Hexagon Vivarium Journal/ Advice?

[DonLisk]

Badger, nice so far. My biggest suggestion is to have a false bottom of either eggcrate or hydroballs.... stone will work also. Cover that with some screen material and then the substrate above that. Have an area where you can access the false bottom too. This will be for sliding in a hose for drainage since the water will eventually build up and need draining.

As for plants, your Whites are aggressive eaters and heavy frogs once grown so stuff like Bromeliads and Snake plants are the way to go.
I also use leaf liter on top of my substrate since its easy to remove and clean and helps keep the dirt/substrate off the frogs.

I like the holes your adding in your background, will allow you to slide a bromeliad right in and the Brom will eventually attach itself there.

[Badger]

Thanks! Will do on the false bottom. how much do hydroballs go far/ where would one get them? I picked up the silicone and eco earth today as well. I will me using sphagnum moss on top of the eco earth, would that work as good as leaf litter? Thanks again for the comment.

[Badger]

Just checked the foam as I was walking out the door, and I will be doing some serious trimming tonight...I think I will be carving the path for a future waterfall in this side.

[DonLisk]

I would start with 2 bags of hydroballs to see how deep you are in them. I believe you want to have about 1 1/2 inch to 2 inch deep layer of them. My RETF viv has bout 3 inches and I never have to drain that viv.

It is a lot of fun designing a viv when you take your time :-)

[Badger]

alright. can I get them from petco or a local petstore or would I have to run to a hydroponics place?

[Badger]

So, I just carved out some spots for caves made of 2" pvc that I had a couple extra pipes of. I siliconed in the first to see how it would come out. The foam expanded HUGE, so I had to spend ~1 hour trimming. What do you guys think?

I ripped the pump out of my mom's water fountain, and it had a light attached...I might be able to stick it up out of the "ground". Or I'll cut it and cover the wires. Not sure yet, but WOOHOOO, I have waterfall! I am going to make a false bottom, with the pump under it. Then I will make a great stuff pond on top of the eggcrate, with a small drainage hole so it keeps a set amount of water in it, and the rest keeps getyting recycled into the bottom. I'm gonna run 1 inch PVC up the back and that will contain the electric wires so I have remove them as necessary (Conduit). I am going to carve a stream and put in rocks and all that stuff. I'll have a rubber tube running from the pump up the back and exiting into the stream that empties into the pond. Good plan? I think it will work great, I have it all envisioned now. Let's hope I don't screw it up.

EDIT: Sorry about the low quality of the close ups. the clear looking thing is the lighting fixture thing. it is fully enclosed.

[Badger]

Got the tubing for the waterfall today, along with the 1 inch PVC. Great stuffed the pvc in, and frogot about the tubing...oh well. I'll have to carve a channel out tomorrow and great stuff around the tubing. Will post Pictures tomorrow, forgot camera at mom's. questions/comments/concerns?

[Kay]

Do you have to put soil into the holes before you insert the Bromeliads?

I have an tank exactly like that that has become available (meaning the last of my fish died). I'll be very interested in watching Dalton's progress!

[Badger]

Err, I'm Dalton, Frog is Artemis lol. Sorry if there was confusion there. And Yes, I basically filled the pots on the background 1 inch deep, then held the plant in the pot while filling in around in and packing it down. But white's are quite hefty and she's managed to pull the plant sideways, but it hasn't fallen out yet. I usually have to re adjust it every few days.

[Kay]

Sorry, I was trying to address you and Don in the same post! Your vivarium looks great!!

[Badger]

Oh, no problem, sorry lol. Thanks very much by the way. Sorry Don, didn't realize it was meant for you. He's more educated on broms than me by far anyway.

[optimum]

very nice set up this turned out to be! you have got some very serious skills !

[Badger]

Thanks, didn't notice this post before sorry but thanks!

[DonLisk]

Do you have to put soil into the holes before you insert the Bromeliads?

I have an tank exactly like that that has become available (meaning the last of my fish died). I'll be very interested in watching Dalton's progress!

Bromeliads don't require soil since they are pretty much self sufficient. They hold their own water and you can even cut back the root to almost nothing and it will continue to grow. The only thing that really brings down a Bromeliad is placing it in a wet substrate sine that will eventually rot the bottom of the Brom.