# Is there a picture chart of plants that work in a vivarium anywhere?



## Venomgland (Dec 31, 2017)

All I can find are lists. Would love to see a chart of what plants work in vivariums and what they will look like grown out! That would make things so much easier picking plants out!


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## jarteta97 (Jun 13, 2014)

Do you mean a chart that excludes plants that do not work in a vivarium setting so as to separate vivarium plants from say outdoor plants? Or are you looking for a picture chart of say popular vivarium plants whose names you see listed on the forum? If the latter, I generally just take the time to google every one of the plant names so as to determine what they look like, tedious as it may seem.


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## Venomgland (Dec 31, 2017)

jarteta97 said:


> Do you mean a chart that excludes plants that do not work in a vivarium setting so as to separate vivarium plants from say outdoor plants? Or are you looking for a picture chart of say popular vivarium plants whose names you see listed on the forum? If the latter, I generally just take the time to google every one of the plant names so as to determine what they look like, tedious as it may seem.


Yeah, I'm on Josh's Frogs now looking at plants for dart frogs. This is a pain in the butt. Most are sold out. Some grow to big, some need this condition, some can't have this and that. This is going to be a long process.


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## jarteta97 (Jun 13, 2014)

Yeah, because of the cold temperatures, many companies aren't shipping out plants right now, and many of their supplies are low due to the summer and fall rush and the fact that they may be bolstering their supplies for the spring season. Many have outdoor greenhouses that aren't operable until the weather heats up. I'm doing a build right now, and I'm waiting until spring for most of my plants.

For early planting, I am only growing out cuttings from other tanks (to later be sanitized) and the small number I picked up from a recent reptile show (from Josh's Frogs). What I did was that I went through several sites that sell live plants for vivariums, such as Josh's Frogs, Neherp, blackjungle, and glassboxtropicals, and I made a list of my favorite plants. It did help that I already knew what a lot of these plants looked like from past experience, so google becomes your best friend. Look at pictures of your favorite tanks for inspiration/examples, that's what I did.


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## Venomgland (Dec 31, 2017)

jarteta97 said:


> Yeah, because of the cold temperatures, many companies aren't shipping out plants right now, and many of their supplies are low due to the summer and fall rush and the fact that they may be bolstering their supplies for the spring season. Many have outdoor greenhouses that aren't operable until the weather heats up. I'm doing a build right now, and I'm waiting until spring for most of my plants.
> 
> For early planting, I am only growing out cuttings from other tanks (to later be sanitized) and the small number I picked up from a recent reptile show (from Josh's Frogs). What I did was that I went through several sites that sell live plants for vivariums, such as Josh's Frogs, Neherp, blackjungle, and glassboxtropicals, and I made a list of my favorite plants. It did help that I already knew what a lot of these plants looked like from past experience, so google becomes your best friend. Look at pictures of your favorite tanks for inspiration/examples, that's what I did.


I'm in the process of slowly doing that. Saving the picture of the plant and copy and pasting the name of the plant as the picture name. I've got 2 so far!


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## Venomgland (Dec 31, 2017)

I really wish I could get some plants here sooner then spring. I'd really like to get the plants growing well before I put any frogs in. 

I ordered 2 off amazon just a minute ago. It wasn't expensive. We will see what happens. If they die, then I will just have to wait.

I'm going to Fort Lauderdale in a couple weeks for a quick weekend. I'm going to see what I can find down there before I come back. I'n sure they have plenty of stuff available somewhere.


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## jarteta97 (Jun 13, 2014)

We all have to start somewhere! It might take some time, but many of the popular builds in either the member's frogs and vivariums section or the parts and construction section have plant lists in them provided by the builder, or individual forum members will ask about specific plants.


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## Venomgland (Dec 31, 2017)

jarteta97 said:


> We all have to start somewhere! It might take some time, but many of the popular builds in either the member's frogs and vivariums section or the parts and construction section have plant lists in them provided by the builder, or individual forum members will ask about specific plants.


I'm struggling finding what plant would be good for what happened in my build. What I wanted to do was make a waterfall down the middle of my vivarium and have it go around a plant cup from Josh'S Frogs. I managed to to it pretty good, but water does trickle into the cup. I'm going to need a plant that likes a lot of water or just stick a fake plant in there. 

I'll snap a shot with my phone and upload it. There is no water running anymore. I'm letting it dry out so I can silicone and cocofiber next weekend.


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## jarteta97 (Jun 13, 2014)

If its getting constant water from the fall, it would probably be best to just go with an aquatic plant. Some people who build water features will have aquatic plants that do just fine with their roots submerged.


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## Venomgland (Dec 31, 2017)

You can see the hose on the top and the water flows down the center over the branch and cuts to the left and most falls just right of the cup, but some water flows right into the cup. 

I'd like to go all live plants, but if I have to stick a fake one in there I will. Besides the frogs. I really wanted that one plant to be the center piece.

Edit: Sorry this picture sucks.. Didn't really want it to be a thumbnail. Still trying to figure this forum out.


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## jarteta97 (Jun 13, 2014)

I know you may not want to hear this, but it might not be best to go all in on an early build with a waterfall. I tried a very simple water feature in my first vivarium, that didn't involve even any running water, and it crashed and burned within a few months. Some experienced hobbyists here have built dozens of tanks before getting a waterfall to work properly. 

Also, it will probably just be easier in the long run to have live plants. You can get them very cheap at a local hardware store, just go to the houseplant or indoor plant section, plus they'll hold up.


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## Venomgland (Dec 31, 2017)

jarteta97 said:


> I know you may not want to hear this, but it might not be best to go all in on an early build with a waterfall. I tried a very simple water feature in my first vivarium, that didn't involve even any running water, and it crashed and burned within a few months. Some experienced hobbyists here have built dozens of tanks before getting a waterfall to work properly.
> 
> Also, it will probably just be easier in the long run to have live plants. You can get them very cheap at a local hardware store, just go to the houseplant or indoor plant section, plus they'll hold up.


I've already planned on the waterfall pump to go out. I'm not worried about that. The set up when I finish will have easy access to the pump to be replaced. My only concern is ventilation. What I am thinking is. Leave the screen on top and put really small spacers right on top of the vivarium and use silicone to keep them in place. Have a piece of glass cut to fit the top and place on the spacers. It will let some of the humidity escape. Is that a bad idea?


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## jarteta97 (Jun 13, 2014)

I'm not exactly sure how that would work for ventilation. It ultimately would depend on the thickness of said spacers, and I have no sort of reference for what size spacer would correspond to 80% humidity, or thereabouts, since I've never seen this method done before. What I do is that I get a piece of glass cut at the hardware store that covers the entire top of the tank except for about a 2 inch gap at the front. Using a window screen kit and some no-see-um mesh screen, I simply silicone in a small vent at the front of the top of the tank. Sometimes it's better to create the vent and then cut the glass.


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## Venomgland (Dec 31, 2017)

jarteta97 said:


> I'm not exactly sure how that would work for ventilation. It ultimately would depend on the thickness of said spacers, and I have no sort of reference for what size spacer would correspond to 80% humidity, or thereabouts, since I've never seen this method done before. What I do is that I get a piece of glass cut at the hardware store that covers the entire top of the tank except for about a 2 inch gap at the front. Using a window screen kit and some no-see-um mesh screen, I simply silicone in a small vent at the front of the top of the tank. Sometimes it's better to create the vent and then cut the glass.


Wouldn't it be easier just to leave the screen in and just cut the glass 2" short and silicone it to the top of the vivarium? I'm sure there is a way you probably don't have to even silicone it. I'm sure just resting it would be ok..

I guess I'll get an 18x18 piece of glass and place it on top and move it slowly back over time opening the gap until I get the right humidity. I'll just have the glass cut to fit once I figure it out. Thanks for the tip!


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## jarteta97 (Jun 13, 2014)

If you're gonna put glass over the top of the screen, then it's much easier to just buy some glass inserts from neherpetoculture.com, though they do seem to be sold out right now. Many people don't like to do that, though, because the screen used in exo terra tops is metal and eventually rusts over time. I use the glass inserts on top of a tree frog tank, but the tank has a lower humidity than my poison dart frog tank despite equal watering.


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## Venomgland (Dec 31, 2017)

jarteta97 said:


> If you're gonna put glass over the top of the screen, then it's much easier to just buy some glass inserts from neherpetoculture.com, though they do seem to be sold out right now. Many people don't like to do that, though, because the screen used in exo terra tops is metal and eventually rusts over time. I use the glass inserts on top of a tree frog tank, but the tank has a lower humidity than my poison dart frog tank despite equal watering.


Is there an easy way to get the screen out?


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## jarteta97 (Jun 13, 2014)

Just the screen or the whole screen top? If it's an exo terra or a zoo med, then the entire top comes off, you just have to swivel the plastic "locks" at the top 180 degrees and lift it off.


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## Venomgland (Dec 31, 2017)

jarteta97 said:


> Just the screen or the whole screen top? If it's an exo terra or a zoo med, then the entire top comes off, you just have to swivel the plastic "locks" at the top 180 degrees and lift it off.


Ok. Easy enough! Thanks


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## Dane (Aug 19, 2004)

Do NOT use spacers to gap your lid for ventilation, at least not if you plan on keeping your frogs for more than a day or two, as they WILL escape if given the chance. A better solution is to keep the bulk of your lid glass, and about 20% screen.
It also seems like you are set on learning for yourself all the pitfalls that come with water features, despite advice to the contrary.


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## Venomgland (Dec 31, 2017)

Dane said:


> Do NOT use spacers to gap your lid for ventilation, at least not if you plan on keeping your frogs for more than a day or two, as they WILL escape if given the chance. A better solution is to keep the bulk of your lid glass, and about 20% screen.
> It also seems like you are set on learning for yourself all the pitfalls that come with water features, despite advice to the contrary.


By spacers I mean something like a 1/16 of an inch gap. No frog is slipping though that. Something about the thinness of a Popsicle stick. 

I can't say water features are a waste until I see for myself, or else I will always wonder. If it turns out to be a disaster. I will know for next time, but I don't want to say I never tried.


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## Woodswalker (Dec 26, 2014)

Fruit flies can escape through a 1/16 in. gap, and since they can act as vectors of disease, keeping them from escaping your tanks is important. Also, the more flies that escape, the fewer your frogs can eat.


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## Louis (Apr 23, 2014)

Venomgland said:


> I'm struggling finding what plant would be good for what happened in my build. What I wanted to do was make a waterfall down the middle of my vivarium and have it go around a plant cup from Josh'S Frogs. I managed to to it pretty good, but water does trickle into the cup. I'm going to need a plant that likes a lot of water or just stick a fake plant in there.


There are a huge number of aquarium plants that would be work well, something like a Bucephalandra, Bolbitis, Anubias or Microsorum java fern would be perfect. 
I don't think you need to be too intimidated by the waterfall, if it doesn't work out you can always rebuild but do yourself a huge favour and whatever you do give yourself access to that pump. In the past I've done this by putting it inside a piece of vertical plastic pipe with a cap covering it. I made it so the cap was flush with the substrate and hid it under some moss. Doing something like this can avoid a huge headache further down the road.


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## Venomgland (Dec 31, 2017)

Louis said:


> There are a huge number of aquarium plants that would be work well, something like a Bucephalandra, Bolbitis, Anubias or Microsorum java fern would be perfect.
> I don't think you need to be too intimidated by the waterfall, if it doesn't work out you can always rebuild but do yourself a huge favour and whatever you do give yourself access to that pump. In the past I've done this by putting it inside a piece of vertical plastic pipe with a cap covering it. I made it so the cap was flush with the substrate and hid it under some moss. Doing something like this can avoid a huge headache further down the road.


I already planned it to be accessible.


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## Chlorophile (Jun 29, 2017)

As a sidebar, has anyone heard from NEHerp as to when they expect those glass pieces to be available? I had two sets canceled on me from an order in late December due to them being freshly sold out; they said they thought they'd have them back in by the week of Jan. 8 but the website still says "sold out." I'm not annoyed with them - thought an email update would be nice since it was originally on order - but really hoping they come in soon because it's holding up progress on my tanks.


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## jarteta97 (Jun 13, 2014)

Do you have a hardware store nearby? I personally prefer to just have the glass cut to the size I need. It's pretty cheap, plus I get to make it the size I want.


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## Venomgland (Dec 31, 2017)

I bought a piece of glass and a glass cutter today. I'm just going to cut the glass to fit.


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## Chlorophile (Jun 29, 2017)

A few w/in 20-min driving distance, yes; my mother even has one from her framing days. What I was assuming (hoping) was that the ones NEHerp sold had rounded-off edges so they weren't sharp...something I didn't think the hardware store would be able to do. Also wasn't sure if it mattered what type of glass to use (thickness, tempered, etc). I guess I'll give them one more week and then try another avenue.


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## jarteta97 (Jun 13, 2014)

I know NEherp, and probably hardware stores, sell a sanding block with the specific purpose of rounding edges. I do see the appeal in having something already cut though. I use the inserts for my 18x18x24 American green tree frog tank.


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## Chlorophile (Jun 29, 2017)

Sidebar conclusion, if anyone cares 
NEHerp should have their glass covers restocked soon...by the end of this week, hopefully.


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## Ibn (Aug 3, 2016)

You can use emery paper (both wet and dry) to sand down glass edges if needed. I use them to sand down white bottles and other glass pieces that were made into cups.


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