New Construction Thread

[daziladi]

Great walk through Matt. I won't be attempting this kind of thing for a long while but appreciate the visual how-to. Can't wait to see it finished.... how do you drain the false bottom when it gets too wet?

[Mcbobs]

For draining the false bottom, I just stick a piece of small airline tubing into a slurpee straw and then using the spoon part against the side of the glass, just slide it down to the bottom of the tank. Start a siphon on the other end and let it all drain out. It works super well. The flow may be kind of slow because of the small diameter airline tubing, but I'll usually start a couple siphons from the bottom and it drains just that much faster.

Thanks for all the compliments guys!

-Matt

[Mcbobs]

Alright guys. New update on my viv and this update should take it up through a finished product. Also, I wont bug you much with too much explanation...Just short sentences and lots more photos.

Anyways, here we go.

After the silicone and coco fiber has cured, I brushed away the excess coco fiber leaving just the silicone with the fiber stuck to it.


Next, I needed a glass top so that I can keep humidity and frogs in the viv.


Moving on was to add substrate to the bottom. I just used left over stuff from previous vivs that left a layered look.


Add a thick layer of leaf litter.


Tested placement of some of the bromeliads.


Finished planting the viv, sprayed the holy heck out of everything and then added a 1.2.1 of R. Imitators.




Here's a bromeliad that I got at the new grocery store in town. I swear this thing holds a gallon of water! I hope the imitators like it!


And last but not least, when I was getting ready to transplant frogs into their new viv, I found a little surprise!


Now tonight after the new episode of Lost is over, I get to tear apart their old viv to search for eggs and tadpoles. Hopefully I can find some!

The best part of this viv is that I spent hardly no money on it at all. I think all in all, I only spent about $20 total on it because I had almost all of the supplies and plants laying around the house already.

I hope you guys like it!

-Matt

[daziladi]

I've learned so much from your step-by-step... thanks for posting it up. Questions: Do you add anything to the bottom (additives/chemicals) to prevent bacteria growth? Am I correct that the frogs never go lower than leaf litter, and the excess moisture settles on the bottom that you suction out? How often (about) do you suction? Does this setup have a lot of problems with frogs getting sick or any other "newbies beware" that you can give me a heads-up on? How are the log and plants cleaned of frog droppings? The vivarium looks wonderful.... hope you get the eggs you're looking for. <g>

[Mcbobs]

All good questions dazi. I'll try to answer them all well for you. All my answers are in red.

I've learned so much from your step-by-step... thanks for posting it up. Questions: Do you add anything to the bottom (additives/chemicals) to prevent bacteria growth? Nothing is added to the viv to prevent bacteria. A lot of the bacteria is very beneficial to the viv and wont cause any harm at all. In fact, sometimes seeing certain different fungi can even prove that the viv is in great shape and thriving.
Am I correct that the frogs never go lower than leaf litter, and the excess moisture settles on the bottom that you suction out? In the case of imitators, they will often venture down to the leaf litter to forage for snacks (springtails/isopods), but cant go any further because they are not a burrowing species and dont have access to behind the wood or below the false bottom at all.
How often (about) do you suction? If you look at the back of the viv or closely at the pea gravel in the front, you can see where the water level is in the viv. The pea gravel in the viv does not go any higher up than the eggcrate false bottom, so you can make sure to siphon water out before it gets to the level of the substrate. If allowed to reach the substrate, anaerobic bacteria can start reproducing that will lead to a foul odor in the viv.
Does this setup have a lot of problems with frogs getting sick or any other "newbies beware" that you can give me a heads-up on? Doing a viv like this is not any more harmful to frogs than any other method. There may actually be a lot of benefit to doing it like this instead. It gives the plants the best chance at growing without rotting out at the roots and also is much natural than a lot of other ways of aquarium building. In my opinion, natural plants are the best way to go.
How are the log and plants cleaned of frog droppings? For cleaning turds off of the plants and driftwood, I have a powerful mister that makes quick work of blasting it off and into the leaf litter. Seeding the viv with springtails are not just food for frogs, but also a clean up crew. They feed on feces, detritus, fungus and all kinds of other stuff keeping the viv healthy.
The vivarium looks wonderful.... hope you get the eggs you're looking for. <g>

Hopefully I got some questions answered for you! If you have any more, just let me know!

-Matt

[John]

Very very nice indeed, Matt. Many thanks for sharing the details. I envy you that red centered bromeliad! Congratulations on the eggs . I hope moving them doesn't disturb them enough to stop them laying - my Tarapotos went on hiatus after I moved their terrarium .

[Mcbobs]

Those eggs have been fertilized. I shouldnt have an problem getting them to froglet stage. I just havent pulled them yet because I dont have any more petri dishes. It'll definitely be nice having some frogs breeding again.

They've been calling ever since I put them in their new viv so hopefully I'll get another clutch or two later this week. They're as prolific as can possibly be.

It's really starting to look like I have a 1.3 in there and all I want/need is 1.2 so I might be posting a female here soon.

-Matt

[John]

Best of luck Matt .

[daziladi]

*applause* Thanks for the help Matt