Frog closet

[bshmerlie]

I've decided to make a thread on the progress of my frog closet. While it may not live up to the grandeur of Eric's frog room this is for those of us who have a space constraint. . The closet consists of one 4 foot steel wire rack with three shelves. I will have a total of nine tanks. On the top shelf the firebellies will be going into an 18 cube. The Azureus will be leaving the 20 long and moving into a 29 so it will be the same height as the cube next to it. On the second shelf I have four small Exo Terras. I will have pairs of Clowns, Auratus, Tarapoto, and Vents. On the bottom shelf I have Leucs in a 20 gallon and two small Exo Terras for the two stolzmanni pacmans. I just finished up the tank for the vents that I will be getting in two weeks. I started this thread because this is a big move for me. Instead of random size tanks scattered around the house I will have a very uniformed sized frog rack. I will be using LED lights to help keep it cool in such a confined space. I don't have a misting system yet but I am sure that will follow eventually. I will be posting pictures of all the tanks here as I build them. I don't really do elaborate setups just usually nice pieces of wood and lots of plants. I'll be doing clay backgrounds on the dart tanks simply because I don't have the time to do the GS backgrounds right now.
Here is my list of frogs as it sits right now
1.1. Bombing orientalis
2.2. Agalychnis callidryas
1.1. Ceratrophrys stolzmanni
1.1. Dendrobates Tinctorius(cobalt)
0.0.5 Dendribates Azureus
0.0.4 Dendrobates Leucomelas
0.0.2 Dendrobates auratus(taboga)
1.0. Dendropsophus Leucophyllatus

Vents will be here in two weeks....ya know just trying to keep up with Eric.

Ill post some pics starting tomorrow.

[clownonfire]

You and I should be neighbors: I'm thinking frogsitting. Instead of borrowing sugar from one another, it could be substrate, or feeders. We could have friendly neighbor contests. Instead of look, my lawn is greener, it could be look, my tadpole is bigger than yours...

So a friendly long distance competition now, huh? That's why that terribs hasn't arrived yet... It's all about numbers with you...

Happy for you and your closet, Cheri.

[Kisa]

Pictures? >>

I can't wait to see the finished product...a frog closet, what a dream. ^ ^

[bshmerlie]

Okay sorry its been so long. Here's what I've got setup so far. Here is a picture of the racks top two shelves. You can see the Mist King tubes running through. The top shelf on the right is the 20 long with the Azureus. That tank I will eventually ditch and get a 29 which is the same length just taller. A 18 cube will eventually go next to it for the firebellies or a 20 gallon...Im not sure just yet. The second row is the clown tank, two empties which are setup and waiting for their Frog day purchases, and the Auratus on the far right. Im just kinda threw that one together and it will be redone when I get a chance. The bottom shelf is not shown because I'm not ready for you to see it yet. I will eventually get the LED lights. Probably before it gets too hot here in So Cal. All tanks were each setup within an hour. They are simply wood, soil, plants and very minimal clay at some points as filler with coco fibre pressed into it.

[bshmerlie]

Oopps forgot one. Here's the Azureus tank. Not fully planted but I'm going to wait until I switch to the 29.

[clownonfire]

The RX-731 is my favorite one. I love the white background with blue fonts.

Congrats, Cheri. It looks stunning, and very functional, which for me is what matters the most.

[Kisa]

Great frog rack Cheri, and great tanks! Keep up the good work!

[bshmerlie]

RX-731...hmm I'm thinking what is he looking at....oh yeah my junk box. Yeah I really only do functional tanks....unless its for a display in the living room or office. When it's on the frog rack I still want it to look nice but I don't really have time to do a bunch of elaborate setups. I will yank out some plants and put in some broms once I get them. These are just the standard HomeDepot variety plants for now. Hmm...Maybe I'll do something fancy with the 29 gallon. I'm picking up five baby Vents on Frog Day to go into the two empty tanks. Once grown I will only be keeping a pair of them so that will free up the other tank for the Tarapoto or Varadero.

[Ebony]

Very nice Cheri. Your set ups are really great. I hope to see photo's of your baby Vents.

[bshmerlie]

Here's a picture of one of my microscopic D.Ventrimaculatus. I picked up three babies at frog day. I went through the security check at the airport with them in my carry on luggage with no problem. They are so tiny the security guy was more interested in my plants that he never noticed them. I put them in a container with a bunch of cuttlings that I purchased.

[clownonfire]

here's a picture of one of my microscopic d.ventrimaculatus. i picked up three babies at frog day. I went through the security check at the airport with them in my carry on luggage with no problem. They are so tiny the security guy was more interested in my plants that he never noticed them.:d i put them in a container with a bunch of cuttlings that i purchased.

a-w-e-s-o-m-e!!

[bshmerlie]

They were out and about this morning so I was able to get a better picture.

[Kisa]

Awesome new frogs Cheri, congrats!

[bshmerlie]

Okay...so here's the deal. I've decided to ditch the four foot rack and get a five foot rack. If you notice the tanks are a little tight on the middle shelf. I've got the extra foot inside the closet so I'll have enough room. This would also allow me to upgrade the Azureus tank to a 40 breeder which would give them more floor space. I'm guessing I'm gonna go with the CFL lights.

[bshmerlie]

I scored on a 36X18 Exo Terra on Craigs List for $50. It came with the Exo light fixture and some other things. It has heavy hard water spots on it but with lots of elbow grease I was albe to get it all off the sides and the front glass. Im not going to bother with the back panel as the background will cover it up. I have taken the plunge and purchased the LED's from Aaron at AAA Frogs. He assures me I'm going to love them. I will do a full posting on the whole light setup and everything once I get it all. He's going to make it real slick incorporating in the misting system tubes which stick up out of the top. I'm very excited.

[bshmerlie]

Here's my new tank. I'm going to do a divider down the middle to make two sides of 18x18.

[DonLisk]

Wow, 50 bucks? Thats so awesome. I was looking at those recently and they are so pricey.
Nice score!

So they are putting the misting hoses hidden in the lighting fixtures? That would be so clean looking.
Can't wait to see them functioning.

[bshmerlie]

Yeah I asked Aaron to make the plastic housing just a little taller to clear the misting "T" and then I will drill holes on each end to put the tubes through. That way all misting stuff will be concealed under the housing which would look sweet. I don't like seeing all the tubes running across the tops of the tanks. Again, my whole rack once all setup should look real clean and uniform. I didn't intend to go all Exo Terras it just ended up that way.