# 20-Long Build Journal: Streamside



## Agrippa (Jul 4, 2006)

Hello everyone,

I've recently begun work on a 20-long vivarium that I had laying around. It is my intention to house 2 _D. azureus_ when the tank has had a chance to grow out a bit.

I began first by creating the “waterfall” area with river stone and Great Stuff. 



After the Great Stuff dried, I covered it with a combination of sand, peat, and Aquasoil. I used the Aquasoil in areas where I intended to attempt to grow aquatic plants in the water feature- the grain size makes it less than ideal, but with luck it will be covered with Utricularia and moss in a few months. Because I intend to have a water feature, I decided to create a divider so that I could better maintain water clarity. The intended pond area was going to require an angled divider, so I cut two separate pieces of glass and silicone them together in the middle to create a joint:



I then silicone this to the bottom of the tank and water-tested it successfully. After this point, I installed the pump. This required me to shape the pump’s acrylic tubing, so I marked the areas where it should bend to fit the waterfall, filled it with Aquasoil so that it would retain its diameter, and then heated the tubing with a blow dryer and cooled it with water.



The pump resides in an open niche beside the waterfall where it is serviceable. To give me a little more room, the rock above it is hinged at the top with silicone, but is only seated in (not adhered to) the Great Stuff around it. Because I didn’t have the equipment or inclination to drill the tank, I decided to run both the tubing and power cord up into the tank where they would also be easily accessed. To camouflage them, I covered them in silicone and peat to hopefully make them look a little like lianas. 



From here, I began work on the false bottom. I decided to elevate the substrate just over the level of the divider (in case of any leaks down the line) and opted for egg-crate covered with window screen.



Because I intend to terrace the vivarium to add more depth, I put together a second tier to sit on top of the original layer. 



I zip-tied several pieces of driftwood to it to make them more stable in the long-run, as I have a habit of knocking branches over in my aquariums. 

To keep the pump accessible to me but not the future inhabitants, I put a sliding panel that I can remove to service the pump if need-be.



I left a gap around the sides and front of the tank so that I could use Aquasoil to disguise the false bottom, and I went ahead and filled it next.



I’m not convinced yet whether I’ll just paint over this layer with black or whether I’ll keep it as is- I guess I’ll decide it further down the line. 

At this point, it was time to add in all of my hardscape items and the basic substrate (orchid bark and activated carbon.)



At the moment, it looks a bit like a mess, but I’m hoping it’ll come together with plants. In the open area at the front, I intend to put down a good layer of leaf-litter, with mosses in-between the pieces of stone and driftwood. I think the branches will give me ample area for Tillandsia and Pepperomia, while the large pieces of driftwood will allow me to mount orchids and small bromeliads. The water area got a base layer of Aquasoil, and I’ll be adding more next with sand in the front. I intend to plant Utricularia in the water area (both above and below) as well as some emergent plants (perhaps Cryptocoryne or Anubias- suggestions welcome.) I’ll also have larger floaters on top to allow easy exit. 

Here’s a (very rough) full tank shot:



Up next, I intend to put a white background on (to avoid the cords,) and I’ll be obtaining a fair amount of leaf litter and moss. I’ve ordered a few plants and I’ll be placing more orders soon, so your suggestions are welcome.


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## a-ha (Jun 20, 2012)

Looks good so far! I am looking forward to seeing the finished viv! I may have to copy your idea of siliconing the power cords with coco fiber! Haha.


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## Soldier17 (Mar 26, 2012)

I am going to keep tabs on your build for some inspiration; I have a 20L that I want to redo.


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## Agrippa (Jul 4, 2006)

A quick update:

Moss is in, along with leaf litter and just a couple plants. Please excuse the poor picture quality.

Full tank shot:



Lighting is with a 13-watt Jungle Glow- I intend to purchase a second. The spread is very tight, causing certain areas to wash out terribly in photos, so I substituted the LED fixture I use over my 55-gallon aquarium for these photos. 

The moss and leaf litter were collected from a friend's property, far from pesticides, and were treated with CO2 before being placed in the vivarium. Because the moss is all temperate, I will have to experiment with the different varieties to see if they can thrive under consistently warm, humid conditions. 

The left side:



I intend to spread aquatic moss on the stones of the left side and replace some of the terrestrial moss that is getting too wet. The entire rock structure is essentially a drip-wall, so I think moss would really thrive. The vast majority of the water flow is directed down the left side, which keeps the sphagnum on the driftwood very moist. I think it would make an excellent spot for an emersed _Cryptocoryne, Anubias,_ or small, semi-aquatic _Aroid._ I intend to plant _Utricularia graminifolia_ in the water and in the pool in the rockwork, but the shipment I received arrived in poor condition, so I'll have to order another. I'll also add in some red-root floaters or frogbit.

The right side of the tank:



I have two small _Tillandsia_ currently that I will likely re-position along the largest branch. Additionally, _Laelia purpurata_ (_Cattleya_?) is growing in the top right corner in straight cork bark. I believe the orchid will do well there as this area seems to dry out well, but let me know if you think it would do better elsewhere. I will be adding _Pepperomia_ to the branches to trail down, and if you have a preferred species, I'm open to suggestions. Additionally, I was planning on placing a few _Neoregelia_ and maybe a few more mini-orchids in the larger chunks of driftwood. I added a small piece of _Selaginella_ in the foreground, and I hope that it will add some nice contrast to the moss as it grows. It is my intention to include only a few species of small plants with small leaves to help make the space look larger. 

As a final note, I think I'll be adding a bit more leaf litter to the front to flesh it out better.

I'll update when I've received my plants and have a chance to get them situated.

Thanks for looking.


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## eos (Dec 6, 2008)

This tank looks great! How heavy is that thing? lol


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## Agrippa (Jul 4, 2006)

Thanks!

It's about 75lbs or so, so it's a bit heavy but not terrible. 

I've gotten a number of new plants (particularly in the water section,) so I'll post some updates here in a few days with the current layout.

One of the nice things about the tank at the moment is that there is a diversity of micro-environments for different plant growth. The tank has a natural gradient of moisture from left to right and bottom to top, so there are a number of different conditions that I can attempt to grow plants in. It is quite likely that a good portion of the moss will die off, but I've also added a number of different plants (particularly _Selaginella_ in dry areas as well as Christmas moss and _Utricularia_ in wet areas) that will hopefully thrive in its place in this event. 

The driftwood will, I believe, provide great places for epiphytes and vining plants that will really help to fill it in and look a little less static.

Thanks for looking.


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## Agrippa (Jul 4, 2006)

A quick update:

With the addition of a few plants, the tank is almost stocked. I still need to procure a couple small bromeliads and an orchid or two, but otherwise I'm pretty happy with the stocking. As an aside, if you have any suggestions for good options for either, let me know. Currently, I'm leaning toward 1-2 _Neorelegia_ Red Waif and another _Laelia_.

Full (somewhat foggy) tank shot:


The right side:


Plant list (right to left):

_Pilea glauca
Laelia purpurata
Tillandsia funckiana
Hoya caudata_ (doing well for now, but I may remove)
_Tillandsi sp.
Selaginella uncinata_
another _T. funckiana_
and plenty of local moss


The left side:


Plants include:

_Fontinalis antipyretica_ given to me as willow moss, but may just be Christmas
_Utricularia graminifolia
Selaginella wildenowii_

The aquatic moss and _U. graminifolia_ are slowly acclimating and beginning to grow. I'm excited to see how well they do. So far, the glass divider has held up without issue, which makes water changes very fast and helps to keep the water clear. 

I intend to introduce microfauna this week (probably just one species each of isopod and springtail) and I should also be acquiring the frogs soon. 

Thanks for looking.


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## WendySHall (Aug 31, 2010)

Wow! You did a great job on this! I love it!


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## eos (Dec 6, 2008)

Very nice! Thumbs up!


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## Agrippa (Jul 4, 2006)

I'm excited to be receiving a pair of _D. tinctorius_ Azureus in the next couple of days and I plan to do a tank update then. I've added a couple plants, and the vivarium is growing well.

In the interim, I thought it might be helpful to show an easy method I used to frog-proof my circulation fan.

I started with a 40mm fan from Radioshack. Note that the fan has a hole for a mounting screw in each corner- we'll make use of this later. While the fan is nice and quiet, you can get one for a much more reasonable price online.



I cut and placed a overly large piece of window screen. You can probably cut a piece to fit at this point, but I chose to keep it large so that I didn't have to worry about distorting the shape during the subsequent steps.



Next, I used a skewer to punch a hole in the screen over each of the fan's brackets to permit the bolts to fit through. I found it was easier to push the bolt through the screen and then into the fan as it kept the screen from bunching and blocking the holes.



Once each bolt was in place, I turned the fan over and placed magnets at the end of each to secure it and provide a means of attaching the fan to the glass. I purchased these magnets at Lowe's, and the hole in the center just happened to perfectly fit the bolts. I went with neodymium magnets- I would suggest avoiding ceramic magnets because they are too brittle.



Next, I trimmed the screen to fit.



And now I was ready to mount it to the tank. I used 2 magnets each on the outside to help keep it securely anchored while still permitting easy re-positioning. 



This method has the benefit of being very easy and fast while using parts that most people have just laying around (with the exception of the magnets.)

Thanks for looking.


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## rigel10 (Jun 1, 2012)

I really like the hardscape of your tank. But - it is not a criticism - I think there is little room for a pair of azureus, considering the aquatic part so wide. It is just my opinion.


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## rabu92 (Mar 9, 2013)

I like the magnet idea. 
I would put a bead of silicone around the mesh though. I think a frog might be able to hurt itself pretty badly on those sharp metal wires sticking out.


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## Agrippa (Jul 4, 2006)

Thank you for the comments.

While the rock structure does take up nearly half of the vivarium, the vast majority of water flow is directed down a narrow area on the leftmost part of the structure. Water flows over most of the rest of the rock, but it is more of a dripwall. In addition, the water area in the front is actually very narrow and I'll be adding some larger floating plants to make it more accessible.

With that said, if I don't see the frogs using the left side of the tank, I'll just remove the pump and adjust the area to immitate a dried stream bed. While I appreciate the aesthetics of a water feature, I'd rather have happy frogs.

As a note, this is a fiberglass screen, not metal. It's not at all abrasive.

Thanks for looking.


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## skanderson (Aug 25, 2011)

very nice looking build


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## Agrippa (Jul 4, 2006)

A quick update:

Still no frogs, but things have been growing in quite well. The Utricularia in the lower part of the water feature has been a bit sluggish to spread, but the portion that's only partially submersed in the upper water feature is getting quite dense. Since my last update, I've replaced a large portion of the moss with _Hemianthus callitrichoides_ and added two _Neoregelia_ red waif. 

As an aside, while I feel that the Jungle Dawn bulbs are great for growing plants, they give a spotlight effect when taking pictures that really overexposes small areas and washes it out. When I try to reduce the brightness on the photo, it just makes everything look flat. I should probably use a black background, but I like the white for day-to-day. Ah well- as usual, please excuse the quality of the photographs.

Full tank:


Right side:


Left side:


Thanks for looking.


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

Very cool layout. Maybe consider some E. anthonyii instead, they'd likely fill that pond with tadpoles in a hurry!


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## rigel10 (Jun 1, 2012)

Of course you already have a clear idea about the frogs that will be in this viv. But personally I agree with Frogparty: a little group of anthonyi are fine for it. Vittatus are also a good choice.


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## Agrippa (Jul 4, 2006)

Thanks for the suggestions- I certainly don't object. They seem like interesting species, and their behaviors would be great to observe. I'll give them some consideration, as it might be good to try something different, especially if the setup would suit them better than azureus.


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## mollbern (Feb 10, 2013)

This is a beautiful tank!

I'm in the process of re-planting my 20-long. 

Hoping to put some hemianthus in there – but I've heard it can be tricky to maintain. 

How is yours holding up? 

What substrate are you using? Do you dose with any added nutrients? 

Thanks!


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## Agrippa (Jul 4, 2006)

Thanks for the compliment. 

The HC is holding up very well- it's grown rapidly and densely and I've trimmed it a few times now. I grow it on ADA Aquasoil and I find it does best there, though some has taken off very well in the leaf litter. It seems to do best in nutrient-rich substrates (but that's pretty much a given.) If you were to grow it in a poor substrate, you might benefit from adding nutrients, but, with my current substrate, I have neither dosed nor seen any signs of nutrient deficiency. 

The difficulty I've heard referenced most often with emersed HC is white fungus that overtakes and kills the plant. This is anecdotally associated with low humidity, which seems in conflict with the experience of many herp keepers who prescribe reduced humidity to combat fungus in the vivarium. Interestingly, I too have seen the fungus pop up when I reduce humidity, particularly just beneath my vents. To combat this, I do an additional daily misting for the afflicted areas and increase internal circulation. For the past couple of months, I haven't seen it come back at all, and I'm back down to daily or bi-daily misting. I suspect that the biggest reason HC has a reputation for sensitivity to fungus is that most evidence is from aquarists using a dry start method where they don't have any form of internal circulation- just a stagnant, humid environment begging for a fungal outbreak. It seems most likely that the plant benefits from air movement when it is grown above the water.

I hope this helps.


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## Agrippa (Jul 4, 2006)

A quick update:

Things are growing in very well (a bit too well in some parts,) but I'm enjoying the way it looks still. It needs something on the left side to balance it out a bit, but I'll figure it out eventually.







Still no frogs- maybe one day.

Thanks for looking


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## mykoe817 (Apr 16, 2014)

Everything filled in nicely. Love how dense the ground cover is. What is your average humidity in the tank? 

Looking good. Gonna be some spoiled froggies


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## shawq0x01 (Sep 25, 2013)

Well done! Looks like everything is growing really well especially the HC. I have always liked that plant but never had luck with it in my FW planted tank. HM took off like a weed for me; maybe I'll have to give HC a shot in a terrarium.


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## Agrippa (Jul 4, 2006)

This is definitely thread necromancy, but this vivarium is still up and running, quite a few years (and miles traveled) later. 










It's traveled between East and West coasts, had a few years with Azureus (sold to a local when I had to move,) and now hosts 2 _tinctorius_ after several years without occupants. I don't do much for maintenance, just top off the water ever 3 weeks (DI) and pruning perhaps every 6 months. As you can see, the _Utricularia graminifolia_ has taken over the waterfall and all areas with lots of water, while the _Hemianthus callitrichoides_ has spread over the drier areas. Lots of little natural burrows where the frogs can hide out, but they tend to prefer the middle, where a burrow has formed over time with the creeping fern.


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