Madagascar Mantella Paludarium

[deranged chipmunk]

ok, update time!! after i did the water testing, reconfigured a few things, and designed a rain system (more on that one in a later post), i got my equipment secured, terrestrial areas wrapped in weekblocker and got ready for some foam:



yes, that is a reflection of me and my 75g planted in the one pic. hey, i never claimed to be a photographer....lol

after that, i started foaming. then added a few pots for plants, and foamed some more. i will let this cure over night and then i should be able to complete the foaming tomorrow night. the easy part is done for mow.



sorry there's not more. building a rain system was a bit more tricky than i expected, and still has to be completed, that will be in the next few updates.

[Pluke]

Man that planted tank is awesome.. how many vivariums/planted tanks/paludariums do you have?

[deranged chipmunk]

up and running, i have my 125 white's paludarium, a 20L paludarium i built for a rubber banded frog i gave to my son, a 75g planted tank, a 30g planted tank i just set up for crystal red shrimp, and my wife's (i do everything to it, she just chose the fish..lol) 55g planted tank. sitting around waiting to be built, besides this one are, a 29g bowfront that will be for red eyes, a 60g custom tank that is slated for d. leucomelas, a 15g that is going to be an aquatic life paludarium, and about 4 or 5 10g tanks that i have leftover from shrimp breeding. at one time, i think i had roughly 20 tanks going, give or take. oh, and the wife is buying me an 18" cube exoterra for xmas....LOL

[pinkfeet]

Mannnnnnn loving this thread! Can't wait to see how it all turns out.

[deranged chipmunk]

Mannnnnnn loving this thread! Can't wait to see how it all turns out.

thanks Frogz. it's coming close to the end and i haven't even ordered terrestrial plants yet. but i do have 99% of the aquatics i plan on using, so at least i can get those going while decide what orchids i want in it.

[Sunshine]

Your tanks are awesome! I want one!

[deranged chipmunk]

Thanks sherry no problem, you can any tank you want. Just drive to philly, a butt load of cash and we'll load one up for ya....lol or i can just put them on webcam....lol

[deranged chipmunk]

ok, last "contruction" update. i really did not feel like doing anything tonight, but it's amazing how motivated i can get with a ridiculous amount of coffee and some techno music....lol so, if i recall, i promised i would show my diy rain system tonight and here it is:

i am very fortunate in the fact that i live about 10 miles from a hydroponics store. if you have never been to one, let me tell you, it's like wonderland in there! all the wonderful gadgets and soils. oh the soils! i should have taken the blue pill, then i would still have money in my pocket (or was it the red pill, i forget). anyway, i was browsing their irrigation systems, and after a lengthy discussion with the sales associate, i walked out of there with enough to build my own. now, unlike a misting system, this system works off of low pressure, roughly 0.5 psi (according to the rep), so that means i don't need a mega dollar pump to run it. in fact, it runs off of a mid sized pond fountain pump, which i picked up at my favorite LFS. (LFS is short for Local Fish Shop/Store in case anyone was wondering) that is why i am calling this a diy rain system, not a mister. the spray is not as fine, and this is more for watering my plants than to introduce humidity. also, it allows me to create seasons within my tank much easier. the pump cost me $27.00 all the fittings in the pic and the pots cost me $30.00. now, keep in mind i bought way more than i needed because i didn't want to keep making parts runs. add to that $5.00 (i think) for 10ft 1/2" i.d. tubing from home depot and we're done. so for less than $50, i will never have to worry about watering my plants. provided it works of course. i didn't set this up completely before i broke it all down and foamed, but i had the basics working, so it might take some tweaking. on with the pics:

oh, and this is the hydro store i use. yes, they ship Garden Indoors | Hydroponics, Grow Lights and More!

hopefully, you guys noticed those big, heavy lengths of 1/2" i.d. vinyl tubing running across the top of the tank, because that is my water supply line. there are 2, one across the back, the second across the top of the left side. they were joined together using a 1/2" y-adapter, which then runs down to the pump. forgot to take pics of that. then you take this handy dandy installation tool, and poke a hole in the hose:


then the fitting just pushes into the hole and seals itself:


next, i attached 1/4" vinyl tubing to the fittings. i have a lot of this for my fish tanks (for pressurized co2), but it goes for $4.00 at home depot. these are going to be covered in silicone and coco fiber and draped in strategic locations. and the ends of the "vines" will be these fittings. these are for a 360 degree spray. they also make them in a 180 degree as well. i am going to pick up some 180 ones, because i am an idiot and didn't buy any. here are the "nozzles"


and here is my jumbled mess of "vines"


then i added a couple more branches. adjusted the pot in the top left corner (it was too high) and did my final foam job:


Rain system be gone!! the vines will be the very last thing i do before i fill the tank. i'm still working out how to attach them to the branches, yet make them removable for maintenance. i'm highly considering small dots of velcro for that job. i am welcome to other ideas. i will give all this a couple days to cure, then i will trim off any excess foam at the top, and start covering. guess i will next be updating wednesday or friday. i might even cough up the secrets to the titebond method stay tuned

[deranged chipmunk]

oh yeah, forgot my daughter's 20L (stolen from me) red ear slider tank.

[DigitalPunk]

Bill,

What type of fogger do you recommend. I am thinking of getting on when I start on my Dart frog tank.