# Journal and pics of my newest viv



## Colleen53 (Jan 19, 2009)

Well here it goes, I hope. Wanted to share some of the work I did on the 27 gallon hexagon. I wanted a nice big slate waterfall in it so I could hear the nice, soothing sound. This *WILL NOT * house dart frogs. I really haven't decided yet. Anyway here is the beginning of my work.


I coated the back and sides with 2 tubes of GE black silicone.










These are the materials I used to build the waterfall area, water pump area and the sides










I went to Lowe's and bought a 25 pound bag of gravel rock to make the hardscape.










This is what the first stage looks like: Oh, I just had to put one piece of cork bark up...I was getting antsy.










Used about 2 tubes of GE clear silicone for the sides.










Next comes the siliconing of the wood, cork bark and little pots. I had to put them up higher, so that I could get to my pump easy and also I can take the waterfall out as well....if needed Let it dried for a day or 2










I used the pond GS for the background.










Next day, I then carved off the shiny coat of the pond GS so that it would adhere to the coco bedding










Here is what I used along with GE brown silicone to the background










Let it set a day or so on its side and it now looks like this:










I then added spagnum moss as I have found out that my vines cling much easier to it and it hold water. My vine cuttings are tiny!!










Now that I have the top pretty much done at this point, I will work on the bottom...mainly the focus point...the waterfall

I added the pond GS (great stuff) to the base of the waterfall so I could add slate to the front and sides










I put in the sides and then started working on the waterfall










I siliconed the pieces of slate, which took days as I had several of them to piece together. After waiting several more days to let it dry, I tested the waterfall and it WORKED!!!










I took all the water out and let it set a day and then added the sand/gravel I had used for my cichlid tank. The hydro balls and rock on the sides.










Added screen under the hydro balls and then the coco fiber and had a few plants I wanted to put in, before broms and vines and moss came.










AND here is what it looks like at night with a colored light in the water. I will post the final pics with the rest of the plants.


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## McBobs (Apr 26, 2007)

Looks great! I'm in the process of doing something KINDA similar to that right now, but I still have a long ways to go. You've done a really great job. I think some Amazon milk frogs or mossy frogs would love that viv. 

By the way, I LOVE the sphagnum that you put in there. Is that something that you had grown to get the green color or did you buy it like that? I love seeing green sphagnum like that. Everyone has the "brown" stuff that "comes alive", but you rarely see sphagnum used as well as you did. 

Keep up the great work and let us know what you plan to stock it with!

-Matt


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## VivariumWorks (Feb 27, 2008)

That has to be one of the more unique designs I've seen in a long while. I'm personally not a big fan of straight lines and would have made the water section less block looking, but it won't matter or be visible once you get all the aquatic plants/mosses growing in there. 

The LED is cool! Should prove to be a very versitle setup. With the obvious expection of dart frogs, I could see just about any tropical herp going in there. Cool!


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## ChrisK (Oct 28, 2008)

Yeah, can you post a pic or two of it? JK  It looks pretty cool! I can see small tropical treefrogs in there like leucophyllata or ebraccata. Just make sure the current isn't too crazy!


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## Morgan Freeman (Feb 26, 2009)

Oh wow that looks great. I love the huge pool, what are you housing in there?

Edit: You haven't decided, looks perfect for some mossy frogs though.


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## jeffr (May 15, 2009)

Great looking Viv. Awesome job


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## Julio (Oct 8, 2007)

great work with that pond! what are you gonna keep in there?


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## Colleen53 (Jan 19, 2009)

Thanks all for the compliments. I forgot to mention that a friend gave me this tank, so I wasn't in any hurry to go out and get myself caught up in another project But it turned out to be alot of fun. The spagnum as you will see in my following pictures is indeed brown, not green. It really holds the vines and moisure in so that they can get established. The vines are only about 1 1/2-2 inches. Do not know what to put in it. For the time being, I want to get my plants and mosses to grow. I just got my exo-terra compact (2 bulbs) top last night and WOW!! I put 2 100W or 26W GE CFL bulbs in there and it is BRIGHT!! Anyway, here is the final pics.



















Jason sent me the broms and they are beautiful. GREAT SPONSOR!!

I also bought weeping moss and several types of broms from Carbonetc.



















The vines throughout the tank are: Wandering Jew "Bolivian", Dischidia oiantha variegated, peperomia trinervula "mini", Wandering Jew rainbow










This is what it looks at night!!



























I forgot to mention, I also bought for the pond area some Salvinia minima.

My last picture is of the top which I pulled out the front piece of glass and made a screen for more venilation. I have the piece of glass I can also put on top of the screen if needed










Thanks all for looking and I just ordered a KAZ ultra sonic humidifier. I will be getting in touch with Philsuma to show me how the fittings go. Many of you guys have been so helpful. Appreciate the board!! Colleen


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## ChrisK (Oct 28, 2008)

Colleen53 said:


> Thanks all for looking and I just ordered a KAZ ultra sonic humidifier. I will be getting in touch with Philsuma to show me how the fittings go. Many of you guys have been so helpful. Appreciate the board!! Colleen


I did a really easy one: http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/pa...eally-easy-ultrasonic-humidifier-journal.html


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## Colleen53 (Jan 19, 2009)

Thanks Chris for that thread!!!


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## Jason DeSantis (Feb 2, 2006)

So did you decide what you wanted to put in there?
J


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## Colleen53 (Jan 19, 2009)

I am waiting a few months for the frogs, but in the mean time, I have been searching for several different frogs. I do want to put some fish in the tank. Our LFS has these small (1") koi looking fish. I need fish in there as I will be entering this tank for our next years fair exhibit. I have been looking at the Mossy frogs, Reed frogs, and also researching the Adult Clown tree frogs. There have been a few froggers that have put the Adult Clown tree frogs and the Red eye tree frogs together. 
Any comments or suggestions to these frogs would be appreciated.


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## McBobs (Apr 26, 2007)

I swear... The sphagnum is *GREEN* in this picture....

http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv19/Colleen53_2009/4thvivaruim-23.jpg

-Matt


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## Colleen53 (Jan 19, 2009)

It does look green at that, but for some reason, most of it is brown. I just looked at it to see if I was color blind  and there is alittle green. MAYBE, it will green up with the humidity even more. JUST got my Kaz ultrasonic humidifier and will be setting it up shortly after I get the parts.


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## fleshfrombone (Jun 15, 2008)

This thing is sweet. Makes me want to plant my hex. I'm thinking about doing a stump tank. Probably for my lamasi pair or maybe something new.


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## Colleen53 (Jan 19, 2009)

Well, after about 8 months of this viv set-up and even trimming some of the vines
on top, wanted to share a pic or 2 of this viv. I did have a few darts in it, but there is just too much water for them to live in, so I took them out. Any ideas for a frog that would enjoy water? I do have a few fish (black mollies and 4 babies), so you have to consider that as well. Appreciate any ideas....THANKS.



<a href="http://s665.photobucket.com/albums/vv19/Colleen53_2009/?action=view&current=DSC03957.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i665.photobucket.com/album







s/vv19/Colleen53_2009/DSC03957.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>


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## VenomR00 (Apr 23, 2010)

Why not look at tiger tree frogs or even amazon bird poop ones. They are interesting looking and seem to be a good match.


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## McBobs (Apr 26, 2007)

Vietnamese Mossy Tree frogs would make good use of that viv. 

They can withstand the high humidity, will make use of the upper portions of the viv as well as the water feature. 

I would give them a look. 

-Matt


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## Morgan Freeman (Feb 26, 2009)

VenomR00 said:


> Why not look at tiger tree frogs or even amazon bird poop ones. They are interesting looking and seem to be a good match.



Tiger's are dull.

With that amount of water it's screaming for mossies, plus the plants are big and strong enough to handle them.


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## eos (Dec 6, 2008)

The tanks looks awesome now!



Morgan Freeman said:


> With that amount of water it's screaming for mossies, plus the plants are big and strong enough to handle them.


I agree with the mossies. Plus they look super cool too.


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## jpstod (Sep 8, 2005)

Sphagnum moss will come back to life with the right conditions


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## Colleen53 (Jan 19, 2009)

Thanks all for the suggestions. I have worked so hard on this tank as it will be featured in the fair this year (August) which can win $ and plaques. My concern with the frogs that have been mentioned, will they be out during the day? I mean thousands of people will be coming thru to see not only fish tanks (about 40 of them) and a few vivaruims. They need to house fish (that is why I have a big water feature) and in my tank I want frogs. I have been searching the conditions of these frogs that you list, but I believe all of them are nocturnal (sleeps during the day). Please correct me if I am wrong on that. Appreciate your comments.......Colleen


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## Colleen53 (Jan 19, 2009)

The fair has come and gone and I did put my tank into the "Fish and Friends" exhibit that we have here at the Ventura County Fair. I did put in 2 Leucs and a few Azeurus frogs. They are about 5-6 months old so they did fine. I have moved the Azeurus out of the tank and am leaving the 2 Leucs in there. They really like the room and feel that the water feature will not be a problem. Anyway here are a few pics of the "1 st place tank" AND "Directors Choice Plaque". I was pleasantly surprised, but happy to receive a plaque and $50.00. It was fun!!!





































EVEN MY MOM WAS HAPPY FOR ME!!!










I also brought my Mantella Tank in, but was not judged.









TANK BACK AT HOME AND LOOKIN' GOOD!!


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## Frank H (Nov 3, 2005)

Thats awesome! Congrats!! The vivarium is awesome.


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## andry (Jun 15, 2010)

Wow! That is an awesome tank! I absolutely love it and it deserves the plaque and prize. I have a 30 gallon hex that I haven't done anything with and this gives me lots of ideas. :-D


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## Colleen53 (Jan 19, 2009)

Glad I can help people out. I have had it up for almost a year and this is one of my favorite tanks. Thanks for the compliments!!


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## eos (Dec 6, 2008)

Colleen53 said:


> and this is one of my favorite tanks.


One of mine too... very nicely done. Congrats!!


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## Colleen53 (Jan 19, 2009)

Gotta show you all the latest of my tank!! I do need to tell you that after reading my first post "I will NOT house darts", I will confess and say I have 2 leucs that have been in there since the fair (8-2010). I was also very fortunate to have now a male and female that were the 2 leucs. The male is a holler and makes my other male darts sing as well. Just a few weeks ago I found a clutch of eggs. How exciting!! But I thought they would be bad since it was their first attempt, so I just took them out. Now, I just found another clutch of eggs and want to find out from you if these are good and fertile? I am new to the good/bad egg thing, so I would like to ask you what you think. Appreciate your comments. Here is what the tank looks like now!!!


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