New Tree Frog Vivarium, pics enclosed

[UncleChester]

My latest vivarium is a home made one, built out of recycled 5mm thick plate glass. The dimensions are 41x42x67cm (approx 16.1x16.5x26.4") for ~115 L (approx 30.5 US gallons). It has a front opening door attached with a piano hinge (affixed with silicone) and a sliding bolt to keep it shut (also siliconed on). There's a removable large top vent made from some kind of stainless steel sheet metal grill that's strong enough to support the weight of curious felines (it's been well tested). Front view:



There's a 5cm layer of hydroton followed by a layer of landscape fabric, followed by 5 to 10cm of substrate (leaf hummus/topsoil from chemical free area mixed with some peat and playsand for drainage), followed by some magnolia leaf litter and well stocked with springtails. There's a corner where the frogs have access to the drainage layer to soak in. A barrier of river rocks and driftwood help keep the substrate out of the pool. This arrangement has worked well for a water area for me before, it will turn a little brown from running through the substrate but it makes it a breeze to remove excess water when needed. View of the pond:



There are 5 shelf mushrooms siliconed high up as perches, and a grapevine twisting around the enclosure. There's no background- instead I'm trying to have some neon pothos, Epipremnum pinnatum 'Neon', (a slower growing and smaller version of the usual pothos) and some Philodendron cordatum (the standard philodendron vine) climb the glass at the back for some cover. This will take some time but I think it will give a nice open feel while still providing ample cover for the occupants. View from above:



There is an upright piece of driftwood near the back, but I'm mostly relying on the plants to provide some physical structure. There's a Ficus elastica variegata, a couple Peperomia obtusifolia and a couple of Peperomia obtusifolia varietaga. These are all sturdy plants that fill a vertical space nicely. There's also a very slow growing Dracaena deremensis 'Janet Craig compacta' in the front left and a Dracaena godseffiana that I hope will decide to fill some of the space over the pond area. I like the look of the ficus and varigated peperomia together:



It still has some growing to do before I'm going to move anything into it. The ficus should reach the top given time and the peperomias should come close before they start trying to collapse under their own weight. The vines will of course be all over the place given time. I think I got carried away and overplanted it, but I'm not afraid to mercilessly hack down plants if it starts to feel overcrowded. The intended occupants are either my H. cinerea or a couple of my H. versicolor, I still haven't decided which.

[KingCam]

This is fantastic! You have some spoiled frogs :P Thanks for sharing these photos

[Shade38]

some kind of stainless steel sheet metal grill that's strong enough to support the weight of curious felines (it's been well tested).

This made me giggle imagining you picking up each cat in your house and dropping them on the cover, one by one.

Really gorgeous and great work, well designed and thought out. Love your plant selection too. I want that peperomia!

[UncleChester]

This is fantastic! You have some spoiled frogs :P Thanks for sharing these photos

Thanks!

This made me giggle imagining you picking up each cat in your house and dropping them on the cover, one by one.

Really gorgeous and great work, well designed and thought out. Love your plant selection too. I want that peperomia!

Hah! I wish I had to manually put them on it to test it out! As soon as I show an interest in working on it (or anything else for that matter), one or two will volunteer to test its structural integrity without any prompting.

I've really fallen in love with these upright growing peperomias. They seem to be pretty commonly available at home depots, grocery stores, and walmarts around here at least.

[flybyferns]

My latest vivarium is a home made one, built out of recycled 5mm thick plate glass. The dimensions are 41x42x67cm (approx 16.1x16.5x26.4") for ~115 L (approx 30.5 US gallons). It has a front opening door attached with a piano hinge (affixed with silicone) and a sliding bolt to keep it shut (also siliconed on). There's a removable large top vent made from some kind of stainless steel sheet metal grill that's strong enough to support the weight of curious felines (it's been well tested). Front view:



There's a 5cm layer of hydroton followed by a layer of landscape fabric, followed by 5 to 10cm of substrate (leaf hummus/topsoil from chemical free area mixed with some peat and playsand for drainage), followed by some magnolia leaf litter and well stocked with springtails. There's a corner where the frogs have access to the drainage layer to soak in. A barrier of river rocks and driftwood help keep the substrate out of the pool. This arrangement has worked well for a water area for me before, it will turn a little brown from running through the substrate but it makes it a breeze to remove excess water when needed. View of the pond:



There are 5 shelf mushrooms siliconed high up as perches, and a grapevine twisting around the enclosure. There's no background- instead I'm trying to have some neon pothos, Epipremnum pinnatum 'Neon', (a slower growing and smaller version of the usual pothos) and some Philodendron cordatum (the standard philodendron vine) climb the glass at the back for some cover. This will take some time but I think it will give a nice open feel while still providing ample cover for the occupants. View from above:



There is an upright piece of driftwood near the back, but I'm mostly relying on the plants to provide some physical structure. There's a Ficus elastica variegata, a couple Peperomia obtusifolia and a couple of Peperomia obtusifolia varietaga. These are all sturdy plants that fill a vertical space nicely. There's also a very slow growing Dracaena deremensis 'Janet Craig compacta' in the front left and a Dracaena godseffiana that I hope will decide to fill some of the space over the pond area. I like the look of the ficus and varigated peperomia together:



It still has some growing to do before I'm going to move anything into it. The ficus should reach the top given time and the peperomias should come close before they start trying to collapse under their own weight. The vines will of course be all over the place given time. I think I got carried away and overplanted it, but I'm not afraid to mercilessly hack down plants if it starts to feel overcrowded. The intended occupants are either my H. cinerea or a couple of my H. versicolor, I still haven't decided which.

Wow Brian,
It's just beautiful. You tricked the cats! Ha!
The plants look awsome !
Don't you love it when they are new and pristine !!!
Lynn

[velvety14u]

Awesome job its gonna look great when its grown in!

[jetoutant]

Is the grapevine twisting around the enclosure wild grapevine from the woods or dried up dead grape vine you would grow in your back yard and is that safe.

[jetoutant]

Are the 5 shelf mushrooms siliconed high up as perches real from out doors and is that safe

[UncleChester]

Are the 5 shelf mushrooms siliconed high up as perches real from out doors and is that safe

Yes they are real and yes they are safe. They are the kind that go hard and woody when they die and have been boiled for a couple of hours and then baked at a low temp until dried.

Is the grapevine twisting around the enclosure wild grapevine from the woods or dried up dead grape vine you would grow in your back yard and is that safe.

It's long dead wild grapevine, also boiled then bent into shape. Grapewood is supposed to be fine in dry setups (i.e. not submerged underwater). Mold can potentially be a problem with it, but this is pretty well ventilated vivarium and so far so good. It's my first time using it, so I'll see how it goes.

[DonLisk]

Always a work of art Brian. Very nice and love the mushroom ledges.

[jetoutant]

Nice to to hear and very cool. More ideas to add to my up coming terrarium/vivarium build thank you.