24 x 18 x 24 Mantella build Journal

[deranged chipmunk]

Haha! I got a few things for ya. I will send you a few small cutting of some epiphytic ferns. I can only spare a small cutting or two. I can hook you up with a small cutting of a mini aroid vine, and how about an African violet plantlet for the foreground? Maybe a nice wall climbing begonia? I may even have a small orchid for ya


Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world ~ Nelson Mandela

[DigitalPunk]

Bill that would be great! Not sure I have the wall space left for a climbing begonia, though that sounds awesome. I am starting to love Begonias more and more . The Fern clippings would be awesome if you can spare them, though I understand if you can't for sure. I don't think there is room for the African Violet. There is a vine (hard to see in the pic) in the front left coming up over the wood. Plan is for that vine and the Hypoestes phyllostachya to take over the fore ground. If you sent an Orchid that would make my year lol!

Whatever you are able to send will be greatly appreciated Bill, I am still in awe that you are so willing to share plants with me

[LilyPad]

Great job, Paul. It looks really really good!

[DigitalPunk]

Thanks Amy

It's isn't the dream tank yet, but I think with some tweaking and the plants I have incoming it will be a great home fore the 5 Mantella for the foreseeable future.

[DigitalPunk]

Well the plants have been slightly rearranged to allow room for the plants Bill has so graciously offered to send me

[DigitalPunk]

Hopefully you can read the labels, but I thought I would label everything to better see what is going on in the tank lol.

[LilyPad]

I like the labeling! I do not know what most the plants are in my viv, I am in a process of trying to figure them out (they were labeled "tropical plant" when I purchased them) but it is taking a long time and a lot of internet searches. My knowledge of tropical plants is pretty much nothing, so I don't even know what category they fall in.

[DigitalPunk]

Yeah I have some of those in my other tanks lol. I just call them Joe and Jane Tropical plant

[deranged chipmunk]

You guys are aware that we have a plant section that you can start and id thread in right? Just take a good pic of each plant in question and we'll identify them best we can


Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world ~ Nelson Mandela

[DigitalPunk]

Aquatic soil came in today! I also got the sponge filter in and the tank top back from the glass shop.

First the modified Exo Terra Top. I removed the screening form it at home and then dropped it off with them to have glass cut and siliconed in. They did the work for $18 and change.





I was also able to put in the aquatic soil, heater, and sponge filter today. I am testing out using a sponge filter over the previous filters to avoid having something sticking up out of the water. I have tried the submersible filters before (i have one running now) but I just don't like them to much.



I covered the water in Live oak leaves. They will finish sinking in the next 24 hours. Water spans the entire underside of the tank and is 4.5" deep with 2" of soil in this one corner for planting.

Leaf litter has been added to the tank everywhere but the back right corner. I will put some there once the new plant arrives and is planted. The lid is on and the tank is starting to build up heat and humidity.

[deranged chipmunk]

Nice!! What kind of sub are you using for the aquatic portion?


Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world ~ Nelson Mandela

[DigitalPunk]

Eco-Complete - I have never used it before, but have read a lot of good things about it.

[deranged chipmunk]

It's not bad. Not my fav. I hate planting stem plants in it. It's so light it darn near floats lol


Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world ~ Nelson Mandela

[DigitalPunk]

Yeah I hope it works out. Time will tell lol. I may end up draining the water a bit and adding some sand of something over the top of it, but will try it out naked for a while.

[deranged chipmunk]

Definitely do it nekkid. The sand will just sift through it and compact.


Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world ~ Nelson Mandela

[DigitalPunk]

That was my concern after seeing it in person. I think I till be fine without anything covering it. It does look good in the tank though

[tinkgirl77]

Love the new tank! It was just the new inspiration I needed to get started on my tank! Thanks and good luck!

[DigitalPunk]

Lisa,

That is such a huge compliment Thank you! Shar epics of your tank with us too!

[tinkgirl77]

I will start a thread when I do!

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk

[DigitalPunk]

The Plant care package from Bill arrived today! Thanks Bill!!! Here are a few pics of the plants in the Paludarium.















Not Picture: Crypts - 4ish of them all planted in the water area.

We went ahead and moved the M. Betsileo (5 of them) from the old tank into this new one tonight. Let me tell you, that was nerve racking and stressful. We slowly took the old tank apart and the when a Mantela was flushed out of hiding we had to coral it into the shrimp net and then take it to the new tank. We lifted up one pice of drift wood and 2 frogs went running. We got those collected and then took the rest of the tank apart. We had located 4 of the 5 and relocated them. The old tank was totally torn apart and the 5th one was no where to be found. I suddenly had the horrible feeling that one was hiding on a piece of wood that we took out. I quickly picked up one of the pieces of wood and there he/she was sitting on the basement floor. I quickly gathered it up and put it safely in the new tank... Phew lol.

Now we wait and see if they love it or hate it.