'Blue Jeans' (2014 Nicaragua Import)
1.1.0 - Oophaga Pumilio 'Chirique Grande' F1
1.1.0 - D. Tinctorius 'Citronella'
1.2.0 - D. Tinctorius 'Azureus'
0.0.2 - D. Tinctorius 'Sipaliwini'
0.0.2 - D. Tinctorius 'New River'
0.0.4 - D. Tinctorius 'Leucomelas'
0.0.4 - Terribilis 'Mint'
1.1.0 - R. Ventrimaculatus 'French Guiana'
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/hashtagfrogs
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgC...sEZiZQoT8sOuuw
That should resolve your issue.
1.0.0 Oophaga Pumilio 'Black Jeans'
0.0.10 Phyllobates Vittatus
0.0.3 Phyllobates Terribilis 'Mint'
0.0.3 Dendrobates Tinctorius 'Patricia'
0.0.5 Dendrobates Leucomelas
0.0.2 Dendrobates Tinctorius 'Powder Blue'
0.0.2 Ranitomeya Variabilis 'southern'
0.0.3 Epipedobates Anthonyi 'zarayunga'
1.2.0 Phyllobates bicolor
0.0.3 Dendrobates tinctorius 'azureus'
0.0.1 Avicularia Avicularia
0.0.1 Gramastola porteri
0.2.0 Canines
1.0.0 Tabby/Maine Coon Mix
2.1.0 Genetics Experiments
0.1.0 Bed Bully
I hope so lol. I will add a little bit of water to it tomorrow and see how it does. That will be 48hours for the small bead I ran to cure. It looks and feels cured right now with no smell in the tank, but I am going to give it another 24 hours just to be safe.
1.1.0 - Oophaga Pumilio 'Blue Jeans' (2014 Nicaragua Import)
1.1.0 - Oophaga Pumilio 'Chirique Grande' F1
1.1.0 - D. Tinctorius 'Citronella'
1.2.0 - D. Tinctorius 'Azureus'
0.0.2 - D. Tinctorius 'Sipaliwini'
0.0.2 - D. Tinctorius 'New River'
0.0.4 - D. Tinctorius 'Leucomelas'
0.0.4 - Terribilis 'Mint'
1.1.0 - R. Ventrimaculatus 'French Guiana'
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/hashtagfrogs
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgC...sEZiZQoT8sOuuw
Never hurts to wait. I know you learned that lesson early on lol
1.0.0 Oophaga Pumilio 'Black Jeans'
0.0.10 Phyllobates Vittatus
0.0.3 Phyllobates Terribilis 'Mint'
0.0.3 Dendrobates Tinctorius 'Patricia'
0.0.5 Dendrobates Leucomelas
0.0.2 Dendrobates Tinctorius 'Powder Blue'
0.0.2 Ranitomeya Variabilis 'southern'
0.0.3 Epipedobates Anthonyi 'zarayunga'
1.2.0 Phyllobates bicolor
0.0.3 Dendrobates tinctorius 'azureus'
0.0.1 Avicularia Avicularia
0.0.1 Gramastola porteri
0.2.0 Canines
1.0.0 Tabby/Maine Coon Mix
2.1.0 Genetics Experiments
0.1.0 Bed Bully
Yeah wait and test test test lol. This leak hurt more this time because it did pass the water test the first time. My only thinking is the weight in the tank exposed a leak that wasn't present until the water and weight were in the tank at the same time. By the time I add water to the tank it will be 72 hours.
So far this tank on a budget thing is working out pretty good. I am expecting to be $20 under budget when everything is all said and done. Then I have to decide on a frog and save for them lol.
1.1.0 - Oophaga Pumilio 'Blue Jeans' (2014 Nicaragua Import)
1.1.0 - Oophaga Pumilio 'Chirique Grande' F1
1.1.0 - D. Tinctorius 'Citronella'
1.2.0 - D. Tinctorius 'Azureus'
0.0.2 - D. Tinctorius 'Sipaliwini'
0.0.2 - D. Tinctorius 'New River'
0.0.4 - D. Tinctorius 'Leucomelas'
0.0.4 - Terribilis 'Mint'
1.1.0 - R. Ventrimaculatus 'French Guiana'
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/hashtagfrogs
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgC...sEZiZQoT8sOuuw
It probably was adding the weight of the hard scape. Amazing how much glass can flex.
Ahhhh, deciding on the species, the hardest part. Any particular one you are leaning towards?
1.0.0 Oophaga Pumilio 'Black Jeans'
0.0.10 Phyllobates Vittatus
0.0.3 Phyllobates Terribilis 'Mint'
0.0.3 Dendrobates Tinctorius 'Patricia'
0.0.5 Dendrobates Leucomelas
0.0.2 Dendrobates Tinctorius 'Powder Blue'
0.0.2 Ranitomeya Variabilis 'southern'
0.0.3 Epipedobates Anthonyi 'zarayunga'
1.2.0 Phyllobates bicolor
0.0.3 Dendrobates tinctorius 'azureus'
0.0.1 Avicularia Avicularia
0.0.1 Gramastola porteri
0.2.0 Canines
1.0.0 Tabby/Maine Coon Mix
2.1.0 Genetics Experiments
0.1.0 Bed Bully
I keep flip flopping.
I have wanted Dendrobate Auratus 'Turquoise and Bronze' for a while... Well the wife wants them really bad and I think they are a pretty frog. Though I keep looking at other Mantellas and wondering if I should get those lol.
I am also looking at
Tinctorius 'inferalanis' or 'Citronella'
I could keep listing lol. I am looking to add 4 - 6 to the tank until they mature then I would split them up for breeding.
1.1.0 - Oophaga Pumilio 'Blue Jeans' (2014 Nicaragua Import)
1.1.0 - Oophaga Pumilio 'Chirique Grande' F1
1.1.0 - D. Tinctorius 'Citronella'
1.2.0 - D. Tinctorius 'Azureus'
0.0.2 - D. Tinctorius 'Sipaliwini'
0.0.2 - D. Tinctorius 'New River'
0.0.4 - D. Tinctorius 'Leucomelas'
0.0.4 - Terribilis 'Mint'
1.1.0 - R. Ventrimaculatus 'French Guiana'
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/hashtagfrogs
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgC...sEZiZQoT8sOuuw
Those are all sweet picks. But I think 6 would be too many for the size tank for any of the dendrobates species. I think if I add any more frogs to my army, it will be mantella pulchra, or a similar species. Although I really love some of the Tinc morphs.
1.0.0 Oophaga Pumilio 'Black Jeans'
0.0.10 Phyllobates Vittatus
0.0.3 Phyllobates Terribilis 'Mint'
0.0.3 Dendrobates Tinctorius 'Patricia'
0.0.5 Dendrobates Leucomelas
0.0.2 Dendrobates Tinctorius 'Powder Blue'
0.0.2 Ranitomeya Variabilis 'southern'
0.0.3 Epipedobates Anthonyi 'zarayunga'
1.2.0 Phyllobates bicolor
0.0.3 Dendrobates tinctorius 'azureus'
0.0.1 Avicularia Avicularia
0.0.1 Gramastola porteri
0.2.0 Canines
1.0.0 Tabby/Maine Coon Mix
2.1.0 Genetics Experiments
0.1.0 Bed Bully
Thats my current affliction lol. I would love love love some more Mantellas, but I also love Tincs and Auratus. I will most likely stick with 4 in the tank to start. 6 always sounds good until I get to the buying stage then I get more realistic. I would grab up some M. Cowanii in a heart beat, but I can't find them for sale anywhere.
1.1.0 - Oophaga Pumilio 'Blue Jeans' (2014 Nicaragua Import)
1.1.0 - Oophaga Pumilio 'Chirique Grande' F1
1.1.0 - D. Tinctorius 'Citronella'
1.2.0 - D. Tinctorius 'Azureus'
0.0.2 - D. Tinctorius 'Sipaliwini'
0.0.2 - D. Tinctorius 'New River'
0.0.4 - D. Tinctorius 'Leucomelas'
0.0.4 - Terribilis 'Mint'
1.1.0 - R. Ventrimaculatus 'French Guiana'
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/hashtagfrogs
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgC...sEZiZQoT8sOuuw
Hmm Now I am thinking of getting 4 - 6 Dendrobates Ventrimaculatus 'Sean Stewart Line'. They are on sale right now because the have 60 froglets to sale
1.1.0 - Oophaga Pumilio 'Blue Jeans' (2014 Nicaragua Import)
1.1.0 - Oophaga Pumilio 'Chirique Grande' F1
1.1.0 - D. Tinctorius 'Citronella'
1.2.0 - D. Tinctorius 'Azureus'
0.0.2 - D. Tinctorius 'Sipaliwini'
0.0.2 - D. Tinctorius 'New River'
0.0.4 - D. Tinctorius 'Leucomelas'
0.0.4 - Terribilis 'Mint'
1.1.0 - R. Ventrimaculatus 'French Guiana'
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/hashtagfrogs
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgC...sEZiZQoT8sOuuw
There ya go! I love Vents. I was just telling heather the other day I wanted a pair. Ahhhhhh. So many frogs, so few tanks, so little time lol
1.0.0 Oophaga Pumilio 'Black Jeans'
0.0.10 Phyllobates Vittatus
0.0.3 Phyllobates Terribilis 'Mint'
0.0.3 Dendrobates Tinctorius 'Patricia'
0.0.5 Dendrobates Leucomelas
0.0.2 Dendrobates Tinctorius 'Powder Blue'
0.0.2 Ranitomeya Variabilis 'southern'
0.0.3 Epipedobates Anthonyi 'zarayunga'
1.2.0 Phyllobates bicolor
0.0.3 Dendrobates tinctorius 'azureus'
0.0.1 Avicularia Avicularia
0.0.1 Gramastola porteri
0.2.0 Canines
1.0.0 Tabby/Maine Coon Mix
2.1.0 Genetics Experiments
0.1.0 Bed Bully
Waited an extra 24 hours after the time I posted above before I water tested the tank again fully and it Passed! I left a gallon of water in the tank as I add the rocks back in and checked for leaks again. I then added everything else back and still no leaks. I set it up roughly the same as it was prior to the leak issue. It isn't exact, but really close. I am hoping the plants don't suffer to much with all the moving and shifting they have gone through this week.
I went out to a local nursery today and picked up some plants to keep on hand for future builds or to replace plants in existing tanks as plants die off or I decide I want to change some things up in a tank. I took 2 of the plants I bought and added them to this tank. I positioned them both in front of the hides to give them some added privacy. I began working on the screen cover for the vent in the top of the tank today. I had the glass cut about an inch short on the front of the tank. I think the next one I do I will have a 2in or 3 in hole cut in the middle of the glass to make adding the screening easier lol.
I have pulled the money together for the frogs and am currently trying to decide if I should go ahead and buy 4 frogs or give the tank some more time before I add frogs into it. I added some Springs to the tank today and will continue to add more till I get a good started culture in the soil. I will also add Isos to the tank, but my breeding colony needs a bit longer before I pull from it. (I also need to add some Isos to my Mantella tank).
Anyways, here is the tank as it sits right now. I am not 100% sure the orange plant on the left will survive in the vivarium conditions, but that is why I bought the one I did today, I wanted to test out some different
plants and see how they do. Oh and I picked up a Cattail Fern at today in a 10" pot for $3.00! lol I will be separating that and placing it in some tanks as well.
Its hard to tell in the picture, but the log in the middle of the tank has a part that is resting near the water filter. That thing is hollow and runs way back into the wood. I am hoping it becomes a hide as well, but time will tell. Frogs tend to find the oddest places to call home lol. In my sons Dart tank one of the Darts uses the Hide and the other found a little cave up in the cork bark on the wall it has claimed.
1.1.0 - Oophaga Pumilio 'Blue Jeans' (2014 Nicaragua Import)
1.1.0 - Oophaga Pumilio 'Chirique Grande' F1
1.1.0 - D. Tinctorius 'Citronella'
1.2.0 - D. Tinctorius 'Azureus'
0.0.2 - D. Tinctorius 'Sipaliwini'
0.0.2 - D. Tinctorius 'New River'
0.0.4 - D. Tinctorius 'Leucomelas'
0.0.4 - Terribilis 'Mint'
1.1.0 - R. Ventrimaculatus 'French Guiana'
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/hashtagfrogs
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgC...sEZiZQoT8sOuuw
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