Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 60

Thread: 20 Gallon Long Dart Vivarium

  1. #1
    kaiden32
    Guest

    Default 20 Gallon Long Dart Vivarium

    Hey everyone, I'm new to the board and I just though I would share my new 20 long viv with all you guys. I have set up a few vivariums before, for crested geckos and one for hermit crabs, and I have had fresh and saltwater reef tanks. My old saltwater tank was a 20 long until I accidentally put my elbow through the front of it and ended up with 20 gallons of saltwater on the floor in the upstairs of my house. So needless to say I have been out of the hobby for a little while. But I love the look of a 20 gallon long tank and I have seen several beautiful vivariums using 20 longs so I decided to give it a shot. This is my first time keeping poison dart frogs, but I am close with someone who has kept them for a while and is breeding them. He offered to give me a couple azures if I wanted them so that's how this all started. They are still a while away from being ready for me but I thought it would be smart to get the system running and get plants in so everything could grow in and such. I have been monitoring the temp and humidity. The temp stays around 70-75 at night and during the day it stays around 77-80~. The humidity fluctuates between mistings but stays around 83-90%. I built a false bottom out of eggcrate and the substrate barrier from Josh's Frogs. I used ABG mix for the substrate and there is a layer of Spaghnum on top of that. The background was made from Great Stuff and covered with brown GE Silicone ii and coco fiber. So far I am happy with how it is turning out. My plan is to go pick up some plants within the next couple days. I am hoping to get a smaller bromeliad in there and some vining plants to go up the background. Any other suggestions for plants? Tell me what you think.
    Attached Images Attached Images    

  2. # ADS
    Circuit advertisement
     

  3. #2
    kaiden32
    Guest

    Default Re: 20 Gallon Long Dart Vivarium

    I went and picked up two small plants for the viv last night. One of them is an Autumn Fern and the other one is some other type of fern. So far they seem to be doing well. I am still looking for a bromeliad to put in there, does anyone know of any good looking ones that stay smaller?
    Attached Images Attached Images    

  4. #3
    Member 2ofEverything's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Nationality
    [Canada]
    Location
    Toronto, ON
    Posts
    31

    Default Re: 20 Gallon Long Dart Vivarium

    Wow looks great. Is that a waterfall/drip wall? I'm currently working on a 40 gallon 48" tank and this will definitely help and give me some ideas. Sorry I can't help with the plants... I'm new here too lol. What type of fish were in that saltwater tank? Reason I'm asking is the tank I'm using now was a reef tank . Do you know what specie of dart frogs you plan on putting in there?

  5. #4
    kaiden32
    Guest

    Default Re: 20 Gallon Long Dart Vivarium

    Thanks! Yeah it's a small waterfall. I know they aren't necessary but I think they add a lot to the feel of the vivarium. I had 2 Ocellaris Clowns, 2 Chromis, and I was planning to put one other but I didn't get the chance. I have kept firefish, watchman gobies, and several other types in other tanks I've had though. The plan is to put azures in there.

  6. #5
    Member 2ofEverything's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Nationality
    [Canada]
    Location
    Toronto, ON
    Posts
    31

    Default Re: 20 Gallon Long Dart Vivarium

    Nice, I want to put a small waterfall with a couple of steps in the tank I'm building right now. I too think they add quite a bit for the vivarium. For the waterfall, did you just put small water pump with a tube running through the Great Stuff? The thing is my tank is going to be kind of a wall divider so I won't have a background, and the waterfall is going to be some river stones stacked on each other with the hose on top. I also heard that sphagnum moss comes back to life so it's definitely going add to the tank when it's bright green . Yeah I had a few clowns before I bought the 40 and planned on putting an eel in there but hit a bump in the road and had to sell the equipment Good luck with the Azures .

  7. #6
    kaiden32
    Guest

    Default Re: 20 Gallon Long Dart Vivarium

    I'm thinking probably a male-female pair or two males and a female if the tank is big enough for 3. I read that Azure females are very territorial so you shouldn't keep more than one female together in a small enclosure.

  8. #7
    kaiden32
    Guest

    Default Re: 20 Gallon Long Dart Vivarium

    I did the waterfall like this so I could easily get to the pump and tube in case something happens.
    Attached Images Attached Images  

  9. #8
    Moderator
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Nationality
    [United States]
    Location
    Quincy IL
    Posts
    2,505
    Picture Albums: Member Photo Albums

    Default Re: 20 Gallon Long Dart Vivarium

    Tank is looking good! Going to add any wood or hides? The frogs will want someplace to retreat to at bed time
    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

  10. #9
    Super Moderator flybyferns's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Nationality
    [United States]
    Location
    Huntington .. New York
    Posts
    4,975
    Picture Albums: Member Photo Albums

    Default Re: 20 Gallon Long Dart Vivarium

    Quote Originally Posted by kaiden32 View Post
    I went and picked up two small plants for the viv last night. One of them is an Autumn Fern and the other one is some other type of fern. So far they seem to be doing well. I am still looking for a bromeliad to put in there, does anyone know of any good looking ones that stay smaller?

    It loos great !
    Keep us posted.
    You did a lot of 'home work' !

    http://www.bromeliadsnsuch.com/servlet/StoreFront
    They have Neoregelia miniatures. Each choice has a description.

    Buy Rare and Exotic Tropical Plants Online|Begonias|Episcias|Peperomias|Gesneriads

    Enjoy

    Current Collection
    Dendrobates leucomelas - standard morph
    Dendrobates auratus “Costa Rican Green Black"
    Dendrobates auratus "Pena Blanca"
    Dendrobates tinctorius “New River”
    Dendrobates tinctorius "Green Sipaliwini"
    Dendrobates tinctorius “Powder Blue"
    Dendrobates tinctorius "French Guiana Dwarf Cobalt"

    Phyllobates terribilis “Mint”
    Phyllobates terribilis "Orange"
    Phyllobates bicolor "Uraba"

    Oophaga pumilio "Black Jeans"
    Oophaga pumilio "Isla Popa"
    Oophaga pumilio "Bastimentos"
    Oophaga pumilio “Mimbitimbi”
    Oophaga pumilio "Rio Colubre"
    Oophaga pumilio "Red Frog Beach”
    Oophaga pumilio "Rio Branco"
    Oophaga pumilio “Valle del Rey”
    Oophaga pumilio "BriBri"
    Oophaga pumilio "El Dorado"
    Oophaga pumilio "Cristobal"
    Oophaga pumilio "Rambala"

    Oophaga “Vicentei” (blue)

    Oophaga sylvatica "Paru"
    Oophaga sylvatica "Pata Blanca"
    Oophaga histrionica “Redhead”
    Oophaga histrionica "Blue"
    Oophaga lehmanni "Red"
    Oophaga histrionica "Tado"

    Ranitomeya variabilis "Southern"
    Ranitomeya imitator "Varadero"
    Ranitomeya sirensis "Lower Ucayali"
    Ranitomeya vanzolinii

    http://www.fernsfrogs.com
    https://www.facebook.com/ferns.frogs

  11. #10
    kaiden32
    Guest

    Default Re: 20 Gallon Long Dart Vivarium

    Yes I am planning to create some kind of place for them to hide I'm just not really sure how I want to do it yet for this tank. Any suggestions? And thanks I'll take a look at those Neorogelia miniatures! I got two new cuttings yesterday and put them in. Hopefully they will root and work out well. Pictures coming soon.

  12. #11
    100+ Post Member Bombina Bob's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Nationality
    [Canada]
    Location
    Fraser valley BC
    Posts
    1,126
    Picture Albums: Member Photo Albums

    Default Re: 20 Gallon Long Dart Vivarium

    Looking good! your plants should grow fast in ABG
    "A Righteous man cares for his animals" - Proverbs 12:10
    1.0.0 Correlophus cilliatus
    2.1.0 Bombina orientalis
    0.1.0 Ambystoma mexicanum
    0.0.1 Ceratophrys cranwelli
    1.0.0 Litoria caerulea
    1.1.0 Dendrobates auratus "Nicaraguan"
    0.0.2 Dendrobates tinctorius "Azureus"



  13. #12
    kaiden32
    Guest

    Default Re: 20 Gallon Long Dart Vivarium

    Thanks! And yeah I have read lots of good things about ABG so that's why I decided to use it.

  14. #13
    Moderator
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Nationality
    [United States]
    Location
    Quincy IL
    Posts
    2,505
    Picture Albums: Member Photo Albums

    Default 20 Gallon Long Dart Vivarium

    My sons Azureus love the coco hut! One of them also hides in a hole in some cork bark we have on the wall 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

  15. #14
    kaiden32
    Guest

    Default Re: 20 Gallon Long Dart Vivarium

    Quick update with the new plants and I built a little cave/hut thing out of some pieces of wood for the frogs to hide in. I'm really looking forward to when everything starts growing in! I know I want to get a bromeliad for that right corner on the background, but anyone have other suggestions? Should I just get the brom and let things start growing in and see how it goes?
    Attached Images Attached Images  

  16. #15
    kaiden32
    Guest

    Default Re: 20 Gallon Long Dart Vivarium

    I got bored..so I took some shots from different angles. Also, I'm thinking that one plant is going to get some type of red flower or something which would be cool.
    Attached Images Attached Images          

  17. #16
    100+ Post Member mshine1217's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Nationality
    [United States]
    Location
    SW Montana
    Posts
    112
    Blog Entries
    1

    Default Re: 20 Gallon Long Dart Vivarium

    Your build is looking good. Boredom can lead to great ideas . I really like the water feature. Keep up the good work .
    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

  18. #17

    Default 20 Gallon Long Dart Vivarium

    Looks god so far. A little linear for my taste, but it looks really good.

    Most broms are going to outgrow that tank fairly quickly. I would look into one of the smaller tillandsia species. Still a brom, just not a "breeding brom". You can search for some miniature broms, but they are going to be difficult to find.


    Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world ~ Nelson Mandela
    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

  19. #18
    kaiden32
    Guest

    Default Re: 20 Gallon Long Dart Vivarium

    Thanks guys! And yeah I'm still looking for a brom that will stay small. I may end up having to buy one from that website Lynn mentioned. I got to go see the tadpoles a few days ago and they are starting to get big and very active. I guess they are still around 2 months from when I can get them, but I'm getting excited. The parent frogs are beautiful. I'm going to start my fruit fly cultures around the 1 month mark. About supplements...I have read about the rep-cal calcium with vitamin d3 and the herpitive stuff. Are those the best? Also, will I need to be feeding every day? The juveniles need to eat more frequently than the adults right?

  20. #19
    kaiden32
    Guest

    Default Re: 20 Gallon Long Dart Vivarium

    I noticed there are several little plants that started growing throughout the tank. It looks like there were a bunch of little seeds scattered around in the sheet moss. This one is the biggest one and there are several that just sprouted. Any idea what they could be?
    Attached Images Attached Images  

  21. #20

    Default 20 Gallon Long Dart Vivarium

    No clue. It needs to grow some more. 90% of plants start out like that


    Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world ~ Nelson Mandela
    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

Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. Starting on a 40 gallon long vivarium
    By arielgasca420 in forum African Bullfrogs
    Replies: 31
    Last Post: April 4th, 2015, 12:36 AM
  2. 10 Gallon dart frog vivarium help
    By kev485 in forum Vivarium, Terrarium & Enclosure Discussion
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: April 17th, 2014, 10:55 AM
  3. Replies: 1
    Last Post: March 19th, 2014, 08:36 PM
  4. Can I use my 90 gallon drilled as a vivarium for Dart Frogs?
    By Cody in forum Vivarium, Terrarium & Enclosure Discussion
    Replies: 37
    Last Post: August 22nd, 2011, 10:44 AM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •