Well, here we go...100 gallons. Walk me through it?!

[BCollie]

A 3-d background inside the tank gives more usable space for the frogs (and looks nicer).

You don't seem to be in a hurry here, that's a big, big plus for the budget conscious. You can save on many things, make your own ABG, collect your own leaf litter, keep your eyes open for smaller discount plants from box stores, propagate and grow them yourself, etc. A carefully detailed plan from the outset will help you know what deals you should be on the lookout for.

It might not hurt to try a smaller build first. 20 or 30 gallon used fish tanks can be had for a song if you patiently watch kiji/craigslist/garage sales. Trying a few things out on a smaller scale can help you plan for the larger version and save in the long run.

Good luck!

Ahh, if I had a spare tank I would do this. Maybe I can use my 15 gallon tank once my snake moves to his permanent enclosure(today or tomorrow)
Questions...how do you make your own ABG? What kind of leaves work for leaf litter?

[UncleChester]

Ahh, if I had a spare tank I would do this. Maybe I can use my 15 gallon tank once my snake moves to his permanent enclosure(today or tomorrow)
Questions...how do you make your own ABG? What kind of leaves work for leaf litter?

Here's a good thread on ABG mix at dendroboard: http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/par...quivalent.html

I use magnolia leaves for leaf litter, live oak is also popular. Look at what's commercially available and go find your own. Make sure it's from a chemical free area and the leaves should be processed to keep from introducing a bunch of wild insects. There was a recent thread with more info http://www.frogforum.net/vivarium-te...af-litter.html

[BCollie]

Here's a good thread on ABG mix at dendroboard: http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/par...quivalent.html

I use magnolia leaves for leaf litter, live oak is also popular. Look at what's commercially available and go find your own. Make sure it's from a chemical free area and the leaves should be processed to keep from introducing a bunch of wild insects. There was a recent thread with more info http://www.frogforum.net/vivarium-te...af-litter.html

We have a ton of Oak Trees where I live, can I just collect the leaves the fall onto my lawn? Are there different types of Oak trees and if so, does it matter what kind of Oak leaves I collect?
I checked out that link and it seems like it would be cheaper to make my own "AGB" mix. However I cannot find Tree Fern Fiber ANYWHERE. I've looked at 3 different sites for the big city where my mom goes for work, and called one, and none of them have it. It looks like I'm going to have to order it online, anyone know of a good website to order from?

[BCollie]

Here's the leaves on the ground at my school. They look like Oak leaves but are these the right kind?

[deranged chipmunk]

I checked out that link and it seems like it would be cheaper to make my own "AGB" mix. However I cannot find Tree Fern Fiber ANYWHERE. I've looked at 3 different sites for the big city where my mom goes for work, and called one, and none of them have it. It looks like I'm going to have to order it online, anyone know of a good website to order from?

you can substitute fir bark for tree fern fiber. i use zoomed's reptibark as a replacement. petco carries it, i believe

[BCollie]

Today marks the end of a long chapter in my book, and the start of a new one. I sold all of my fish to my local fish store for $50, leaving me with $167.58 in my bank account. I think my starting budget is going to be over $300, especially if my aquarium plants sell soon. My budget all depends on what I sell and when. Right now I have the $167 to work with. I hope to sell my filter within a few weeks at most, and hope to get $200 for it.
The first thing on my to-do list is to clean the glass. It has a thin film of algae covering it, and it's stuck on very well. So, I took a razor blade to it and it's coming off with a little work. My arms are tired! Here's the progress I've made so far...




You can easily see the area I've finished so far...


Now I need to figure out what to do with the sand. I want to sell it, but I don't know what to do with it in the meantime. Any ideas?

[BCollie]

Okay, I am done for the night, and I'm exhausted. I've been up doing stuff since I woke up this morning.
I have finished 85% of the front glass panel. The rest of it will be done after I:
1. Get all the sand out
2. Drain and dry the tank
3. Buy new razor blades!

I have gone through 5!! razor blades. They dull SO quickly. Good thing a scraper with a 6 pack of blades is less than $2. I'm going to buy 2 or 3 more of them so that I have 12-18 blades to use to finish the tank. The dirty glass you're seeing in the picture below is the back panel. Notice the front, center, bottom of the tank. You can see a small section of dirty glass, which shows how spotless most of the front glass panel is! Woohoo! I'd say I'm about 1/3 done with scraping the tank glass clean. I still need to finish the front panel, and do all of the sides and back. It's going to be a several hour chore, and is going to leave me with very tired arms!


I am going to ask my mom to pick up Fir Bark for me, and maybe the other stuff too...since she's in Sacramento, the closest big city to us. I need to figure this out by tomorrow morning so that I can ask her to get it before she comes home. Otherwise I'll be waiting a week with nothing to do on my project.
Okay, so I will need:
2 part Fir Bark
1 part Peat
1 part charcoal
1 part Sphagnum Moss
2 part Orchid Bark

I'm checking out a website for a "local"(Sacramento) company. Well, I think they're in Sac. Google Maps says they're in Riverside but their website says they've moved to Sac.
Potting Media

I have found Fir Bark:
Fir Bark

Charcoal:
Charcoal

Sphagnum Moss:
AAA Premier New Zealand Sphagnum Moss

I still need to find: Orchid Bark(Would this be either "orchid mix" or "orchiata"?) and peat

Okay, so help me out here please...
Questions:
1. How much is a CF???
2. Do I want COARSE charcoal or MEDIUM charcoal?
3. FINE fur bark or MEDIUM fir bark?
4. How much of each should I buy? For example, 2 CF Fir Bark, 1 CF Peat, etc... Or 1 CF Fir Bark, 1/2 CF Peat, etc...
5. Approximately how much will it cost me to buy everything I need for the AGB substitute mix?

This is all so overwhelming! I don't think I've said yet that I really appreciate your guys help!! It is invaluable.

EDIT: Is Fir Bark and Orchid Bark the same thing?