# New 18x18x24 for Leucomelas



## frogosaurus (Mar 11, 2020)

Adding a few photos of my recently re-scaped 18x18x24 viv, which will be home to a pair of leucomelas once it gets established 




























Neoregelia roots gone wild:


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## frogosaurus (Mar 11, 2020)

As a side note, I'll be adding some p. micans to climb up the back wall, as well as some smaller tillandisas and epiphytic peperomias for added texture.


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## fishingguy12345 (Apr 7, 2019)

Looks like a great start! Far prettier than any of my tanks are


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## BiologyTeacher (Nov 13, 2020)

Would love an update as it settles.


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## frogosaurus (Mar 11, 2020)

Not my best photo, but a little update on the tank as it progresses here. Couple things I've changed as its grown in. First is the addition of an Alocasia 'Tiny Dancers'behind the large ghostwood piece. The leucs seem to be a big fan of this one, as its cupped leaves are favorite perches of theirs.

I also pulled out an elevated planter that was against the back wall--in the future, I don't think I'll waste any time with those things, giving how many plants can successfully grow epiphytically with a bit of sphagnum. I've superglued a rather ugly piece of hygrolon in its place to conceal the unfinished foam. Trying to coax some oak leaf creeping fig to carpet it, may add some moss slurry when winter abates.

I've also planted two cuttings of philodendron micans (poor man's melanochrysum) against the back wall. Hoping to get those big iridescent leaves covering the background eventually. And I've added a neoregelia 'domino,' not yet visible, in the back right corner.










As this has grown in, I've come to realize that vivs (not all!) frequently look better with fewer plant species that compliment each other, instead of having 25+ random and colorful species, especially in a smaller setup like this. To that end, I've pulled a lot of the plants on the substrate level and am mostly replacing them with pilea 'moon valley' and hemigraphis repanda 'green' for a bit of textural contrast. Moon valley is one of my favorite terrestrials, though it seems to have a tendency to turn pale in the leaves, as you can see at left -- still trying to figure out what's causing that.










Closeup of NEHERP slurry growth, with all kinds of stuff growing out. Solanum ecuador cutting in foreground.


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## frogosaurus (Mar 11, 2020)

One more -- some gnarly aerial root action on this NOID columnea.


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## HammyDavisJr1 (Feb 2, 2021)

I really like this layout and your plant selection. I'm currently in the planning and design phase, And I really like how things span from one wall to another, and things that protrude towards the front to give some depth of field. Please keep posting updates!

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk


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## frogosaurus (Mar 11, 2020)

HammyDavisJr1 said:


> I really like this layout and your plant selection. I'm currently in the planning and design phase, And I really like how things span from one wall to another, and things that protrude towards the front to give some depth of field. Please keep posting updates!
> 
> Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk


Thanks for the kind words! Will do. I actually ended up scrapping the columnea so I can try and grow some solanum ecuador. My goal is to get lots of peperomia emarginella and prostrata draping down from the elevated wood pieces to simulate the effect of the conservatory at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens:


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## frogosaurus (Mar 11, 2020)

Thought I would post an update around the 1 year mark of this tank. Things have grown in very nicely, and as you can see when comparing with older pictures, I've changed out a lot of the plants here over the last year. As the foliage has gotten denser, my leucs have become much more bold and I see them hopping around the tank most of the day. They particularly seem to appreciate the Pilea cadierei, which isn't my _favorite_ foliage plant but grows very well (much better than 'moon valley').










A couple things that are hard to see -- I'm in the process of slowly ripping out the oak leaf creeping fig, as I've decided I much prefer the lance-leaf 'panama' variety (more tropical look, imo). I also have a couple philodendron micans slowly making their way up the background. There is a syngonium rayii in the back right, tucked into some sphagnum inside a cork log. 

Like I say, the leucs seem to be doing great. My male is very fond of calling as soon as the lights come on in the morning, which is always pleasant. And in fact, I found him carrying around the first tadpole that I've seen (there may have been others previously), which he successfully placed in a water cup I left for him!










Said tad is now swimming around happily in some tea and will one day join mom and dad!

Sooooo... with that in mind, I am making a bit of a trek this weekend to pick up a 24x18x36 Exo-Terra that I found for a very reasonable price. It'll take a while to build out but the hope is to have a much larger 'forever' tank within a few months where a small colony of these guys can live. I'm undecided on what to do with the current 18x18x24—put a new species in it, sell it, or tear it down and reconfigure for another future project. *Accepting any and all suggestions! *I think I have decided, however, that it's a bit too small for decent-sized frogs. While my leucs seem to be content in here, I think they'll much appreciate having twice as much space to roam around in.


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## ChrisAZ (Sep 6, 2012)

Nice! What are you using for lights?


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## frogosaurus (Mar 11, 2020)

2x jungle dawn bulbs in an exo terra hood, plus a 12” nicrew.


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## Alpine Amphibian (Oct 4, 2021)

I absolutely love that viv. The contrasting light and dark regions, the bridges across, the green floor, the beautiful broms up top....

I'm super new, but being able to build something as gorgeous as this now a goal of mine!

Also I'd vote new species for the viv! It's too pretty to tear down.


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## Socratic Monologue (Apr 7, 2018)

I do a full tear down and disinfection before introducing new animals (except animals that have previously been in contact while in my care) to a previously inhabited enclosure, and would always recommend that others do as well.


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## fishingguy12345 (Apr 7, 2019)

Socratic Monologue said:


> I do a full tear down and disinfection before introducing new animals (except animals that have previously been in contact while in my care) to a previously inhabited enclosure, and would always recommend that others do as well


Better to waste some wood and plants than to harm a future inhabitant.


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## Socratic Monologue (Apr 7, 2018)

fishingguy12345 said:


> Better to waste some wood and plants than to harm a future inhabitant.


I would agree with that, but I typically reuse everything as is possible, or practical. Wood gets a hard bleach soak for about 24 hours, then dried for some weeks at least. Sometimes cork is getting a bit spongy after a couple years of soil contact, so I toss those pieces, or break off the good parts to bleach, dry, and reuse. Plants can be dipped, if it is some species that I don't have growing elsewhere or simply need some plants for another viv. ABG could be baked, but I just use new -- though I could see where that could be thought wasteful. I like aquarium foam for drainage lately, as that bleaches easily. 

I don't try to reuse leaf litter, because breaking into some new leaf litter as often as possible is so cathartic and inspiring that I'd never do anything to avoid it.


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## Alpine Amphibian (Oct 4, 2021)

What do you do with backgrounds when tearing down a viv? Do you rip the foam/cork out and redo it?


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## Socratic Monologue (Apr 7, 2018)

Alpine Amphibian said:


> What do you do with backgrounds when tearing down a viv? Do you rip the foam/cork out and redo it?


I personally do not make foam backgrounds, and after trying a couple cork-on-glass type of backgrounds have stopped that practice also.


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