First frog tank ever. Probably need help

[Colorblizzle]

Ugh. I guess I'll have to figure something else out then. The structure of my entire false bottom is sized around this filter. I can't lay it sideways. And don't have any money for any other filter right now, and promised my son frogs this weekend. I may have to run a small box filter in there or something

[Colorblizzle]

Not a big deal to use a box filter other than the esthetics. It's just that now I have a 7" tall section of eggcrate with a whole in it what I gotta figure out how to cover...

[deranged chipmunk]

My apologies on that one. I should have clarified the fact that I use it laying down.

[Colorblizzle]

Not your fault. I read your articles on the mantella build at least 3 times. Just didn't read for understandin I suppose

[Mentat]

Know it's late for this one; but when any electrical or mechanicals are involved; it pays to do a test run prior to making any permanent mods. For example; set all pumps and filters in future location; fill tank to planned depth; connect all humidifier and/or mister equipment and plumbing; set up the heating/cooling systems, test everything! Then check all works as planned and make adjustments if needed. This is the time to "measure 3 times and cut once."

Then, when tank's no leak water integrity (including any bulkheads) and all equipment checks OK; you take it all apart and start the artistic moulding of background, bottom, etc. Don't forget to make sure that all electrical equipment can be removed later for service or replacement if required. Hope this helps in the future and good luck !

[Colorblizzle]

Yeah I thought I did my homework. But it's just like school. Yes I did my homework but I failed it lol

[Colorblizzle]

Well I have an extra air pump, looks like tomorrow I'll be making a trip to my LFS To buy a corner box filter. Thought about dropping a Sponge filter down in the space but even the smallest kind wouldn't fit and I'd have no way to get it back up

[DigitalPunk]

Ugh know that feeling all to well. This will be a lesson you don't forget for a long time I know I won't.

[Colorblizzle]

Lol I hear ya

[Colorblizzle]

Always one problem after another.

So today I went to my LFS and told them of my problem. Explained that I have 3" of water and need a filter that doesn't need to be submersed and will trickle water into stones or whatever before cascading back into the water. They reccomended a canister made for turtles. Altho I do believe that would he the bet option, when dealing with 3G of water I feel it's overkill and too costly ($60) so I asked what else. They pointed me to the Exo-terra repticlear 250 looks identical to my fluval nano except no spray bar. They told me it will do what I need. They have never done me wrong I. He past so I bought it.

Got home filled my sink up to about 2/3 of the filter. Plugged it in and after a minute it began to trickle out. It never got more than a trickle. So I put it in my terrarium after I removed a bunch if the false bottom and plugged it in. It didn't work. Maybe not enough water still? I'm sick of his already...

I was given a budget of $100 including price of frogs. I've now spent $140 and still don't have the frogs. AND the system still doesn't work. And my daughter stole the auction cups from the filter and lost hem so I can't return it either.

My day is ****, how about everyone else??

At least I have tomorrow off and can attempt to troubleshoot. If it worked in the sink it should work in the tank.

Also I bought 2 bags if what I thought was 2 plants each and wen I got home each bag had about 10 plants. So the tank is planted and not to my liking but I'll play with that tomorrow as well. Now the question is, will my t8 25UVB bulb sustain plant life? It's all I got...

[Colorblizzle]

We can't say c r a p?

[Colorblizzle]

Got the go ahead from my lovely better half to scrap the project and start over and do it right this time :-)

BUT I promised my son frogs this weekend. So in still gonna get 2 FBT's and idk maybe employ some kind of small sponge filter in the tank until I have the other one finished. I will be using the titebond III and the great stuff in this next build I think.

The next build (which won't start right away) will have its own threat. So I suppose we could call this thread closed. Thanks for all the helpful information everyone!

And lastly, deranged chipmunk...

Any chance you can comment in her and give me a list of materials used for your mantella build? I feel like in gonna forget something vital and I don't always have good enough Internet where I. At to take another look at your build. Thank you everyone.

[deranged chipmunk]

Wow, that's quite a list I'll see what I can out together by the end of the evening.

[Colorblizzle]

Well I do t need a list if variable sized driftwood and gravel ;-) just a basic list if materials used to make the background mostly. And how to do a "trapdoor" for filter maintenance etc

[Colorblizzle]

I'd like to Incorporate a canister filter this time around but I don't know how to make that work with a screen lid

[DigitalPunk]

Thats a tough call to make esp after investing so much into this setup. I bought one of these to use in my sons Dart tank. Just thought I would share it out since you are on the hunt for a filter still. It works in as little as 2 inches of water. Very slow trickle of water, but enough for me.

[deranged chipmunk]

Sorry, I got tied up with some stuff last night. I have a very busy weekend coming up. Essentially, my background was made with great stuff type foam (I use ge foam from Walmart), covered with titebond 3 wood glue and a mix of sand, cocofiber and peat moss that I made up. I would not use the peat moss though, just stick with straight cocofiber.

A trap door is easy. Cut a hole in your false bottom big enough to give you access, then cut a piece of egg crate larger than the hole. Lay the larger piece over the hole, cover in screen and you now have an access door. Yes, you'll have to pull the substrate to access it, but that is so much easier than tearing the tank apart to get to the filter.

[Colorblizzle]

I may look into that filter digital punk. Just so I have filtration til the new one is done. I've used that whisper filter in a 5.5g fishtank before. Didn't know that it could be used in little water tho. That's great news since they are cheap and readily available by me.

Now the build, ge foam...as in ge brand like ge silicone? And peat miss is something I can neve seem to find so I would have. Skipped that anyways. I have Eco-earth plantation soil which I believe is just coco fiber so that with some sand would work for me. Do I need to tint the glue with a quikrete concrete dye? Or not needed? Thanks for such a quick response. I'm planning on putting an aquarium heater under the false bottom as well. Should I also make an access panel for that just to be safe?

[DigitalPunk]

I would make an access panel for anything you place under the false bottom or you will regret it if you have a freak failure in a few months.

Yeah in the paint section at walmart by the silicon is where they keep the spray foam. They have the normal Great Stuff, but also have GE brand spray foam. I used it for the first time on my sons Dart tank last week and it worked out really good. No noticeable difference between it and the Great Stuff except the price.

For my filter and Pump I built a channel using Egg crate up the back of the tank so I could access them behind the back wall and remove or replace them. I am not sure how practical that will be, but at least I tried lol.

[Colorblizzle]

I'll take a look next time I'm at Walmart :-)