# DD150 gallon (3'x3'x27") Leuc build



## tinc2344 (Jul 23, 2008)

So after a long break from darts I'm anxiously returning from having a reef tank. I broke down the tank last weekend and started to clean it out. The tank is a Marineland Deep Dimension 150 gallon, 3ft long, 3ft wide, 27" tall. Having maintained this as a reef I already have an idea of how the maintenance of the tank will be. While cleaning I keep brainstorming.

So heres the plans:
1. Top - made with Optix arylic and will be framed with aluminum U-channel to keep from bowing or warping. Vent strips on the front and back of the top.
2. Circulation - fan that will have the intake coming out of the lower section or the tank's overflow, and two outputs, one back into the tank and one aimed towards the vent strips on the top.
3. Lighting - I am looking at the Viparspectra P1500 led grow light to help cover the foot print and the hieght of the tank.
4. Drainage - false bottom, covered with fiberglass screen, then a layer of clay or leca, then substrate and leaf litter. I will drill two holes in the overflow at the bottom with a hole saw to allow the water to flow in there then it can be drained through the bulkheads.
5. Scape - will be GS with drylok. I have done the GS covered with silicone and coco fiber and looking at the pros and cons of both I think I will do the drylok. I already purchased a few fairly large pieces of maylasian driftwood, will probably get a few more smaller pieces.
6. Mistking system with 3 sets of double misting nozzles. 2 on the front and 1 on the left side. The system and reservoir will be in the basement. With a small circulation pump and heater (for winter months as its an unfinished area (had my sump and water change equipment there for the reef tank).
7. Plants - still looking, broms and begonias mainly,

Heres a start to the pics.


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## Encyclia (Aug 23, 2013)

I love the dimensions of that tank. I think that will be a great frog tank  The only question I have is why have the LECA ball layer when you already have a false bottom? They seem redundant.

Looking forward to seeing this come together!

Mark


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## tinc2344 (Jul 23, 2008)

Thanks, it would just be a small layer in the past I have done the same with the false bottom and then leca then substrate due to having the false bottom tiered so I don't have a completely flat ground surface it adds a little bit of leeway with the water level and not wicking up to the substrate.


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## Encyclia (Aug 23, 2013)

Ah, that makes sense. I hadn't thought of putting the contouring under the fiberglass separator. I have always done that with the substrate. Yours is a clever solution. In that case, I would recommend Turface. The smaller, uneven grains will probably make the contouring last longer than round clay balls would. They tend to want to end up in a horizontal layer over time.

Mark


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## tinc2344 (Jul 23, 2008)

Encyclia said:


> Ah, that makes sense. I hadn't thought of putting the contouring under the fiberglass separator. I have always done that with the substrate. Yours is a clever solution. In that case, I would recommend Turface. The smaller, uneven grains will probably make the contouring last longer than round clay balls would. They tend to want to end up in a horizontal layer over time.
> 
> Mark


So something like this? Amazon.com : Turface for Plants - MVP - Bonsai Tree Soil - Cacti - Succulents - Calcined Clay - Additives- Aggregates - Absorbs and Releases Water- 2 Quart Bag - 1/8 inch Size Particles : Garden & Outdoor


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## Encyclia (Aug 23, 2013)

Yes, but I would call around to different landscaping places and see if they have it by the 50lb bag. John Deere here in the Colorado Front Range has gotten it for me before. 50lb should be around $20 and a single bag would do you with some left over, I am guessing. You are looking for Turface All Sport (Pro? can't remember) or Turface MVP. Those are the ones that have the grain size you are looking for.

Mark


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## tinc2344 (Jul 23, 2008)

Thanks for the info, I'll start calling around


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## TeddytheFinger (May 8, 2019)

I looked at those Viparspectra lights when doing mine, but I settled on the parfactworks (they're pretty intense). Looking forward to seeing how those work for ya!


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## tinc2344 (Jul 23, 2008)

TeddytheFinger said:


> I looked at those Viparspectra lights when doing mine, but I settled on the parfactworks (they're pretty intense). Looking forward to seeing how those work for ya!


I'll take a look at them also, I haven't ordered the lights yet


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## tinc2344 (Jul 23, 2008)

Had some time to work on the hardscape this week. This was the first time using XPS foam and Drylok for the rocks to help transition to the back of the tank, that steps up. 

I am repurposing my ReefKeeper (was in the basement with the sump and equipment) from when this was a reef tank, will control the lights and I can track the temp. The backboard is also repurposed as that held the power packs and control units from the wave maker pumps, so the holes will be for the power cords to come through to keep everything neat. There is another piece on the back that I will use to mount any power packs. All the equipment will run off a Furman power conditioner that I need to relocate from the basement, we lose power a lot and have a generator so the power conditioner is is a safety net for the equipment.









And yes I have to finish painting the wall in the back as I couldn't reach it when we painted the room.

Top view, late last night I was experimenting with the wood and have a second piece coming from it to the back wall, just didn't take an updated picture of it.


















the rocks I made, have a couple of some ones also to break up the ground and make it the tiered level not stick out as if it doesn't fit in.


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## tinc2344 (Jul 23, 2008)

Got a lot done on the hard scape. Hope to work on the top and light mount this week


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## Encyclia (Aug 23, 2013)

A near-cubic build like this really reminds me how compressed most hardscape designs are from back to front. It's only when you see a build like this that the expanded options become obvious. It looks great!

Mark


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## DPfarr (Nov 24, 2017)

That’s some admirable rock work.


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## tinc2344 (Jul 23, 2008)

Thanks, I love the footprint of the tank, just wish I could have converted it to a front opening tank. Getting ready to make my plant list.


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## Dawsokj1988 (May 26, 2017)

DPfarr said:


> That’s some admirable rock work.


Agreed. The rock work is quite impressive.


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## tinc2344 (Jul 23, 2008)

Light is installed, working on the two piece top this weekend, and painting that area on the wall that hasn't been touched in about 11 years..


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## tinc2344 (Jul 23, 2008)

Picked up the first round of plants, in qt now after being treated.

fittonia - will be going on the right just in front of the rock step up.
Pathos Marbled Queen - going in the driftwood planter
philodendron birkin - going front left corner near the base of the "tree stump"
rhaphidophora tetrasperma "Monstera minima" going far back corner as it is a climber


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## fishingguy12345 (Apr 7, 2019)

tinc2344 said:


> Picked up the first round of plants, in qt now after being treated.
> 
> fittonia - will be going on the right just in front of the rock step up.
> Pathos Marbled Queen - going in the driftwood planter
> ...


The Raphidophora is going to get REALLY big. I have one I'm growing as a houseplant and it's about 4 feet tall after just under a year.


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## tinc2344 (Jul 23, 2008)

fishingguy12345 said:


> The Raphidophora is going to get REALLY big. I have one I'm growing as a houseplant and it's about 4 feet tall after just under a year.


Yes I know it will get fairly large, I am hoping that once it starts growing I can pin it to the background to go horizontally also and not just vertically, and will be pruning it as needed. I am hoping I can pin/train it to use the 2-3' width along with the height of the tank.


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## Broseph (Dec 5, 2011)

The background-up-the-front idea is really interesting. I like it. And the pendant light is very stylish. I love it.


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## tinc2344 (Jul 23, 2008)

Thank you.


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## tinc2344 (Jul 23, 2008)

Went ahead and added the first round of plant.









The meter is the one I've had since around 2006, the the external probe is lost but works well. So far staying between 68-73F and between 78-88 for humidity.

Waiting to see what the local nursery gets in this week, its where I got the above plants. Also may take a trip out to Logees in CT.


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## Tommy (Jan 22, 2021)

Looks good. Very unique.


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## tinc2344 (Jul 23, 2008)

Here's some updated photos. Have leaf litter, some coco huts on order. Got cultures going, springtails and isopods have been added. Just trying to track down some Leucs now.


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## tinc2344 (Jul 23, 2008)

Oh, have a pep. Rain drop coming for the bare spot to the left in the back


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## Socratic Monologue (Apr 7, 2018)

I like this a lot. Excellent hardscape, and the perfect number of simple but effective plants. 

I'm sort of taking a survey, and hope you'll participate. What, exactly, about this design is specifically tuned to leucomelas? Not that this viv wouldn't accomodate other species well, but did you have things in mind that leucs would appreciate/use/benefit from? And were there elements that you specifically left out because of the species you had in mind? 

<whispers: "speak directly into the microphone, please".>


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## tinc2344 (Jul 23, 2008)

Socratic Monologue said:


> I like this a lot. Excellent hardscape, and the perfect number of simple but effective plants.


Thank you for the compliment.



> I'm sort of taking a survey, and hope you'll participate. What, exactly, about this design is specifically tuned to leucomelas?


I tried to keep in mind their behavior while doing the hardscape and planning of the tank. As they would use and explore every inch of the tank I wanted to try and offer them multiple ways around the tank using the "empty" space that came with the volume of the tank. The "split tree" was in an attempt of a pathway throughout the tank that used the empty space while not having a fully centered look to it as I wanted to have a pleasing view also from both viewing panes.



> Not that this viv wouldn't accomodate other species well, but did you have things in mind that leucs would appreciate/use/benefit from?


As mentioned above, mainly to provide them the most space to explore without making the tank feel cramped. I tried to use large leafed plants with decent stems so when they climb on it, the plant can support the frog (minus the Alacosia, that's for me I love the leaf shape). I do know with that some of these plants will get very large, so I will be pruning a lot and also pinning to train them against the background (mainly the rhaphidophora). I mainly picked Leucs for this tank due to the size of it, and they can be kept in groups, as this is a display in the living area I felt that having 4 Luecs will provide more opportunity to view them than if I went with a species that do best in pairs like Tincs. 



> And were there elements that you specifically left out because of the species you had in mind?
> In the past I used broms pretty heavily even with darts that didn't use them as breeding sites. So in this I used very few and mainly just to breakup the sparseness on one side of the background.


I hope that helps. A few other reasons I decide on Leucs is the color variation that stands out with the bold yellow/orange on the black body is more visible. Plus my oldest daughter loves yellow and has already decided one of them needs to be name Barry B. Benson.


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## tinc2344 (Jul 23, 2008)

Couple of updated pics the broms already have some pups shooting out. And the rhaphidophorais growing frantically. I've cut down on misting now that things have seemingly settled in. 

Front view










View from the couch


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## fishingguy12345 (Apr 7, 2019)

The raphidospora will get to be 6 feet in height or so, I would recommend removing it from the tank. I have one that I was thinking about using in a tank but it outgrew the tank in about 2 months' time so now it's a houseplant


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## tinc2344 (Jul 23, 2008)

fishingguy12345 said:


> The raphidospora will get to be 6 feet in height or so, I would recommend removing it from the tank. I have one that I was thinking about using in a tank but it outgrew the tank in about 2 months' time so now it's a houseplant


My idea was to prune it when it got high like it is in that picture, and hoping that it would file out horizontally with the pruning. Do you have a recommendation for a replacement that has large leaves and would fill in that space in the back corner (about 1.5 sq feet)?


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## tinc2344 (Jul 23, 2008)




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## Socratic Monologue (Apr 7, 2018)

Sweet photos. Would you mind sharing what photo equipment you used for these?


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## tinc2344 (Jul 23, 2008)

Socratic Monologue said:


> Sweet photos. Would you mind sharing what photo equipment you used for these?


Thanks, those are also straight from the camera, no editing. Those were done with a Nikon D7000 and a Tamron 150-600 Di VC lens. It's what I use to shot soccer games. I figure I can stay far away from the tank to not disturb anything and still be able to have plenty of reach to get what I want in the shot


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## tinc2344 (Jul 23, 2008)

I have at least 1 calling in the group, just haven't been able to see which one(s) yet. Started calling last week.


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## tinc2344 (Jul 23, 2008)

Here's 3 of the 4









And an updated shot, I am going to remove the raphidospora today. Just not sure what I'll be replacing it with yet.


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## tinc2344 (Jul 23, 2008)

Couple of updated pic from the side, this was minutes after a misting. Removed the raphidospora and replaced it with a philodendron mia, added a microsorium musifolium ‘crocydyllus’ and added a Tillandsia. I need to remove the brom pups.


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