# 40 gallon breeder vivarium journal



## Taari (Nov 6, 2012)

This will be my build journal to show the making of my 40 breeder aquarium into a vivarium for my d. azureus. 

Today I broke down my aquarium, moved my fish, and cleaned up the tank. Then I got started building the false bottom from eggcrate and wrapped it in fiberglass screening. This is where I'm stopping for the night. Tomorrow I'll get some greatstuff foam and a bag of pea gravel to start on the waterfall.


----------



## dynekevin (May 24, 2011)

Very cool, always considered putting a waterfall in my vivarium but im not very good with pumps and stuff.

Would you be willing to go pretty detailed on exactly how you set it up, including pumps and wiring?

Much appreciated!

Thanks!


----------



## Taari (Nov 6, 2012)

It should be pretty simple. I have a 250gph aquarium pump with 4 feet of lift. I'll just stick it in behind the waterfall and run a bit of tubing up to where the waterfall begins, and the cord out the top of the tank. I'll probably just nip a corner off my glass lid to let the cord through. I'll be posting more detailed descriptions of what I'm doing and pictures as I start working on it though.


----------



## Colleen53 (Jan 19, 2009)

Very nice start. I enjoy my waterfall set-ups in my tanks as well. Keep the pics coming!


----------



## Taari (Nov 6, 2012)

Today I started working on the waterfall. I wanted to be able to use the foam to hold the slate and rocks for the waterfall in place, and to do that, I needed to be able to lay my support piece attached to the false bottom flat. Due to the size and weight of my aquarium, it wasn't feesable to prop the tank itself up on a corner, so I made a jig with two pieces of OSB, held together with angle brackets, propped up by cement blocks, and wrapped in wax paper so the foam wouldn't stick to the wood.


































After that, I put a hole in the back for my tubing and laid out the rocks for my waterfall










Then laid down foam










Once the foam is hardened, I'll set the false bottom upright and start on the pool and the river.


----------



## Taari (Nov 6, 2012)

River and second waterfall. I'll carve out the foam from the center of the river and the pool at the bottom of the first waterfall.


----------



## Taari (Nov 6, 2012)

Carved the foam out










Forgot to take a pic of just the scilicone, but basically I took some GE scilicone 1 for windows and doors (considered to be safe for fish and aquariums, so I assume it's safe for frogs too) and laid it on pretty thick, then used a putty knife to smear it around until all the cut foam was coated with it, then I piled on this nice, smooth pea gravel and pressed it in and poured off the extra pebbles. Next I poured some sand over the pebbles to fill in the gaps between them and poured the sand off.


































And finally, I did a little carving of the waterfall and smeared scilicone on that as well, then added some pebbles and river rocks for looks and to help direct water flow where I want it.


----------



## Taari (Nov 6, 2012)

The scilicone is cured and I set it up outside to test the waterfall, I can see one minor change I would make with the flow of the waterfall, but other than that I'm very happy with it. I think it looks even better with the water running over it.


----------



## tfox799947 (Jun 4, 2012)

Like the looks of this. Keep up the good work.


----------



## Colleen53 (Jan 19, 2009)

Looking good so far. It is fun making waterfalls.


----------



## Taari (Nov 6, 2012)

Washed the gravel and got it placed around the edges and got the pump in there too.


















For the pump, I just cut down my tubing to the right length, then found a hose barb fitting that fit the tubing on one end, and that my pump spout could slip inside of on the other end, even though that end of the hose barb fitting has male threads, it's large enough to fit snugly on the outside of my pump spout. Then I just placed the pump in the bottom and it's suction cup feet hold it in place. Once I get more RO water to fill it up with, I can plug it in and get the waterfall running.


----------



## reptiles12 (Jul 18, 2012)

Oh my god that is amazing  If I were you I would find a nice stump now and maybe to a gs background and plant all types of nice broms and vines out of the gs and stump. Thanks for sharing!


----------



## dtfleming (Dec 27, 2010)

Nice water fall, but you don't really have alot of space left for a land area for the azureus.


----------



## Taari (Nov 6, 2012)

The tank has a 4.5 square foot footprint. I took about 1/3-1/2 of a square foot for the waterfall in the back corner. I'm not going to put a 3D background in, just some black posterboard or something outside the tank.


----------



## dtfleming (Dec 27, 2010)

I am aware of the footprint, I have a trio of leucomelas in a 40 be that use all of the tank.


----------



## froggies3 (Feb 1, 2011)

I think it looks great, but you sure did make your false bottom very tall. I know you can not change it now, but other than that it looks great!


----------



## Taari (Nov 6, 2012)

With water and the pump running...

I made the false bottom tall to be able to have the twin waterfalls and still be able to get the pump submerged.


----------



## Taari (Nov 6, 2012)

OK! Photobucket seems to be functional again, so here are some more pics.

Just have to figure out how to block of the 1" gap in the glass on one side of the tank so the frogs don't escape and I can add the female to the tank. The male will stay in QT for about a month before I introduce him.


----------



## Taari (Nov 6, 2012)

Now that it's been a little while and I just introduced lil' Rahzek to the 40 gallon tank, I thought I would update the journal. All the plants are doing fabulously. Some of the ferns died back, but are growing in nicely now. I had to remove one orchid because it was losing lots of leaves, but the 3 left in the tank are doing very well.

To note, there is some foam at the bottoms of both waterfalls. IT IS NOT SOAP IN THE WATER. I've been keeping fish for years, I know better than to let things get contaminated with soap. I believe there is some protein in the water from the organic compounds that is foaming because my waterfalls splash. They bubbles dissapear when I shut off the pump and when I touch them, unlike soap bubbles.









The newest leaf on one fern coming in slightly orange, indicating that my light is pretty high.









My aquatic cryptocoreynes converting to emmersed very happily

















New leaves on one of the broms. They are all growing new leaves.









Hygrometer showing 90% humidity in the back corner even with the 2.5" wide screen door going across the front of the tank.









Phal. equestris working on opening up.









A new growth on my Masednellia cuspidata jewel orchid









And finally lil' Rahzek checking out his new home. 









Also, here is a decent shot of his front toes to show how large they are getting and heart shaped.


----------



## tomer.baron (Jan 31, 2013)

great thread, you make adding the water feature look so easy. thank you!


----------

