# 20 gal Vert for D. variabilis-Update 1-18-07



## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

Well, I will be the proud daddy of 2 D. variabilis next week and I wanted to build them an extra special vert. I put this together tonight. Its not 100% complete but its pretty close. I may add some micro orchids here and there or some more vining type plants.

Any feedback is welcomed. Thanks for looking.

*Begonia hybrid* 









*Dischidia lancifolia*









*Doryopteris sp. fern*









*Ludisia discolor var. Nigricans*









*Neo. June Night*









*Oncidium "Elfin Grace"*









*Selaginella sp.*









*Upper Half* (Neo. Dartanion, Dendrobium loddegesii, Silver-blue Philo., Dischidia gaudichaudii and Neo. June Night)









*Full Tank Shot*









*List of Plants*
_Neo. June Night
Neo. Dartanion
Dischidia lancifolia
Dischidia gaudichuadii
Dendrobium loddegesii
Oncidium "Elfin Grace"
Selaginella sp.
Doryopteris sp. fern
Philodendron "Silver-Blue"
Begonia hybrid
Ludisia discolor var. Nigricans
Macodes petola
Dossinia marmorata var. dayii_


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## frogman824 (Aug 10, 2005)

Nice lookin viv Antone. What size is it?


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## Dartfrogfreak (Jun 22, 2005)

AMAZING!!!




Todd


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

frogman824 said:


> Nice lookin viv Antone. What size is it?


Thanks. Its a 20 gal vert. I thought I put that in the title... :wink:


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## Fishinfl321 (Aug 10, 2006)

Looks awesome. That Oncidium is sweet.


Troy


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## roberthvalera (Jun 9, 2006)

Nice viv, like how your always slope to the front. Are the variabilis a pair?


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

roberthvalera said:


> Nice viv, like how your always slope to the front. Are the variabilis a pair?


I don't think they are a pair. I just want them though! Haha.

Thanks for the props.


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## Dendrobait (May 29, 2005)

Beautiful as usual Antone! :lol: 

Any thoughts on that Dorypteris fern? I've been looking around and while I haven't found any concrete statements they do seem to come from Tropical America...at least 1 species is endemic to Hawaii.


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

Dendrobait said:


> Beautiful as usual Antone! :lol:
> 
> Any thoughts on that Dorypteris fern? I've been looking around and while I haven't found any concrete statements they do seem to come from Tropical America...at least 1 species is endemic to Hawaii.


I don't really know much about it. What I do know is that it likes wet feet and grows very similar to Heart Fern in that it produces little plantlets from under the mature leaves and will shrivel up in a heart beat when its soil is dry. Especially if its hot.

Thanks for the compliment.


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## Kase (Feb 15, 2004)

Wow, Antone, the color contrast in there is great! Your leaf litter floor looks like the forest floor. Man that's incredible. Awesome work!!!
Could you take a FTS with it closed and a bit further back? If not, np.


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## Fanta (Apr 30, 2006)

Wish I had your attention to detail. Your designs are out of this world. How much do you charge for lessons???? :wink: :wink:


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## sports_doc (Nov 15, 2004)

Well done my friend. Well done indeed.

S


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## rozdaboff (Feb 27, 2005)

Antone - is the Doryopteris an "Antenna fern"? For the most part - the plant stays low, but sends up fronds that are a couple of inches above the rest of the plant?

If so, I tried it in a 29g - but had a lot of trouble with it and ended up losing it. I think it was because the feet stayed too wet. Just an observation.


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## Roadrunner (Mar 6, 2004)

awesome! they`ll definately be happy in there.


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## Guest (Oct 27, 2006)

Great looking viv!!!!


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

Thanks everyone for the compliments. I can't get my head out of the doorway now. Thanks! :lol: 



rozdaboff said:


> Antone - is the Doryopteris an "Antenna fern"? For the most part - the plant stays low, but sends up fronds that are a couple of inches above the rest of the plant?
> 
> If so, I tried it in a 29g - but had a lot of trouble with it and ended up losing it. I think it was because the feet stayed too wet. Just an observation.


Oz, I think that is what these are called. I remember someone telling me that it did shoot up really tall fertile fronds. I have a feeling you may have lost yours from the foliage being wet. I've noticed with these things that they love wet roots but don't like the foliage to be too wet. Seems like they enjoy a bit of air flow.

No matter. All my vivs are plant experiments. Live and learn! 



Kase said:


> Wow, Antone, the color contrast in there is great! Your leaf litter floor looks like the forest floor. Man that's incredible. Awesome work!!!
> *Could you take a FTS with it closed and a bit further back?* If not, np.


Kase, the very last picture is indeed a complete FTS. At the very bottom of the that picture you can see the top of the bottom glass piece that holds the substrate in. I don't like taking shots too far back b/c then you see all the crap on the sides like the table, walls, chords and stuff like that.


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## wishIwereAnExpert (Jul 18, 2005)

Very nice as always Antone.

Do you have that Doryopteris for sale? If so (and even if not ), add it and then N. june night to my 120 gallon order.

Do you have the variablis yet? Get some pics of those suckers!

-Solly


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

I don't have either the Fern or that brom for sale right now. But you know how that goes... :roll: 

:lol: 

I won't have the frogs until next week. Pics will go up after that.


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## c'est ma (Sep 11, 2004)

Wow, Antone, all I can do is echo everyone else--absolutely stunning!

I must say, it's nice to hear from a plant expert that he doesn't mind "plant experiments." That's always kind of my philosophy...along with doing one's best to research requirements, of course. But sometimes taking a chance with an unknown actually pays off (and sometimes something that should fit in perfectly absolutely refuses to do so!).

So it works to just tie Dischidia cuttings onto branches "barestem" as it were? No pad of moss or such needed? 'Cause I've had a cutting doing well in a plastic temp container for a while, and would eventually like to mount it in a viv when I have the right place for it...


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

c'est ma said:


> Wow, Antone, all I can do is echo everyone else--absolutely stunning!
> 
> I must say, it's nice to hear from a plant expert that he doesn't mind "plant experiments." That's always kind of my philosophy...along with doing one's best to research requirements, of course. But sometimes taking a chance with an unknown actually pays off (and sometimes something that should fit in perfectly absolutely refuses to do so!).
> 
> So it works to just tie Dischidia cuttings onto branches "barestem" as it were? No pad of moss or such needed? 'Cause I've had a cutting doing well in a plastic temp container for a while, and would eventually like to mount it in a viv when I have the right place for it...


Thank you Diane. You always say the right thing.

As for the Dischidia cutting, in a viv you can do this b/c the average humidity is enough to induce rooting with these cuttings. Out side, you'd need some moist sphag or something. Once the cutting roots, I will cut the string.


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## pigface (Apr 28, 2006)

Antone , Awesome viv , like all your others . I was going to ask the same question about mounting the cuttings . I was going to try it but wasen't sure they would take . What kind of leaf litter do you have in there ? Magnolia leaves are just a little big in a viv that size .


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

Hey Mark. Thanks for the compliment. Yeah the cuttings should take so long as the humidity is adequate. There is nothing wrong with spraying them directly every couple of days a bit until they root.

The leaf litter is Live Oak. Nice little leaves and they last for ever.


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## Dartfrogfreak (Jun 22, 2005)

Antone Please PM me about the Live Oak!!!

Yall need to pay yur respect to the Brom Fatha cuz Antone is a viv building master!!!

Thanx ,

Todd


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## wax32 (May 9, 2006)

Awesome viv as always Antone! I wish I could get mine to look like that!


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## Guest (Oct 31, 2006)

yep, still hate you :twisted: Your tanks always look so nice. I want that selaginella :wink:


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

nawth21 said:


> yep, still hate you :twisted: Your tanks always look so nice. I want that selaginella :wink:


 :mrgreen: 

Thanks!


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## themann42 (Apr 12, 2005)

awesome colors!


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

Well, I got some pics of the inhabitants. Yay.



















Very interesting call the male has. Sounds like a scratchy buzz. I almost didn't hear it. Thanks for looking.


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## Anoleo2 (Feb 1, 2006)

Those guys look great...they match the viv!


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## Guest (Nov 8, 2006)

Awww they look soo cute! Nice aquistion Antone!!!
By the way, how long did it take you to setup that tank?


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

Khamul1of9 said:


> Awww they look soo cute! Nice aquistion Antone!!!
> By the way, how long did it take you to setup that tank?


Thanks!

Well, from the second I siliconed in the Tree Fern panels to the time the leaf litter went down was about 4 days total. The actual planting was about 2-3 hours though. I'm too anal...


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## Guest (Nov 8, 2006)

Its cool 8) 
I was just curious cuase I just noticed you said in the begining of the thread that you just threw it together "tonight". I thought you were like super viv builder or something.

Any word on that elfin grace???


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

Khamul1of9 said:


> Its cool 8)
> I was just curious cuase I just noticed you said in the begining of the thread that you just threw it together "tonight". I thought you were like super viv builder or something.
> 
> Any word on that elfin grace???


Yeah, I threw the plants in that night it wasn't totally done at that point. I've added a couple of things since those pics but nothing major. Its done now though.

Elfin Grace is throwing new roots so I assume its doing well. I also added a Pleuro. grobyi and its doing pretty good too. Everything is rooting nicely.


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## c'est ma (Sep 11, 2004)

Oh, man, Antone, those are GORGEOUS frogs! (And pics!) That green/blue combination is my absolute favorite coloration, and thumbs (and pums) are my favorite frogs. Congrats!


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

Thanks Diane.


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

Took some shots of it tonight for a little update. You can see how much it has grown in. About 3 weeks ago, I had to clip the Philo. "Silver Blue" b/c it had grown foliage directly under the light and was shading a few things. Some stuff has lost color but I expected that. They will regain after a while.

Enjoy the pictures.




























One of the inhabitants.


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## joeyo90 (Nov 5, 2006)

wow :shock: thats grown in alot 
very very nice


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## c'est ma (Sep 11, 2004)

Oh, how beautiful! Man, that hybrid begonia sure has great coloring and is sure filling in that left corner nicely, and I love the way the Selaginella has sent those vertical shoots up--looks like mini lianas, only in reverse! Too nice!

Did you already identify that spidery, red-mottled brom (tilly?) in the upper left? It sure is striking.


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## biocmp (Mar 7, 2006)

WTF? Since when has Antone owned frogs?


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

biocmp said:


> WTF? Since when has Antone owned frogs?


HAHA! These aint the only ones I got!! :lol: 

Diane, the brom you speak of is Racinaea crispa. Its a high altitude bromeliad from Columbia I believe.

Thanks for the compliments.


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## masterbreed (May 9, 2006)

how many variabilis do you have in there?


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## Dartfrogfreak (Jun 22, 2005)

Nice Antone....

Wut are those Pothos/Philos???

Looks sorta like a silverblue in the back ???



Todd


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## wishIwereAnExpert (Jul 18, 2005)

To quote you,



frogtofall said:


> Bust out the damn clippers!




-Solly


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## defaced (May 23, 2005)

Excellent tank. You've got a very cool style and knack for layering plants. 

Any unplanted shots? I'm interested to see the hard scape because you've made great use of the space.


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

Masterbreed- I have 2 male D. variabilis in this viv.

Todd- Its the Philo. "Silver Blue."

Solly- I can't remember which thread that quote is from but I KNOW you're not talking about my viv. :wink:

Mike- I don't have any shots of the viv before planting. Sorry about that. I do appreciate the compliment though. I try my best.


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## MJ (Jun 16, 2005)

Looking good dude 8)


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## gary1218 (Dec 31, 2005)

Antone,

What's the brom in the last pic? How big does that get?


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

gary1218 said:


> Antone,
> 
> What's the brom in the last pic? How big does that get?


Thats Neo. June Night and its full grown. My favorite vert/tad brom. Too bad I don't have more of them.


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## masterbreed (May 9, 2006)

i have two variabilis too but unknown on the sex.. where do yours stay most of the time? mine stay mostly in the leaf litter


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

My D. variabilis are all over the viv. Never really sticking to any one spot. This is one frog that for me, utilizes every millimeter of its viv. I can't wait to get some more.


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## masterbreed (May 9, 2006)

really hopefully mine will become more bold with age


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## gary1218 (Dec 31, 2005)

Frogtofall said:


> gary1218 said:
> 
> 
> > Antone,
> ...


You shouldn't be showing them off in your tank if you can't get them for us


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

gary1218 said:


> Frogtofall said:
> 
> 
> > gary1218 said:
> ...


Oh I had them, lots of them. They went kinda fast.


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## wax32 (May 9, 2006)

HOLY MOLEEE!

What kind of light are you using over your tank Antone? How many watts of twisty bulb?


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

Dave,

Its a single 26 watt Daylight Twisty from GE. You can get them at Walmart for $7 and you get 2 per package. This viv really needs another one over it but I just don't wanna deal with the heat.


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## masterbreed (May 9, 2006)

have you tried higher wattage?


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

masterbreed said:


> have you tried higher wattage?


They don't make a higher wattage in the Daylight variety. The other "Super Whites" or stuff like that have horrid color. I think they are something like 2500K. Yellow city! Eeeewww. :wink:


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## masterbreed (May 9, 2006)

really i forgot what brand but at like osh they have like 90 watt daylight cp bulbs the twisty kind


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

masterbreed said:


> really i forgot what brand but at like osh they have like 90 watt daylight cp bulbs the twisty kind


They are most likely 23 watt but are 90 watt equivalent. The 26 watt ones I use are 100 watt equivalent. It just means that they are only consuming 26 watts of power but are as bright as a standard 100 watt bulb.

Here is a package of the old bulbs I used to use from Commercial Electric. You can see where it has the wattages. Click on it to enlarge.


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## wax32 (May 9, 2006)

I have the 27w one from Home Depot you recommended when I first started getting into this... and my alpine rose doesn't seem to be coloring up under it (it lost its color under the aquarium strip light in the old tank.). How long will it need to be under the better light to color up you think?


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## masterbreed (May 9, 2006)

wow i did not know that lol you learn something new everyday


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

wax32 said:


> I have the 27w one from Home Depot you recommended when I first started getting into this... and my alpine rose doesn't seem to be coloring up under it (it lost its color under the aquarium strip light in the old tank.). How long will it need to be under the better light to color up you think?


Neo. Alpine Rose requires a lot more light than I initially thought it would. I have one outside under 50% sun that is just coming into color. I would say they would need at least 2700 foot candles hitting the surface of the leaves. I bet you're not even close to that with just 1 bulb.


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## wax32 (May 9, 2006)

Wow! Yeah, I reckon not, and I don't want any more light, since my room tends to already be on the warm side...

I guess it will have to stay green, my imitators love it anyway!


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## wishIwereAnExpert (Jul 18, 2005)

FWIW, my Alpine rose stays well colored under 2100 ft candles.

In practical terms, this is in the top of a tank lit by 2 X 96 watt CF's.

-Solly


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

wishIwereAnExpert said:


> FWIW, my Alpine rose stays well colored under 2100 ft candles.
> 
> In practical terms, this is in the top of a tank lit by 2 X 96 watt CF's.
> 
> -Solly


Lets see it.


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## wax32 (May 9, 2006)

So you are using a long tube CF setup Solly?


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## wishIwereAnExpert (Jul 18, 2005)

wax32 said:


> So you are using a long tube CF setup Solly?


Yeah.

It's on a 48" rack with two (overlapping) 36" CF tubes. The alpine rose is in the middle tank of the rack, and so has both of the two tubes over it.

Antone,

I'll get some pics eventually. But you know how I am about speed of getting photos up...

-Solly


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

Well then you're lying until you do. :lol: 

I have a feeling the temperature is helping you out for sure. 70's plus 2000 foot candles is like Heaven for certain broms.


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## vivlover10 (Oct 10, 2010)

what kind of background is that?


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## Mitch (Jun 18, 2010)

Looks like tree fern fiber panels. Antone, can we get an update on this tank if its still around?


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## BlueRidge (Jun 12, 2010)

Wow Antone, that's another hot tank. Do you still have that one around?


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

This viv is loooong gone. Moved twice since building it. 

The background was tree fern.


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