Can I use my 90 gallon drilled as a vivarium for Dart Frogs?

[Cody]

I think with how big this tank is and the access with the overflow I HAVE to do a water feature... If I'm gonna do this tank I might as well do it beautifully, right? Chances are I'm only gonna setup a vivarium once, and with a tank this huge at that. So should I follow John's guide on the drainage layer? I know some others use the PVC and egg crate method or something? And I think I understand how to do the background...the foam and moss...I have another question just relating to plants in general. How do you "plant" them for vivariums? Just in the foam/moss?

Edit: Also, temperature... I used to have two bearded dragons until one decided to be a cannibal :[ but I may still have the ceramic lamps I used for their tank...can I use them for a dart vivarium? I would guess not since they probably don't provide enough heat. But how can I provide heat besides using T5 lighting of some sort maybe? I don't wanna spend a fortune on lights but I'll have some money if I sell my aquarium supplies. (Don't know if that'll happen) My house is probably 65° F -70° F all the time..so I dunno what to do.

[BG]

There is plenty of info on this site on vivs. Its up to you which way you want to go. I'm in the same place as you when it comes to vivs. I have three tanks to transform,or should i start small, since this is my first viv. I like the idea of the water draining tho.

[DonLisk]

You can always waste foam foam on some cardboard and learn to use the foam, how much it expands and carving it to create features.

The false bottom with egg create works great as does hydroballs. The eggcrage method would be less expensive to do on such a large tank than filling the bottom with hydroballs to have a 1 1/2 to 2 inch layer.

You could have a nice pond features in multiple locations by just having the eggcrate cut away in areas and have stone for the pond. Then you could always siphon off water from there and replace when needed.

As for heat, your lighting is probably going to keep it warm enough and dropping to 68 - 70 should be fine at night if it did drop that low.


You tank has a lot of potential but you might want to try some ideas on a small tank first and then rip it apart and try again until you have some practice and ideas of what you want to do.

[Cody]

So I would use the egg crate method..then cover it with.....what? I talked to someone at a LFS (Local Fish Store obviously..they sell frogs, other amphibians/reptiles, fish, small animals, etc.) And she said that she used the PVC with egg crate, then large filter pads, gravel, and then moss...but what would you guys recommend?

Edit: And I don't necessarily have a smaller tank to try it on, this is all I have. I came to this forum looking for some help as I did to TONMO for help with an octopus setup, you know?

[Griffin]

that tank will make a really nice viv.tall and wide

[DonLisk]

Here is a link to putting in a false bottom. http://www.frogforum.net/vivarium-te...se-bottom.html

The PVC is to create a base for the egg-crate can sit on. I use PVC Couplings as you'll see in the link above.
You then cover the egg-crate with a fine window screen, landscaping weed deterrent material, or substrate screen (which only comes in small sheets).
You have many choices of materials to put on top of the screen and in my drat tanks I use Zilla Jungle Mix or some of the special substrates you'll find on some of the online frog retailer's sites.

Your plants can go straight into the top layer of substrate or put into the background after the fertilized soil is removed from the plant and the plant is rinsed off completely so you don't introduce unwanted critters.

If your creating a pond area then you cut away the egg-crate from that area, have the screen and some egg-crate block off around the cutout so frogs can't get under the egg-crate and then use stone, gravel or so on to make the pond bottom.

Hope this helps.

[Cody]

So you don't use any moss? I see it in your tutorial as I browsed through real quick. I'm not actually at home, and I'm ordering food online on my grandmother's computer..but thanks Don! (a lot!)

Edit: Nevermind, I see that you did.

[BG]

Instructions with pictures would help like a newjack like me.

Here is a link to putting in a false bottom. http://www.frogforum.net/vivarium-te...se-bottom.html

The PVC is to create a base for the egg-crate can sit on. I use PVC Couplings as you'll see in the link above.
You then cover the egg-crate with a fine window screen, landscaping weed deterrent material, or substrate screen (which only comes in small sheets).
You have many choices of materials to put on top of the screen and in my drat tanks I use Zilla Jungle Mix or some of the special substrates you'll find on some of the online frog retailer's sites.

Your plants can go straight into the top layer of substrate or put into the background after the fertilized soil is removed from the plant and the plant is rinsed off completely so you don't introduce unwanted critters.

If your creating a pond area then you cut away the egg-crate from that area, have the screen and some egg-crate block off around the cutout so frogs can't get under the egg-crate and then use stone, gravel or so on to make the pond bottom.

Hope this helps.

[Cody]

His link shows the pictures...if you'd click it... xD

Instructions with pictures would help like a newjack like me.