New Viv Construction - pic heavy

[DonLisk]

Here is a basic run down of my latest viv construction for my Dendrobates Leucomelas Bumblebee Dart.
This was initally published on the Dartfrogz forum and edited with additional comments for here. Hope you enjoy it and many thanks to Riko and those who suggested and provided help during this build.


Planned Materials: Waterfall foam, Driftwood, Cork Flat, Cork Round, Planting Pots, Clay Ball Bottom, Zilla Jungle Mix Substrate, Air Plants and Bromilaids, Peat Moss, and unknown plants to be names later.

Step One
Equipment: 20L tank, 1 piece driftwood, 1 medium cork flat, 2 cans Tetra Waterfall Foam, several small planter pots.

A. Cleaned tank and laid it back down, then placed driftwood and cork flats into place.
B. Siliconed above items into place and let cure for several hours.
C. Began adding the waterfall foam around driftwood and cork bark to seal around pieces.
D. Let foam settle for 1 hour.

E. Placed pots for plants and filled in around pots with waterfall foam doing small areas at a time.
F. Finished filling other background areas with foam and created shelf area on right above pot.
G. Let settle for 2 hours and then took initial pics.








Step Two

A. Trim out foam to desired appearance.
B. Apply Silicone and peat moss/coco fiber.
C. Remove Excess peat and coco.
D. Touch up areas missed.
E. Detail cracks.

Materials: GE Silicone I, Zilla Jungle Mix, Eco Earth Coco Fiber, Rubber Gloves, More Rubber Gloves, and some fresh air afterwards

Steps
1. I began by cutting in the areas that I wanted to re-sculpture. Stepped back to view for a bit and made more adjustments to the foam. I basically followed my preplanned adjustments as viewed in the image above.
2. I applied silicone to small areas, spreading it thick over flatter surfaces and trying to cut it into cracks as much as I could. It definitely has to go on thick. If you want c racks you need to have them cut deep and exaggerated since the silicone will fill much of it and hide smaller cracks.
3. I applied the coco fiber over some areas by sprinkling it over top and then pressing it in with a clean rubber glove. Pour it on since excess will fall off.
4. I continued steps 2 and 3 changing over to the Zilla Mix and covering the whole background.



5. Allowed this to settle over two hours and then started to shake off excess. I then let set one more hour and then lightly brushed off excess with a paint brush.
6. My next step was to use a knife to lightly trim out cracks of excess to add detail.
7. Used a razor to clean excess off the glass and then cleaned inside tank glass surfaces with water.

The following pics are the completion of step 2.








Well, it turned out to be a pretty productive day.
The fumes were pretty much gone from the last silicone work so I decided to head to Zoo Creatures in New Hampshire for some supplies.

I picked up a glass top, T8 light fixture, bulb, one cork round, some Zilla Jungle Mix, and a coffee for the ride home.

Step Three
A. Put in bottom layer of clay balls.
B. Cut to fit substrate screen material.
C. Put in Jungle Mix substrate.
D. Put in a small piece of driftwood center tank.
E. Wet Down entire tank to soak the substrate.
F. Cut down cork round to make a small hut and a stump.
G. Dropped in some magnolia leaf litter.
H. Added in some Starling Ivy that I have in my living-room and put in one air plant.
I. Placed top and light fixture into place. Fired up the light and was pretty happy with the viv so far.

Notes: Not sure if the ivy is staying since I believe it grows extremely fast.
The upper left placement of Ivy could be replaced with lemon button or similer.
Right of air plant will be one more air plant.








Step Four
Purchase and add plants

I purchased the following plants for completion of this viv.
Nephrolepis exaltata (Boston Fern)
3 Tillandsia Air Plants
Hypoestes Polka Dot Plant
Lemon Button Fern
Arilia Snowflake
Bromeliad
Ficus
Starling Ivy

A. After topping off the substrate, I made a few touch ups to the background by using small amounts of Gorilla Glue and after it foamed up I pressed in some jungle mix and coco fiber. This filled in spots that did not fully cover during the initial silicone work.

B. I headed to a local nursery and selected the plants listed above. Finding a small Bromeliad was pretty tough since most I found were very thick at the base.

C. I rinsed down all of the plants in my tub (don't tell the wife) and then placed the plants around the tank to get a view of how I wanted to proceed.

D. Once I found the placements I felt comfortable with, I began planting each plant making slight adjustments in the layout as I went along.

E. Once everything was in place, I watered the entire tank down to soak the roots and then hit the lights.

The pics below are the finished result.
Final modifications were made after some of the pics shown such as moving the rom to the back wall.










Final mods

[Ebony]

Wow!!!...Amazing

[bshmerlie]

Don thank you for this wonderful thread. It is very well done and very informative...I especially like the fine touches such as labeling the plants. (I for one suck at plant names ...i wish everyone would label them).This is exactly what I was referring to in my Terrarium Builds thread. You've built an awesome tank and I am glad that you are sharing it with us here on Frog Forum. Thanks again. Anyone think they can top Don's build thread?

[DonLisk]

Thanks for the complements.

There was a lot of help with this and hopefully others post similar threads here. It definitely helps seeing what others have done, how they did it, and have a place to ask questions.

I asked a ton of questions as this was being built. So glad there are so many more experienced out there who stepped right up to help. Riko and some folks at dartfrogz forum (a ton of experience there for dart specific questions) were instrumental to getting this done.

My only suggestion to someone wanting to do this for the 1st time..... patience, wait for things to cure and let it air out. Foam and silicone take time to set, completely dry, and the smell to disappear.

[lnaminneci]

Excellent!! Gorgeous terrarium and build Don!
You did an Outstanding presentation of it! Thank you very much for sharing, and I am a picture freak so I love, love all the pictures!

~Lesley

[DonLisk]

Excellent!! Gorgeous terrarium and build Don!
You did an Outstanding presentation of it! Thank you very much for sharing, and I am a picture freak so I love, love all the pictures!

~Lesley

Once it cycles and grows in I'll post plenty more. Love taking pics here.

[RikoAustria]

Gotta say it again... It looks great Don!

[Leefrogs]

Just awsome, your babies will very happy in there. U need more rep for posting entire build, hope my addition helps.

[clownonfire]

Don, this is simply fantastic. Now we need our office renovated home... I think we'll need you!

Great job! A lucky dart!!

[DonLisk]

Well the day has come to put our little friend into the new home.

Over the last week I did some final touches on the viv.

1. Removed the Ivy and replaced that with a Creeping Fig to have it hang down off the background and hopefully grow across the background too.

2. Removed the Arilia Snowflake moss since it did not like the moist humid conditions and put a little creeping fig in its place.

3. Added some Cryptanthus bromeliads, which do like the moist soil, and also gave the dart a coco hut.

When intrduced to the new viv, he immediately had to check out the new surroundings. They are smart and with all the available room to explore, what does he find, there a small opening at the top and it must be a way out. Not.

So, day one in and tonight he is sleeping in the top of the Ficus plant near the top of the viv.

Here are some of the finished viv pics and plants that went in.

Where hes sleeping tonight




















And the end result

[DonLisk]

There were a few updates done tonight and just wanted to share the changes. I'll definately have some additional pics besides these tomorrow.

Added some Jungle Pods to hopefully collect some water :-)


Replaced one air plant on the back ground with this plant from Black Jungle


Removed the coco hut since its mostly for breeding and thats not gonna happen here for sometime.
and............. added this cute little one........

[MikeM670]

Don,

Really nice work on the viv. I like your choice of plants you settled on. The cork round with the plants growing out is awesome. I would of never thought of that. It should give a nice cascading look when it goes in for a while.

[Kisa]

Don this viv is amazing! I can't even begin to fathom the hard work it took to make this great home what it is now. Awesome build, truly inspirational. ><
xinfinity

[DonLisk]

Hey, never give me you camera with only a few shots left! I'll use them all up!

More new pics of the 2-26-2011 changes.
I will note that the creeping fig attached itself to the substrate quickly and when adding the stump in the center I had to pull the figs roots out.... I was pretty impress at its quick growth.

[DonLisk]

I can't leave well enough alone :-)

After viewing this for a bit, I took the center added stump and lowered it into the substrate more. Looks way better and not the center of attention when you walk up on the tank,

Both Darts met this morning and it was like passers by on the street. Hi, gotta look for food, see ya later. It was pretty cool.

[bshmerlie]

Don that is a very impressive viv. Makes me nervous now to show the one im currently building with clay. . Again thanks for listing the plant names it's a big help.

[DonLisk]

Don that is a very impressive viv. Makes me nervous now to show the one im currently building with clay. . Again thanks for listing the plant names it's a big help.

No problem :-) I'm sure your viv will look amazing.
Below are some more pics after the stump was lowered and the froggies met this morning.

[DonLisk]

OK, so some last pics of what I'll called finished. Frogs met this morning and all went well.

[clownonfire]

Don, I've told you this before, but my family and I are moving in your viv. Don't worry, we won't take too much space. It's wonderful!!

When I visited the azureus breeder yesterday, he gave me a trick for the broms and airplants if they are going to be on lower soil. He said to add a piece of cork underneath the root, that it will help against rotting as it will absorb the moisture and keep the root dry.

Bravo encore!

[MikeM670]

Don,

I can't get over how colorful and beautiful your vivarium is. You certainly did a fantastic job on this setup!! When the creeping fig really gets going and some moss grows in it will be heaven for your two frogs.