# Mini Orchid / Thumbnail Tank!



## Kaity (Sep 18, 2010)

Okay...so I was going to make this a construction log but it is HARD taking pics as you work without a helper so I scraped that idea and just built the thing. I started collecting mini orchids before I discovered the wonderful world of frogs so this tank was a way to make a home for a lot of the orchids I have as well as a home for frogs. I am getting a breeding group of 5 Amazonicus next week and will post pics then but in the mean time tell me what you think of the tank?? I want to get some sort of creeping plant to cover the background. Probably oak leaf creeping fig unless anyone else has a great idea. I also need to add the film canisters. The list of orchids inside the tank are as follows....

Pleurothallis Schudelii
Pleurothallis Megalops
Tristella Hoeijeri
Masdevallia erinacea
Porroglossum Sergioi
Porroglossum Dalstroemii
Lepanthes Quadricornis
Lepanthes Telipogoniflora
Lepanthes Calodictyon
Stelis Uniflora
Stelis Hirtella

There are probably a few more in there but I lost the name tags.


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## fleshfrombone (Jun 15, 2008)

Looks cool!


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

I had Pleurothallis, Masdevallia, and Lepanthes in one of my frog tanks, that were doing very well. Then I made a new tank for the frogs and moved the orchids over. They didn't like their new home that much. I think my problem was getting enough air flow to them. 

Anyway, your tank looks great! Can't wait to see your orchids thrive.


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## Mitch (Jun 18, 2010)

Oak Leaf Creeping Fig covering that background would look great. Also a few colorful broms in there could look awesome too, and your frogs will appreciate them. Other than that this tank looks great, I love your selection of orchids.


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## therizman2 (Jul 20, 2008)

Beautiful tank, I love the wood in it!


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

very nice. Goin to look great when everything grows in


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

looks really good, Kaity. Are you doing any kind of circulation for the orchids?
Doug


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## Kaity (Sep 18, 2010)

Pumilio: As of now I don't plan on putting a ventilation system in. I just have a vent at the top about 1 inch wide. I'm not an expert so I am hoping that is enough. I know a lot of people keep the tiny Lepanthes in small closed glass balls with zero air movement and they do very well. Fingers crossed!


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## tclipse (Sep 19, 2009)

Looks great, I'd add at least a few small broms for the frogs to sleep and breed in.. canisters will do fine for breeding, but my vents (Iquitos, and used to have FG's that were the same way... I would assume the amazonicus are similar) have always preferred broms over canisters to sleep in. It seems like they feel more secure with the smaller spaces available in broms vs. large opening of the canisters.


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## BlueRidge (Jun 12, 2010)

Beautiful tank! I'd like some more info.... what kind of lights are you using? Did you build or buy that tank?


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## Kaity (Sep 18, 2010)

Built the tank from scratch! I plan on doing a build log on how to make your own glass tank in the next few weeks. The light is a single t5 cfl. I beleive the brand is sunblaster. I made a wooded shade and mounted it inside. I will take pics tonight.


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

Kaity said:


> Pumilio: As of now I don't plan on putting a ventilation system in. I just have a vent at the top about 1 inch wide. I'm not an expert so I am hoping that is enough. I know a lot of people keep the tiny Lepanthes in small closed glass balls with zero air movement and they do very well. Fingers crossed!


Hey Kaity, I am new to orchids myself. I do have a friend that does darts and orchids and he tells me that most of them probably won't bloom unless I get some air motion (internal circulation) going on in there.

I love that you built that tank yourself!! I build all mine too. I get mistake windows and factory reject windows from my glass company for free. Cut em open and make some tanks. I'm not going to hijack your thread but if you want to see them, let me know and I'll pm you the link to my thread.
Doug


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## fleshfrombone (Jun 15, 2008)

Doug if you get the chance could you post a build journal of your tanks?


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## chinoanoah (Mar 9, 2009)

Is that one big swing-down front door?


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## frogfreak (Mar 4, 2009)

Hi Kaity

The viv looks great. The tank you made is amazing. Congrat's! 

Do you think you'll get the orchids to bloom under 1 T5?

We've had some Bulbo's bloom under 2 sunblaster's.


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## JoshH (Feb 13, 2008)

To be completely honest Kaity.................you have an impeccable taste in orchids! And the tank design is pretty good too!


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## zBrinks (Jul 16, 2006)

Cool tank! What is the wood and where did you get it?


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## Kaity (Sep 18, 2010)

Pumilio: I worry about air movement myself but so far...without air movement I have gotten 5 to bloom. two Pleurothallis, the lepanthes calodyton, a stelis, and a Scaphosepalum. I think it may just depend on the specific orchids???

Chinoanoah: It is two sliding glass doors on some black E-channel. i got the channel from a place called Outwater Plastics...if you were wondering...Took me forever to find it!

Frogfreak: the suggestion I got from Ray at FirstRays Orchids was that one would be plenty for the low light orchids I have. But that was with them all being only 6 inches from the light. Now some are as much as 13 inches from the light so I will probably add another light. I am going to wait a bit because I have read that when you re-mount orchids you should give them lower light for a bit while they adjust. I think Bulbos have higher light requirements than the ones I have but am not sure.

Zbrinks: what wood are you asking about? I used just plain 1/4" poplar for the light shade. the stand is actually something from West Elm that I had laying around and painted white.

Fleshfrombone: about a tutorial on making a glass viv. I was planning on doing one as part of my submission for the construction log contest on Dartfrogz forum. I should have it up in the next month I think. I would be interested to see how Pumilio made his though...Mine's pretty straight forward.


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## zBrinks (Jul 16, 2006)

Sorry, the wood in the vivarium. I really like the look of it.


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## Kaity (Sep 18, 2010)

as promised here are some detail pics of the light. sorry for such dark pics but the only real light in my living room is from the viv


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## Kaity (Sep 18, 2010)

Oh...got ya! The wood is Manzanita wood. I ordered it from here...

Manzanita Burlworks - Aquarium Wood


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

fleshfrombone said:


> Doug if you get the chance could you post a build journal of your tanks?


Hey Flesh, Actually, I had planned on it. I took a lot of pictures, downloaded them, and then my computer started having issues. It's out of commission at the moment. I will be posting a build eventually though. I may have to just shoot some more pics...I have 5 more in construction right now. So you know what to look for, it will have *"Slope Fronts"* in the title.
Doug


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## driftfc (May 2, 2006)

truly amazing looking!!!! i have always loved slant front tanks. i wish i could still find the old oceanic slant front tanks. they give such a nice perspective.

zack


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## Kaity (Sep 18, 2010)

I got my frogs!!!!!!! I love them already. I put them in the tank at lunch and then went back to work. Now I'm home and they are all out and about... let me take pics, mist the plants...and never go to hide. Also, they have been calling non-stop for the past hour. I hope I get my first eggs from these guys. How long does it take them to get around to breeding again? Should I be worried about setting up my tad rearing stuff soon??

The pics don't really show how red some of them are. I will have to fiddle with my camera to get it right but don't want to stress them out too much.


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## inflight (Jun 12, 2007)

If they are proven then they could potentially start up anytime. I've always had good luck and got eggs within the first week of almost all of my proven pairs that I have bought. 
You might want to at least have everything on hand within the next couple of weeks. If they laid eggs tomorrow then you would have about 2 weeks until they hatch. 
You can never be prepared too early.


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## Freeradical53 (Jan 25, 2008)

Wow, I am impressed! Good luck on offspring!


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

When frogs are of breeding age and you put them in a new home, it seems to excite them. I've seen them breed within two or three days of the move.

Beautiful frogs! What line are they?
Doug


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## Kaity (Sep 18, 2010)

I think they are todd kelley? whatever that means....I will have to ask the breeder to know for sure.

Ohh...you guys are getting me excited about eggs! i am going to go to petco tomorrow and get all the stuff I need to make a heated tad tank. Do you leave the eggs in the viv until they hatch into tads or take them out right away?? There are 5 in the tank - 2.3 if that makes a difference.


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

Kaity, remember that the tads will be highly cannibalistic! I hope by a heated tad tank you are talking about something with partitions...or to float individual containers in.

As far as leaving them in or pulling the eggs right away, some do it one way, others do it another.
Doug


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## Kaity (Sep 18, 2010)

Oh ya....I've read about how they like to eat each other! I was going to make something like the ones in this thread.

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/br...641-show-me-your-heated-tadpole-setups-2.html


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

That should work nicely. If they are the Todd Kelly line, then Todd Kelly would be the breeder that started that line. Funny thing is, Todd was actually importing a different frog. He got several of the Red Amazonicus by mistake! Ten of the first offspring went out to my good friend, Rick White. I ended up with 4 of those. Around here we just call em Red Amys.

You should be aware those aren't really frogs...They're rabbits! Because the breed like bunnies!!
Doug


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## Kaity (Sep 18, 2010)

HOLY CRAP PUMILIO! You weren't kidding. I just walked by the tank to go to bed and there is a HUGE clutch.... after only 8 hours of having them!!!!!!!!!

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYY!

Get ready for some hand holding cause this is my first clutch...


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## Kaity (Sep 18, 2010)

9 eggs total...


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## Kaity (Sep 18, 2010)

Wait. wait. The second female is laying right now...

Can you tell I'm excited...


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

WooHoooo!! First clutch is so exciting!! Congrats and where's my cigar?
Doug


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

Make sure you do your homework! http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/care-sheets/13183-egg-care-sheet.html
and http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/care-sheets/20854-tadpole-care.html
And when you're ready to test your shipping skills...send a few over this way! I'd love to get a group again sometime.
Doug


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

Congratulations!


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## Kaity (Sep 18, 2010)

Thanks for the link Pumilio! I have definitely been doing some reading but those are the best links so far. When these are ready I have my eye on some of those Veraderos you have?? I've attached a pic of the biggest clutch.


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## Kaity (Sep 18, 2010)

Is it okay that the two males are wrestling?? Only one calls during the fights and he crawls on the others back and rides him....heehee. Is this just re-establishing the pecking order? They were an established group before I got them.


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## fleshfrombone (Jun 15, 2008)

After 8 hours? Damn, good job! Good luck with them.


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## inflight (Jun 12, 2007)

I personally would keep an eye on the males. If the fights are not super aggressive then I wouldn't worry too much. Like you said, they are probably just re-establishing a "pecking order". As long as there are enough places to hide or retreat then they should be ok(IMO)


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

Do keep an eye on them but they are most likely re-establishing a pecking order. Rick and I both kept them in groups. 

When I put my group of 5 vanzos into a new tank, the males fought for the first evening and now they are fine again.

I think we could probably do a swap when we both have yung-uns ready.
Doug


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## jlb (Oct 15, 2006)

I may have missed it but what is the background made of? Looks to be clay? If so, what did you use? I really like the tank and look forward to seeing more grown in pictures.


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## Kaity (Sep 18, 2010)

JLB: I used Bentonite Clay that I got from a pottery supply store. I didnt a mix of 50/50 clay and peat moss. Then I layered a bunch of peat on top of the finished background to give it more of a woody look and less of a pottery project gone wrong look.


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## firefishbrain (Jan 20, 2008)

Kaity said:


> JLB: I used Bentonite Clay that I got from a pottery supply store. I didnt a mix of 50/50 clay and peat moss. Then I layered a bunch of peat on top of the finished background to give it more of a woody look and less of a pottery project gone wrong look.


Looks great, and congrats!! I'm wondering because next week I'm planning on claying my 2 viv's (my vittatus tank is going to be a completely new set up and getting an extreme makeover). What are the dimensions of the back wall, and how many pounds of bentonite did you get? I'm trying to figure out how much I need. And again, congrats, when you get froglets I have a second viv I"m looking to fill!!!


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## Kaity (Sep 18, 2010)

firefishbrain: this tank is 47" long x 18" tall. I used probably 5-7 pounds of clay. If I were you I would just buy a big bag though because it is so cheap and you can save the extra for future vivs! I got 10lbs for $7.


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

Price on clay from a pottery shop generally goes down dramatically with bulk. I paid about $15 for a 50 lb. bag! Just priced out a 50 lb. bag of Redart from the shop I use here in Denver and they said $17.
Doug


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## Dancing frogs (Feb 20, 2004)

Looks like things are going well


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## azure89 (Jan 5, 2009)

Awesome first viv and nice frogs good luck with them


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## firefishbrain (Jan 20, 2008)

Thanks for the replies Kaity and Pum, I will be keeping an eye on your viv, it looks great, can't wait to see it fill out more!!!


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