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Thread: MrZoggs first RETF tank build (pic heavy)

  1. #1
    mrzoggs
    Guest

    Default MrZoggs first RETF tank build (pic heavy)


    Hello, i would like to start off by saying that you can give me all the advice you want seeing as this is my first build
    The dimensions of my tank are 12x30x18ish. I am going to construct a false bottom and use live plants and GS foam etc. I'd like to start off with my materials.
    If you see anything im missing or have any advice on something else i should get feel free to let me know. Also, if you see something that will be harmful to the frogs PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE let me know
    note: everything i have will be washed off thouroghly (plants, rocks, wood, etc)

    one thing i can say ive learned on this site "always wear protection with GS foam "

    just normal top soil, some eco earth and some sphagnum moss

    some pond pebbles, LECA, shop towels, and some more moss.

    certain various tools i might need, some flukers super scrub, and a couple small pots im thinking about breaking in half and siliconing to the back wall for small plants.

    my sister holding my screen (im guessing its ok to use this for screen? its brand new..)

    eggcrate....boy was this a pain to find.. and more expensive than i was expecting

    more pvc

    pothos

    pothos

    neon pothos (assuming this is ok? )

    color difference between the neon pothos and the regular.

    so far so good???? hope so

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  3. #2
    nighthawk
    Guest

    Default Re: MrZoggs first RETF tank build (pic heavy)

    Can't wait to so the finish product everything looks good to me. I am also making my own frog tank this summer your tank build will be very helpful to me.

  4. #3
    mrzoggs
    Guest

    Default Re: MrZoggs first RETF tank build (pic heavy)

    thank you im hoping for it to be helpful and easy to follow. thats why im taking a lot of pictures. scratch using the LECA...didnt realize i only either needed leca or a false bottom. and since im going false bottom i dont need it.

  5. #4
    mrzoggs
    Guest

    Default Re: MrZoggs first RETF tank build (pic heavy)

    ok so i went out and got these. i was in the middle of cutting my pvc and said screw it and went out to get a pvc pipe cutter...and seen these. perfect size. drilled holes for the zip ties and put knotches in the bottom. $.50 a piece...screw cutting lol.


    also went and bought a new pump. with some hose. for draining. any advice on a easy to remove cover incase the pump needs maintnance? i was thinking tupperwear cut out to fit the corner. then silicone it and pop a hole through for the hose. then when i need to change the pump i can just razorblade the silicone....cheap and easy.


    also, from what you see in my pictures do i have the substrate i need? im going to buy leaf litter to cover up the soil. but what should go first on the top? soil then moss then leaf litter?

  6. #5
    nighthawk
    Guest

    Default Re: MrZoggs first RETF tank build (pic heavy)

    Make sure you wash off the roots and get rid of the soil in the pothos pots and use the substrate as the soil. Also i was thinking about using theses instead of breaking a pot in half Dynamic Design® - 16 inch Terra Cotta Medallion Half Wall Planter hope this helps you with your project.

  7. #6
    mrzoggs
    Guest

    Default Re: MrZoggs first RETF tank build (pic heavy)

    yes i was going to wash off all the roots and leaves. and use my own soil. and i want to use something like that but couldnt find them small. if you could find those but only really small that would be amazing. im not going to put much plant in each one so there wont be much roots. so i just need something small. thanks for the info man. im cuttin out the eggcrate and zip tying the pvc on there now. i will post pictures in a minute

  8. #7
    mrzoggs
    Guest

    Default Re: MrZoggs first RETF tank build (pic heavy)

    ok. i cut out the size i need and started putting on the pvc.


    the corner without the pvc will be cut out for the pump. will start working on that when i wake up.

  9. #8
    Super Moderator flybyferns's Avatar
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    Default Re: MrZoggs first RETF tank build (pic heavy)

    Have fun !!
    Great plans.

    Re-pot your nice pothos( they are perfect !) in new and clean tropical soil ( rinse the roots as well ) The pothos grows very well in the eco-earth you purchased. You might call the 800 # of the topsoil company and pick their brains as to the possibility of any "so called natural" exposure to fertilizers or pesticides?

    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

  10. #9
    mrzoggs
    Guest

    Default Re: MrZoggs first RETF tank build (pic heavy)

    yes i was going to pull it out and rinse it all off good. and probably pull it apart and make it into some smaller ones if i can. im going to ditch the moss. and probably the soil. im going to mix hydroton with the eco earth so it doesnt get too soggy, and check out some orchid bark and someone told me to use natural charcoal but im still checking in to that. then put large leaf litter on top.

  11. #10
    mrzoggs
    Guest

    Default Re: MrZoggs first RETF tank build (pic heavy)

    also on my list of things to get
    clear plastic tub for a temp home for the frogs.
    suction cups.
    heres my false bottom. all ready to go in once i get my babies out the tank

    cut out the corner for the pump

    used zip ties. im sure there was something easier to use but...this is what i had

    the full thing.
    still need to figure out what im going to do to cover the hole for the pump.

  12. #11
    mrzoggs
    Guest

    Default Re: MrZoggs first RETF tank build (pic heavy)

    and now a very nice person ive met is sending me some dwarf white isopods, gian orange isopods, and springtails very excited

  13. #12
    mrzoggs
    Guest

    Default Re: MrZoggs first RETF tank build (pic heavy)

    been bust for a couple days. but not its time to get back to work. made this for the frogs to live in for a while. i honestly think they liked it better than what they were in before.............

    the lid was a pain in the butt to cut. it just cracked and looked horrible. but i threw some tape and screen over it. then put my metal screen from the tank over top so the lamp wouldnt melt the plastic

    then my uncle calls me and asks if i want another tank. (i figured itd be a 10 gallon or something since it was free)
    this is what he comes home with

    lucky me same exact tank that i already have. any ideas anyone?
    oh and i grabbed this. only ingredient is "western fir bark" this stuff is ok right?

  14. #13
    mrzoggs
    Guest

    Default Re: MrZoggs first RETF tank build (pic heavy)

    went to the pet store and the dollar tree to see if i could pick up a few things to help me out. between the frogs and making this, its been a pain in the butt i grabbed a cork bark background that im going to cut in half then caddy corner it over my plumbing so it blocks it all. also bought a bunch of different size cups and stuff to put into the GS foam to pot my plants. and i heard GS doesnt stick too well to just glass so i silicones the back wall and now im waiting on that to dry. once that is finished i will start the background.






    grabbed this too....just incase the pump dont work

    caddy corner this after i cut it in half







    back side

    front side

  15. #14
    J Teezy
    Guest

    Default Re: MrZoggs first RETF tank build (pic heavy)

    you know if you have a hydroponics store around they should have 2 and 3" net pots for sale for like 25 cents a piece

  16. #15
    mrzoggs
    Guest

    Default Re: MrZoggs first RETF tank build (pic heavy)

    wish i would of tried. i looked everywhere. even been to a hydroponics store. no biggie though. covering up everything anyways.

  17. #16
    mrzoggs
    Guest

    Default Re: MrZoggs first RETF tank build (pic heavy)

    ok so this was my first attempt at anything like this...and its not as easy as it looks. but i gave it my best. i have a feeling next time im gonna just silicone some net pots to the back and use hydroton on the bottom....anyways. cant stop now....so heres what its coming out to look like. no criticism please rofl
    girlfriend did these

    they can suction cup to the front and side.





    i will be using rocks and stuff to cover up a lot of the other stuff. i have some big nice ones that will look great.
    just going to let it dry now and vacuum it tomorrow

  18. #17
    mrzoggs
    Guest

    Default Re: MrZoggs first RETF tank build (pic heavy)

    snuck these pictures of my babies sleeping when i changed their water this morning. still trying out the feeding dish. cant tell if theyve eaten because i dont see poop yet. but they seem pretty happy. the dish doesnt have as many crickets in it but i know one got out...i just think the ones that got out may be hiding under the paper towels somewhere. i hope to find some feces soon. (as gross as that may sound)
    this is my first one. ive had him for about 7 months.

    this is my newest one. had her about 1 month. shes still kinda iffy sometimes.

    tipped the tank over to see how much substrate fell off and a lot did. one of my pots didnt stay in either. i think its because it was plastic. so im going to let it dry some more and buy some more silicone. it seems to stick a lot better to the black silicone. i had ran out and used some clear and thats where it fell off at.

    you can see where the pot fell out also

  19. #18
    Yusil
    Guest

    Default Re: MrZoggs first RETF tank build (pic heavy)

    Gee, I wish I knew how to do all of that... I had a hard time just growing vines in my enclose[the current one, which is 2-3gallons tall], though my frogs are partly to blame, cause they kept sitting on the new growth. In retrospect, I probably should've put them[my frogs] in after they grew some more, but oh well, it's growing fine now.

    It's looking pretty good so far. I think I want Pothos now after seeing how nice yours looked... or maybe even elephant ears[if I can fit them in a 10gallon] .

  20. #19
    mrzoggs
    Guest

    Default Re: MrZoggs first RETF tank build (pic heavy)

    if you ever need any help let me know i tried to make this as easy to follow as i could with a lot of pictures. i can help you with anything you need though.

  21. #20
    Yusil
    Guest

    Default Re: MrZoggs first RETF tank build (pic heavy)

    Quote Originally Posted by mrzoggs View Post
    if you ever need any help let me know i tried to make this as easy to follow as i could with a lot of pictures. i can help you with anything you need though.
    Oh, it's easy to follow all right, I'm just not so good with actually making things. My Frogs only have untreated soil from my Grandmother's Flower Garden[Which I had to boil to remove parasites] and the Vines that are slowly but surely growing.

    I'll probably try to get adventurous soon when I move my frogs to the 10gallon I have, in which case I'll probably[most likely] ask for help, but for now, I'm getting ideas from you lot and experimenting until I'm ready .

    Thanks though, though It probably won't be as hard as when I had to set-up a tank for my RES[Red Ear Slider], who was a rescue. She's quite happy now though .

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