new to frogs and have some questions

[Eric and Stitch]

If you're looking for an awesome source of frogs and an awesome resource of knowledge. Michael Novy is based around Cleveland and like to breed some of the exotics. He makes posts in the "for sale/trade" thread of this forum with lists of what he has and prices. Just make sure if you call him, you have time to chat. He is an awesome frog guy to talk to. And 20 minutes with him on the phone will answer a lot of your questions.

[jdr]

From what I have read so for dart frogs need a viv that has 3 walls covered to make them more comfortable and to give them security is this the case with the Dendrobates leucomelas? If so I don't think the dining room table would work for them. But I can put it on the wall next to the table

[Eric and Stitch]

It's a security vs vulnerability thing. If you have enough 3d features in there for them to kind of feel like they my be tucked in someplace you might be able to get by with four open sides. Like 6-8 inch tall logs laid out in an H pattern in your tank or two stumps with a log fallen between them. 0-0. That way if you're the frog you feel like there are three sides covered but the tank is 360 visible. And the frogs could climb up over the top to go from side to side as a short cut.

A second idea is to place walls separating the tank into four different tanks, each with its own pane of glass of the big tank as a viewing point. It would a allow for keeping a variety instead of just one species. One con is that if this thing is too tall to look over, you've just cut everyone's view of other ppl at the table.

Just some ideas.

[jdr]

Let me make sure I'm on the right track. I'm going to put the viv against the wall so I can provide more security for the frogs for the background I'm thinking of starting with sheet styrophom to get the basic shape of caves, platforms, and planters then use great stuff to fill in cut and sand it into the shape I want I will also make a water fall with a cavity behind to to get to the pump as well as to pump the water out of the bottom. Make a false bottom out of the plastic light cover that you get at home depot cover that with landscape fabric or fiberglass screen (still trying to figure out what's best your opinion is incuraged) followed by a layer of abg mix (or a homemade version depending on what's easier to get) leaf litter on top and coat the back wall with coco fiber (silicon or tight bond yet again what do you think is best). And is a shallow pond a good idea or bad I know how to do a pondles waterfall. As for the misting system can I use the water from the false bottom for the mistimg system or would this be a bad idea I plan to change the water in the false bottom weekley

Plants I'm thinking bromeliads orchids and a ground cover I have not desided what I want on that yet

[Tongue Flicker]

Low-growing bromeliads like neoregelias and crypthantus are nice. Small tillandsias for vertical fixtures are nice as well.

[Eric and Stitch]

Landscape fabric is tighter, will still allow water to drain but will do a better job of keeping soil from getting into the false bottom. ive used fiberglass window screen and the false bottom turned to mud, especially if you hope to use that water for misting, you want to keep it clean.
On the topic of misting water. distilled water or Reverse Osmosis waters are great to reduce water spots on the glass and more readily promotes humidity.

[jdr]

So landscape fabric is the best solution. And go with a outside of viv misting system or just use ro water in the false bottom? (that will have a weekly change)