Amphibian Racking System Build (Photo Heavy)

[MantellaGuy]

Hi all,

I thought I would kick start my build thread for my New Racking system that I am building. The equipment and tanks I will be using will be housing only 9 out of the all the species I have in my collection, So I will be having to make another Racking after I have made this one (However might not have to do the second one for a while as this single rack will be freeing up a lot of space!).

Here is a Picture of the Drawing I made on paint (Can't seem to convert the Auto-Cad file to a JPEG)


It will contain 9 Brand New Terrariums in total which include;

• x2 - 800 x 400 x 400mm (80 x 40 x 40cm) Tylototriton species exhibits with Water Area Partition.
• x1 - 800 x 400 x 400mm (80 x 40 x 40cm) Mantella aurantiaca exhibit with False Bottom.
• x3 - 400 x 400 x 400mm (40 x 40 x 40cm) Assorted Terrariums with False Bottoms - Will exhibit 3 of the 9 Mantella species.
• x3 - 400 x 400 x 400mm (40 x 40 x 40cm) Assorted Terrariums with No False Bottoms - Will exhibit various burrowing species I own.

How I am going to lay this First racking out shall be as follows;

• Top Row - Burrowing species.
• Middle Row - Madagascan Mantella species.
• Bottom - Tylototriton Asiatic Exhibits.

Obviously I will muck around with who will go where but that is the basic lay out! lol

Instead of using the Aluminum Profiles and Connectors that most people tend to use (Really wanted to use this method aswell but it's not cheap!! lol) I am using this really nice MFC (Melamine Faced Chipboard) also known as Chocolate Oak Board which is incredibly sturdy, strong and will most definitely take the weight of the Terrariums.




There are 3 Main pieces that will stand horizontally (measuring roughly just over 6ft 4 inches - This allows a bit of space between each row for the Lighting System and also a bit of space between the Floor and the underside of the Bottom shelf for storage) and 8 pieces that will go vertically for each shelf and 12 elongated supports.

I shall get the exact measurements later on and upload them when I put it together


Some of the 12 pieces of Wooden Supports I would need to support each shelf.


Photo showing how thick each piece of the MFC is.

Anyway, I am currently sorting out getting the E.N.T Terrariums now from DMS Vivaria, just have to wait a little while! I did look into making my own, I asked several Glass Merchants all of which refused to attempt it due to previous failures with other people, one of the Glass Merchants was so rude that he cut my off halfway through my sentence and basically asked me to leave :/

I hopefully will begin this build in the next few weeks, so the rest of my posts may take until then to show more of my build but anyway I would appreciate any help or advice!!

[Mentat]

Sounds like a very interesting project. Do make sure you seal up the edges of the boards; compressed wood soaks water like a sponge. Good luck and looking forward to seeing the finished product .

[MantellaGuy]

Should I need to do that then? :/

[tylototriton]

That should be great!

I would definitely seal the boards. If you accidentally spill on the boards or even have small leak, they'll be basically wrecked. If water only sat for a short time you'd be fine, but if it starts to absorb the boards will swell and bubble. It may just be worth polyurethane coating the tops so they don't absorb water.

Cheers,
Alex

[MantellaGuy]

Oh I now see what you mean, apologies Carlos! lol

The edges will be covered don't worry, It would look awful without it being covered up and that so it will be sealed I will more than likely use Fibre Glass to coat it then place stripes of Oak Board to stop it looking so harsh lol

Thanks

[MantellaGuy]

It's kind of still under consideration as to what would be in each terrarium and where a bouts it would be placed in it. Here is my collection;

Anura (Frogs & Toads):
1.1.20 Golden Mantella (Mantella aurantiaca)
2.2.7 Brown Leaf Mantella (Mantella betsileo)
1.3.0 Guibes Mantella (Mantella nigricans)
1.1.10 Blue-Legged Mantella (Mantella expectata)
1.2.0 Madagascan Mantella (Mantella madagascarensis)
1.2.0 Yellow Mantella (Mantella crocea)
1.2.5 Green Mantella (Mantella viridis)
1.1.0 Arboreal Mantella (Mantella laevigata)
0.0.3 Cowan's Mantella (Mantella cowanii)
0.0.3 Black Eared Mantella (Mantella milotympanum)
0.0.2 Malagasy Rainbow Burrowing Frogs (Scaphiophryne gottlebei)
1.1.0 Malagasy Green Marbled Burrowing Frogs (Scaphiophryne marmorata)
0.0.1 Sambava Tomato Frog (Dyscophus guineti)
1.1.0 Asian Painted Bullfrogs (Kaloula pulchra)
1.2.0 Phantasmal Poison Frogs (Epipedobates tricolor) "Zarayunga" locality variant
0.0.1 Bumblebee Poison Frog (Dendrobates leucomelas)
1.1.10 Taylor's Bug Eyed Frogs (Theloderma stellatum)
1.1.0 Bird Poop Mossy Frogs (Theloderma asperum)

Caudata (Newts & Salamanders):
0.0.2 Ryukyu Spiny Newt (Echinotriton andersoni)
1.1.2 Tiannan Crocodile Newts (Tylototriton yangi)
0.0.6 Wen Xian Knobby Newts (Tylototriton wenxianensis)
0.0.2 Mandarin Crocodile Newts (Tylototriton shanjing)
0.0.4 Ta Liang Red Eared Crocodile Newts (Tylototriton taliangensis)
0.0.6 Black Knobby Newts (Tylototriton asperrimus)
0.0.2 Ziegler's crocodile newt (Tylototriton ziegleri)
0.0.2 Lizhenchang's Crocodile Newt (Tylototriton lizhenchangi)
1.2.0 Tokyo Salamanders (Hynobius tokyoensis)
0.1.0 Okinawa Sword Tail Newt (Cynops ensicauda popei)
1.0.0 Eastern Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum)
0.1.0 Marbled Salamander (Ambystoma opacum)
0.0.1 Marbled Newt (Triturus marmoratus)

So if anyone want's to place a request then go ahead :P lol

Anyway, I have received the 9 Starter Terrariums all to my specifications by DMS Vivaria and I must admit I pretty much fell in love with them.

I ordered 9 terrariums in total which included;

3 - 400mm x 400mm x 400mm False Bottom Terrariums.
3 - 400mm x 400mm x 400mm Burrowing Terrariums.
2 - 800mm x 400mm x 400mm Glass Partition Water Area Terrariums.
1 - 800mm x 400mm x 400mm False Bottom Terrarium

Anyway, here are some photographs of some of them (I will upload photos of all of them lol);


4 of the 6 - 400mm x 400mm x 400mm Terrariums From DMS.

4 of the 6 - 400mm x 400mm x 400mm Terrariums From DMS.


A 400mm x 400mm x 400mm Terrarium for a Burrowing species, probably going to house a Dyscophus guineti or Scaphiophyrne species.


Good quality Terrariums! Highly recommend DMS Vivaria

Anyway, I shall upload more photos shortly as I will be building the racking soon so I can actually stored them safely without worrying! lol

[Mentat]

Those terrariums look great; like that they already come with glass partitions for false bottom or wet/dry set-ups .

[MantellaGuy]

Hi all,

Time for a update I think! I have been playing around with a few of my 400x400x400mm False Bottom Terrariums so I could house some of my Mantella species in brand new enclosures. So now, without further ado here they are, not happy with one of them but shall replant it when I get my new Plants delivered;


^ ^ - 2 out 9 species have been made brand new enclosures! Left exhibit will house 1 of my 4 bloodlines of Mantella viridis and Right exhibit will house 1 of my 2 bloodlines of Mantella betsileo.


^ ^ - 1.1.0 Mantella betsileo exhibit, I have made it more crowded with many places to hide as they are, due to be less Aposematic, less bold than some of the genus.


^ ^ - Close up of the 1.1.0 Mantella betsileo exhibit.


^ ^ - 1.2.0 Mantella viridis exhibit, I am not that happy with this and kind of had to make do with some of the spare plants I had from previous builds. More open than the M.betsileo exhibit as I found the species to be very bold, nearly as bold as Mantella aurantiaca. Will be refurnishing this with more Fittonia species and like all my Terrariums, I will be painting on Moss Spores when I receive them.


^ ^ - Close up of the 1.2.0 Mantella viridis exhibit. The Peperomia clusiifolia I doubt will be able to stay in there but as a temporary thing I am sure it will be fine, it will go into my Scaphiophyrne gottlebei exhibit though as I know it prefers drier substrates.

Anyway, hope you like the Terrariums but they will need a lot of work, I will be putting the individuals in the Terrariums on Christmas eve/day though, the Aquarium Grade Sealant would have stopped smelling by then (I know that it is Solvent free but no harm leaving it the last couple of days! lol).

Merry Christmas,

Josh

[Truffs1178]

Your collection is insane and the set ups are very impressive.

[MantellaGuy]

Your collection is insane and the set ups are very impressive.

Thank you very much!

[Bombina Bob]

It's kind of still under consideration as to what would be in each terrarium and where a bouts it would be placed in it. Here is my collection;

Anura (Frogs & Toads):
1.1.20 Golden Mantella (Mantella aurantiaca)
2.2.7 Brown Leaf Mantella (Mantella betsileo)
1.3.0 Guibes Mantella (Mantella nigricans)
1.1.10 Blue-Legged Mantella (Mantella expectata)
1.2.0 Madagascan Mantella (Mantella madagascarensis)
1.2.0 Yellow Mantella (Mantella crocea)
1.2.5 Green Mantella (Mantella viridis)
1.1.0 Arboreal Mantella (Mantella laevigata)
0.0.3 Cowan's Mantella (Mantella cowanii)
0.0.3 Black Eared Mantella (Mantella milotympanum)
0.0.2 Malagasy Rainbow Burrowing Frogs (Scaphiophryne gottlebei)
1.1.0 Malagasy Green Marbled Burrowing Frogs (Scaphiophryne marmorata)
0.0.1 Sambava Tomato Frog (Dyscophus guineti)
1.1.0 Asian Painted Bullfrogs (Kaloula pulchra)
1.2.0 Phantasmal Poison Frogs (Epipedobates tricolor) "Zarayunga" locality variant
0.0.1 Bumblebee Poison Frog (Dendrobates leucomelas)
1.1.10 Taylor's Bug Eyed Frogs (Theloderma stellatum)
1.1.0 Bird Poop Mossy Frogs (Theloderma asperum)

Caudata (Newts & Salamanders):
0.0.2 Ryukyu Spiny Newt (Echinotriton andersoni)
1.1.2 Tiannan Crocodile Newts (Tylototriton yangi)
0.0.6 Wen Xian Knobby Newts (Tylototriton wenxianensis)
0.0.2 Mandarin Crocodile Newts (Tylototriton shanjing)
0.0.4 Ta Liang Red Eared Crocodile Newts (Tylototriton taliangensis)
0.0.6 Black Knobby Newts (Tylototriton asperrimus)
0.0.2 Ziegler's crocodile newt (Tylototriton ziegleri)
0.0.2 Lizhenchang's Crocodile Newt (Tylototriton lizhenchangi)
1.2.0 Tokyo Salamanders (Hynobius tokyoensis)
0.1.0 Okinawa Sword Tail Newt (Cynops ensicauda popei)
1.0.0 Eastern Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum)
0.1.0 Marbled Salamander (Ambystoma opacum)
0.0.1 Marbled Newt (Triturus marmoratus)

So if anyone want's to place a request then go ahead :P lol

Anyway, I have received the 9 Starter Terrariums all to my specifications by DMS Vivaria and I must admit I pretty much fell in love with them.

I ordered 9 terrariums in total which included;

3 - 400mm x 400mm x 400mm False Bottom Terrariums.
3 - 400mm x 400mm x 400mm Burrowing Terrariums.
2 - 800mm x 400mm x 400mm Glass Partition Water Area Terrariums.
1 - 800mm x 400mm x 400mm False Bottom Terrarium

Anyway, here are some photographs of some of them (I will upload photos of all of them lol);


4 of the 6 - 400mm x 400mm x 400mm Terrariums From DMS.

4 of the 6 - 400mm x 400mm x 400mm Terrariums From DMS.


A 400mm x 400mm x 400mm Terrarium for a Burrowing species, probably going to house a Dyscophus guineti or Scaphiophyrne species.


Good quality Terrariums! Highly recommend DMS Vivaria

Anyway, I shall upload more photos shortly as I will be building the racking soon so I can actually stored them safely without worrying! lol

Wow thats a lot of amphibs! The build looks very professional ive seen some stack 12x12 Exo terras using two 2x2s

[MantellaGuy]

Hi all,

I will be doing my latest update this evening, hopefully if I can ever get my photos to upload! lol

Wow thats a lot of amphibs! The build looks very professional ive seen some stack 12x12 Exo terras using two 2x2s

Haha thank you, I forgot that I had to update my list for this!

Anura (Frogs & Toads):
1.1.20 Golden Mantella (Mantella aurantiaca) - + Spawn
2.2.0 Brown Leaf Mantella (Mantella betsileo) - + Spawn
0.0.10 Bronze Leaf Mantella (Mantella ebenaui)
1.2.0 Baron's Mantella (Mantella baroni)
1.1.2 Beautiful Mantella (Mantella pulchra) - + Spawn
1.1.2 Blue-Legged Mantella (Mantella expectata) - + Spawn
1.3.0 Guibes Mantella (Mantella nigricans)
1.2.0 Madagascan Mantella (Mantella madagascarensis) - + Spawn
1.2.7 Yellow Mantella (Mantella crocea) - + Spawn
2.4.8 Green Mantella (Mantella viridis) - + Spawn
1.1.2 Arboreal Mantella (Mantella laevigata)
0.0.3 Cowan's Mantella (Mantella cowanii)
0.0.3 Black Eared Mantella (Mantella milotympanum)
0.0.2 Malagasy Rainbow Burrowing Frogs (Scaphiophryne gottlebei)
1.1.0 Malagasy Green Marbled Burrowing Frogs (Scaphiophryne marmorata)
1.1.0 Asian Painted Bullfrogs (Kaloula pulchra)
1.1.0 Sky-blue Poison Dart Frog (Hyloxalus azureiventris)
2.2.0 Phantasmal Poison Frogs (Epipedobates tricolor) "Zarayunga" & "Maraspunga" Localities - + Spawn
0.0.1 Bumblebee Poison Frog (Dendrobates leucomelas)
1.1.10 Taylor's Bug Eyed Frogs (Theloderma stellatum)
1.1.0 Bird Poop Mossy Frogs (Theloderma asperum)
1.0.0 Sambava Tomato Frog (Dyscophus guineti)

Caudata (Newts & Salamanders):
0.0.2 Ryukyu Spiny Newt (Echinotriton andersoni)
1.1.2 Tiannan Crocodile Newts (Tylototriton yangi)
0.0.6 Wen Xian Knobby Newts (Tylototriton wenxianensis) - + Spawn
1.2.2 Mandarin Crocodile Newts (Tylototriton shanjing) - + Spawn
0.0.4 Ta Liang Red Eared Crocodile Newts (Tylototriton taliangensis)
0.0.6 Black Knobby Newts (Tylototriton asperrimus)
0.0.2 Ziegler's crocodile newt (Tylototriton ziegleri)
0.0.2 Lizhenchang's Crocodile Newt (Tylototriton lizhenchangi)
1.2.0 Tokyo Salamanders (Hynobius tokyoensis) - + 2 Egg Sacs
0.1.0 Okinawa Sword Tail Newt (Cynops ensicauda popei)
1.0.0 Eastern Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum)
0.1.0 Marbled Salamander (Ambystoma opacum)
0.0.1 Marbled Newt (Triturus marmoratus)

Thank you very much aswell

[MantellaGuy]

Hi everyone ,

So, it has been a very long time since my last update on the builds and I might aswell post about the latest one for my latest additions to my Mantella collection, the Baron's Mantella (Mantella baroni).

Right, I got a lot of inspiration from other tanks for Mantella species, a Bog-like Marsh environment. One particular enclosure design really stuck in my mind, so I really had to portray it within this exhibit.

Attachment 71174

For this exhibit, I would be using a 400mm x 400mm x 400mm size Terrarium with no Glass False Bottom. I went for a no glass false bottom because of the landscape I was wanting to be in it.

The next step was cleaning the Terrarium of course and then making the background....
Attachment 71176

Of course, I would be using my favourite Terrarium making tool, my Expanding Foam. But first I needed some things to go into the backgrounds;
Attachment 71178

Attachment 71180

After positioning the piece of Oak, I had to seal and reinforce it into the back securely.

Attachment 71182

Attachment 71184

Attachment 71214

Then, after that, you'll notice that I didn't use it on all the glass, this was for a reason. As you will see below, I began to cut out the Coco Husk Background to match the rest of the backing left empty .

Attachment 71215

Like so;

Attachment 71216

Attachment 71217

Attachment 71218

Attachment 71219

Attachment 71220

Right, I left this 24 hours, regardless of the fact the mastic is Solvent Free and proceeded to make the background mixture which is Clay Cat Litter and Coir Compost mixed together.

Attachment 71221

Attachment 71222

All you need to do, is pack it on nicely onto the background, like so.

Attachment 71223

Attachment 71224

Attachment 71225

Attachment 71226

I also thought this left hand panel of Coco Husk looked a tad bit bare, so I decided to mastic some vines to it.

Attachment 71227

Attachment 71228

I left it a further 24 hours and began the false bottom of Clay Beads and Hydro-fleece .

Attachment 71229

Attachment 71230

Attachment 71231

Attachment 71232

Attachment 71233

Attachment 71234

Like above, I made another type of substrate type, a gravel laced coir mix to simulate a river back edge.

Now it was time to plant, I used the following;

Moon Valley Plant (Pilae involucrater)

Attachment 71235

Irish Moss

Attachment 71236




Parlor Palm (Chamaedorea elegans)

Attachment 71237

So I began to plant my exhibit, and I started with a Earth Star (Cryptanthus bivittatus)





Then I planted the Moon Valley Plant (Pilae involucrater)





"Red Rosso" Radiator Plant (Peperomia caperata) and also some Irish Moss was then placed into the enclosure.








Parlor Palm (Chamaedorea elegans) was then planted.



Followed by some more Irish Moss in the mid section and a Spider Plant (Chlorophytum laxum).







Now, especially for a Malagasy Theme for the enclosure, I bought a Malagasy Lemon Scented Orchid (Aerangis citrata), which will look amazing when it flowers!



and now for the finished product!

[deranged chipmunk]

Looks great josh! Can't wait to see more progress!

[MantellaGuy]

Looks great josh! Can't wait to see more progress!

Thanks buddy! Yeah I am hoping it will end up looking good as I need to add more roots to the bottom of the truck to make it look real but I am half way done with the background now!

[MantellaGuy]

Hi all,

Another update from me, continuing the build for my Mantella aurantiaca individuals!

So here was the finishing (the white parts were covered again after I took the photograph) product of the Silicone/Coir Compost background!

It really doesn't look like much in all honesty... Until the plants went in with the rocks (forgot to mention the rocks...)












Still work to be done with the water section and other things!!!

[deranged chipmunk]

Looks great!! Question, next to last pic, what's the tall aroid on the right?

[Mentat]

Looking good !

[MantellaGuy]

Looks great!! Question, next to last pic, what's the tall aroid on the right?

That's a Schefflera elegantissima 'Gemini', Bill It's native to New Caledonia but I thought it'd look good in that corner, it will get quite big though after a while! lol

[deranged chipmunk]

Sweet plant! I love seeing enclosures from your side of the ocean. Such diversity in plant availability. I am jealous!! Lol