Water Dispenser Vivarium

[C Rae]

Hey, I just got this great new idea! Has anybody here tried using one of those glass lemonade/ water dispensers for a dart frog vivarium? I think it would make clean up a breeze since you could just rinse all the nasty stuff into the drainage layer, and empty it out through the dispenser valve. You could use large pebbles for the drainage layer, and plant various water loving plants like peace lily, or aquatic mint and fern, and top it off with some nice live moss. Some of those containers are made quite large, and might even be able to accommodate some nice suspended tillandsia bromeliads. I was thinking it would be kinda cool to get a really big one and have a small, shallow water pond area with some dollar weed (kinda like a miniature lotus garden). Any thoughts guys?

[deranged chipmunk]

That is a cool idea. I have seen people turn those into shrimp tank. Mostly for opae ula (?) Shrimp. But they sealed off the spout. I think that is the weak link. If i were going to do one, i would also seal the spout. I would be concerned about debris getting stuck and either clogging it or worse, leaving it stuck open. Drain and fill would be done with 1/4" tubing. You should see some of the cool jars people build terrariums out of, a lot of them could easily house a pair of thumbnails. Especially something like those old fashioned apothecary jars like they store heads in in the old horror flicks. Go for it, let us know how it works out

[C Rae]

Cool, do you know where I can find some thumbnails? I have only ever had D. leucomelas, and red eyes. What are some good starter thumbnails?

[deranged chipmunk]

i wish i could give you a clear cut answer on that one. but i'm a tree frog guy (for now), so i am not real sure. hopefully, one of the dart folk will stop by an answer that one. or you could just plain out ask in the dart threads but the build, THAT i can help on, so let me know if you have any q's

[flybyferns]

Cool, do you know where I can find some thumbnails? I have only ever had D. leucomelas, and red eyes. What are some good starter thumbnails?

You may be able to get them from our very own Frog Forum founder John Clare.
PM him?

http://www.frogforum.net/content/rai...anitomeya-129/

BTW welcomoe to FF!
Lynn :butterfly

[deranged chipmunk]

and in comes Lynn for the save (yet again..lol) thanks Lynn!!!

[flybyferns]

You have a wonderful idea.
I have seen these very large ( beverage dispensers ) at Home Goods ?

Just snapped these 2 photos.

It's small ( maybe 2 gallons) and does not have a spigot.
I love it; I keep it on my kitchen table.
I have never had to watered it !

Hmmmm I gotta decorate that Christmas tree !!!!
Lynn

[Heatheranne]

Welcome C Rae. What a fabulous idea! A table top vivarium. I love it! It turned out great!

[Heatheranne]

The ff media from joshsfrogs that Lynn has mentioned works great. I have both melanogaster and hydei cultures made with their culture kits and they're multiplying like crazy.

[deranged chipmunk]

repashy ff culture medium is supposed to be outstanding as well.

[deranged chipmunk]

sorry, it's called repashy superfly. there is also this home grown ff culture that a friend sent me. he has been using it for about 5 years now and never had a problem (or so he claims)
1 cup banana (about 2 bananas)
1 cup apple sauce
1/8 cup vinegar (or 2 tablespoons or 15 ml)
2 cups oatmeal
Put the banana and apple sauce in blender or bowl and mix until the banana
is liquefied. Heat in the microwave for approximately 2 min. or until hot
enough to kill off any wild fruit fly eggs that were in the bananas, and to
reduce mold. Add the vinegar and mix in oatmeal until it becomes firm, but
still moist. I then put the mixture into a large freezer bag and keep it in
the fridge.

When it's time to make a culture, I scoop what I need and put it in the
culture container (usually microwaving it a bit to warm it up). I then sprinkle
a few pinches of bakers yeast on top.

[C Rae]

Cool! Thanks for the recipe, Bill! I'm glad everyone likes my recent build. I'm currently planning another one in a 29 gallon aquarium which sprang a leak. I'm going to section off half of it with plexi for a contained water feature (maybe I'll even throw a betta in there in the pond is big enough). I was thinking I could put together a nice background with natural cork halves, and create planting holes in them for small orchids and tillansdia. When I'm finished it will make a superb home for a pair of auratus, and a couple of thumbnails I hope.