# 25 Gal Construction Journal



## cryptokat (Mar 9, 2008)

So.. I'm kind of starting this most of the way into the construction. I didn't take pics until just now, but thought I would post them anyways. I started by making a false bottom out of eggcrate, fishing line & screen. I glued PVC to one corner for the waterfall and some cups/wood on the sides for plants/decor. I filled in with "great stuff" and then covered the background with cocoa fiber. Which puts me here:








a side view:








and a close up of the waterfall:









Next I just have to put in plants and substrate! I ordered a couple broms and a jewel orchid which should come soon. I'm also going to take some clippings from my 10 gal which has been growing for about a year.


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## divingne1 (Mar 21, 2008)

Looks nice so far. Please do post pics as you go along. It can be time consuming posting photos but it sure does help some of us who are clueless on putting together a vivarium. 
Candy


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## cryptokat (Mar 9, 2008)

I am probably just as, if not more, clueless than you are... this thread helped me a bunch:

http://www.dendroboard.com/parts-construction/topic35490.html


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## tkromer (Dec 20, 2007)

Looks like a great start. Keep us posted and ask questions if you have any. Everyone loves to see construction journals


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## cryptokat (Mar 9, 2008)

*Update*

I added some substrate:

























and I'm trying to figure out where to put plants and such:

















The plants I have to work with are:
2 broms
1 jewel orchid
2 different types of vines I can clip from my 10 gal
maybe some other things I can cut from the 10 gal? ..not sure what else would work

I'm not sure what type would be best to go in the 'pots' that I have in the background... I have a fern (Nephrolepis exaltata) in my 10 gal that I think would look good, but I'm not sure if I can just take a piece of it and have it grow? It's also kind of dying in the 10 gal, not sure why... all the other plants in there grow like crazy.

I also took a video of the waterfall:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeNCHczGV7I


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## zachxbass (Apr 21, 2008)

Only problem i see is that the water level is too high so the substrate will always be wet, so any plants down there would rot out unless they are aquatic plants... Most people say to have at least 1/2" gap from water level and bottom of eggrate. The whole point of eggcrate is so the land area can be above the water and able to drain. I'm sure there are some frogs that would love it like you have it, so it's not necessarily bad, but most darts are completely terrestrial. I don't have any darts currently so don't qoute me on all of this... but i've been reading everything i can on this and other forums for quite a while and i _THINK_ i have a good idea on what i'm talking about :?


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## cryptokat (Mar 9, 2008)

you are absolutely right, and I realized that as soon as I had the water in there. I took some water out since I took the pictures so the substrate should be draining a bit.


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## cryptokat (Mar 9, 2008)

*Mold?*

So I've had the lid on and fountain running for a little while now-- trying to get the plants to grow a bit... However, so far the only thing thats grown is some fuzzy green and white mold on the cocohut and driftwood I have in there. Is this bad? If so how do I get rid of it?


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## cryptokat (Mar 9, 2008)

A year later with plants and frogs:


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## hr220a (Jan 31, 2009)

What is that vne you have growing in there? Its pretty dominant. Good looking plant though.


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## cryptokat (Mar 9, 2008)

That thing growing all over the place is a gesneriad. It's called Seemania sylvatica. Definitely grew wayyy out of control, even though I trim it all the time. It's even growing out of the water too. It does look very pretty when it blooms though:


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## harrywitmore (Feb 9, 2004)

This plant likes very high light levels. With that it grows more compact. Since it produces stolons it's hard to keep under control.


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## JoshH (Feb 13, 2008)

cryptokat said:


> That thing growing all over the place is a gesneriad. It's called Seemania sylvatica.


Thats a pretty neat plant, I don't think I've heard of it before. Where did you get it?


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## Marinarawr (Jan 14, 2009)

Beautiful plants! Where are these frogs you speak of?


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## cryptokat (Mar 9, 2008)

Harry, you know a lot more about plants than I do! I don't know what stolons are.

Got the plant from black jungle.

The frogs are in there, I swear! They're just barely visible in a couple of the pictures. This is the group in there:


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## WONTON SALLY (Jun 26, 2011)

where/how did you plant it in your tank?



cryptokat said:


> That thing growing all over the place is a gesneriad. It's called Seemania sylvatica. Definitely grew wayyy out of control, even though I trim it all the time. It's even growing out of the water too. It does look very pretty when it blooms though:


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