# Surface area, filling space, and connecting elevations



## edaxflamma (Jan 18, 2014)

Hello all,

I am still very new to the art of vivarium building and have run into a snag. I was able to construct a false bottom, and a cork mosaic background without too many issues, but for the life of me I can't seem to figure out what to throw in the middle. 










I feel like I need more hardscape to provide more surface area but am unsure as to what material would make the most sense functionally and aesthetically speaking. Some kind of wood I would imagine? I know plants will also help bridge the gap but I feel like it is a little too flat at the moment.










Right now I feel as though I have an upper level and a ground floor with no real intermediate zone. Does any one have any suggestions as to how to achieve that bridge, or middle layer? I know that a lot of this is very subjective but I'm afraid I'm not sure where to even begin so any help would be greatly appreciated.

I'll post more mature pictures later on today but the majority of the layout is exactly the same. 

Thanks!


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## PDFanatic (Mar 3, 2007)

Find a nice piece of driftwood or mopani wood. You can use a cordless drill to put holes in the wood to attach bromeliads and other plants...I.e. Tillandsia, etc. You are also then able to take the wood out if you ever need to or turn it, etc. Good luck


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## Giga (Mar 31, 2011)

if it was me I would remove the moss floor and replace with a good leaf litter and have a cool piece of ghost wood or the like from the top back left corner to the front right botom corner, then cover that in moss and broms n such


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## carola1155 (Sep 10, 2007)

What species/morph are you planning on keeping in there?


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## edaxflamma (Jan 18, 2014)

I would love to get some imitators in there at some point but having no prior experience raising frogs I don't know that they would be the wisest choice. My only background comes from freshwater aquaria and tropical plants (miniature orchids, various epiphytes, Nepenthes, etc.) so at the very least this will be an extension of my plant collection. I have a lot to learn before I add frogs...

The moss carpet has been removed. I don't think it was thrilled with my conditions anyway (too wet).


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## carola1155 (Sep 10, 2007)

If you're looking for an arboreal species... you could just get a cork tube and stand it up in the middle like a tree trunk and then mount broms to it. 

something like this would be cool:
How to Make a Tree out of Cork Tubes - Josh's Frogs How-To Guides for Reptiles & Amphibians


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## ShadeTree (Jan 25, 2014)

Good job on the cork work. Find some hardwood, cork, or drift to accent the middle:


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## edaxflamma (Jan 18, 2014)

I actually was thinking about something like that Tom. I just couldn't get it to work just right. Here is result of that attempt and the vivarium's current state.


























And then I tried this...








I couldn't decide if this looked natural or not. I'm not sure how much it will fill in but it was a thought.

I've tried playing around with some of the pieces but haven't quite found it yet. Because of that it has kind of become the grow out chamber for some of my other plants.


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## Giga (Mar 31, 2011)

looks great! I'm sure you'll find it after a couple tweeks or twerks lol


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## Sammie (Oct 12, 2009)

Looking good man


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## Kdog420000 (Jan 11, 2014)

I like the last try. Looks good


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## Mohlerbear (Feb 20, 2014)

Dude that looks awesome. Honesty I think it's fine. It's going to look crazy when it's grown in. Looks natural and badass. I'm subscribed. Keep us updated. Not sure if the last pic is different than the others but it looks great. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## SDK (Aug 11, 2014)

I concur. Your latest version looks great. Let it grow in and you should be happy!


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## edaxflamma (Jan 18, 2014)

Thanks for all the nice comments and suggestions guys!

I was able to find some small cork tubes and have added them to give me some more elevation. I'll post a few more pics once it fills in a bit.


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## ecichlid (Dec 26, 2012)

I second the "natural and badass" comment.


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

Looks great. My choice for filling in negative space is almost always ghost wood.


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## edaxflamma (Jan 18, 2014)

Pumilo said:


> Looks great. My choice for filling in negative space is almost always ghost wood.


I was torn between that and more cork... Do you happen to have any good sources? Unfortunately there isn't much near by in the ways of vivarium supplies or other froggers (or so I've found).


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

edaxflamma said:


> I was torn between that and more cork... Do you happen to have any good sources? Unfortunately there isn't much near by in the ways of vivarium supplies or other froggers (or so I've found).


A couple of years ago, not a single one of our sponsors carried any ghost wood at all. I was forced to source outside of the hobby. I purchased all my ghost wood at SaveOnCrafts online. Nice price, but you are buying blind. That means you do NOT get to see the pieces you are buying. They are NOT hand selected for vivariums. Sometimes I have received spectacular pieces, other times not so much, and I've had to cut them down, or combine multiple pieces to get the branchy, jungle-gym effect I like.
Since then, I have seen ghost wood offered by at least one of our sponsors. NeHerp now have hand selected pieces of ghostwood. NeHerp says that they pick out particularly branchy pieces for you. New England Herpetoculture LLC - Wood For Terrariums & Vivariums

If any of our other sponsors carry ghost wood, please hit us with a link.


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## empire3569 (Apr 4, 2014)

This is one of the most stunning and natural looking vivs I have seen. Do you happen to have a plant list?


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## edaxflamma (Jan 18, 2014)

empire3569 said:


> This is one of the most stunning and natural looking vivs I have seen. Do you happen to have a plant list?


Haha thank you very much, you are too kind! I honestly think it is all the lighting - the photos actually look a lot better IMHO. 

The plant list is as follows:
Bulbophyllum alagense (small cutting)
Crepidomanes minutum
Davalia parvula (small cutting)
Dischidia ruscifolia (cuttings from Doug)
Ficus retusa (banyan)
Hymenophyllum sp.
Lemmaphyllum sp. (small cutting)
Marcgravia rectiflora (cuttings from Doug - slow to start now unstoppable)
Microgramma lycopoides
Peperomia sp. (came as a freebee and I lost the species name... vine with small green and white leaves?)
Peperomia sp. (unidentified from Tropiflora) 
Pleurotahllis sertuloides (small cutting)
Psygmorchis pusilla (on its way out, potential pup though!)
Riccia sp. 1 (volunteer)
Riccia sp. 2 (volunteer)
Sphagnum sp. (volunteer from the walls)
Thuidium delicatulum (stragglers left over from the carpet)
Utricularia livida
Utricularia praelonga
Utricularia sandersonii "Blue"
Utricularia tricolor

Temporary Storage:
Nepenthes ventricosa (2 plants)
Sphyrospermum buxifolium 
Dendrobium kingianum (they are seriously taking over...)

Many of these guys are just fighting for their niche at the moment. Not sure what I'll end up with once the dust settles but that's the list so far. I have a few more mini orchids on the way but I'll add those to the list when they are in there.


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## planted-tnk-guy (Mar 9, 2014)

Looking great imo


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