# 30 gal grow out tank



## Guest (Feb 24, 2007)

Here is the current state of a 30 gal tank that I recently had to start using as a grow out tank for my Santa Isabels. I first set it up to mimic the edge of a stream with some branches, stones, and sand. Plants include Korean rock ferns, Ficus pumila, and some sort of NOID lipstick plant. Lighting consists of a 4' shop light and full spectrum daylight bulbs.




























Some of the inhabitants (approx. 2 months out of the water) at the feeding station:


----------



## black_envy (Aug 12, 2006)

Nice! What kind of fern is that? It's really cool looking!


----------



## themann42 (Apr 12, 2005)

very awesome tank!!! adorable frogs too!


----------



## jsagcincy (May 2, 2005)

I think that might be my favorite viv I've seen on the board since I've joined. It just looks very natural and well done without an imposing background. Great job.


----------



## Grassypeak (Jun 14, 2005)

Hey!

Isn’t that the Bombina tank?


----------



## sbreland (May 4, 2006)

Wow, that has to be one of the more impressive vivs that I have seen. Like someone else said above, it really looks like a natural shoreline on a pond or stream and has just the right amount of everything. It is so impressive I believe I am going to imitate this when I make a new viv to put the Moraspunga in. Did you do a falsebottom or is everything riding on the bottom of the tank? BTW, what is that moss right square in the middle of the picture in the second pic right next to the shoreline?


----------



## Fish_lover0591 (Dec 16, 2006)

That is so NICE! Can you post bigger pictures please. Also give us some details on how you made it.


----------



## housevibe7 (Sep 24, 2006)

Gorgeous Patty!


----------



## Anoleo2 (Feb 1, 2006)

:shock: ....

Looks great, and so naturalistic.


----------



## lestat (Feb 25, 2007)

Beautiful. I love how natural it looks.


----------



## Guest (Feb 25, 2007)

Wow...thanks for the compliments everyone. Would you believe I was close to tearing it down a couple times this year? With how it has evolved and turned out, I'm really glad I didn't. Here are some larger pics (have to link through Photobucket as the gallery kept downsizing them). Hopefully they are visible to everyone:






























> Isn’t that the Bombina tank?


It _was_ the Bombina tank. We moved to a new house a few months ago and I did a bunch of downsizing...and the Bombinas ended up with a new owner. I couldn't bring myself to tear the tank down, though...and in the midst of moving and a rescaped Santa Isabel display tank, I needed an emergency space for a clutch of tads, and they ended up in here.



> It is so impressive I believe I am going to imitate this when I make a new viv to put the Moraspunga in.


Let me know how it turns out!



> Did you do a falsebottom or is everything riding on the bottom of the tank?


No false bottom at all. Mostly just gravel, sand, and river rocks, and then pockets of soil where the ferns were planted (and I imagine their roots have gone all over at this point--if I were to try and pull a few of the larger ones, I'm sure most of the tank would come right up with it). Also, there is no pump or anything moving the water, and the rocks have a ton of algae growing on them. The duckmite just appeared and started growing a couple weeks ago. Not sure why it took so long to show up...



> BTW, what is that moss right square in the middle of the picture in the second pic right next to the shoreline?


Honestly, I have no clue. It came already growing on the piece of wood it's on. Where I live, various species of cottonwoods grow right along the banks of the rivers and streams. When the water levels go down in the spring, there are a ton of exposed roots and tangles. There are two of these roots in the tank.



> Gorgeous Patty!


I've been called a lot of things in my lifetime, but Patty is definitely a first.


----------



## Grassypeak (Jun 14, 2005)

skylsdale said:


> It _was_ the Bombina tank. We moved to a new house a few months ago and I did a bunch of downsizing...and the Bombinas ended up with a new owner. I couldn't bring myself to tear the tank down, though...and in the midst of moving and a rescaped Santa Isabel display tank, I needed an emergency space for a clutch of tads, and they ended up in here.


I thought it looked familiar. That’s too nice looking a tank to forget. Glad to see your having good luck with the Sis. Too bad the bombinas got the short end of the stick though. :wink:


----------



## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

This is a great looking viv.

What is the medium sized leaf plant dead center? I can't put my finger on it. It looks like either a Peperomia, Pachycentria or the foliage of a Hydnophytum.

Excellent work.


----------



## Guest (Feb 25, 2007)

Antone, I'm not quite sure of the species, but I'm pretty sure it's some type of Aeschynanthus. Here is a pic of it sending out flowers--I don't think I ever got a shot of it in full bloom:


----------



## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

Ahh yes. Definately a Gesneriad of some sort. The calyx sort of looks like a Columnea calyx but many Aeschy have that too. Great plant. It looks like its enjoying the terrarium.


----------



## Fish_lover0591 (Dec 16, 2006)

Do you change out the water everyonce in a while ? I might consider creating my 55 just like your tank  if you don't mind. how much lighting is on it ?


----------



## Guest (Feb 25, 2007)

I did once in a while when the Bombina were in there...but even then only every couple months or so, and not all that much of it. I'm pretty sure there is plenty of bacteria in there to deal with things, along with the substrate being festooned by the roots of the ferns for nutrient uptake or ammonia absorption. I don't see water quality becoming much of a problem.

Lighting consists of a 4 ft. shoplight (2 x 40 watt flourescent bulbs). I have the fixture resting on a couple wooden dowels on each end of the tank to keep it slightly above the tank. Temps in the tank range in the high 60's to around 70*F.


----------



## housevibe7 (Sep 24, 2006)

:lol: Ok sorry blonde moment. For some unknown reason, maybe I was so overwhelmed by the wonder of the tank :lol: I thought it was Patty's...  Sorry


----------



## VicSkimmr (Jan 24, 2006)

That is absolutely stunning! I've never seen a longer vivarium that looks nicer than that. Its perfect.

Do you have any pictures of when it was first set up so we can get a good idea of how it was put together and the layout of the land?


----------



## Guest (Feb 25, 2007)

Jason, here is the earliest pic I have of the tank:










And a little later on:


----------



## Fish_lover0591 (Dec 16, 2006)

How did you plant everything in there without a front door ? Sorry for all the questions


----------



## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

Fish_lover0591 said:


> How did you plant everything in there without a front door ? Sorry for all the questions


From the top I assume.

:shock:


----------



## Jay Why (Aug 27, 2005)

That is a great looking tank. I've always prefered tanks with backgrounds but this one changes my view on no-background tanks. I could really see myself copying the look of this.


----------



## AndrewFromSoCal (Jan 1, 2007)

What are those two giant ferns?


----------



## *GREASER* (Apr 11, 2004)

I am in love with this tank. I have always admired that other tricolor tank of yours. This really makes me want to make one like this.


----------



## Guest (Feb 26, 2007)

THe tank is very elegant in its design. It looks as beautiful as ever, I can't believe you actually thought about tearing it down. Congrats.


----------



## Cmirbach (Feb 8, 2007)

You used those ferns very well! can i ask what kind they are? you mentioned some plant names earlier in this topic but i didnt know which name went to which plant. im thinking about filling in a empty space in my vivarium with a bushy fern, and the ones you used look like they would do they job perfectly. also, you should through in a some coco fiber panels for the background, the creeping fig and java moss (if its wet enough) will shoot right up it!


----------



## housevibe7 (Sep 24, 2006)

skylsdale said:


> Plants include Korean rock *ferns*, Ficus pumila, and some sort of NOID lipstick plant


I assume they are korean rock ferns.... could just be me though.


----------



## VicSkimmr (Jan 24, 2006)

They definitely are.


----------



## Guest (Mar 3, 2007)

The last couple posters nailed it--thanks guys.

As for putting in a background, I've thought about it, but I'm not sure I'll ever do it. The tank is currently in front of a furnace, but in the past it's been in front of a wall or something similar, so you don't really notice that there's anything there (or not). I also get a bit tired of the usual cliff-like look of the vertical wall background in every tank. I think this actually causes the eye to flow from one side to the other, rather than having everything presented directly in your face.

With the type of environment I'm replicating here (sort of the fringe edge of a stream or forest pool) I would like to eventually try a pair of E. bassleri or trivittatus in there...but we'll see how things pan out.


----------



## VicSkimmr (Jan 24, 2006)

Bah, who needs backgrounds? Doing that would take some of the focus away from the plants and stream bed. I think it looks perfect.


----------



## a Vertigo Guy (Aug 17, 2006)

This is an uber awesome viv. It makes anything Ive made look like pond water!


----------



## dirtmonkey (Feb 10, 2007)

Your blooming NOID lipstick looks like _Aeschynanthus_ 'Big Apple', which I've seen in houseplant sections on and off. The flowers aren't very flashy but add a nice touch of darker red here and there.

The pictures you find online will look a little different; but yours looks like mine did when grown under glass and lights.

Vincent


----------



## stchupa (Apr 25, 2006)

[/quote]

Alsobia? Looks like it, but missing the red tint in the stems, might be cause of the lighting.

The whole tank is gorgeous, perfect for those epips.


----------



## Jesse (Sep 19, 2005)

*rocks...*

Where did you get all of those rounded shaped grey rocks from? I've been searching for some for my tank and can't find any?

Thanks,
Jesse


----------



## Guest (Apr 2, 2007)

As for the ID on the plant, I noticed yesterday that it's starting to send a bloom out again, so I'll try to get a pic of it when it's flowering. Maybe that will help a bit more.



> Where did you get all of those rounded shaped grey rocks from? I've been searching for some for my tank and can't find any?


The edges of local streams and rivers.


----------

