# 18 GAL Thumbnail Tank



## paul87 (Feb 18, 2017)

Hello all! This will be my second ever vivarium and this time around the tank is a DIY custom. I've made frag tanks before for saltwater, so it will not be my first attempt and putting an aquarium together. I ended up with a standard 20 gallon aquarium that was in rough shape and had the bottom busted out. I took apart this and used the glass for every panel but the front viewing and top cover. I had the bottom cut from the old front and had the sides trimmed down an inch to get it 11' deep so it would fit without any overhang under my 20 long mantella tank. I had the front panel cut from new 3/8" glass to match the existing and the top in 2 sections of 1/8" glass. I had strips cut from 1/4" glass to make a band to hold the top on. (I still need to get one panel of the top recut, I didnt allow enough for the power cord to the water pump. as with my I made a low rock water trickle that doesn't leace any water deeper than 1/4'. I also just added in magnolia leaf litter, and orchid (that will probably end up getting removed), "rainbow moss", and well as spase other mosses from my 20 long. Springtales were added to the tank several days ago, and pill bugs added today with the leaf litter. I have a pack of neo bromeliads coming in that I will be filling the top "ridge" on the background with. The plans for this tank are a "thumbnail" species. Probably 3 of them.As of right now I am really leaning towrds Punta Laurent O. pumilio. They may however, no longer be available by the time I am ready. Here are some photos currently, as well as some during the making.










































Photos from today.

















































As always, all comments/criticism welcome. I'm also wondering if I need to install a small fan for airflow for the bromeliads. I've never kept them. If so, what kind of fan would be recomended and what would be the best way to incorporate it? Thanks in advance.


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## thedude (Nov 28, 2007)

Love the look of all 3 walls being covered. That's how I do my tanks now after seeing others doing it. Unfortunately I think you'll find that orchid won't do well in a vivarium. Most orchids that are sold in stores and greenhouses aren't well suited for tanks.


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## RiversEdge (Feb 20, 2017)

I like the 3 wall look as well. Where'd you get the wood you used?


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## T1NY (Nov 4, 2015)

wow loving the tank! As for air flow it seems difficult with your glass top..i have a 20 gal tank with versa top and the plastic part i cut off a section and used computer fans but your glass top looks like all glass..i seen people build fan in their tanks (which is what i started with and completely failed as my fan no longer works due to humidity) 

But i never seen cork bark and driftwood work so well together...i always thought they wouldn't compliment each other but your tank proved otherwise

Great work cant wait to see the finished product


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## paul87 (Feb 18, 2017)

Thanks for the nice words everyone. Orchid is out of the tank. Put it in the bathroom under the window. I'll see how it does there instead on in a frog viv. I did add a small sprig of a fern I added into my 20 gallon Mantella tank today. Gonna see how it does down low in the tank. The bromeliads are on the way and temps have been low here in Tennessee so I'm hoping they will make it alright. Here is an updated shot with a new type of fern added.


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## drcameraman (Jul 21, 2008)

Looks awesome.


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## paul87 (Feb 18, 2017)

drcameraman said:


> Looks awesome.


Thanks! Exited to get my bromeliads in tomorrow. Hope the trip goes well for them.


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## paul87 (Feb 18, 2017)

The neo bromeliad pack came in today as expected. I immediately went to planting them when I got home from work a little while ago.Any pointers of tips appreciated on the bromeliads as well as the way I have mine. They do look pretty healthy, it was a nice 7 different variety pack from an eBay seller by the name of "amazing_terry" if anyone is interested. I also got in some live oak leaves to put in this viv instead of the very large magnolia leaves that I had in there before. I'm happy with how everything is beginning to look in this tank. Here are a few photos I snapped after getting done today.


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## Holdway (Jan 26, 2015)

Nice tank! Love the way you set it up. 

What part of TN are you from?

Doug


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## paul87 (Feb 18, 2017)

Holdway said:


> Nice tank! Love the way you set it up.
> 
> What part of TN are you from?
> 
> Doug


Thanks! I'm from Clarksville.


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## paul87 (Feb 18, 2017)

Added a couple more branches, a little moss, and 2 air plants. Here are some photos, and a quick video.









































































Video-
https://youtu.be/XzodVS9MSgU


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## Aurust (Mar 4, 2017)

The broms look great! I like the variety of colour you've chosen for them.


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## paul87 (Feb 18, 2017)

Aurust said:


> The broms look great! I like the variety of colour you've chosen for them.


Thanks! I'm pretty happy with the seller.


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## Damon Ryan (Nov 13, 2015)

What kind of fern is that? I have one that looks very similar called tricolour. I hear they get pretty big, at least for a smaller tank. It looks really good! Will you make a plant list? And where did you get your moss from? 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## paul87 (Feb 18, 2017)

Damon Ryan said:


> What kind of fern is that? I have one that looks very similar called tricolour. I hear they get pretty big, at least for a smaller tank. It looks really good! Will you make a plant list? And where did you get your moss from?
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Not sure what type of fern it is. The wood (except for cork) and mosses where collected locally and treated. The moss with a bleach solution, and the wood in the oven. The other plants in the tank are "rainbow moss/fern" and an assortment of neo bromeliads.


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## Woodswalker (Dec 26, 2014)

It does look a lot like a Pteris quadriaurita 'Tricolor'. They're gorgeous ferns, and they do, indeed, get fairly large. They seem to like a lot of ambient humidity, too.


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## drcameraman (Jul 21, 2008)

You improved it quite a bit. I love the amount of plants you added. Will look sick once they grow in a bit.


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## paul87 (Feb 18, 2017)

Woodswalker said:


> It does look a lot like a Pteris quadriaurita 'Tricolor'. They're gorgeous ferns, and they do, indeed, get fairly large. They seem to like a lot of ambient humidity, too.


Thanks. If it gets to ridiculous, can easily be removed.


drcameraman said:


> You improved it quite a bit. I love the amount of plants you added. Will look sick once they grow in a bit.


Thank you.


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## paul87 (Feb 18, 2017)

Added in 4 Ophaga pumilio "blue jeans" today. The punta laurent's where no longer available and the wife really liked the blue jeans. They are such a good looking little frog.


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## Woodswalker (Dec 26, 2014)

You may be able to just trim it to keep it in check, too.


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## paul87 (Feb 18, 2017)

Bad new is the smallest of the blue jeans didn't make it. Good news is the other 3 are looking better each day and getting plump. Here is a video update of the pumilio viv.
https://youtu.be/TGcD6-YYjRQ


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## Woodswalker (Dec 26, 2014)

Did you figure out what those sores were?


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## paul87 (Feb 18, 2017)

Woodswalker said:


> Did you figure out what those sores were?


Not 100%, but I think it was just from mishandling/banged up possibly during shipping or distributor. They all appear to be healing up. Anything you might be thinking in particular from the marks?


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## Woodswalker (Dec 26, 2014)

They just looked odd, so I wondered if they were expanding, or healing, and figured I would ask. They didn't resemble any disease in particular that comes to mind at the moment. I'm sorry to hear that you lost one, however.


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