A new chipmunk build.....

[deranged chipmunk]

This build has been a long time coming. I recently moved and got my frog tanks back, but space where I am keeping them is seriously limited, so I decided to downgrade my white's tank. It's silly for them to have a 60 gallon tank for the 2 of them, so I got me one of them there 18x18x24's to house them in.

I'm not doing anything elaborate with background stuff, just a drip wall, a rain system, and maybe a fogger, although the fogger is losing out at this point. The drip wall will be home to some orchids that a wonderful person is sending me (to be named later ), the rest will be ferns, aroids and aquatics/marginals.

Enough of me rambling, on with the pics:

My base piece of wood



I fell in love with the piece of wood on the background


First foam application:

Those are tree fern panels inside all that foam so that I can attach the orchids and some other epiphytes to




I should be setting up the rain system tonight, and I will upload some new pics if I do

[Meefloaf]

Good to hear you are back in action Bill !

p.s scrapped he milk frogs, got leucs lol

[Mentat]

Subscribed; and that's a lot of foam !

[Heatheranne]

Hey Bill! Looking great so far...ooh the suspense!

[deranged chipmunk]

Thanks guys. It feels great to build again!! Added in the pump and plumbing for the rain system last night and foamed it. I am adding in the rain system because I have a male and female white's and this tank can double as a rain chamber if I feel I want to breed them down the road. Doubtful, but anything is possible.

A view of the tubing that runs the rain system

And it's pump

Maintenance pipe.


I just have a few things to do with it and then I can water test it. If all goes well, I can start covering the background by the weekend.

Notice how non exciting the background is. This tank is going to be all about the plants. I'm honoring to acquire some more rare and uncommon species of plants for this build. Time to call in a few favors lol

[deranged chipmunk]

And heather, I need springtails! I know you got 'me!! Lol

[Mentat]

Hi Bill! Don't see a false bottom grid, so guessing whole bottom will be covered in water? Looking forward to orchids, love them and had an extensive collection during college. Hope to see that rain/drip system working and wonder how do you plan to go from one mode to the other? Thank you !

[deranged chipmunk]

Actually, the false bottom is in the back left. I had considered making it a fully aquatic bottom to prove a point that they could live in such an environment, but I loves my plants too much. Lol the false bottom is going to be removable since it is so small so I can access equipment.

The rain system should be completed in the next day or so. It will simulate their natural climate when I so choose. I also am choosing plants that can survive dry seasons as well as rainy seasons. A majority of the plants will be from Indonesia, Borneo, most likely, since white's are also found in Indonesia.

[deranged chipmunk]

I just received a lovely plant package from Lynn (thanks again Lynn!) with some orchids and other cuttings of course now I have to break out the mini green house again so I can keep everything alive until I complete this bugger!

My mini greenhouse. It looks like a joke, but for $20 at ikea, this thing is awesome!! If I ever get around to making it waterproof, it is going to be a carnivorous plant terrarium



And no, those are not the plants Lynn sent me. Those are the ones that went into the mantella tank.

[Heatheranne]

And heather, I need springtails! I know you got 'me!! Lol

Yes sir! I'm on it . I'll send you a pm.

[deranged chipmunk]

Getting there

[Mentat]

Hum Bill; what are those foam free rectangular areas on side for ?

[deranged chipmunk]

Hehe. That's a drip wall for multiple epiphytes, a slew of orchids and a few other species

[flybyferns]

It's great.... Bill !

[Heatheranne]

Bill, it's so fun to watch your builds .

[deranged chipmunk]

Thanks guys. The only thing I hate about covering the background with titebond is the waiting!! I'll be doing more tonight. I ordered my light over the weekend, 18" of led goodness!!!

[maxQ]

I cant wait to see the finished product

[CJ PELCHER]

bill what did you use that changed the color of the greatstuff?

[deranged chipmunk]

Corey, it's a slurry of titebond wood glue, sphagnum peat moss and ecoearth

[maxQ]

I ordered my light over the weekend, 18" of led goodness!!!

I want some LED goodness too, they are so pricey, my money tree doesn't grow as fast as id like.