# 19gallons horizontal build journal



## Peakone (Sep 9, 2011)

Hi guys!

I started this project with the idea to fit _Phyllobates Vittatus_ in it, but my import have failed, because the breeder did not show up on the herp show. I was so excited, because those would've been my 1st PDFs, but eh life goes on 

I have done the platforms without egg-crate, because its not available in Bulgaria, so i used some thing that is used to squeeze the painting rollers










This is what i came up with.










On the picture you see the platforms, covered with mesh and the wood that i have chosen and on the place i think they would fit the best. In the column to the right side the pump is going to be hidden and the fogger as well.










I dont know if this thing is going to serve its purpose, but i believe it should be ok for the small size of the tank which is 80cm/30cm/30cm.

To let the mist spread around the tank easier i made an improvised tube from cosmetic bottle hidden behind the wood. And i have covered it with mesh so the animals dont get inside -










Im also almost done with the waterfall which obviously would be fit at the back glass between the 2 platforms.










The styrofoam you see on the back of the rocks is a cube i made from it. The water from the pump will get there by hose-pipe. Made it this way to reduce the water flow as much as possible, because i want it to look something like this:










The work continues, expect for updates 

Any suggestions and tips are welcome!


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## baguk (Sep 25, 2012)

Добре! Камъните са реални?


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## Peakone (Sep 9, 2011)

baguk said:


> Добре! Камъните са реални?


Да, камъните са естествени.

But lets keep it in english 

Great stuff has been applied and now im waiting it to cure so i can carve and add a layer of adhesive.


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## pet-teez (Oct 3, 2007)

Count me in for updates!
Is your waterfall real rock?


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## Peakone (Sep 9, 2011)

pet-teez said:


> Count me in for updates!
> Is your waterfall real rock?


Yep, I used real rocks, because im not confident in my skills to create fake rocks. The paint job is what concerns me, because im not familiar with paints. 
Also the rocks are quite interesting with a lot of details and will give more depth to the viv 

Btw, the GS have cured and the carving begins in a while


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## Peakone (Sep 9, 2011)

I think im done with the carving. This is the result:










































The plants i already have are: 
Ficus Pumila, Peperomia 









Scindapsus 









This Anbusias barteri var. Nana from the aquarium i destroyed to turn it into this vivarium  (not sure if you're able to see something in this dark photo)









I also have 1 Phalaenopsis Mini that is not really healthy. Im looking for small bromeliad species, mostly neoregelia or aechmea, but with 0 success for the moment... the bulgarian market is piece of... 

Thats it for now, tommorow comes the adhesive + sticking coco fiber onto it, before it cures.


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## pet-teez (Oct 3, 2007)

Peakone said:


> Yep, I used real rocks, because im not confident in my skills to create fake rocks. The paint job is what concerns me, because im not familiar with paints.
> Also the rocks are quite interesting with a lot of details and will give more depth to the viv
> 
> Btw, the GS have cured and the carving begins in a while


Yeah, I thought it was real rock but with how amazing some folks on here have an amazing knack of doing epic fake rocks... I like where yours is going


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## eos (Dec 6, 2008)

Nice... I'm liking where this is headed so far.


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## DutchScum (Jan 11, 2012)

very nice build keep us updated and any ideas on future residents?

ps sorry if the last one was allready awsered i have very selective reading lol


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## Peakone (Sep 9, 2011)

Well, i believe the project is pretty much finished.. atleast the hardscape 
I still have 2 unused pots and they can easily be seen on the pics below. Any suggestions are appriciated.

So, this is the final result

































































About future residents.. i cant say. There are very few frog keepers in Bulgaria and there is no local market. Everything must be imported from west Europe and all depends what kind of frogs will be available at the pet show the importer will visit. 
My personal desires tho are related to _Phyllobates Vittatus_ or _Dendrobates Auratus_ as a PDF keeper entry level.. mantellas are option as well


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## Peakone (Sep 9, 2011)

I have an important question.

Todays i was told that the ultrasonic mist maker is creating enormous vibrations, which can cause big stress for the frogs if its placed inside the vivarium (like its in mine) and cause death.

This is how the mist maker looks.









Can anyone confirm or reject this statement ?

P.S. I also forgot to mention that the mist maker is not placed where it was planned to (hidden in that section in the corner). The fog could not spread as i thought and i was forced to place the mist maker under the substrate in the water feature, only its tube is coming out of the substrate.


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## Kegoyo57 (Sep 30, 2011)

Hi

I love your settlement 
just a question : what kind of lighting do you use?


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## Peakone (Sep 9, 2011)

Kegoyo57 said:


> Hi
> 
> I love your settlement
> just a question : what kind of lighting do you use?


Thanks! I use 2xt8 18W (Osram daywhite 840 & Philips 830), but both lamp bodies burned and im thinking of switching to linear LEDs only, because the fluorescent produce heat which is a problem in the summer. It gets really hot in here and i dont want extra heat  



Peakone said:


> I have an important question.
> 
> Todays i was told that the ultrasonic mist maker is creating enormous vibrations, which can cause big stress for the frogs if its placed inside the vivarium (like its in mine) and cause death.
> 
> ...


No one uses this kind of mist maker in its viv?


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## slipperheads (Oct 17, 2007)

Most people just use humidifiers. I have never seen that before


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## JPccusa (Mar 10, 2009)

That is an ultrasonic fogger surrounded by LEDs, correct? 
If so, those type of fogger can get HOT (not to mention the constant buzzing). What you need is a cool mist humidifier. Here is a link for reference: http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/pa...eally-easy-ultrasonic-humidifier-journal.html


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## Peakone (Sep 9, 2011)

JPccusa said:


> That is an ultrasonic fogger surrounded by LEDs, correct?
> If so, those type of fogger can get HOT (not to mention the constant buzzing). What you need is a cool mist humidifier. Here is a link for reference: http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/pa...eally-easy-ultrasonic-humidifier-journal.html


Yes, it is ultrasonic fogger with LEDs.

But, i have placed my hand over it to check if it gets hot and it does not. There is no buzzling or atleast not striking. The fogger is working 3-5mins for 1 or 2 times a day.

But does it really creates striking vibrations that we cant really feel, but can stress the inhabitants?


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## Peakone (Sep 9, 2011)

Time for update. Still have no broms or orchids, but a friend of mine is starting to import mini species for terraristic use so i should get some soon finally 










































Still no inhabitants tho, but i believe the winter is not the best season to transport amphibians.


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## skanderson (Aug 25, 2011)

very nicely done. always nice to see what is happening out of the us.


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## Peakone (Sep 9, 2011)

a minor update


































and a short video
Tropical paludarium - YouTube


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## Peakone (Sep 9, 2011)

Hello again guys!
So far the tank has been empty on animals. The java moss that growed around the waterfall section suddenly died and the area was covered with ficus pumila, but today i noticed something strange growing beneath the leafs of the ficus just where the java was before. Here are some pictures of the "thing"


















this thing looks like and feels like jelly and i clearly have no idea what it is. Can anyone recognize it and say if it is harmfull for frogs, because finally i might have frogs to settle in after a couple of weeks?

P.S. I think i found out what it is - Nostoc, some kind of cyanobacteria used in cooking  
Can anyone confirm? If it is so it must be harmless for frogs, but however i removed as much of it as i could.


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## VenomR00 (Apr 23, 2010)

It's where the moss was prior? I get that EVERY tank I have ever built. It is just a natural part of the life cycle.


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## rigel10 (Jun 1, 2012)

Yes, I also think cyanobacteria. No problem (maybe the smell can be bad). 

Very nice tank! You can buy broms online. I do so, because even here it's difficult to find them.


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## Peakone (Sep 9, 2011)

Uh, now im calm 

Thank you both for that 

About the broms - a friend is owner of pet shop and we are planning to make wholesale import of broms, tilandsias and orchids so thats why i havent added anything of that kind yet


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## Peakone (Sep 9, 2011)

A little update from me


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## Trickishleaf (Jun 29, 2012)

Gorgeous! The plant juxtaposition is superb.


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## rigel10 (Jun 1, 2012)

Gorgeous! It is so natural and clean like few others. This viv claim frogs!


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## Peakone (Sep 9, 2011)

Thanks! 
About the frogs... i hope someday they will find their way to the tank lol.
The thing is that all my tries to get frogs have failed due to breeders not showing up on the zoo expo or as recently happened people who promised to import and lied...

But this spring i might go get some myself


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## rigel10 (Jun 1, 2012)

For me also it is difficult to get hold of the frogs because here it is forbidden to ship animals. Of course, if you wait they will find the path to your viv, you'll wait a lot. I travel to get frogs.
There is no one who breeds frogs in Bulgaria? If there is, you can contact him.


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## Peakone (Sep 9, 2011)

There are a handful of men who actually keep PDFs - prolly 3-4. There is one pet shop that has leucs and auratuses, but the prices are waaaay too high. A leuc is priced ~70 euro lol And it is not some rare morph or something.

A friend of mine imports exotic animals from almost a decade and i count on him. His last import was on April and the breeder he had arrangement with did not show up on the pet show. And i got screwed 2 weeks ago by a guy who imports monster fishes. He promised to pass by a breeder, who is on his way, but needless to say he didnt. And the kind breeder even had reserved 10 of his E. anthonyi for me... I would like to apology for the inconvenience caused once again if he reads this.

Aaaanyway, one day there will be frogs who will enjoy this tank


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## Peakone (Sep 9, 2011)

This tank lived the day to have it's inhabitants!
Epipedobates tricolor

























































However the tricolors are here temporary until i finish my new project - http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/parts-construction/198666-130x65x50cm-build-journal.html
I had to put them here, because there are 20 E. tricolor juvies and if they wait in temporary cages im afraid they can get intoxitade.

Once they are moved their place will take other juvies -
Dendrobates tinctorius nominat


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## skanderson (Aug 25, 2011)

good to see some frogs in there. tank still looks nice.


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## Scootin Newton (May 15, 2014)

Very innovative in your use and reuse of available items
We sometimes take for granted all the stuff we have available at the local hardware or lawn and garden store
Newton


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## Peakone (Sep 9, 2011)




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## Peakone (Sep 9, 2011)

Hey guys! 
One member of my tincs trio is extremely skinny and considerably smaller than the other 2 so my guess was that it is either way too bad of a hunter or it is being harassed by one of the other two - possible 2 females in my group, since i purchased them as juvies and still dont know their sex, so i decided to move it to a temporary box until it gets some weight. I am not sure if i did the the right thing, though.
Also i would like some help in sexing the two that feed well:
Frog No.1



Frog No.2




Not sure if i did well in my attempt to capture them in good enough possitions...

I also have another problem... a week ago i spotted this little thing in my tank




I was told it is a mealy bug which is a terrible pest for my plants.
I fail to see one of these sucking my plants, but i keep spotting more and more on the front glass. Any suggestions?


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## mridener1 (Jan 23, 2015)

Slow down your feeding and watch them disappear.


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## Peakone (Sep 9, 2011)

Guys, HELP! 
These little creatures continue to infest my enclosure. I havenr seen any damage on the plants yet but their population is getting bigger!

Would a ladybird solve the problem? If yes is there any chance to introduce lethal viruses and parasites for the frogs with them?


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## Igofastr (Jan 16, 2015)

I cant tell you if the frogs will eat them, but I don't know why not.

But, as a last resort, you can take the frogs out and CO2 bomb the tank. I assume that it will kill the mealy bugs, but will also probably kill isopods, if you have those. Ive heard that springtails seem to be fairly resistant.

On the other hand, it is cheap, and the plants will love it.

you just need to set some dry ice on top of the enclosure, the CO2 is heavier than air, and will sink into the tank. I might even try it twice a few days apart. Then, air the tank out well before you put the frogs in. And remember, you want to keep the CO2 in there, so keep it from being blown out prematurely.

Good luck.


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