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Thread: My 15-High Baja/Chrous Frog Build - IMAGE HEAVY!

  1. #1
    SmithPad
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    Post My 15-High Baja/Chrous Frog Build - IMAGE HEAVY!

    Recently I've been quite taken with Pacific Chorus Frogs (Baja version - Pseudacris hypochondriaca), I've decided to make a new build for the 3 or 4 that I have. I love that these little guys are very active during the day, they croak all the time, and tend not to go for higher altitudes like your green or White's tree frogs. In addition, I noticed that they like to spend a lot more time in the water than other tree frogs. Very cute little guys with lots of personality!

    This being my second vivarium, I realized there were a few problems with my Exo-Terra that I want to do better this time around. These are the problems I specifically want to solve for:

    - Escaping crickets
    - Dirty/particulate substrate
    - Dirty standing water, daily water changes
    - Overcrowding with plants/overly busy background

    Since these little frogs are pretty outgoing and curious, I intend to go for a lttle more sparse decor, but take things a little farther on the technology side.

    So this thread will document my thought process and steps. This will be a SLOW build, but please feel free to chime in with thoughts. Especially if you see big mistakes in the making!

    Thanks!

    Bill

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  3. #2
    SmithPad
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    Default Planning

    Okay, to kick off, here is my plan:

    I've picked up a 15-high terrarium with sliding mesh top. This is the same dimensions as a typical 10-gallon tank, just taller (20"W x 10"D x 18"H). By the way, the beauty of this size is its 10 gallon footprint. You can use 10-gallon tops, 10-gallon stands, etc.

    The water area will be front and center, kind of a semi-circle about 2 inches deep. There will be a small hanging canister filter on the back, with the intake and outlet hoses running behind the background and under the substrate. The idea is that I can get full bio filtration (kickstarted with media from my aquarium), so that the water stays cleaner and water changes are less frequent.

    For substrate, I'll use soil, but I intend to cover most of the bottom with moss, helping the frogs pick up less dirt.

    The background will be floating cork flats over a black painted back.

    There will be 1-2 plants in the soil, and 2-3 bromeliads up higher.

    There will be 2-3 shelves of some kind on the sides (maybe magnetic shelf mushrooms), and 3-4 film canister tubes, if I can make them look good.

    Maybe one branch for climbing on, but again, these guys don't climb much!

    Here are my initial planning drawings:

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    I've already started the build, so more photos coming today or tomorrow!
    Last edited by SmithPad; December 3rd, 2014 at 12:22 PM.

  4. #3
    SmithPad
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    Default Tank Top

    This is the 15H tank I picked up from LLL Reptile for $38. It has a sliding mesh top with a peg to hold it in.

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    I am going to need to make some modifications. Since one of my requirements is cricket proofing, I need to ensure that the filter can hang on the tank and that the intake/outlet filter tubes can get in, leaving no cracks or crannies.

    The first step was to decide how to do this, so I went with a plastic aquarium backstrip:

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    I then cut off about half an inch off the length so that it can be easily jammed into the sliding track. After this, I drilled holes for the intake and outlet tubes, and used a hacksaw and box cutter to cut a notch out of the middle for the filter hanger. The backstrip had to be held in position for siliconing, so I scotch-taped it to the mesh top and slid it on, holding it fast so the silicone could cure. Here's what it looks like after I took off the tape. Notice the silicone treatment on all 3 sides of the backstrip.

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    Next, I had to shorten the depth of the mesh top by the depth of the backstrip (about 1-1/2"), so I put the mesh top back on the tank, sliding it until it hit the backstrip. Then I marked where I needed to cut. Now, I'm not that handy, but it turned out that this mesh top is assembled just like any window screen, so I was able to disassemble it very easily. After this, I used a hacksaw to cut the short sides up to the point of my marks. I reassembled the frame. Then I pushed the screen and its spline back into the frame using a butter knife and pizza cutter. It was very easy, because the screen already had a groove on 3 sides where it had been in the frame. The fourth side was more difficult and took more time, but I got there. I then cut off the excess inch and a half of screen material. Now I have a shorter-depth top!

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    Here is the completed top, with the tubing and hanger test fit. I will silicone all the gaps after I have laid out my tubing all the way to the bottom.

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  5. #4
    SmithPad
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    Default Filter

    This is the canister filter I'm using to hang on the back of the tank: The TOM Aquarium Rapids Mini Canister C-80. It has two chambers, one for bio media and the other for whatever else. I'm going to go with the carbon pillow it came with out of the box. Flow rate is 80gph.

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    I chose this filter for two big reasons: Its price ($22 on Amazon), and the fact that it has a really impressive hanging bracket, making it easy to remove the filter. At this price, I can afford to buy a replacement if I have trouble or parts wear out. This week, Amazon had a black Friday lightning sale and I got it for $15.99!

    I'm not impressed with the black corrugated tubes that came with the filter. (they can crack with age), so I'm replacing those with standard 1/2" ID tubing from Home Depot, and will be using these elbows to help me get tighter turns in the tubing. Hose clamps are necessary to help the tubing stay on the filter, because the tubing is too thick for the plastic nuts to grip it. I will go with the plastic kind with teeth, so they can be easily opened for filter maintenance. Here's a picture of how I used the elbows to give me sharper turns than the tubing allows. The hose clamps are not on yet.

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    I will be using the elbows at the bottom of the tank too. 10-pack at Home Depot for four bucks. By the way, it was necessary to soak the tubing pieces in hot water for a minute, making them pliable enough to fit over the elbow nipple.

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    Default My 15-High Baja/Chrous Frog Build - IMAGE HEAVY!

    Exciting! It will turn out great I'm sure!


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

  7. #6
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    Default Re: My 15-High Baja/Chrous Frog Build - IMAGE HEAVY!

    Very nice work modding the top . Be aware all those 90 degree bends will restrict your filter's 80GPH water flow .
    Remember to take care of the enclosure and it will take care of your frog !​

  8. #7
    SmithPad
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    Default Re: My 15-High Baja/Chrous Frog Build - IMAGE HEAVY!

    Quote Originally Posted by Mentat View Post
    Very nice work modding the top . Be aware all those 90 degree bends will restrict your filter's 80GPH water flow .
    Yes, thanks for this callout. Reduced flow is fine with me, possibly even desirable. These guys aren't swimmers, they just like to hang around with their backside in the water. It's not a very high volume, and reduced flow (even from 80 gph down to 10-15 gph) will be fine. I'm only trying to solve for daily water changes of standing water. Thanks!

  9. #8
    SmithPad
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    Default Re: My 15-High Baja/Chrous Frog Build - IMAGE HEAVY!

    So I am very grateful for Carlos's advice about the elbows. I decided to fill up the tank with 3 inches of water and test the filter before going any farther.

    Turns out this filter cannot handle the elbows at all. Not even one. When I took the elbows off and went with straight plumbing, it worked fine. I was able to prevent kinks by tightening cable ties on the trouble spots.
    However...

    This filter is completely inadequate for my needs. It seems to be sucking air. I siliconed all around the tubing connections to the filter, used vaseline for the o-rings, and hose-clamped the hose to the filter connectors. No luck, still pulling in a little bit of air. I guess you get what you pay for!

    A bit demoralizing. I will set this aside till after the holidays and come back with a higher-end filter. Looks like the Finnex PX-360 will have to be the way to go. I'm open to any other filter suggestions, but it has to hang on the tank, and it has to have inlet and outlet tubes...a waterfall style won't cut it.

    Thanks all,

    Bill

  10. #9

    Default My 15-High Baja/Chrous Frog Build - IMAGE HEAVY!

    The filter is not sucking air it is air trapped in the canister from initial startup. Any canister, doesn't matter if it is a fluval, eheim, marineland, ect, need to be BELOW the highest water level. Air in any liquid based system, will go to the highest point. In your system, that would be the canister. In a typical system, where the canister is below the water line, the air bubbles purge naturally via the output. If you absolutely must have the filter hanging on the back due to space constraints, you may need to rethink your plan. A small submersible filter would probably work best for you.


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  11. #10
    SmithPad
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    Default Re: My 15-High Baja/Chrous Frog Build - IMAGE HEAVY!

    I thought of that, but I made sure the filter was empty of air (I encounter this in my aquarium canister filters all the time) and let it run for an entire day. I can see the air pattern. It is running fine for 10 seconds, then a short blast of bubbles. And repeat. I can rock the filter back and forth to purge all the air, then it's fine for a few seconds, then it builds up air again. Definitely sucking air, probably through the main gasket.

    As for an internal filter, my goal is not to have to reach in the tank to clean it. I want to keep filter maintenance external. Means I'll have to step up to a better model.

  12. #11
    SmithPad
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    Default Re: My 15-High Baja/Chrous Frog Build - IMAGE HEAVY!

    But I see what you mean. I think it will be best if I go with a more powerful filter, located below the tank.

    Thank you!

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    Default Re: My 15-High Baja/Chrous Frog Build - IMAGE HEAVY!

    Why not try your current filter below the tank and see how it works before you spend more money?

    Placing the filter below the tank will keep the filter from building up air in it.
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  14. #13
    SmithPad
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    Default Re: My 15-High Baja/Chrous Frog Build - IMAGE HEAVY!

    Wow, what a bunch of big changes on this project!

    Thanks to Paul's suggestion, I moved the filter below and did a test. While it was insufficient power to push enough water, the bubbles went away. The approach of the hanging a power filter on the back to pull and push water this shallow WIL NOT WORK!

    So I took a different approach. I determined that the best way to do this will be to put the filter under the tank, but even the best of power filters doesn't want to work with water this shallow. So it became apparent that only one approach will work: I have to put holes in the bottom or near the bottom of the tank and plumb it to the filter. This project is suddenly a lot more interesting!

    The bad news is that this tank will not accept drilling: the glass is too thin. So now I've had to dump the tank AND dump the filter. Not to be daunted, I went to my local fish store and ordered an 18 Tall tank (again, 10-gallon dimensions but 18" tall), but with 1-1/8" holes pre-drilled, their centers two inches from the back and two inches from each side. The tank came with much thicker glass, easily twice as thick as before. They were good enough to install a sliding screen top. The whole thing cost $79, which is not bad for such an odd size with two holes drilled and a screen top.

    Here's a couple sketches of how I envision the new internals:

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    I decided to work with 5/8" ID hose below the tank and ordered a Fluval 106 with some Christmas money ($100):

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    This resulted in the need for the following plumbing pieces:

    2 - 5/8" bulkheads
    2 - 5/8" straight threaded hose barbs (under tank to filter)
    1 - 5/8" elbow hose barb (spray bar)

    Yes, this project is getting more expensive, but it's been an awesome exercise in problem solving, so that's worth it to me. It's about the journey, right?

    So, for the fittings, first off, it was necessary to reverse my bulkhead fittings. This was due to the fact that I instructed the holes to be drilled a little too close to the sides, resulting in the bulkheads getting in the way of my stand! After some research, I came to the conclusion that reversing bulkheads is fine as long as you always make sure the gasket is on the flange side. Also, I knew I wasn't going to have a lot of pressure on the bulkheads due to shallow water.

    I took the Fluval intake strainer and cut 1/4" off the rim with a hacksaw and siliconed it to the left bulkhead. It wasn't a perfect cut. That's right, I'm hiding the intake way in the back, inside the drainage substrate. Read on.

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    For the spray bar, I took my TOM filter's bar and elbow, and fitted them to a piece of 5/8" hose, which in turn went on the elbow barb on the right side. (I know the positioning of the spray bar seems weird, but when I use a rock to push the black elbow a little to the left, this will position the spray bar just right, which is about a 30-degree angle, blowing toward the front.)

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    And the straight barbs went underneath, for hooking up to the filter:

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    Here's what it all looks like from underneath:

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    I then filled the tank 1/4" to test the bulkheads for leaks under no pressure. All checked out.

    Yesterday, I hooked up the Fluval 106 below the tank, filled it up to 3", and tested the whole thing under pressure. No leaks and lots of good water flow! But then I started worry more about my choice of "false bottom"/drainage substrate: plastic 1" bio-balls:

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    How much it would impede my water flow?

  15. #14
    SmithPad
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    Default Re: My 15-High Baja/Chrous Frog Build - IMAGE HEAVY!

    To test the bio balls, I poured them into a laundry netting bag and pushed them against the intake to see if the spray bar volume would be noticeably reduced. It wasn't! I ran this setup for two hours and not a drop of water appeared anywhere on the outside.

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    With the filter model proven, it's time to get moving on the next steps. I took out the bio balls and disconnected the filter, emptied the tank and dried everything out.


    Last night I painted the back in four coats of black acrylic paint:

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    Today I have siliconed in the cork background I got from Amazon:

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    The cork background is 18" square, and the tank is 20" wide. This leaves an inch of space on the left and right. I decide I kind of like this look (a little modern, if you will). I LOVE this cork texture. The Amazon pictures don't do it justice, it really has a lovely layer of bark over it, giving a tree-like background effect. I have made sure to mount the background as high as possible, leaving no space at all for crickets to hide at the top of the cork panel. I'll post a picture tonight after it cures.

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