# Building my Vivarium with pond and rayn system - with photogallery



## thecowgod (Jan 20, 2010)

Hello everyone, 
That’s my first post in this forum. I’m Davide, I live in Milan, Italy and I’m a “happy father” of 6 Dendrobates tinctorius and 4 Agalychnis callidryas.
This post is related to the building of my Callis terrarium. In the case you found something wrong, has been done, please feel free to criticize and/or suggest corrections (if feasible)! I guess you can adapt this type of terriarum to dendros as well, maybe lovering water lever to avoid frog drawning. 

*BUILDING MATERIALS*
• EXO TERRA Terrarium 60cm wide x 60cm tall x 40cm deep, bought second hand € 60
• EHEIM External FILTER, bought second hand 34 €
• 2 plastic grid used for paint buckets (is impossible to find egg cranes in italy ), 30cmx30cm, 4 €
• fabric used for covering plants in winter
• polystyrene Panel, 100cm x 50cm x 6cm, € 4.5
• pump for aquarium, about € 15
• polyurethane foam can, 750Ml, € 8
• Tile Glue/cement Kerakoll H40 Flex, 5Kg € 10
• 2 coconut fiber block, € 6
• aquarium pipes, 4m, € 5
• Conduit for electrical cables, € 1
• heating cable 
• Plants
• Dude, not necessary but makes the work funnuer, cost a pizza and a beer

We started by creating the border of the pond.
To do this we used polystyrene and, having decided to have a root immersed, we have modeled on it. We then dug holes to facilitate the water circulation and we finally covered it with tile cement. On the back you can see the aquarium pump that will feed the "rain system" and several blocks of polystyrene, which will support the fake bottom of the terrarium.









Here we have placed the root and added the cover for the pump hose and power cord.









Here we have added the fake bottom. To create the fake bottom we used grids for paint buckets, we stacked them together with plastic bands and shaped them to match edge of the pond. Once done we covered the fake bottom with the fabric used for covering plants in winter that will act as a filter land/water.
At the time of making the picture it was not yet present, but on the left corner of the fake bottom, we have arranged another channel of polystyrene to accommodate the pipes of the external filter (which will be used to keep clean the water of the pond). Root and false bottom were finally wrapped by the film for food, so that they can be easily extracted from the foam of polyurethane which we applied immediately after.









Here we see the terrarium 24h after the application of polyurethane foam.









We dug a channel in the foam (more or less corresponding to the signs of red marker), and put in it the heating cable. We then added various branches (for decoration but no only, as they will be used later as support for plants) always wrapped in the film, to avoid dirty them with tile cement.









Here is the terrarium after applying the tile cement, and the coconut fiber (from what I know, coconut fiber sticks much better if applied dry, so you have to crumble it by hand ..)









After 24h hours the wall is dry. A good shake will drop the fiber in excess.









We used the hot glue to paste the sphagnum to camouflage the branches / background joints and cover the points where the cement had not stuck on the foam.









We then put the branch which will be the central element of the terrarium and allow me to bring plant leaves above the pond, with the hope that in the future, the frogs are tempted to use these leaves to lay their eggs.









I covered the false bottom with a mixture of topsoil and coconut fiber, "enriched" with Trichorhina tomentosa.









Plant housed and wrapped on the various branches









And the addition of other plants and decorative elements, such as the two woody pods embedded in the background.









Now I just have to connect the external filter, the hoses for "rain" and the misting nozzles.

Here’s a picture of the top of the terrarium. With the “seal” done to house the pipes and prevent the escape of live food.









Here’s a video showing the rain system running.





I hope I haven’t bored you guys too much!
Thanks for reading (and sorry for my english)!


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## thecowgod (Jan 20, 2010)

ehm... Rain system, not rayn.. can the moderator correct it please? Sorry!


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## JeremyHuff (Apr 22, 2008)

I really like the look of the rain system running. Much more realistic than a mister.


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

Love it! Nicely done


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## thecowgod (Jan 20, 2010)

Thank you! 
The rain system was installed with the intent of simulating the rain season for "mating purpose", and in my thought there was the installation of a misting sistem with spray nozzles.
But as the rain system is working better than what I was expecting and it keeps the humidity level at more than 80% I guess there will not be the need of putting the misting system.
Anyway I will monitor the terrarium, especially to check if the rain system will provide enough water to all the plants!.


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## morg (Jul 28, 2012)

Did you build a hatch to get at your pump for maintenance? if so, post a pic...I am interested in how people construct invisible hatches.


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## thecowgod (Jan 20, 2010)

unfortunately not.. I mean, in my intention the pump was supposed to be reached by under the fake bottom, but when I've tried to disconnect it from the pipe, I've discovered it stuck in it. I mean, to detach it I should pull so strong that I'm afraid to damage the back... My mistake.. Lesson learned for next time..
Anyway, in case the pump will stop working, I guess I can easily modify the system connecting the pipes with the drippers to an external pump.. Not the best solution, I know, but better than nothing (anyway I hope that the pump will work "forever")


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