New vivarium - Crowdsourcing on Frog Forum

[poison beauties]

Detailed build threads are definitely needed in the dart hobby so that we can use them as teaching guides for new hobbyists to go by and one up them if they can. Id be glad to help you out with ideas if needed.
By the way bigger vivs are always better. I wouldn't pack the frogs in just because they are grouping frogs. 3-5 for a 40-70 or even 6-10 for a 125 is common whether auratus, leucs, galacts or even terribs.
Im going to do the same with my two builds and will share all the steps to it from false bottoms to clay bases, backgrounds, planting, lighting, and air circulation. They will be 60''x30''x24'' viv's almost 190 gallons for a trio of quepo and baru grannies.

[clownonfire]

Michael, very happy to have you aboard. It will be a 40 gallons and it will house a pair of two only.

As soon as we settle on a species, we could start start talking desing and execution. I have a nice piece of wood that id like to build around.

[Ebony]

Well..sorry to say ..I dont have experience with any of these. (being from NZ).

So I went through the list and Im going by looks .. I would have to say my faverite one would be D. tinctorius – azureus. I like Blue

[clownonfire]

Well, Ebony, you obviously have great taste. If we don't have any other inputs, it will probably be between these two, leaning though towards the azureus.

As for the piece of wood, here's the one I'd like to work around...

[DonLisk]

The azureus are pretty awesome ;-)

[DonLisk]

Speaking of wood.... does hot glue adhere to cork rounds and driftwood? Poor little white is not adjusting to the move and want to push the top off to get to his old sleeping spot on the light fixture.

Back to the topic:
In designing the viv, I think your starting point after deciding on the tank is to determine if this is going to utilize a false bottom, and if so, the plans on building in the ability to drain or remove excess water.

If not a false bottom, then what bottom drainage layer, why this material, and how to remove excess water.

[poison beauties]

Keep in mind if you choose azureus you can not put mor than one female in there. They will kill each other, They are very territorial.

Michael

[clownonfire]

Speaking of wood.... does hot glue adhere to cork rounds and driftwood? Poor little white is not adjusting to the move and want to push the top off to get to his old sleeping spot on the light fixture.

Back to the topic:
In designing the viv, I think your starting point after deciding on the tank is to determine if this is going to utilize a false bottom, and if so, the plans on building in the ability to drain or remove excess water.

If not a false bottom, then what bottom drainage layer, why this material, and how to remove excess water.

Don, for the drainage layer, we used Hydro Balls as the bottom layer, than a layer of Earth for the plants, a small layer of coconut husk and finally a thin layer of forest mix. Of course we lay some leaf litters for the darts and bumblebee walking frog terrariums.

But back to the drainage layer, the hydro balls act as a natural aquifer and filtration, and the water never has a chance to stagnate as it is released as evaporation, also helping keeping the humidity in the terrarium. The water we spray and the fogger we use replenishes the water. It works really well as an eco-system. These hydroballs also develop good bacteria with time which helps keep the balance and helps purify.

[Ebony]

Well, Ebony, you obviously have great taste. If we don't have any other inputs, it will probably be between these two, leaning though towards the azureus.

As for the piece of wood, here's the one I'd like to work around...

Thats a nice piece of wood .. Mango wood is great if you like a twisted long branch look also.

[Leefrogs]

My phones far too slow to load those Picts of each to choose. But I'd say get one that matches your wood, or kinda off match. like maybe the Turk/ bronze.

[clownonfire]

@Don: It will not be a false bottom. We will opt for a bottom drainage layer. We have done this for our vents terrarium. I'll write down later on how we did it.

As for hot glue on wood, it's a hit and miss. It doesn't work in high humidity terrariums like darts. We have had a few air plants fall off.

@Michael: If we are going with azureus, which I think it's pretty much where we are going, I have ask Understory Enterprises for a male/female pair. Elaine to whom I have spoken said Mark Pepper might be coming to Montreal this Summer and would bring the frogs with him, making sure it is indeed a male and female.

@Ebony: I have to see mango wood. It's the second time I see you talk about it and I am really curious at this point!

@Ginger Lee: Blue against wood, that clash would also be beautiful!!

[DonLisk]

@Don: It will not be a false bottom. We will opt for a bottom drainage layer. We have done this for our vents terrarium. I'll write down later on how we did it.

As for hot glue on wood, it's a hit and miss. It doesn't work in high humidity terrariums like darts. We have had a few air plants fall off.

Thanks, my air plants had the same problem in the dart viv build I just did. They just fall off with the hot glue stuck to the plant and not the cork.

[Leefrogs]

And to clearify my frog choose for that wood, I thaught the bronze would pop more with that rich wood. And bumping it up. U could win most infomative thread and pict of the month!!!!

[clownonfire]

Recap so far:

1. We will be working with a 40 gallons;
2. After careful deliberation, the terrarium will be welcoming a pair of azureus!
3. We will be creating a drainage bottom using hydroballs;
4. GE II Silicone will be used (we'll define the amount soon enough);
5.We will be working around a nice big piece of java wood.

What we will need to define is:

1. I usually use layers of earth, them coconut husk, then a forest mix. Are we all good with this?
2. I have a fairly good amount of sphahnum moss. Will we be using some (closer to when we will introduce the frogs) beneath the leaf litter layer?
3. The plants. Of course, bromeliads. What other suggestions do you have? Which ones should be seeded and which ones should be planted?
4. Anything else?

Eric

[Leefrogs]

Just a few specifics on drainage layer, usually hydroballs are covered with a screen, or weed barier. I hear people do this with whites and bigger species because they burrow. Is this common practice when it's a smaller frog? And are u going to great stuff the back wall and all that sculpting too?
Java fern is pretty, maybe pillow moss, a few nice rocks, and a bi color arrow plant. There's a beautiful variety popular at Walmart, white veins, dark green/ blue top, and purple underside.

[DonLisk]

1. I usually use layers of earth, them coconut husk, then a forest mix. Are we all good with this?
Definitely

2. I have a fairly good amount of sphahnum moss. Will we be using some (closer to when we will introduce the frogs) beneath the leaf litter layer?
I haven't used any and would love to know how my dart viv would benefit from the moss under the leaf liter.

3. The plants. Of course, bromeliads. What other suggestions do you have? Which ones should be seeded and which ones should be planted?
This is where I have zero experience. Found my ivy didn't like damp conditions so I'm gonna learn something here.