# My first vivarium, an Exo-Terra 45x45x60 cm



## rusticitas (Mar 25, 2007)

I have _finally_ gotten around to setting up my first vivarium.

This past Sunday, July 13th, I attended the Reptile Show in White Plains, NY. Originally intending to get just plants for the vivarium, which I did, I ended up buying a Lepidodactylus lugubris (Mourning Gecko). It was less expensive than frogs, and after adding up the cost of the plants, I only had enough left to get the little gecko. Black Jungle claims they are fine vivarium-mates to dart frogs. For now, she'll be housed in a temporary "critter keeper" type tank until I finish the main terrarium.

I have slowly been acquiring the various pieces over the last year or so, since I could not afford do it all at once. (At least not the way I wanted to.) Fortunately, enough in life and work has kept me distracted such that I did get impatient and rush it.

I purchased the PT-2607 terrarium last summer (2007) at one of the Black Jungle sales before the Exo-Terra price increases. Shortly thereafter I purchased two of the PT-2226 fixtures, each with two of the 26W Repti-Glo 2.0 bulbs. Then the Hydor Hydrokable 75W with Hydroset thermostat to put under the substrate, since the vivarium _may_ end up being housed in one of my apartment's rooms which can get cold during winter. (I decided on this after some discussion with Black Jungle, and I had not yet discovered DendroBoard.com to ask about other heating options.)

Penultimately, I purchased sundry items such as the digital Thermometer and Hygrometer, LECA "stone," screening to separate substrate layers, Dendro-Bedding coco-coir, long-fiber sphagnum moss, etc.

Two weeks ago I ordered a basic setup from MistKing.com, which just arrived yesterday. This also means I need to finally figure out where the heck I am going to set up the RO-DI unit I purchased over a year ago from Melev'sReef.com!

I know, all this stuff and I am only _just_ setting it up? Well, life and work keep interrupting my vivarium time... 

Attached is the first photo I've taken. I have done some minor further planting since then. I have also not done anything about the screen top just yet. (I am assuming I need to to keep humidity in.) I'll take and post some more as I work on it.

Plant List:

 _Pilea cadieri_ ? (best guess, not clearly labelled; on back wall cypress driftwood, next to the bromeliad)[/*:m:3rivjmwe]
 Bromeliad (no idea what species, or anything about it, was just in Black Jungle's "bromeliad pup" pile)[/*:m:3rivjmwe]
 Weeping Moss (not in pic)[/*:m:3rivjmwe]
 _Plagiomnium trichomanes_ (originally purchased for aquariums from AquaticMagic, placed on various bits of cypress driftwood, around ferns, etc)[/*:m:3rivjmwe]
 _Anubias nana_ var. Petite[/*:m:3rivjmwe]
 _Peperomia prostrata_ ? (was only generically labelled "Pepperomia" on the bag)[/*:m:3rivjmwe]
 _Nephrolepis cordifolia 'duffii'_ (Lemon Button Fern) ? (best guess, was unlabeled)[/*:m:3rivjmwe]
 _Nephrolepis exaltata 'Suzi Wong'_ ? (pretty sure, but again was unlabeled)[/*:m:3rivjmwe]
 _Riccia fluitans_ (a few pieces scattered on foreground)[/*:m:3rivjmwe]
 Some Tilandsia species (in random Tilandsia bin; on the back wall, upper-right)[/*:m:3rivjmwe]
 _more to come?_[/*:m:3rivjmwe]


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## jdart16 (Jun 5, 2008)

Nice hardscape! I really like the wood placement.
I would suggest getting some taller pieces to add some depth to the background so it isn't so flat.

That is pilea carderi in the back left.

Try getting some vining plants to creep up that background to.

The soil in the tray in the foreground of the pic is from the plant pots right? If you used it in the viv take it out the perlite (white foam dots) can cause impaction in your animals and lead to their death.

Justin


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## rusticitas (Mar 25, 2007)

Yes, the soil in the tray in the foreground was from the pots some of the plants came in. There may be a few stray pieces in the roots of a couple of the plants still, as I could not _completely_ clear it all out.

However, the substrate is, from the bottom up: LECA stone (1~3 in. sloped), screening material, coco coir (1.5~3 in. Dendro Bedding from BJ, again, sloped), long-fiber sphagnum.

I have not finished planting. I have a couple of other longer-leaved Anubias I was thinking of putting in. I have not figured out exactly what else I might put in there...

I was hoping the Pilea cadieri would attach to and climb over and fill the background...

Suggestions?


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## rusticitas (Mar 25, 2007)

Are there any comprehensive threads on here about what modifications are useful or necessary to the Exo-Terra terrariums to make them "ideal"? (I looked but did not see.... but it can be easy to miss with so much content.


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## jdart16 (Jun 5, 2008)

Carderi will not give you your desired effect other plants like creeping fig, hoya sp., and dischidia species will though.

For getting a little height I would choose red ardisia my favorite plant. Grows well, has nice leaves, nice and big. You can get it at any lowes or home depot.

As far as exo terra mods run a bead of silicone down the center gap to completeley cover the gap. After run a razor down it to seperate the the silicone and wil create an air tight seal.

Justin


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## rusticitas (Mar 25, 2007)

I thought I had a good idea of what plants I wanted in the vivarium. I've now spent the last day and a half scouring Google for all kinds of plant ideas, sources, information, etc.

And now I am totally confused! 

Information overload. How to pare down all of the various options? I am so very, very used to aquatic plants from my aquariums, that I now realize I know diddly-squat about terrestrial plants for vivariums.


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