# 26 Bow Front Journal (new pics 4/22/06)



## mnchartier (May 9, 2005)

This is a 26 Bow front that I will use as temp housing for my tincs until I can move the 72 bow front to the new house, which then this will be home to some vents that I will be getting eventually.


Here tank walls are covered with black silocone










Eggcrate and risers siloconed in to the bottom to help hold it in place when laying the tank on its back later. The cutout on the right is for the pump, the left will be a stream.










The eggcrate on the right is to create easy access to the pump for maintaince.










Overhead shot of the pump access
The hose for the pump is ran through the eggcrate to left side where it will run down a piece of ghost wood.










Shot from above the stream bed this will be siloconed and covered with river rocks.










The first piece of wood attached in the background.










Will probably seal the riverbed before adding more to the background for the ease of covering it with silocone.


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## mnchartier (May 9, 2005)

Just ordered my brom today here is the list of broms all other plants will be picked up locally.

Neo. fireball/liliputiana qty. 3
Neoregelia 'Midget' qty. 2 
Vriesea racinae qty. 1

Will be looking for some tils also to mount on the protruding wood.


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## Jesse (Sep 19, 2005)

*Great*

Great start!

Jesse


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## twisner (Jul 7, 2005)

make sure you have good ventilation and air movement if you put tillys on that log.
Otherwise theyll rot really fast in viv conditions.


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## vignolo (Mar 9, 2005)

Hi

Seems to be looking real great!
Vriesea racinae is real great! I love it!

Continue posting 

PL


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## defaced (May 23, 2005)

Yea, keep up on the pictures. I'm very interested in how this will turn out. Looks great!!!



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## mnchartier (May 9, 2005)

Thanks for the replies. It will be the first time I use a Vriesea species in a viv. 

As an update I mounted the piece of ghost wood that will have the water running down it last night and I tested the water flow on it. I am using only an 70 gph pump because I did not want the flow to be too high and it works out great on the testing and the tube I have in the stream bed to drain into the rest of the tank is keeping up with the pump, so I am excited about that. I will just need to form a little path to direct the water a little bit more on the wood and not running down the background. Once I do that I will start sealing the stream and the continue with the background should have more pics up later tonight.

twisner- I will have two fans on the lid one exhaust and 1 intake to help with circulation. I have not decided yet as to how I will control them though. I was thinking of using a angled elbow of pvc on the intake to direct the air flow alittle into the tank instead of just straight down.

Thanks again on the replies, also any suggestions are welcome.


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## mnchartier (May 9, 2005)

Shot of the tube from the pump. Notice I had to create a channel to direct it down the piece of wood. I think I may still need to work on this a little just shaving it closer to the wood.











Water flowing down the wood. I would like to find a plant that I could mount on this piece of wood that can tolerate the water any suggestions?


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## Guest (Mar 15, 2006)

Java moss loves alot of moisture.


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## mnchartier (May 9, 2005)

I was planning on some but I would actually like to have another type of plant for there. I was just looking at this Java Lace Fern.

http://www.blackjungle.com/Merchant2/me ... ory_Code=A


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## Guest (Mar 15, 2006)

I was going to put that there but I wasn't sure about it. I've never heard of it before I saw it on Black Jungle. I wish there was a picture of the whole plant. :? Let us know how that works out. I may get some if it goes good for you.


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## mnchartier (May 9, 2005)

I'll be planning another trip up there soon (2 hour one way) so I'll get a look at the whole plant to see how it will work out. I'll see if I can get a pic of the whole thing for you to if I decide not to get it, so you can see if you would like to try it out. I'll probably get it. I was looking at some other plants that have not been used such as Ceropegia ampliata or Ceropegia nilotica instead of ficus or hoya. I have heard others using sp. woodi but not these two. 

ampliata
http://www.logees.com/prodinfo.asp?number=R1156-2

nilotica
http://www.logees.com/prodinfo.asp?number=R1296-2


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## Guest (Mar 15, 2006)

I wish I had a vivarium supply store near me. I think Tropiflora is about 3.5 hours away from me on the opposite side of the state. :x At least you live near IAD. I hope a Frog Day is hosted somwhere in Florida sometime soon. I can't fly out to New England for IAD or any other shows, for that matter.


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## mnchartier (May 9, 2005)

Placed the last piece of wood in the background, I just need to add a little bit of GS to one side pane then I will be done and can start covering the background. Pics will be up later tonight.


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## mnchartier (May 9, 2005)

I am done with the GS so here are pics before I start siliconing coc-bedding to it.

As you can see I like having a lot of structure such as wood in the tank. The cypress knee is going to be free standing and not stuck in the background like the other wood.

Frontal shot from the right










Frontal shot from the left










Overhead of the right side










Overhead of the left side










Before I start the next step I just need to trim the top edge of the GS to make it flush to the lid.


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## mnchartier (May 9, 2005)

The mess begins, started applying the Coco-Bedding last night and here is what I got done. So far with coating the glass and the background I have gone through 3 1/2 tubes of silicone.






























I think once I start planting I will be able to get better pics that shows the branched jutting out and not looking like they are flush with the background.


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## Guest (Mar 17, 2006)

I like it already.


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## mnchartier (May 9, 2005)

Thanks alot, it's been a pain trying to work around the wood to cover the entire thing, but I am very pleassed with it so far, I just can't wait to plant it. I need to start cutting the lid. I am going to use an acrylic top that will have strips of aluminium on the top edges to stop it from bowing. I have had a hard time trying to find an all glass top for this size bow front that is why I will be using acrylic.


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## Guest (Mar 17, 2006)

was the tank custom made? If not then Im sure you can find it a nice all glass top.


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## mnchartier (May 9, 2005)

No it is an All-Glass tank, the only tops I can find are the plastic deluxe hoods that have the light biult in, I can not even find the all glass versa tops on their website for a 26gal bow front.


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## Guest (Mar 17, 2006)

Well, what about the big chain pet stores like petco, petsmart, or Petland Discounts if you have one nearby. I know that when Im looking for a glass top I give the guy at Petland the size of my tank, he looks it up in a book, and orders the piece I need for me.


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## RGB (Jan 15, 2006)

How about using a rectangular piece of glass (or two hinged), and then filling in the bowed section with a sheet of plastic? You could also incorporate a vent into the plastic if you wanted. I did something similar in my 18 high although it isn't a bow front. I just wanted a slim vent section. I used ABS plastic for mine.


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## mnchartier (May 9, 2005)

That is what I did with my 72 bow front, I got the back pieces cut of glass and then cut the front out of lucite (sp), and used a hinge one of the plastic hinges, that is probably what I will do here.


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## Jesse (Sep 19, 2005)

*looks*

Looks Great  

Jesse


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## Iheartdarts (Mar 3, 2005)

Great looking start!

I bought an all-glass 36 bowfront also and it came with the versa top.

If you haven't been over to Black Jungle yet you'll LOVE IT. I bought almost all my supplies from them and they have an amazing display room. Also you should check out the show in Manchester, NH on April 15th. It will be mostly lizards and snakes but they'll be some cool froggers there too (Black Jungle will be there no doubt). I went last year and it was pretty neat.

now I just have to finish up my tank too heh.

keep us posted!

-DT


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## mnchartier (May 9, 2005)

That is where I got the ghost wood from I like the new building better much more space. They have actually added more tanks than what the had at the old building.

What are the dimensions of the 36gal I wonder if it just might be a difference in hieght and I could use the 36 top instead. I finished the background just haven't gotten around to cutting the top but I will wait to see if the demsions are the same. Thanks.


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## mnchartier (May 9, 2005)

Well round 1 of the planting started today.





































Ohhh, when they say small or miniture broms they really mean small. So I am looking at getting some more along with some kind of vine, java moss, and java fern.


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## mnchartier (May 9, 2005)

It's been a while since I updated this, I've been busy moving into the new house and we had our first baby on the 25th so he has taken up much of my time. 

I got some more plants this time from Ken and they are great. He is very good and easy to work with. Here is round two of the planting.

Sorry for the pics I have a hard time with glare when taking pics of bow front tanks.


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## bigmike (Nov 30, 2005)

Congrats on the new baby  The tank is coming together fine. Take your time and enjoy the new bundle..........


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## atomic_gnar (May 11, 2005)

> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Congrats on the new baby The tank is coming together fine. Take your time and enjoy the new bundle..........


i second that. The tank looks wicked like the driftwood and take your time always better to take time than to rush it


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## lowdown (Apr 16, 2006)

To take good tank pics make sure all of the lights are off in the room and hit it from an angle. That will eliminate the reflections that are obscuring your creation.


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## mnchartier (May 9, 2005)

Thanks for the congrats. I'll try that with the lights off and from angle tonight.


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## mnchartier (May 9, 2005)

Here are some better pics. 

Lowdown, thanks for the tip on taken them from an angle.


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## lukebalsavich (Feb 14, 2006)

Nice looking viv! I like the wood and all the broms. Looking forward to see it grow. Great journal and keep it up~!


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## mnchartier (May 9, 2005)

Thanks,

Well here are two shots of one of the spotted auratus, this guy is actaully 2 1/2 years old but still small compared to others I have seen, but seems really health and very quick. Is there a considerable size difference between the spotted (Six spot) auratus to other morphs or do I just have say a runt of the litter here? The other that I have is about the same size also. The Panamanian is larger.




















As for the tank I was testing out some moss that I found in a temp enclosure to see how it does and I will be taking the start java moss clumps and moving them to the wood on the background and using the other moss on the floor. Will update when I do this. 

Thanks for everyones comments and replys. Next will be redoing the 72 gallon Once I finish tearing it apart.


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