# 47 Gallon Column Build



## KCvivPhotog25 (Jan 29, 2010)

Alright, so I finally started my build after lots of prep and research. I have basically everything I need so this build should go pretty fast. Its a standard GS build. This is my first viv so I'm sure it will have some moments of "duh, what was I thinking!" I just completed the silicone and GS now I have to wait until its completely cured to do the silicone/coco. The coco is in the oven getting bone dry now. Its been in a bucket for a couple weeks, I just wanted to make sure it was completely dessicated. Heres a crappy pic of what its looking like.


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## Occidentalis (Jul 11, 2009)

Looks great so far. I've always wanted to put together one of the Perfecto Column tanks.


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## KCvivPhotog25 (Jan 29, 2010)

hated the forst one didn't show any depth heres a couple more


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## KCvivPhotog25 (Jan 29, 2010)

SO the silicone coco step is a huge pain! I knew it going in but all those nooks and crannys are killin me!


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## eos (Dec 6, 2008)

You can just pack the silicone in those tiny cracks and pack on the coco fiber on top .. Good luck and keep us posted.


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## Occidentalis (Jul 11, 2009)

If you're using a caulking gun it shouldn't be too big of a deal. The first build I did I used a squeeze tube and just about gave up the hobby.


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## KCvivPhotog25 (Jan 29, 2010)

I completed the coco step 98% touch up to come when i get back on Friday! Heres a pic of how its looking with the lights on. 

I did use a caulking gun however without front opening doors the hard spots were a bear! I'm digging the look though. next step is the hydroton and substrate layer. Then I'll rig up the U.S. fogger next weekend. by that time everything should be completely dried. Then comes the exciting part, PLANTING! 

I'm thinking lots of neorogelias, and some larger specimen plants along with jewel orchids. Need suggestions! 

Heres a link to the most current pic
http://jeverettphoto.wordpress.com/2010/02/07/coco-complete-2/


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## KCvivPhotog25 (Jan 29, 2010)

Started some planting! Needing some small broms hard to come by locally... boo. Click to view in the correct perspective...


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## eos (Dec 6, 2008)

Looks good man.. I like the placement of the orchid in the middle.


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## KCvivPhotog25 (Jan 29, 2010)

Thanks, its my first viv so I'm just trying things out for the moment. Heres a side view


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## azure89 (Jan 5, 2009)

I gotta say that is really nice! Especially for a first viv! Congrats man what you gonna throw in there?


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## KCvivPhotog25 (Jan 29, 2010)

I don't know for sure as of yet, not in any rush. I'm thinking a trio of leuc's or something else that is bold and will utilize the verticle nature of the viv.


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## KCvivPhotog25 (Jan 29, 2010)

I just hit the KC reptile show, thanks Taron for some nice neoreglia pups, I also hit the nursery for s&g and got some more tilly's think I'll order some more online when it gets a little warmer at night. I hope to have a complete vine of till's eventually. I snapped a quick one from the top so you could all see...


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## KCvivPhotog25 (Jan 29, 2010)

Here's a snapshot of the top half, I'm a professional photographer yet taking pictures through glass with huge windows behind me and the viv lights on is a pain in the ass.


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## vegas chad (Jul 21, 2008)

Very nice! what kind of pitcher plant is that, where you get it?


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## Julio (Oct 8, 2007)

pretty sweet Job!!


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## Herpetology101 (Jan 14, 2010)

good job what type of moss are you growing there?


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## Tennill (Jan 4, 2008)

There is only one concern I have is that your brom in the top right corner isn't getting enough water. That's a steep angle for water to stay in it.


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## KCvivPhotog25 (Jan 29, 2010)

Thanks, its actually planted into a net pot in the background, and will probably not be in the viv very long, I think I'm going to get something else for that spot. I'm still trying to decide what to put in there. Anyone have any suggestions?


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## KCvivPhotog25 (Jan 29, 2010)

As far as moss goes, the only thing in there are the hitchhikers from the various plants and sphagnum. I'm actually having a hard time keeping things alive on the viv floor. It has a three inch deep layer of coco/fir/sphagnum. under that is a leca layer with about an inch of water. My prob is that it still retains quite a bit of water, you squeeze it and it's like a sponge water pours out. 

I've only lost at this point "baby's tears" and my saigenella isn't quite as peppy as before. The baby tears just melted and turned to black mush after a couple weeks. I mist once or twice a week with RO water and almost exclusively the background as I cannot get it to stay moist for more than a day. plants in the background are growing fast esp the ones up top.


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## KCvivPhotog25 (Jan 29, 2010)




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## KCvivPhotog25 (Jan 29, 2010)




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## Herpetology101 (Jan 14, 2010)

wonderful viv, by and chance do you know that begonia sp.


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## KCvivPhotog25 (Jan 29, 2010)

Begonia boweri 'eyelash'


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## Julio (Oct 8, 2007)

looks pretty amazing! what kind of moss do you have growing on the background?


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## vivbulider (Jan 23, 2010)

Wow I love this tank what are you keeping in there


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## flapjax3000 (Jul 4, 2009)

Those look like some nice tad rearing pitcher plants in the background.  Nice viv.


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## KCvivPhotog25 (Jan 29, 2010)

I don't have frogs, I plan to get some next month. I've been letting everything get fully established and growing before introducing them. 

Julio, as far as moss, I just have temperate moss I collected and washed in bleach water. It seems to be doing alright... If it dies I didn't lose anything. I've been keeping it moist and its going along alright. I also collected some moss from the inside of my outside planters. I found it when cleaning them out to put in new plants this spring. It was growing between the soil and the plastic, it must have been getting plenty of light threw the plastic because it coated the entire inside surface of the 30 gallon plastic planter. 

I have currently in the way of plants:
Phalenopsis 'noahs ark' (which was 75% off at the nursery) its a "mini" and has put out a new leaf and roots as well as reblooming off the off stalk.
Pepperomia 'mini moons'
Pilea 'baby's tears' (which is spreading and rooting everywhere, each time I water leaves fall off and they root into the subs)
Neoregelia (unknown sp. aquired from reptilesetc)
vriesea splendens (got for nothing at a big box store as a filler, I mounted it vertically on the background in net pot filled with LFS, thought it would die.... its' pupping like mad)
Nepenthes ventricosa (which I let put out 5 or 6 new leaves them sliced off the growing tip with a razorblade. A couple new ones have formed but I nicked them off) pitcher plant bonsai!
Tillandsia ionantha 
Tillandsia brachycaulos
Hoya carnosa compacta 'Hindu Rope'
hoya rubra variegated
Selaginella kraussiana
Begonia bowerae 'eyelash'
Microsorum diversifolium 'kangaroo paw'
Humata tyermanii 'hare's foot fern'
ASPLENIUM NIDUS ANTIQUUM 'Japanese birdsnest'
Ficus pumila (creeping ficus, the only plant that doesn't seem to want to thrive in my viv)
African Violet
And a couple of cuttings I cannot for the life of me remember the names of... 
ID PLEASE this guy I'm spacing it...


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## JoshH (Feb 13, 2008)

Very, very nice!


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## KCvivPhotog25 (Jan 29, 2010)

*Full Tank Shot*









Pardon the glass glare


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## KCvivPhotog25 (Jan 29, 2010)




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## Alfy111 (Aug 6, 2005)

thats amazing! i also have a 47 column and i was just wondering what kind of lighting you were using? it looks extremely well lit all the way down to the bottom.


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## KCvivPhotog25 (Jan 29, 2010)

I'm using a coralife 2x65w PC hood I had left over from my nano reef days, it grew LPS and some SPS corals so I figured it would fare well enough on this tank. It does hang over the edges a bit but not obnoxiously. I'm actually thinking about adding an additional light fixture on the top. Right now it lights it fairly well but its such a deep tank that the fall off is pretty steep. At this point the high light requiring plants are in the top 1/3 of the tank. I'm only using 10000k and 50/50 bulbs at this point because they are so damned expensive to replace and were fairly fresh. I will switch them over in a month or two to 6700k bulbs.


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## ZC3 (Apr 2, 2010)

Any updates\frogs?


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## KCvivPhotog25 (Jan 29, 2010)

*PICs UPDATED 9-19*

Here are some pics I just snapped, this tank houses 3 standard luecs. I'm currently working on two 40b which I'll move them to and replace them with thumbs prob imi's.


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## Mitch (Jun 18, 2010)

*Re: PICs UPDATED 9-19*

Beautiful! This tanks seems to be thriving. How is the pitcher doing? Which species is it?


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## KCvivPhotog25 (Jan 29, 2010)

Thanks. Its was ventricosa and I pulled it out a few months ago.. It was burning up under the lights and looking pretty crappy. I still havent put anything back into its spot, I have a hoya I might put in there but the tank is growing so fast I haven't gotten around to it.


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