# Custom Build 15x31x28



## Mantellaprince20 (Aug 25, 2004)

I thought I would share a custom build I am doing to fit an empty spot on my wall stand . Here is the initial progress.


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## BethInAK (Jul 12, 2011)

I'm subscribing.

I would like to learn to make my own build someday.


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## deboardfam (Feb 7, 2011)

> I'm subscribing.


Me too... real nice dimensions!


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

Subscribed. Great dimensions, what are you planning for?


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## eos (Dec 6, 2008)

deboardfam said:


> Me too... real nice dimensions!


Me three...


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## Mantellaprince20 (Aug 25, 2004)

I've got the background set in, now I have a lot of carving and siliconing to do.....


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## kate801 (Jul 7, 2011)

Nice Ed! Can't wait to see how this turns out.


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## dubloco (Sep 18, 2011)

Great start. Keep the pictures coming!


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## Mantellaprince20 (Aug 25, 2004)

I finally got the background put together.

I went with the zoo med Beaked moss, crunched that up into smaller pieces, then I went with a moss growing mix that I smash on top of the beak moss. I hate using just coco dust, and I am hopeful that this will sprout some moss out in the next year or so.... that would be sweeeet!










ed parker


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## Frank H (Nov 3, 2005)

Looks good! Cant wait to see what it turns into.


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## Okapi (Oct 12, 2007)

looks good


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## gnod (Sep 12, 2011)

love DIY set ups..! great start


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## Mantellaprince20 (Aug 25, 2004)

After having a disaster with this bad boy on thursay night, ( the bottom glass panel broke) i was able to get a new piece installed and then planted today. Here are some photo's. I still have other plants I may want to fit in here  I'll post up the species list soon..


































After watching my 115 gallon grow in after I put over 80 plant species in, I decide to limit myself on future vivs. I am planning on having a few background creepers take over like the marcgravia and raphiodophora, while allowing the orchids a chance to fill in over the next few years. 

A few cool things I have in there is:

Piper decoratum
Pearcea hyperocritifolia?
Syngonium rayii
Microsorum linguiforme
Trichosalpinx memor
Goodyera hispida
Macodes petola
Chamaeranthe venosum
Neo. "mo pepper"

My goal was to not use ANY generic plants, other than the neo fireballs of course


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## Alegre323 (Sep 2, 2011)

Mantellaprince20 said:


> After having a disaster with this bad boy on thursay night, ( the bottom glass panel broke) i was able to get a new piece installed and then planted today. Here are some photo's. I still have other plants I may want to fit in here  I'll post up the species list soon..
> 
> 
> 
> ...


beautiful!


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## Mantellaprince20 (Aug 25, 2004)

Here is the plant list used:

Selaginella unk SP.
Selaginella serpens
Selaginella erythropus
Selaginella moellendorfii
Piper crocatum
Begonia foliosa
Begonia "unk bowerii hybrid"
Begonia "dew drop"
Syngonium rayii
Peperomia japonica
Peperomia turboensis
Peperomia "SELBY 3" cloudjungle
Marcgravia sp.
Rhaphiodophora sp.
Pearcea hypocyrtiflora
Amalophyllon sp. Rm
Espiscia "unk"
Pellionia pulchra
Callisia elegans
Hoya sp.
Chamaeranthemum venosum
Microsorum linguiforme
Philo "burl marx fantasy"
Black jungle "mini aroid vine"

Orchid List: (now the fun stuff  )
Macodes petola
Goodyera hispida
Maxillaria costaricensis
Epidendrum radicans
Lepanthes manabina
Lepanthes calodictyon
Lepanthopsis astrophora
Pleurothallis shuarii
Pleurothallis erythrium
Masdevalla herradurae
Psygmorchis pusilla
Trichosalpinx memor
Trisetella strumosa
Psychopsiella limminghei
Promeneae "chameleon"
Zootrophion atropurpurea
Zootrophion serpentinum
Vanilla planifolia "small vine" (miniature of regular species, not sure if it will stay small)
Mediocalcar decoratum
Scaphosepalum swertiifolium

Only 40 species and 4 hybrids this time, I really had to limit myself........


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## Mantellaprince20 (Aug 25, 2004)

Now for the plant photo's  THIS IS PIC HEAVY

Amophyllon sp. RM









Begonia "Bowerii hyb"









Begonia buttercup









Callisia elegans









Chamaeranthemum venosum









Macodes petola









Marcgravia sp.









Masdevallia herradurae









Mediocalcar decoratum









Microsorum linguiforme









Mini Aroid Vine "Black Jungle"









Peperomia selby 3? cloud jungle









Peperomia turboensis









Philodendron "burl marx fantasy









Piper crocatum









Pleurothallis erythrium









Pleurothallis shuarii









Psygmorchis pusilla









Rhaphiodophora sp.









Selaginella moellendorfii









Trisetella strumosa









Front glass on and ready to rock!


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

Gorgeous! Thanks for sharing.


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## arielelf (May 23, 2007)

This viv looks great! I love the plant selections.


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## dendrobates (May 11, 2009)

What type of mantellas are you going to put in that "bad boy"?


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## Mantellaprince20 (Aug 25, 2004)

I've got a 1.2 trio of R. variabilis EU todd kelly line going in there  Unfortunately my room gets a little to hot for mantella's with the pumilio and all. The only ones I keep at the moment is viridis and laevigata. I'm pleading with the wife to let me keep a viv in the cooler downstairs area so I can get a nice group of M. aurantiaca going, so we will see how that goes......


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## GRIMM (Jan 18, 2010)

I'll be honest, I never did really like either of your backgrounds, but you are definitely one of the kings of planting a tank. If ever I hear someone say a tank looks better with less plant species, I'll point them towards both your tanks and prove them wrong. This thing is gonna look awesome once it fills in, just like the 125 gallon does. Only thing I would change is to move those 2 broms off center.


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## Mantellaprince20 (Aug 25, 2004)

GRIMM said:


> I'll be honest, I never did really like either of your backgrounds, but you are definitely one of the kings of planting a tank. If ever I hear someone say a tank looks better with less plant species, I'll point them towards both your tanks and prove them wrong. This thing is gonna look awesome once it fills in, just like the 125 gallon does. Only thing I would change is to move those 2 broms off center.


Ha ha, i didn't even notice how they were centered together.... not my intent. Thanks for pointing that out. 

What kind of backgrounds do you use? I try not to spend too much time on the backgrounds as all I am trying to create is planting space, which my 115 speaks very well for . I cant even find an open piece of background in that beast now! I'll update it with photos soon


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## nguyenp209 (Jul 31, 2011)

Great vivarium. Thanks for putting all the plants name down by the pics


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## Mantellaprince20 (Aug 25, 2004)

Here is a quick update shot










I love my choice of plants, as the viv has grown a ton, but nothing is competing with anything else  There are only a few plants that may take over in this one, and it is the marcgravia and raphiodophora, so I say let them take over 

Thanks for looking,

ed parker


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## *Self_DeFenCe* (Jun 12, 2010)

This is madness!!!


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## eos (Dec 6, 2008)

Lookin fantastic!


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## stevenhman (Feb 19, 2008)

Very nice! How is the new bottom holding up? I was always wary about repairing broken panes because I have heard about issues between new silicone bonding to old (or already cured).


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## laylow (Apr 6, 2009)

Ed, about how much did you spend for the glass to build the tank do you remember?

Shaw


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## Mantellaprince20 (Aug 25, 2004)

stevenhman said:


> Very nice! How is the new bottom holding up? I was always wary about repairing broken panes because I have heard about issues between new silicone bonding to old (or already cured).


It is actually holding up very well. I basically removed all of the old silicone, cleaned the surfaces really well, then used the all glass aquarium silicone to put it back together. that was pretty stupid of me to use the 1/4" glass as the bottom..... lesson learned


Shaw, I think I spent about $70 in glass before replacing the broken bottom, not too bad considering a new 60 gallon aquarium is around $150 or so, and then you still have to cover the top 

Thanks for the comments, I will update some of the plants soon. The lepanthopsis astrophora has been in bloom for the past few months with over a dozen spikes and more coming out now!


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