FBT build

[Buck Rogers]

Hi guys

I've been trying to post these pics for some time now but just never seem to get around to it. Built a viv for my newly acquired FBTs, some regrets on the build but all in all I am very proud of it and would appreciate some feedback from you all.

The tank measured in at w-44cm x d-28cm x 34cm, its a new brand brought into the country called BOYU. The cage houses a pair of Fire Bellied Toads and one golden snail to clean up after them. Plants are peace in the home, maiden hair fern, oak leaf ivy (I think) and the water plants are java ferns and an unknown one.

Here is the tank where I set up how things are going to be laid out. The small tupperware on the left is filled with carbon and there is a very small water pump (also BOYU brand). The idea is that the water will be kept pure running through the carbon, so basically the tupperware has holes in it that allows it to fill with water and then a hole for the electric cord and another hole for the silicone tubing to run out the top.






Next step was to silicone strips of cork bark onto the back of the glass, where there were open gaps in-between the strips I used expanding foam to fill them.






Then I had a mix of coco peat (the stuff sold as tarantula substrate) and very small bark chips, left it to dry in a bowl for 2 days then did the part that I hate. This is where next time I will learn from my mistakes, I used those small tubes of silicone instead of the large ones with the applicator/silicone gun and it really makes it more difficult. I still need to learn how to spread the stuff properly, I was using business cards folded in half to spread the silicone over the expanding foam.




Waited 24 hours for it to dry 100%, dusted off the excess and reapplied where needed and then the planting started. Behind the log I used HydroBalls and a layer of screen mesh was put over that where ever there was substrate. Also used some small stones to prevent the hydro balls from rolling around - still need to get that part right

Anyway here is the final product