# MOTYDesign frankenbuild 55+40



## motydesign (Feb 27, 2011)

Well i didnt want to put this up yet but ive hit a small road block and thought i should ask for help before proceeding.


so i bought some 55 and 40gal tanks online for cheap... had some cleaning to do

















then i did a little altering to suit my needs









anyway after planning it out and putting the construction methods in place the great stuff back ground holding the wood and giving support for mitch's hated shitty litter clay http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/pa...-wood-background-before-adding-clay-else.html

this way i do not experiece the same results as stated in that thread. 










now here is where i need help and hopefully share some advice. the question is HOW DO I GET THIS CLAY OFF MY EXPENSIVE MOPANI WOOD!?!?!?!

lesson is wrap the wood,,, always wrap your wood!

ive read vinigar and printer paper, any other suggestions?










anyway working on lights tonight and will be using LEDs on the side with CFLs on the top. the side will help plant growth in the shadows. should look good.


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## Azurel (Aug 5, 2010)

Looks great gonna be an interesting build.....What is it you want off the wood? Great Stuff? I read it a few times and could tell exactly what you wanted to get off the wood GS or the clay.


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## Morgan Freeman (Feb 26, 2009)

Try scraping it off with a sharp blade. But be careful.

If it's only a small amount silicone/eco earth it.


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## motydesign (Feb 27, 2011)

Edited to say clay off my wood haah, I tried water and a tooth brush, but the residue just spread


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## davidadelp (Sep 29, 2010)

interesting, How do you have the 2 aquariums attached to each other? is the pane of glass at the end of the 55 gone? isnt that a sudden drop from the 55 to the 20?


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## Azurel (Aug 5, 2010)

Keep using water it should come off eventually....Hot water works well, you can let it soak for a while first but if it is in viv kinda hard to do. Can also try a little dish soap and tooth brush. Just make sure to rinse it well and dry. I had a hard time with getting it off my mopani wood as well seemed like the clay would leave a oily residue which the Dawn dish soap took off. I then used some paper towel and wiped it down till is didn't feel slippery. But once you start misting and the viv gets going it won't matter if there is a bit of residue.


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## motydesign (Feb 27, 2011)

No soap will be used... Bad jojo with soaps, watered down vinegar will be used to cut that oily crap I guess. 

Holding the tanks together with silicone, then will band it where you see that 3" gap at the joint. This will keep the glass positioned on the lower tank and structurally sound. Glass thickness and width calcs were way fine.

Yes the side of the 55 was completely demoed out so it's one tank. As I was building this I realized this could be the best solution to people who want to have a tree frog and darts. All that would need to be done is add a piece of glass across the 55 mid point creating two cages but the illusion of one.... If that makes sense?

Oh and there will be three access doors to this beast so that nothing is ever out of reach


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## motydesign (Feb 27, 2011)

AHHHHH!!!! brass wire brush









let the clay dry, and wire brush gets it off!!!! 
top piece looked like the lower on









but it seems my shitty litter has shrunk a bit and craking


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## Azurel (Aug 5, 2010)

I would mist it a little and go over it with your hand.....Could be drying out to much or to fast.


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

Can't wait to see this one come together! 

I'd drop a plastic sheet or something over the whole thing when you aren't working on it, to keep it humid and keep the clay from drying.


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## ryan10517 (Oct 23, 2010)

remember to always wrap your wood kids! hahaha total double meaning right there


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## Qfrogs (Feb 2, 2011)

How are you going to light this beast?


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## Mitch (Jun 18, 2010)

Kitty litter drying up seems to be an irreversible sorta thing... Well, it was for me. I hate kitty litter, if you're going to do clay don't skimp out IME.


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

Mitch said:


> Kitty litter drying up seems to be an irreversible sorta thing... Well, it was for me. I hate kitty litter, if you're going to do clay don't skimp out IME.


Oh ye of little faith. I took a clay background tank that had been sitting, unused, unmisted and unlidded (hmm with no cover on it) for several months. Decided to put it back into action. Clay was dry and had cracks about 1/4 inch like a road map. I misted the dry clay, and smooshed new clay into the cracks. Good as new!


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## motydesign (Feb 27, 2011)

yup working on closing it up... some pics today


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## Mitch (Jun 18, 2010)

frogface said:


> Oh ye of little faith. I took a clay background tank that had been sitting, unused, unmisted and unlidded (hmm with no cover on it) for several months. Decided to put it back into action. Clay was dry and had cracks about 1/4 inch like a road map. I misted the dry clay, and smooshed new clay into the cracks. Good as new!


Interesting that worked for you... not for me!


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## varanoid (Jan 21, 2011)

Very creative setup. How do you plan on lighting it? Where are the access points going to be?


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## motydesign (Feb 27, 2011)

the lighting will be custom with CFLs at the tippy top, then at the 90 there will be a side and dow light if that makes sense? access will be through a upper hindge door, then one right below it then a final low top access door. im hopefully putting those on today. they are taped on right now to keep the clay humidity correct. but lets see what i can get in pics tonight


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## crank68516 (Aug 30, 2010)

In my little bit of experience with clay I've noticed that the cracking starts to stop after a while but you need to keep it moist until then.

I have a clay vert that has been empty for a few months now and when i first set it up, it was always cracking but now I only mist it every few days and it no longer cracks on me.


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## motydesign (Feb 27, 2011)

sooo was building the light hood and had planned for 2 CFLs at the top since im skeptical of my inital LED idea but still will use some for sure.

i think that ill have right at 3000 LUMENS at the very top
25 Watt Indoor Sunshine ® Full Spectrum Multi-Phosphor CFL Bulb
i stayed away from the 30w since i read they have been REALLLLY hot, is there anyone out there can confirm or deny?

Then would install the LEDs (ill calc lumens a little later when i see how many i can actually fit) right on the inside 90 cornershooting light right were the 55 meets the 40 (the band should hopefully hide the glare when you look at the viv. 

i should be able to put the hood on tonight when i get home, and ill see if i can snap a pic to give an idea of what i maybe working with


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## motydesign (Feb 27, 2011)

plant list paid for thus far
Cryptanthus sp. 
Ficus repens "Creeping Fig" 
Pellionia repens 
Peperomia glabella 
Philodendron scandens 
Haraella / odorata
Dryadella / edwallii
Masdevallia / floribunda
Pleurothallis / minutalis (oxios)
Isabelia (Neolauchia) / virginalis
Gastrochilus / somai
Epidendrum (Nanodes) / discolor
Dendrobium / aberrans
Stelis / sp. (Mex. sm. green) 
B. Chocolate Cream 
Curtsii
Columnea
Miniature African Violet
a 10 pack of broms from http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/plants-supplies-classifieds/66787-bromeliads.html

and getting more locally this weekend


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## motydesign (Feb 27, 2011)

working on the lighting
























have the fan and fogger dry fitted








with 7' of head pressure the vicks humidifier DUMPS it out! fills the setup in 5 mins Ultrasonic Humidifier (#V5100N) (not bad for $40 at target


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## motydesign (Feb 27, 2011)

a little progress this weekend.
lots of lighting work to still go, but huge progress . like always photos never do it justice


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## motydesign (Feb 27, 2011)

starting to come together more and more. lighting is partialy done... for now. total of 4 CFLs

















working on the misting system and found these at lowes









and they put out a SUPER fine mist it was so dry the particles rolled down the glass rather than stinking to it. ill try and get vid. pushing 15bar through them so the pump is helping that a bit

doors were finished yesterday, should have everything fine tuned before the orchids show up (well minus that vanilla orchid down on the bottom).


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## Averhoeven (Jul 11, 2010)

Looks pretty awesome!


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## motydesign (Feb 27, 2011)

Got the broms from reptilesetcetera! They were sweet! Take a look at this lot! Most had air roots already dropping out 









Then I got a few plants from jungle box... They weren't horrible, but not great either, alot of breaking in shipping 


















Then I got a GOOD package!!!









That equaled this!!!



























































So here's te upper so far









Then the great lower 

















She is coming along, a LOT of grow out is still needed! But hopefully this set up thrives! I have a few doubts on a few plants.... But hopefully the awesome misting and GREAT light bring them back. All that's left.... Oh crap there still is a lot left, and another little piece to the build should start showing up bwhahaha


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## Azurel (Aug 5, 2010)

Looks awesome bro.....Great job. Can't wait to see what it looks like in a couple months of growth.


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## motydesign (Feb 27, 2011)

Why is ricca such a hard plant? I mean I have it in GREAT light constant water.... Jees! Java would have already exploded, this stuff is so picky, I mean the only other thing I could think of doing would be dumping co2 into the water... That isn't going to happen, but dang, just grow, don't die!


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## motydesign (Feb 27, 2011)




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## motydesign (Feb 27, 2011)

Its all starting to come together... damn its taking longer for frogs to get here than it is for the viv to grow out, most plants are rooting in well to the clay. have the fans on timers for 20 min 6 times a day. the fogger is keeping the top from drying out on for a 1min 6 times a day (inbetween fanning) heavy mist in the AM. temp is sticking around 69 at night and about 71-73 in the day. humidity has been a constant 84% a little mold popped up from the moss beer mix (normal) so just watching to see everything flurish


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## CrabsMan (Feb 22, 2011)

Very cool, thanks for sharing.


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## motydesign (Feb 27, 2011)

Pleurothallis minutalis in bloom









Dryadella edwallii in bloom


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## parkanz2 (Sep 25, 2008)

Looks awesome!

What are you using for the misting pump? 15 bar, is that an espresso pump? I've been thinking about giving that a try...


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## SutorS (Feb 20, 2011)

I'm also curious about that. Are you using an ultrasonic fogger and a misting system? Regardless, beautiful work!


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## ConFuCiuZ (Jul 13, 2011)

Awesome Build. Something different. Creative with the double tank "L" shape + amazing plants. Good job


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## tclipse (Sep 19, 2009)

Nice, awesome plants... any frogs in here?


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## Athom (Jan 2, 2011)

really cool viv! i got the same problem with the background on my viv... crackin, so ive added some fresh clay and the yogurt/moss mix, hoping its gonna keep it all together! 5 days i've put the mix and still no moss appearing. i hope it's gonna work!

btw where did you buy your misting system?


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## motydesign (Feb 27, 2011)

hahah, this viv did great for a while, but wasnt the quality that i was looking for. it was a GREAT learning experience for me and since i tore it down 6 others replaced it... its like a hydra i think 

here are the new ones!
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/me...hank-you-1gallon-sale-4x40b-2x20ls-2x55s.html


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