Perparing for my next build...

[LilyPad]

I'm preparing to build the spring peeper viv. I think I am going to do a 40 gallon, I have 7 of them, so that seems appropriate considering they utilize their ground, water, and arboreal space. I know some people might think I'm crazy, but these guys will be in my bedroom, which has a sort of oriental theme going on in it. So I want to try to give them everything they need along with making it a bit oriental looking.

Okay, so I want some type of water feature. I do not want to do a waterfall again, that was a big fat FAIL. I have the perfect water dish for them, big enough to accommodate such a large group of frogs, and fitting with my theme. What I want to know is, would I be safe to put an air stone in there? Will that just clog up like my other pumps? Will it irritate the **** out of me like the pump does? I already have an air pump, I would just need the stone and some new tubing.

Any tips on choosing plants somewhere in my theme? I plan on using some parlor palms, these frogs stay pretty small, so it should support their weight. I also plan on putting a small bamboo stalk or two in the water dish. I am going to be moving the brom with the red flowers to the new viv when it is time.

I have a nice piece of driftwood that I'm so excited to use, I think I'll incorporate it in the background.

I'm still debating between a great stuff or clay background, the shelf I am putting it on isn't exactly super high quality though, so I'm leaning more towards the idea of great stuff, the black pond stuff.

Any ideas to make this along my theme?

[DonLisk]

I am also going to begin a new viv this weekend in a 20 gallon. I'll be using the Tetra Waterfall Foam in Black or Great stuff in Black.
I think if you can anchor in a few bamboo plants hanging out over the water dish, it would give them a perch over the water and the bamboo will sprout leave up off that toward the lighting. Using something similar to a cigar tube to put into the foam and then being able to slide the bamboo into would be a good anchor and allow for water to fill around the roots of the bamboo.
Just an idea.

I recently picked up a Biophytum which is pretty cool but comes real small and would take some time to look full and similar to a cool palm tree. Not sure how supportive it would be for medium sized frogs though.

I love the looks and sounds of a water feature but hate how hard they are to keep operational in a viv.

[LilyPad]

I love the idea of putting the tubes in for the bamboo, that would work out perfectly! That would be easier than putting it directly in the water dish, especially when it comes to cleaning time. Our grocery store actually just got a large shipment of tropical type plants, the biophytum you posted looks very similar to one of them. I really liked it.