# "the tree" 100 gallon Pumillio build/hygrolon



## asully (Mar 3, 2011)

This will mostly be covered in hygrolon. with some hygrolon vines i made and a few more rocks. I still have also of shaping to do. The water part is cut off from the rest of the area with an acrylic piece.


----------



## Halter (Jul 28, 2012)

Whoa!!! That looks awesome...Looking forward to this becoming finished....Whatchya going to put in there?


----------



## asully (Mar 3, 2011)

I was thinking a trio of blue jeans. I know they are pretty small so im trying to seal every spot i can find. It's a big tank for small frogs, but i have always liked the blue jean frogs the best.


----------



## daggekko (Jun 27, 2011)

Can't wait!! I love these big build threads!!!


----------



## hamz77 (Mar 17, 2013)

that's going to turn out so gnarly!!


----------



## DRMNBIG (Dec 16, 2012)

Like the concept, what are your ideas for planting?


----------



## asully (Mar 3, 2011)

For planting i have the moss from epiweb that will spread over the hygrolon. Then a few broms and epiphytes, but the Cleveland botanical gardens has an orchid show every year in feb where you can buy from the vendors so i think mostly orchids. the Epiphytes probably various ant plants and peperomia. open to ideas though.


----------



## lookitsadam (Jul 1, 2013)

This looks amazing. I can't wait to see it finished


----------



## eos (Dec 6, 2008)

Definitely an awesome start! I love big builds.


----------



## Phyllobates (Dec 12, 2008)

eos said:


> Definitely an awesome start! I love big builds.


I like big builds and I cannot lie...

Great start. Really cool hardscaping imo

Sent from my SCH-R970 using Tapatalk


----------



## snake54320 (Dec 16, 2011)

Promising start ! 
However, I think you should make the roots at the base of the tree bigger.They look fine right now, but once you'll put the substrate and leaf litter in, the roots will be mostly covered up.
Of course, it depends of what you're looking for  

Regards,


----------



## asully (Mar 3, 2011)

Yeah they do need to be a hit taller but I will mostly only have leaf litter.


----------



## asully (Mar 3, 2011)

Just some updated pics with the finale coat of foam going on. with a picture of how thick the tree is.


----------



## asully (Mar 3, 2011)

got the hygrolon today put some of it on and man does that stuff wick


----------



## BlackFrogExotics (Jan 9, 2014)

Awesome build man. Subscribed

Sent from my SCH-R530U using Tapatalk


----------



## asully (Mar 3, 2011)

So the hygrolon is on whatever is yellow will be covered in silicon in peat moss the ground covered in leaf litter and the pond will have riverbed sand in it. still have alot to do tho.


----------



## goof901 (Jan 9, 2012)

looks sweet! What's the point of the hygrolon inside the tree trunk tho? I'm kinda missing the point...

Oh and just FYI, acrylic on glass bonds usually don't hold forever.... So just be prepared if it leaks... Don't wanna be a downer, figured you should know now...

Still looks really sweet! Definitely get moss for it!


----------



## toksyn (Mar 5, 2011)

Nice work!


----------



## ndame88 (Sep 24, 2010)

Very nice work, my only question is will hygrolon wick moisture that high? I know it will be misted but isn't the point of using it for its ability to wick moisture from the bottom up?


----------



## Leucomelas18 (Jun 12, 2008)

looking great so far! Is your exo terra the 36x18x36? I just got one and this would be a great size reference.


----------



## asully (Mar 3, 2011)

goof901 said:


> looks sweet! What's the point of the hygrolon inside the tree trunk tho? I'm kinda missing the point...
> 
> Oh and just FYI, acrylic on glass bonds usually don't hold forever.... So just be prepared if it leaks... Don't wanna be a downer, figured you should know now...
> 
> Still looks really sweet! Definitely get moss for it!


The point of the epiweb inside the tree is just the fact that i was going to make it out of epiweb, but decided not to and it was the perfect size so i just used it for the tree. 



ndame88 said:


> Very nice work, my only question is will hygrolon wick moisture that high? I know it will be misted but isn't the point of using it for its ability to wick moisture from the bottom up?


I do have wicks at the bottom it will wick about a foot i think, But hygrolon is used for its ability to hold water. so when i spray it it will wick and disburse the water allowing a good median for moss and epiphytes to live.

i also have enough silicon on that acrylic piece to hold back an ocean, but if it does leak i have the tree and background made at the same height as the water level so i could just fill the entire thing with water and get the same effect. The acrylic is encase there are tadpoles so i can keep track of them and they wont get caught under a false bottom.

Yes its the 36x18x36.


----------



## asully (Mar 3, 2011)

here is the light hood being wired and with the lights on over the tank.


----------



## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

Sweet! Love what you can do with hygrolon

This tank is looking nice!


----------



## asully (Mar 3, 2011)

yeah, hygrolon is really easy to put on as well! I had to buy a few dual nozzle misting nozzles tho to wet down such a large area.


----------



## asully (Mar 3, 2011)

The tank is pretty much complete just need to do some clean up work on the inside add the leaves and sand and of course the plants. The hood needs to be sanded and painted then the outside of the tank needs to be painted where you can see the foam. also to add mesh to the fan of course.


----------



## asully (Mar 3, 2011)

Okay the tank is set up(but not painted yet. with the stand and light hood it stands 6 feet tall. The pictures show the moss painted on the hygrolon i have ordered a few plants. I dont have the water features substrate in because im still cleaning it, but the leaf litter is in. it has two double headed nozzle misters and two single head nozzles. The lights seem to penetrate even the deepest parts of the tank so i have decided to plant the water feature as well.

I will also take better pictures with a real camera instead of my phone when it is planted.

The doors are misty because i just got done misting.


----------



## Dooley1 (Dec 12, 2009)

This is fantastic. Does the water feature have filtration or is it just standing water that you will ocasionally siphon out? 

I'm also a littel confused about false bottoms constructed with plastic grating. Even covered in screen, won't the soil fall through into the water below the lighting grate?

Kevin


----------



## asully (Mar 3, 2011)

Dooley1 said:


> This is fantastic. Does the water feature have filtration or is it just standing water that you will ocasionally siphon out?
> 
> I'm also a littel confused about false bottoms constructed with plastic grating. Even covered in screen, won't the soil fall through into the water below the lighting grate?
> 
> Kevin


The water feature is separated by an acrylic piece. i will just be doing water changes. 

The false bottom was made just in case the acrylic leaks in the future so i can just fill the whole thing with water. Also it gets watered alot so i needed away to keep the ground out of water. There is no soil in the tank just a thick leaf litter. The tank will be entirely epiphytes so i have no real need for soil.

But in my experience if you wrap the screen a few times you shouldn't have much soil fall through your false bottom.


----------



## ngeno626 (Nov 14, 2013)

awesome start!!! couldn't really tell the size until you put the great stuff can in it


----------



## eyeviper (May 23, 2006)

Sweet build. I am very interested to see how the hygrolon does with the hight of the viv and your misting heads. Should be a great looking tank


----------



## carola1155 (Sep 10, 2007)

asully said:


> There is no soil in the tank just a thick leaf litter. The tank will be entirely epiphytes so i have no real need for soil.


That's not entirely true... your frogs would benefit from a healthy microfauna population. A healthy microfauna population will need a good area of substrate to inhabit. This is even MORE important if you are planning on keeping pumilio in this tank.


----------



## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

Agreed. I'm sure you can find someone to sell you some clay substrate if you don't want to make it


----------



## JPccusa (Mar 10, 2009)

Or even cut some corners and use Turface (with inferior but yet good results).


----------



## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

Looks awesome. I always like watching terrarium trees come together.


----------



## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

asully said:


> The water feature is separated by an acrylic piece. i will just be doing water changes.
> 
> The false bottom was made just in case the acrylic leaks in the future so i can just fill the whole thing with water. Also it gets watered alot so i needed away to keep the ground out of water. There is no soil in the tank just a thick leaf litter. The tank will be entirely epiphytes so i have no real need for soil.
> 
> But in my experience if you wrap the screen a few times you shouldn't have much soil fall through your false bottom.


See I build my ponds almost just like that... but I make them leak into/share water with the false bottom that way I have to add water a lot less often. I think the extra water also helps provide a more stable environment in the pond for tads and/or a small fish or 2. If you change your mind about wanting it to share the water with the false bottom you could probably jam a coat hanger through the silicone or whatever you used to seal it up against the glass, but it will work either way. Looks good, look forward to seeing it planted.

Your tree has inspired an idea. I wanna try to make something like that with hygrolon but dip the hygrolon in a bark pattern like this (Might have to spray it with white or light grey plasti dip for the pattern to show up on top of it)...








And then rinse any chemicals out (maybe throw it in the washing machine without any detergent), and make a tree like yours out of it.


----------



## asully (Mar 3, 2011)

Dendro Dave said:


> See I build my ponds almost just like that... but I make them leak into/share water with the false bottom that way I have to add water a lot less often. I think the extra water also helps provide a more stable environment in the pond for tads and/or a small fish or 2. If you change your mind about wanting it to share the water with the false bottom you could probably jam a coat hanger through the silicone or whatever you used to seal it up against the glass, but it will work either way. Looks good, look forward to seeing it planted.
> 
> Your tree has inspired an idea. I wanna try to make something like that with hygrolon but dip the hygrolon in a bark pattern like this (Might have to spray it with white or light grey plasti dip for the pattern to show up on top of it)...
> 
> ...


The bark idea would be sick if you can make it work. Won't the hygrolon absorb whatever you are using to make it in to a pattern and then be stiff?


----------



## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

asully said:


> The bark idea would be sick if you can make it work. Won't the hygrolon absorb whatever you are using to make it in to a pattern and then be stiff?


I'm not sure. The way they work it seems like the graphics will stick, but maybe as you bend them the pattern might distort a little bit like a tattoo on your arm when you flex your muscle, or if you draw something on a balloon then blow it up. Some of the websites say "flexible", but at least one says "for any non flexible surface". For a bark like pattern I don't think a little distortion would be that bad, but really I could make the entire tree, adhere the hygrolon to the foam structure, spray a coat of white plasti dip over the whole thing so the pattern shows up, then dip the entire structure. Actually come to think of it I guess you could just make it out of foam and dip the foam. My guess is urethane great stuff or pond foam will work since it stands up to the solvents in paints.

So I don't know if you can dip the raw fabric and still have the pattern show up reasonably well and have the fabric still flexible, or if you need to coat the hygrolon in a light colored base coat, or if it will still grow plants on it. My guess is if you just dip the raw fabric with no paint or plasti dip coat it and then rinse out the chemical activators and stuff it would still grow plants because it would still be a soft porous material. Plasti dip woud probable mean it moss and stuff would have a harder time taking hold, but the hygrographics could be a way to get the look you want on pieces that don't need to grow plants.

Here is a short vid of someone dipping their hand in a carbon fiber pattern (Not advised)




And another short vid...





I have all the stuff except the hygrolon... So I'll have to get some of that and start experimenting. I'm not exactly sure what is possible yet, but I think this stuff will end up being one more tool in the tool kit for awesome viv making


----------



## 357MAGNOLE (Jan 23, 2014)

I want more!!! Need some update pictures as soon as the moss starts to turn green on the hygrolon


----------



## asully (Mar 3, 2011)

Let me know if anyone has got that idea to work with the hygrolon and paint. 

I have some plants in there and will put pictures up soon i got a Nikon J3 camera for my bday so i can take better pics then.


----------



## asully (Mar 3, 2011)

just a little update have some broms in there. and some ferns and peperomia.
moss has a little growth.
[URL="[/URL]
[URL="[/URL]
[URL="[/URL][/URL]


----------



## Mrbeans (Mar 11, 2007)

Can't wait to see this thing. Blue Jeans are some of my fav's as well and this is looking like an awesome project.


----------



## asully (Mar 3, 2011)

so got bored so i made a fogger that will turn on early morning to emulate clouds and fog lifting out of the rainforest at dawn. also at night for them rolling back in. I made it out of a humidifier from target its ultrasonic so it has no effect on the heat. the tank is so big it has no effect on the hygrolon because its not on for very long. The rest of my plants should be here by next week sometime.
[URL="[/URL]
[URL="[/URL]
[URL="[/URL]
[URL="[/URL]


----------



## folius (Jan 2, 2013)

Nice work!


----------



## eos (Dec 6, 2008)

Turned out great... Can't wait to see it filled in.


----------



## asully (Mar 3, 2011)

Thanks, Ill be heading to the orchid show tomorrow in Cleveland to pick up some hopefully unique looking plants. Then by wed or thu my shipment of plants from black jungle should arrive.


----------



## smoyer (Jul 9, 2007)

Nice build! I'm excited to see it coming together. Great work!


----------



## dendrorani (Jan 30, 2009)

Looking nice. I like the tree with all the vines... I have one major concern. Your fan is it inside the tank? If so, I can guarantee you will have some ground pumilio meat in no time. Thumbnail species can literarly climb all over your tank without any problem.
For the small pond, I agree that more water is better. Water temps, and other fluctuations are less effective with bigger volumes of water. All my tanks are made using the false bottom technique but with water being able to communicate between both spaces. 

Just my two cents, other than that I am really exited to see the finished project. 

Rani


----------



## asully (Mar 3, 2011)

I will eventually frog proof the tank i still have a few months before i get them. I just have the fans for the plants right now. My tank has no real fluctuation in humidity and temp only at night.


----------



## asully (Mar 3, 2011)

So the planting is 75 percent done all i have are a few ferns and misc coming from black jungle. Got these orchids at the cleveland orchid show today.


----------



## asully (Mar 3, 2011)

all updates will be on this new thread 
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/members-frogs-vivariums/163034-tree-finished-product-100gallon.html#post1807346


----------



## asully (Mar 3, 2011)

Here is a little update. i have just added some different moss also there are three b.grande Pumilio 1.1.1 in the tank.


----------



## asully (Mar 3, 2011)

The frogs


----------



## moore40 (Jan 29, 2008)

Beautiful. Simply beautiful.


----------



## asully (Mar 3, 2011)

yeah they have great color. really happy with the purchase.


----------



## ZookeeperDoug (Jun 5, 2011)

A fantastic build sir!


----------



## asully (Mar 3, 2011)

a few months in. I noticed the plants were not growing as fast as alot of other peoples so i have discovered that the leds i used were not up o par with plant growth so i substituted with some jungle dawns and will be buying more leds to slowly replace all the old lighting. here are a few pics i filled in the water feature to give the frogs more land because the Juv likes it on the ground.
[URL="[/URL]
[URL="[/URL]
[URL="[/URL]
[URL="[/URL]
[URL="[/URL]
[URL="[/URL]
[URL="[/URL]
[URL="[/URL]


----------



## rigel10 (Jun 1, 2012)

You've done a great job! Congratulations!


----------



## ExoticRepublic (Apr 28, 2014)

Can you post a list of all the plants and mosses you planted? LOVE this though! I want to build something like this!


----------



## yeloowtang (May 1, 2014)

that is absolutley awesome, amazing job.


----------



## asully (Mar 3, 2011)

i uniformity i did not keep a complete record of my plants. But if you were interested in specific plants there im sure if i dug for awhile i could find where i got it and the name. It would just take awhile for me to figure it out.


----------



## ExoticRepublic (Apr 28, 2014)

What are the ground plants you used?


----------



## asully (Mar 3, 2011)

Alsobia dianthiflora 'Lace Flower'
a 'Plum Paisley' ppaf
Nephrolepis exaltata 'Fluffy Ruffles Fern'
Ficus pumila 'Minima'
Ficus pumila 'Creeping Fig'
Philodendron cordatum

thats all the ones almost on the bottom. i bought all those from joshs frogs.
the moss looking plant i bought from black jungle.


----------



## ecichlid (Dec 26, 2012)

It's off to a really good beginning. It's too bad you could not figure a way to hide the fan better. It really throws the whole thing off for me. It looks so organic and then there's a computer fan with the electrical wires running to it.


----------



## ExoticRepublic (Apr 28, 2014)

Also, does the hygrolon come with moss, or do I have to go out and buy moss? And what are the broms you have in there?


----------



## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

ExoticRepublic said:


> Also, does the hygrolon come with moss, or do I have to go out and buy moss? And what are the broms you have in there?


Folius.net sells a moss mix that you can apply to it


----------



## folius (Jan 2, 2013)

Looking great so far!


Also, thank you Dave. Folius.net will work, but the new URL is Folius.com. 



Dendro Dave said:


> Folius.net sells a moss mix that you can apply to it


----------



## asully (Mar 3, 2011)

if id did it again i wouldnt use the epiweb moss mix. I would have just got live moss from black jungle or something then blended it. The moss mix has alot of sphagnum moss in it which would be useful if i was just putting it on a random rock or something but hygrolon holds its own moisture so you dont need the sphagnum and it keeps some plants to wet.


the fan thing never bothered me so i just didnt really mind not building a hidden compartment in the tree or something for it.


----------



## ecichlid (Dec 26, 2012)

asully said:


> the fan thing never bothered me so i just didnt really mind not building a hidden compartment in the tree or something for it.


In the end, that's all that matters.


----------



## asully (Mar 3, 2011)

ha thanks ecichild. Next time i will do a hidden fan they aren't complicate so there i guess is no real reason not to.


----------



## Elsongha (Dec 19, 2013)

I like the build! And I think it is even better with the water feature taken out. Like more natural looking... Great job!!


----------



## ExoticRepublic (Apr 28, 2014)

So has the moss grown in well?


----------



## asully (Mar 3, 2011)

little pic update iphone pics sorry..


----------



## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

So what is your lighting situation at this point?


----------



## ExoticRepublic (Apr 28, 2014)

Dude great looking moss growth! Wish I was this good at making terrariums!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## asully (Mar 3, 2011)

Frogtofall said:


> So what is your lighting situation at this point?


for the lights i just decided to go super simple and a screwed 4 jungle dawn led 17 watt bulbs to the hood. some of the moss just died before i could change the lighting so i will have to buy some more. The moss has started to grow a lot better tho.still slow going.

I am okay with slow growth because this tank is 98 percent made out of materials that wont decompose. the hygrolon wont break down and i used pond foam and hardened it so that will last years and the rocks are fake so slow growth is cool with me.


----------



## carola1155 (Sep 10, 2007)

been following this build and just saw your ad... are you planning on getting new frogs for it?


----------



## Dendrobait (May 29, 2005)

Is that all moss from the mossmix? Looks pretty good-subpar lighting or not.


----------



## Giga (Mar 31, 2011)

Why are you selling your frogs?


----------



## asully (Mar 3, 2011)

i am selling the frogs because as easy as they are to take care of they occasionally will slip my mind and i wont stay up on fly cultures so i am buying them all the time. I will be starting law school soonish and will probably totally forget them. I just want them to go to an owner who has more time. Everything is so automated on the tank that its just to easy for me to forget.


----------



## asully (Mar 3, 2011)

Dendrobait said:


> Is that all moss from the mossmix? Looks pretty good-subpar lighting or not.


The majority of the moss is from the mix and a lot of the little plants are from the moss mix also.


----------



## rigel10 (Jun 1, 2012)

asully said:


> i am selling the frogs because as easy as they are to take care of they occasionally will slip my mind and i wont stay up on fly cultures so i am buying them all the time. I will be starting law school soonish and will probably totally forget them. I just want them to go to an owner who has more time. Everything is so automated on the tank that its just to easy for me to forget.


It seems to me very responsible and I hope the frogs will soon find home as beautiful.


----------



## carola1155 (Sep 10, 2007)

rigel10 said:


> It seems to me very responsible and I hope the frogs will soon find home as beautiful.


^ Agreed ^


----------



## asully (Mar 3, 2011)

welp i have to hold off on letting those frogs go. They just laid eggs for the first time, and i will just have to be more routine with feeding and cultures until the frogs can self-sustain.


----------



## asully (Mar 3, 2011)

on the cusp of being sold they laid eggs.


----------



## rigel10 (Jun 1, 2012)

It is a sign of fate! Congrats


----------



## asully (Mar 3, 2011)

Thanks!! i think i might just get flies just sent to my house every month or something. i know its a lot more money but for someone as busy as i apparently am i think its the best system for now.


----------



## rigel10 (Jun 1, 2012)

Here FF do not cost so much, it costs more to ship flies. But especially those who have large reptiles such as chameleons, they do ship monthly insects without raising them. In the long run it is advisable for them, and they have no problems. There are also here subscriptions for insects.


----------



## asully (Mar 3, 2011)

4 out of 5 tads have shown significant growth so at least the eggs are fertile. Ill see if they actually take care of them.


----------



## asully (Mar 3, 2011)

have this random plant growing in different areas of the tank. i dont know what it is but i like it.


----------



## Mohlerbear (Feb 20, 2014)

Dude that looks awesome. I'm jealous!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

It's very likely a young Nephrolepis plant which are noxious weeds. Keep an eye on it bc if it gets to sporing size, it will completely consume the viv over the course of a year. I yank them when I see them.


----------



## Bigsease30 (Jul 11, 2014)

I absolutely love this build. Thanks for sharing your pictures.


----------



## eaglerock (May 30, 2013)

asully said:


> for the lights i just decided to go super simple and a screwed 4 jungle dawn led 17 watt bulbs to the hood. some of the moss just died before i could change the lighting so i will have to buy some more. The moss has started to grow a lot better tho.still slow going.
> .


Looks like the new lights helped!


----------



## asully (Mar 3, 2011)

Just a few iphone pic updates.. The eggs did turn in to tadpoles, and got transported. Unfortunately i dont think the mom fed them so no new frogs. 
















orchid is about to flower.


----------



## harrisbt (Feb 19, 2013)

Is it too much to ask for a photo update? Even law school work needs a study break...


----------



## JeroenH (Aug 20, 2014)

Awesome tank man!
I would love to see an update of this.


----------



## asully (Mar 3, 2011)

I can do an update with iPhone pictures. I do not currently own a "real" camera.


----------



## JeroenH (Aug 20, 2014)

Yes please!


----------



## Slengteng (Sep 16, 2014)

Nice build! Where is the update?


----------



## asully (Mar 3, 2011)

a little iphone update for those who asked. Sorry i suck at keeping up with things.


----------



## asully (Mar 3, 2011)




----------



## DartSolo (Sep 7, 2014)

That looks great! I love the plant growth.


----------

