First frog tank ever. Probably need help

[deranged chipmunk]

The reason I use the ge foam versus the great stuff is that I found the ge foam cures with smaller air bubbles. It was really evident on my latest build. I'll try and get pics of it tonight baca use I haven't blacked out the sides and back of that tank yet.

Definitely build an access point for anything you add under the false bottom and don't forget to have a way to run wiring. A piece of 2" PVC pipe works well and an electrical tunnel. (See my white's tree frog build)

There's no need to tint the titebond, unless you want to. You can use acrylic craft paint from Walmart or a craft store to tint it, but it's not really necessary.

[Colorblizzle]

I'll look into your build as soon as a I. Get a chance. Cleaning the house right now but I'm assuming u run it up a corner with say a 45 angle on the bottom to allow access. Also I've seen people use straws in the hydro mesh pots for drainage. Good idea?

[deranged chipmunk]

I have seen people do that as well. Personally, I just foam the pots in and then I use bamboo BBQ skewers to punch holes it the foam. But I only do that so I can adjust the drainage of each planter. It's a very time consuming practice, but I think worth it so I can have plants with different needs all over the tank. Remember though, I normally have my planting figured out before I even start building, so I already know which plants need excellent drainage and which ones can have a soggy soil, ect.

I would suggest you utilize the coffee stirrer method since it's your first build.

[Colorblizzle]

Will a coffee sturdier be big enough? I was gonna use bendy straws haha.

I have no idea which plants need good drainage or not I just planted the current tank yesterday. Bought 2 bags that I thought had 2 plants each in. Now I have well over a dozen pieces. I know the big leaves one is called pothos. But the other is a type of vine. I'll post a pic



And the he foam...with great stuff I remember you saying to use gap and crack and not e other kinds. What different kinda are there of the ge brand? And which are ok?

[deranged chipmunk]

I don't like the gaps and cracks version, especially if I have to do any carving. Big air pockets In that version. But everybody has their preferences. They are all safe, but I do stay away from the fireproof version.

[deranged chipmunk]

You can use bendy straws, they will work just fine. And don't worry about which plants need drainage, the plants you have will be fine. Looks like you have a pothos, philodendron, and some ficus pumila in there. Tough to tell from the pic though.

[Colorblizzle]

Yeah with the screen lid and the lighting it's hard to get a good pic. I can take the screen off and get better pic but I'm not home right now. All I really know is I wanna do the back and both sides in that stuff and I ordered a pack of 10 2" mesh baskets on amazon. So I for sure wanna have 10 plants planted. I imagine vines up too and larger plants on the bottom. My biggest thing Is I want a fern. I'd plant it with only ferns! But everyone I look at online they all say only for larger terrariums :-/ is there a type of "micro fern" I'm not seeing? That would be something if want to plant I. The geound

[deranged chipmunk]

Coming from a self proclaimed "fern freak" I love the idea of a full fern tank. There are quite a few that stay small. I have at least one fern in every tank I have ever built. And fwiw, 2" pots are way too small. 3" minimum is a good size. Otherwise, the roots will eventually get bound up and the plant will suffer. Unless you want to pull each plant every year, trim the roots and replant.

[Colorblizzle]

Will I even have room for a bunch if 3" baskets in a 10g?

[deranged chipmunk]

You can put a few in. Remember, you are going to get juvenile plants and you need to plan for them to grow. I normally allow for double space for each plant.

[Colorblizzle]

Ok. Now with that said the foam will overlap into the false bottom correct? So do I build the bottom and wrap it and put it in place within the tank, then do the foam? Or foam first then make the bottom for around that? Idk how much the foam expands but hopefully not too much. Foaming 3 sides with a lot of expansion might take away ALOT of living space for my FBT's

[DigitalPunk]

It will expand but you can cut back any excess back. With foaming 3 sides I would get the bottom in place and fired before you foam. If you don't than you can do what I did to my Red Eyed tree frog build and cute the bottom into sections so you can fit it all together like a puzzle after the foam is dry. You will want to keep the foam out of the false bottom is possible to keep it from sitting in water.

[Colorblizzle]

I would plan on the foam either resting on the false bottom or above it but not in the water

[DigitalPunk]

Thats perfect and as you learned from this last one. Don't be afraid to stop everything o rework something that isn't coming together the way you planned. I learned on my first tank that this isn't a sprint to get done it is a slow walk and you should enjoy every step

[Colorblizzle]

I like that ^^^

[Colorblizzle]

And if I go the electrical "pipeline" route...which I also like I would probably want the filter and heater under the false bottom before I foam because fishing the cords UP the pipe will be a pain. Only electrical in the tank will be filter and heater do maybe one pipe in each corner hidden by foam. As I see it in my head I like it better already...

I'm going to design it with the filter laying down this time. So u have 2 filters purchased and 2 options. With your guys experience would you go with the fluval nano which is 8" long and does I believe 115gph. Or the Exo-terra repticlear 250 which does about 70gph but is only 5" long. I'll be seller the one I don't use. And us 3" of water good or should I shoot for a little deeper thus time? Filters themselves are about 2" tall when laying horizontally...

[DigitalPunk]

I would test each one out in a tub or in the sink in the water depth you want and see how it works. Use that to base your choice on. You could put a piece of string in the pipes to pull the cords up with once the foaming is done. Having them in the tank while foaming could lead to an accidental foam on the electrical devices.

Any kind of string will work. Then just tie the string to the cord and pull it up. Easy peazy

[deranged chipmunk]

Here are pics of the different foams. I used both on my steam punk tank, great stuff and ge brand.
Here's the ge foam


And here is the great stuff



You can see the difference in how it cures as far as the size of the air bubbles inside if it. I also like that second pic because it shows that even with foam adhered to the glass, that like I always say, water vapor gets EVERYWHERE, even behind the background.

[Colorblizzle]

I looked at Walmart last night, they carried. Great stuff and a few other brands but not GE. I'm sure they all would have been fine but im gonna go to lowes and get the GE.

Also I went to meijer (kinda like Walmart but a michigan and Indiana thing) and picked up a tetra whisper filter rated for a 3G tank. At first it didn't work but now it works. So at least this tank is functional til I get the other one ready. From watching it is have to guess its puttin out maybe 10g an hour lol

[s6t6nic6l]

I've just caught up with this thread and all is not well it seems

why did you feel you needed to waste time and valuable space in the tank by creating a false bottom in the first instance?

I never understand the reason for putting working appliances in a viv/tank/build due to maintenance issues and for when problems arise.

hope the second phase works out for ya

here is my FBT setup with water feature created by a very cheap low powered external filter

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