How do i create a natural enclosure?

[Leefrogs]

Youre better off with blue led lights, you can see so much more. If you want the blacklight, use only the frog kind, the other kind irritates them, maybe hurts their eyes? The frog one is super dark, lucky if you see a shadow. I keep mine going for a needed heat source at night.

I know your delema, I've done only a cheesy builds, no foam or backgrounds. I'm going to challange myself this summer and do one. My babies are growing and need an up grade.

Don, Grrrit, Mike, and Eric all did great builds, nice step by step process. Making an entry to your pumps is the biggest challenge, making it frog and cricet proof a whole nother thing. I have simple builds with natural plants. I'd olny do the foam for a water feature, but all my vivs are simple and very overplanted.

55 gallon tanks are usually real narrow, so I don't know if I would crowd it with a background, others would say it would be ideal. Personal prefrance, I guess. And it depends on vivs location, if it's a central feature to be viewed all around, you may not want a background.

Your conversion kit on line is going to cost 40-60 dollars. I built my own kit for 12$. Most of that was Laybor for the screen guy to build that little frame. I'd guess a 55 gal home kit would cost 20$? Foaming your background, silicone, substrate, plants, soil could run another 40$, and pump and filters are kinda cheap at 30$? You can check my thread-- being green and saving money-- might help.

[Callmeumaster]

Yeah it is rather narrow so i dont think ill be doing a background. Im geussing im going to try and get a good substrate and put lots of plants in. Hmm where would i get one and how much do blue led lights usually run for? Whats the best way to go about planting the plants inside the enclosure?.. I just joined but i can already say that i like this forum. Informative, quick reply, and friendly!
What would be the best "top" for the tank? Since they need ventilation im geussing one of those screen tops would work well? I read that the rule of thumb is 10gallons per frog so im geussing i could house 5 or 6 red eyes in the 55 gallon? I plan on doing lots of research on what plants i want but does anyone have any favourites/recommendations?

[Leefrogs]

Ya, a screen with plexi or glass over the top like Don said.
I would build a hill with a drainage layer, you can buy hydro balls, or like me, use styrophome packing peanuts. Make the hill, glue screen over layer, you'll need to suck up excess water with a turkey baister. 2 inches of coconut fiber, then plantation soil(or bed-a-beast) don't buy dirt from a regular store, fertilizers in all of it, it will kill them. Don't trust it even if it's organic, and moss over that. You can buy leaf litter or live moss on line.
Plants, rinse leaves well, soak roots overnight, remove most(90%) of the dirt. Leaf shines, and fertilizers are toxic.
Plant favorites---
Phothos vine, corn plant, prayer plants, snake plant, drecanea, peace lily, bamboo, bromeliad, and orchid. Sweatpeas and African violet if you want an easy growing flower. Broms and orchid are harder to keep growing.
You can use natural wood, that'll save you allot$
Led lights are pricey, and only found on the net. But you can really see...