# Abstract and "modern" viv design



## Harpo (Nov 9, 2012)

I am searching the forum + web for different abstract and modern vivariums/terrariums. Unfortunately, this design style is hard to find by name via search functions and search engines. Most of my hobby experience is in marine/reef set ups and the "style" seems to be more heavily documented in that branch of the pet trade. I have stumbled across a number of inspiring viv/terr. threads but I more or less have literally stumbled upon them.

Do any of you have the same admiration for unique/unusual/"Gravity defying" design styles? If so, mind sharing a link or two? 

Thanks in advance....


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

If you search "Avatar" vivs you'll find a few, none that I was thrilled with


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## OrangeTyrant (May 12, 2011)

These angled cubes look cool, although I don't know how practical they are in terms of actual living space for critters. 

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/parts-construction/79101-vert-tank-angled-cube.html


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

Some of my vivs are kinda inspired by the Takashi Amano "nature" style of aquascaping...and I plan to skew future vivs much more in that direction. I've also done several threads on discussing special FX ideas in vivs. Some of those are listed here....
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/general-discussion/90823-pdf-threads-knowledge-2.html#post803691

Here is a hex I did...








http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/members-frogs-vivariums/56887-2-new-new-vivs-1-hex-1-20gal-2.html

And a desert viv, that got got abandoned due to cash flow...I think it would have worked had I continued with it and added a dehumidifier with fans and all...








http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/members-frogs-vivariums/37379-glowing-desert-viv-finished.html
This one has glow effects, but it is kinda messy since I used glowing calci sand pressed into silicone...I shuda just painted grout between the rocks with glow paint and made it much cleaner looking. Lesson learned, future stuff will be much cleaner.

A 30 cube...








http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/members-frogs-vivariums/35829-evolution-petco-30gal-cube.html

The desert viv ironically probably has "the look" that I'll be going for more in future vivs...only with tropical plants, but I really like the hard scaping in it. I'm getting away from wood, and going mostly to rock based vivs.

I really want do do vivs that look more like this Amano tank...









A viv I'm about to start on will have Holographic fairies (using the very simple method of a reflection on a clear plate at a 45degree angle to the display screen), using a cave to hide the display/reflecting screen. So it will look like this fairy buzzes by the cave entrance, looks at you then flies off...here is part of the clip I plan to use....





I'm also going to modify a very small strand of led lights and one of those bushy fiber optic toys to make it look like stars are suspended in the viv, then hopefully adding some plasma glass for lighting fx, possibly a strobe and fogger too, I might have a way to keep the fog cloud suspended more at the top of the viv... I may try to incorporate some of the florescent mineral ideas and uv black light stuff. All that stuff will only run a short time or on intervals to minimize animal stress. Possibly some submersed Led lighting in the pond, and led mood lighting to cast a color changing glow over the land scape at night using wax paper to diffuse/dim the lighting...just a subtle effect. 

Oh and it will have a strand of Led firefly lights...so we should get pretty close to that Avatar effect someone mentioned 

So basically the plan is to go to vivs that look more "aquascaped", look natural during the day...and aren't boring to look at in the night time.
I don't know if all that is exactly what you were looking for...but there it is 

This video shows the holographic principle I'm using, and it probably wouldn't be to hard to do a pyramid/partial pyramid or slanted front shaped viv using this principle and light it from the sides... You can find other videos using smaller viv sized pyramids and ipad type tablets or lcd screens.


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## Harpo (Nov 9, 2012)

Thanks for the replies everyone... I think Dave is closest to where I was going with my quick OP. I am definitely into the Amano style, Natural Planted, and many of the Iwagumi methods. I am surprised more of this is not present in the vivaria niche. 

Don't get me wrong, there are some incredible tanks on here (the peninsula tanks have captured my attention the most recently). I am just seeking inspiration on a redesign and I find myself looking at the AGA Aquatic Garden tanks more than anything for design/structure guidance. 

OrangeTyrant, I have seen those angled tanks. They are pretty awesome looking, definitely eye catching.


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## Harpo (Nov 9, 2012)

@Dave, I have the Petsmart 29 gallon cube... it's currently a less than satisfying Walstad tank. The bones of the tank are likely to remain the same. I will start a thread on that once I get it going. The tank I want to redo is the one I currently have a thread on. Thanks again for the detailed response, I am interested to see start up.


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

Harpo said:


> @Dave, I have the Petsmart 29 gallon cube... it's currently a less than satisfying Walstad tank. The bones of the tank are likely to remain the same. I will start a thread on that once I get it going. The tank I want to redo is the one I currently have a thread on. Thanks again for the detailed response, I am interested to see start up.


I love my cube.... Tall enough for some taller flowering plants, and good floor space from front to back.

I think one issue with our vivs is many here are very reliant on broms....I like em fine, but I've moved away from them unless I'm going to do a pumilio tank and even then there are ways to hide film canisters in fake rocks and do the tank up with mini orchids and stuff. Lot of larger ferns, and foliage plants too...not many flowers, though in recent years people have started to get more diverse in their plant choices.

I think overall we are moving towards the more aquascaped or european viv style. That and many are doing larger tanks instead of racks of 10's/20's unless they are breeding thumbs/pums...The US Hobby has advanced quite a bit since I started in 2003-4. Companies are starting to gear products to the viv market finally too. The hobby has been about more/cheaper tanks and getting all the vivs set up you can asap...where as overseas they craft a viv, plan it out...and really pay attention to detail and do it all in larger tanks. We've been kinda "getto" overall up until the last few years.

Basically that is my plan... all mini orchids, jewel orchids, iridescent plants like thialandicum, and peacock moss, smaller flowering plants, mini ferns, and utricularia, with more of the aquascaping style. Much more rock rather then wood in my vivs, with well planted backgrounds and/or moss/micro fern walls.

That and all the special FX stuff...Our vivs are boring at night...there is no need for that. We can go beyond simple moon lights with video/3d video backgrounds (parallax displays), holographic features, fog/underwater lighting, led lighting/fiber optic FX, storm/lightning Fx/sounds, glow/uv black light stuff, florescent minerals etc..etc... all while keeping the tank looking natural and minimizing stress to the animals by running stuff briefly at lights out, and/or on intervals.


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