# 36 gal bowfront........(my first)



## iridebmx (Oct 29, 2008)

i went and got a 36 gallon bow front .i think it will be a good starter.im going to get a pair of blue azureus for it as soon as i have the tank and food source established.im hoping to get some input from everyone on my journey!as well as give others a few pics,and usefull info,just as i have found by looking at other peoples posts. 

first i did a mock-up with the eggcrate for the false bottom,i decided to add a pvc pipe on the left side for a humidifier,i also made a open area across the top for any water tupe changes i might want to change,then i decided to make a void on the right side so i can change or service a pump or filter without disrupting the immediate tank.(fastened with zip ties) 









next i put the ge black 100% silicone on the back and sides using a putty knife(i put it on thick!) 2 1\2 tubes....do this in well ventalated area 









then i put some fiberglass screen over the false bottom to prevent anything falling through.fastend it with a needle and fishing line! 










after this i prepared the the tank floor. i placed pvc pipe to help with the weight of anything i might put in the tank later(i also notched each one so water wouldnt get trapped in them). i went ahead and put a underwater heater in it and made sure i could change the temp easy through my access on the right side. 









before i put the false bottom in i cut some silicone off the right side so i can veiw the pump,water level,and heater(so i can see completely under the false bottom) 



then i set up the false bottom and put the rest in place(i siliconed around the bottom and the side and the back) i made it to where there is a half inch gap in between the false bottom and the front of the tank.so i can put rocks there to hide the false bottom(i wedged stuff in there to hold everything in place till the silicone dries) plus i threw the extra peices of eggcrate in the back for added support for the heavy rocks 










i went down to the river a block away from my house and managed to find some decent rocks.....i then took them to work and sprayed them off(you can do this at a car wash to get all the nasty stuff off). then i boiled them till the water evaporated.then did it again!(took an hour roughly) my wife was not happy ! it stinks like a creek! then i took them to the sink and used bleach water to kill germs (10% bleach 90%water) 










next i layed the tank on the back side (over a towel) i sprayed a can of great stuff foam spray on the back walls and covered everything thouroghly then placed the rocks where i wanted them9i will add another can tommorow after the first can cures)make sure to do this some where ventalated and easy to clean in case of a mess which is inevitable!


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## andy321 (Jun 12, 2008)

looks good


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## adnama36 (Mar 8, 2007)

I can't wait to see how this comes out. My vents are in a 26g bowfront, and it's my favorite tank! I think bows make gorgeous vivs!


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## rednkhuntertd (Jul 26, 2007)

I'm glad to see that I am not the only person who makes sure everything is dead inside rocks/ wood. LOL My dad freaks out every time I bake cork bark in the kitchen oven! He makes me vacuum it out (wouldn't want the cookies to taste like cork)  

Can't wait to see how your tank turns out!


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## iridebmx (Oct 29, 2008)

im addin a few more rocks and i will put wood in later.i didnt want to attach wood to the foam (no reason).im goin to make sure the false bottom is very secure to the tank so (just in case) i will never have tads getting in behind it!i havent figured out how i will mask the pipe for the humidifier yet,i have a rock i am going to mill down on the back side to fit over it permanatly most likely


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## Cohazard (Apr 15, 2008)

I love these build threads!

Being a noob to the PDF scene, I've read and read and read about PDF care, now I need to learn how to build a viv.

These threads help a lot since reading about a viv project with no pictures can get confusing sometimes hahah


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## iridebmx (Oct 29, 2008)

im a beginer too! so i just took allot of what ive seen and tried to make it work for me .hope to help everyone else too


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## Frank H (Nov 3, 2005)

Looking good! Anxious to see it finished! Well thought out, especially for a first viv!

BTW, if those rocks have moisture inside, they can possibly explode from boiling. Exploding rocks is very dangerous, although it doesnt happen much, I would be very carefull boiling them in the future.

-Frank


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## iridebmx (Oct 29, 2008)

i have put the silicone on the foam and boy was that a sticky mess!but i got it for the most part im going to wait till tommorow and do the touch ups.i made a sweet cave for them and a few holes for plants.havent completely rigged the water yet but ill do that as soon as the back is done and cured.(silicone) i want to figure out how exactly the water will flow.i may try and do a stream to the pond too i can do a lot since i built the back the way i did. ive seen a bunch of cool streams and ill probobly just do it as i go . 














thanks for the positive remarks.everyone ..... everyone that gave me the ideas for this thing needs a big thanks too!


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## iridebmx (Oct 29, 2008)

Frank H said:


> BTW, if those rocks have moisture inside, they can possibly explode from boiling. Exploding rocks is very dangerous, although it doesnt happen much, I would be very carefull boiling them in the future.
> 
> -Frank


 most of the rocks were milled down and nearly half a rock by the time i boiled them so not much room for a pocket of moisture.and yes it does make them explode though .i saw something about fossils one time and i guess rocks can hold moisture for houndreds of years before completely drying out even in hot deserts just a few feet under ground!

so everyone be carefull and if you do it .DONT STAND OVER THE POT!


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## Cohazard (Apr 15, 2008)

how much did the rocks weigh total? I'm surprised the great stuff holds it, but I'm just a noob with no experience yet so I don't know the properties of great stuff yet.


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## iridebmx (Oct 29, 2008)

dunno exactly but like i said their probly half or maybe less than half the size the used to be.i used a grinder (wore a mask!)and milled down as much as i could before putting them in there.i broke a few good ones though and that sucked but if yuo take your time you can get the rock to be a half inch thick!


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## scream-aim-fire (Mar 1, 2008)

nice start, i like the background


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## iridebmx (Oct 29, 2008)

here is a pic of the back.i did it this way so i would be able to change out tubing ,heaters,filters ,or pumps,ext...


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## iridebmx (Oct 29, 2008)

i got a bag of river rock from a local pet shop,and a few bags of accent stone from dollar tree.i filled it with gallon jugs of spring water.i am having trouble though with the waterfall .i have a single line comming from the pump and then a T fitting spliting it into two places for the waterfall,but it will only have water come from one or the other......any help?


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## scream-aim-fire (Mar 1, 2008)

what kind of rock is that you used in the background?

and also for your lines for the waterfall is one higher than the other?


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## iridebmx (Oct 29, 2008)

found the rocks in the big darby.and the hoses are level


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## iridebmx (Oct 29, 2008)

i just ran the T closer to the pump and had a hose go to each from there. i did leave the original T in place and have it capped off so i can drain excess water out in the future (i will just close off all other lines)


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## iridebmx (Oct 29, 2008)

updates! i just planted and got a fruit fly ,and springtail culture.so i guess im making progress.i want to get the hang of the fly breeding and get the plants growing in good before i get frogs(possibly azureus)


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## PacMan (Oct 9, 2008)

looks awesome man.


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## frogman824 (Aug 10, 2005)

I like this a lot, very nice. I'd maybe recommend some leaf litter and possibly viny type plants for the background. Then again all personal preference.


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## iridebmx (Oct 29, 2008)

leaf litter soon.....and i want to get a oak leaf fig thats about it.i will let the moss grow out a little more though


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## clwatkins10 (Nov 15, 2008)

That's an awesome viv!


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## iridebmx (Oct 29, 2008)

my air plants are dying fast!they have only been in there for a week .are they staying too wet?how can i save them?they are all planted up on the wall.i have been looking for a good way to get some air flow going.and i think i found a good way to do that without taking in any outside air.will air curculation do the trick?

is it posible the springtails died? i have not seen one of them.i just recently added some crunched up oak,maple,coco fiber with whole leaves on top.could they have died before i got a chance to add leaf litter?


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## roxrgneiss (Sep 30, 2007)

iridebmx said:


> my air plants are dying fast!they have only been in there for a week .are they staying too wet?how can i save them?they are all planted up on the wall.i have been looking for a good way to get some air flow going.and i think i found a good way to do that without taking in any outside air.will air curculation do the trick?
> 
> is it posible the springtails died? i have not seen one of them.i just recently added some crunched up oak,maple,coco fiber with whole leaves on top.could they have died before i got a chance to add leaf litter?


Wetness could be killing the tillies and air circulation should help with that. 

Air plants also like it really bright for the most part - what kind of lighting do you have? In your photos the viv doesn't look well-lit. A combination of high moisture and low light would cause them to die pretty fast. I would suggest stronger lighting to increase plant vitality.

I don't know about the springs, I haven't gotten many kinds to do well in a viv (other than silver springs that volunteer), so I always keep cultures going and add more periodically.

Mike


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## iridebmx (Oct 29, 2008)

'what kind of lighting do you have? In your photos the viv doesn't look well-lit."

it is a DAYCYCLE full spectrum day light 20w ,6500 kelvin,94 cri................is this ok?


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## roxrgneiss (Sep 30, 2007)

I don't know for certain - I'm not really a lighting expert, but my way of growing plants better in a viv has been to throw more lighting at them. Your Kelvins look good to me though - I use 5,000K and up, but usually shoot for about 6,500K. Personally, I would double the wattage on that tank, but that may not be necessary.

In this picture it looks dark:









In this one it doesn't look too bad:









However, it does look a little dark on either side and you will tend to loose strength the further from the source you go... Where are the air plants that are dieing? Are they further down or to the sides? Also, it could just be that some of them are more sensitive and not adjusting well. Generally, I try to plant Tillandsia up near the lights so they are high and dry.

Edit: But don't get me wrong, I have killed my fair share of air plants too.

Mike


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## iridebmx (Oct 29, 2008)

the reason the pics look so dark is because i used no flash and the room light was off as well.lol......theyare the four up at the top and the one on the wall next to the bromeliad in the middle


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## roxrgneiss (Sep 30, 2007)

iridebmx said:


> the reason the pics look so dark is because i used no flash and the room light was off as well.lol......theyare the four up at the top and the one on the wall next to the bromeliad in the middle


I meant where are the ones that are dieing. Are all of them dieing? The one near the bromeliad may be a little low, but it's hard to say. As I said, I would double the lighting.

Good Luck!

Mike


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## Dane (Aug 19, 2004)

20 watts isn't nearly enough for that tank. I would go with at least a 55w power compact, or two T-5s. Also if you are using a solid glass top, it may be contributing to your tillandsias staying too damp.



iridebmx said:


> 'what kind of lighting do you have? In your photos the viv doesn't look well-lit."
> 
> it is a DAYCYCLE full spectrum day light 20w ,6500 kelvin,94 cri................is this ok?


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## afterdark (Jan 16, 2007)

Dane said:


> 20 watts isn't nearly enough for that tank. I would go with at least a 55w power compact, or two T-5s. Also if you are using a solid glass top, it may be contributing to your tillandsias staying too damp.


I'm with Dane here - I would put two t5's on that tank. 

Other suggestions (if I may):


 Add a few broms.


 Leaf litter will help your springs get going.


 I would also try a ground cover of some kind - maybe a Spikemoss - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
I have my pair of azureus in tank with almost the same dimensions as yours (mine is not a bowfront) and to be honest, they do not use most of the height. They are on the ground or ~6" up 95% of the time. If they do climb, it's up the sides of the glass. So, that being said, you might be better served with another type of frog in that tank that would use the space a little better. My suggestions would be galactontus or a more active thumb such as vents or imis.

Just my 2 cents - take it with a grain of salt. I think you're off to a great start (esp. since this is your first go at it!) - keep the pics coming!

Cheers dude!


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## iridebmx (Oct 29, 2008)

and some mold pics.....


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## scream-aim-fire (Mar 1, 2008)

like how the tank turned out man, you get the frogs yet? im about to build my third tank its a 20 gal tall with a front opening door built from two 10gal tanks. ill try to get it posted soon look out for it.


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## iridebmx (Oct 29, 2008)

no frogs yet...but soon!


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## Flat 10 (Dec 6, 2008)

hows this thing doing? after countless hours on this site, your viv is one of my favorites. how about some pics, should be some growth by now. by the way im also a fellow SSMer


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## iridebmx (Oct 29, 2008)

hey! a few pics for ya.........................


right away it seemed they were playing ..rock-paper-scissors!
to see who was going first








then one set off to explore!








the little fella went on an unescorted tour!










no one told me about all this toe tapping whoa!


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## scream-aim-fire (Mar 1, 2008)

nice frogs man. yeah i like the toe tapping its really cool.


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## divingne1 (Mar 21, 2008)

Sweet...you got your frogs. Congrats . They look really nice. I love the toetapping as well.
Candy


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## iridebmx (Oct 29, 2008)

a few more.........................
















this was at 5:30am! guess they are early risers!
















i turned on the light in the room and they looked like they were ready to eat!


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## Faceless (Sep 11, 2008)

I really think a 2 Bulb T-5 Light from say Josh's Frogs
would really make your plants grow and make a world
of a difference... even if its a little shorter than the actual
tank size, like the Sunleaves Pioneer VIII (24"), it only cost
like $89 WITH bulbs ! My 50 Tall is 36" and my plants
grow like crazy... I have recommended this light in the past
as Josh himself recommended it to me and i am really
very satisfied with my choice... If you want a little cheaper
i can show you some good T5 lights on Ebay too with the same
specs for about 10 bucks cheaper "shipped"...

All Together, very nice looking tank ! 
Justin


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## Ziggi (Jan 23, 2009)

You are a genius! lol.
If I could think of the perfect viv for my azureus that I want, you just made it better! You should pm me your step by steps .
Great job again, I wish I would be creative like you guys!


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## moore40 (Jan 29, 2008)

Very, very nice viv.


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## tmc1492 (Apr 4, 2007)

Cool looking viv. Nice frogs too!


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## iridebmx (Oct 29, 2008)

here is a new pic (almost five months) hasnt done much as far as growth but i have a lot of fun with the tank .









ps: duckweed gets everywhere!


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## masonridesbmx (Jan 27, 2009)

i helped build this tank


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## Ed Holder (Sep 26, 2008)

I love the way you've landscaped this viv, Very well done. Lots of depth to it.
I was wondering how duck weed would look in a viv!


Ed


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## laylow (Apr 6, 2009)

thats an awsome tank man! your frogs are way good looking to! I really want a pair! where did you pick them up at?


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## iridebmx (Oct 29, 2008)

all-ohio reptile show..... from a very knowledgeable frog breeder.she has the best frogs at the show hands down.


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## iridebmx (Oct 29, 2008)

this is a pic i took yesterday . the frogs are now in qt until i make sure there are no toxins in the tank......long story short - someone stuck there grimy hands in there and stole a frog which died. i am making sure he didnt get any toxins in there when he ripped out my broms (you can see them in the pic above)he did not have clean hands. (((( please do not comment on this matter)))) pm me if need be.


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## ryanf (May 29, 2007)

i saw a flytrap in 1 of your pics. i would take it out as it doesn't like terrarium style environments.

that and it needs a chilly dormancy period of at least 3 months


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## iridebmx (Oct 29, 2008)

well ive got an update on this tank ......... im ashamed to admit but i got into some trouble and went to jail and when i was in there a few kids broke into my house and stole the tank and a number of other things including every peice of copper out of the house.  i found out they sold everything to a local reptile shop.and who knows what happened to it after that but the shop nolonger has it. i still have a big interest in dart frogs but will never take on the responibility until there is no way that something like this might happen again. i am staying out of trouble from now on.


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## davidadelp (Sep 29, 2010)

Very nice tank, but as i scroll through the thread and come to your last post it really sucks that happened to you! Maybe one day you can get another one set up and it will be even better then this one!


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