# Another first setup here (Exo 36 x 18 x 24)



## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

New UK owner, and have just finished the initial planting of the tank, and am waiting on some more plants to arrive at the moment.

Temps seem to be sitting at 23 - 24 C with RH of 89 - 95% (I dont trust this digital hygro though).

The lighting is provided by a Hagen GLO canopy, using 2 x 39w 'LifeGlo' T5HO bulbs.

One question - The drainage layer is 2 inches of hydroleca and has about 1 inch of water sitting in it currently - do I need a syphon point to drain the water off weekly to prevent stagnation?





































Comments, both good and bad are welcome

Many thanks

Anthony


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

Looks nice! I wouldn't worry about the water unless it gets high enough to saturate the substrate.


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

frogface said:


> Looks nice! I wouldn't worry about the water unless it gets high enough to saturate the substrate.


Cheers.

Does the tank 'look' too dry to you?

The thermo / hygro is a Lucky Reptile Pro one and it is currently sitting at 98% humidity, which i doubt greatly. 

I have only so far covered 2 of the top exo vents, should i cover all of them? What about airflow?

Many thanks

Anthony


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## Frank H (Nov 3, 2005)

airflow is more for the plants rather than the frogs. Opening once a day to feed is plenty of air for little frogs to breath - especially in that big of a vivarium. 

I usually leave a corner low so it forms a pond, so I can use a syphon in that area to get the water down before it reaches the substrate. If it reaches the dirt, it will soak in and create problems.


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

I agree with a pushed in corner for water access. You can put some pebbles in it and slope it up to the high ground. 

The additional plants you are planning to put in there should help with humidity, too.


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## NickBoudin (Nov 3, 2007)

I also like to leave a little corner for removing the water that gets higher then the substrate. You can use a turkey baster or some 1/4" airline tube for fishtanks to easily drain water from a tight spot.

Add some leaf litter too the bottom, maybe some moss. Other then that, it looks great and will look even better grown in! 

You have a great set of lights, so expect stuff to grow fast.


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

Cheers for the comments, very much appreciated .

A couple of changes :

1) The wood turned out to be grapevine so was promptly removed, I will be orderering a single large piece of sumatran driftwood next week

2) Syphon point has been added with the use of some external filter tubing, so i can drain off the water periodically

3) Ficus Quercifolia has been ordered along with tropical moss

4) Considering a mistking system to up the humidity (I have been told it looks way too dry? :S)

Many thanks

Anthony


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## AaronAcker (Aug 15, 2007)

if you dont get enough tropical moss to cover the bottom, order some leaf litter  Food for though.


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

AaronAcker said:


> if you dont get enough tropical moss to cover the bottom, order some leaf litter  Food for though.


I have already ordered almond leaves, just awaiting on them too arrive now 

Many thanks

Anthony


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## GRIMM (Jan 18, 2010)

The reason it looks dry isnt because it is...Its because there are 3 huge slabs of dry looking walls. Get them covered with more epiphytes, broms, and vines...Then your "problem" is sloved 

Looks good anyways though, just needs some filling in. Keep the pics comming as it does.


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

GRIMM said:


> The reason it looks dry isnt because it is...Its because there are 3 huge slabs of dry looking walls. Get them covered with more epiphytes, broms, and vines...Then your "problem" is sloved
> 
> Looks good anyways though, just needs some filling in. Keep the pics comming as it does.


Cheers for the advice.

I assume that broms etc should have no problems rooting to the tree fern panels?

Many thanks

Anthony


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## GRIMM (Jan 18, 2010)

gex23 said:


> Cheers for the advice.
> 
> I assume that broms etc should have no problems rooting to the tree fern panels?
> 
> ...


I have never used them myself, but I've seen plenty of amazing vivs with the use of the panels. Just make sure it gets enough moisture, and plants will take off over it. I've also seen entire walls covered in moss using similar "slab" backgrounds. If humidity is high enough, and misting is regular, this will be easily possible.

And for a little extra advice (may not be wanted lol) Try scaping the ground a little more. Build up the substrate around a couple sides, in the corners, and around the wood features. This is always seen in nature, and just helps make everything appear a little more natural and aged. Just move it around until you find something that looks good to you, keeping in mind future plants you may add.


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

Cheers for all the tips so far, I also need to add my heatmat / stat as its already dropping to 64 F overnight with no heating!

Also I think the humidity issues sorted  :










Also, almond leaves ordered, sumatran driftwood ordered, more plants and also livefood cultures ordered


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## Mitch (Jun 18, 2010)

Looking good!


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

Mitch said:


> Looking good!


Cheers 

Also, the temps of the room and viv are concerning me, its dropped to 17.5 C (63.5 F) with temps outside being 8 C (46.4 F), so am concerned what temps will be in Winter! I see you guys usually use submersible heaters under a false bottom / eggcrate but I have just a LECA drainage layer so have ordered a Pro II stat and 23 x 11" 28w heatmat

so, the centre of the broms look like they are rotting almost, whats the remedy for this? :


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

Plants arriving from dartfrog :










Also a couple of photos of it just planted :



















Also have set up the tropical woodlice, springtail and fruitfly cultures (also added a springtail culture into the viv itself), so once I have managed to breed the fruitflies I will be ordering either some Tinc cobalts or Tinc Azureus (possibly a 2.1 group - is this viable?)

Many thanks

Anthony


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## AaronAcker (Aug 15, 2007)

I personally think you'd have better luck with a 1.1 pair of tincs.


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

AaronAcker said:


> I personally think you'd have better luck with a 1.1 pair of tincs.


Cheers.

I am now very much interested in Galactonotus, do you think a group of 4 or 5 would be ok in this vivarium?


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## MD_Frogger (Sep 9, 2008)

gex23 said:


> I also need to add my heatmat / stat as its already dropping to 64 F overnight with no heating!


There is no need to do this. As a matter of fact the heating and cooling from the heat pad could cause your glass to crack. The frogs are fine at those temps.


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

MD_Frogger said:


> There is no need to do this. As a matter of fact the heating and cooling from the heat pad could cause your glass to crack. The frogs are fine at those temps.


Thats good to know 

Added a few more plants today, and am less happy then ever with the look (also its debatable as to wether the new plants will flourish or die in this tank) :




























Comments and feedback welcome.

Many thanks

Anthony


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

Some plants just won't work and some plants need time to adjust. They might look terrible for a time and then you'll see new growth coming from them. I'm not a plant expert though, so I can't elaborate on that 

The brom centers will rot and come out, after they have flowered. You can even pull it out to expose the open center area. 

I think the tank is looking good! Give it some time to settle in and see what grows and what doesn't.


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## AaronAcker (Aug 15, 2007)

I agree. Looks good, just takes a bit of time and trial and error to get it settled. As for the galacts, I think 4 would be good in there. I had 1.1.2 red galacts in a 40b. Great frogs.


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

Cheers for the comments, I may have source a group of four galacts, I will update soon.


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## Morgan Freeman (Feb 26, 2009)

Ahhh I thought I recognised this tank!


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

Morgan Freeman said:


> Ahhh I thought I recognised this tank!


Its a completely different tank to the one on RFUK.....


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

A few (poor) photos to show the new growth :

Peperomia Petuolata :










Guzmania with 2 new plants at the base :










Brom with new plant at base :










Baby tears seems to have grown already! (or is it just me...) :










The moss seems to have settled and is showing new growth :











Also the Anubias Nana (supposedly aquatic only), is showing new growth too :










Sorry for the poor photos.

The Ficus seems to be a none starter atm, also the wandering jew and new broms are doing nothing, I hope they pick up.


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## Mitch (Jun 18, 2010)

Very nice! I'm sure the plants that haven't starting growing yet will soon, it just takes some time for them to settle in first.


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

Added another Guzmania and a Tilliansia brom, and am now leaving it to fill in. The wandering jew has rooted nicely so im hoping this will cover the back wall, while i'm hoping the ficus will cover the right wall.

Comments welcome!

Cheers

Anthony


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

Would a group of 4 Terriblis be ok in this viv? Or is it too heavily planted? I was thinking of either Mint or Yellow variants.


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

You did a great job with those plants!


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

frogface said:


> You did a great job with those plants!


Cheers 

The Ficus Quercifolia is finally showing signs of growth, along with the Tradescantia Fluminensis.

I am having real issues with these fruit fly cultures though, mites seem to ravage them just as I get larvae which is very annoying. So I may abandon the idea of a group of Galactonotus, and go for a small group of P.Terribilis - do you think this tank with all these plants will provide enough floorspace for the Terribs?


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

I've read that some people put their ff cultures in a tub of some sort with a bit of water in the bottom. The mites can't cross the water. I've never tried it myself.


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

frogface said:


> I've read that some people put their ff cultures in a tub of some sort with a bit of water in the bottom. The mites can't cross the water. I've never tried it myself.


Cheers, will give it a try 

Managed to snag my dads D5000 for the night, so heres a few snaps showing better colours :














































I hope you like

Regards

Anthon


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## Frank H (Nov 3, 2005)

That purple pepperomia on the bottom right is very nice! What is that? 

The whole thing looks good. Very good job planting it! 

I think 4 teribilis would do just fine in there. 4 Galactonotus would too. Either way, Keep us posted!


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

Frank H said:


> That purple pepperomia on the bottom right is very nice! What is that?
> 
> The whole thing looks good. Very good job planting it!
> 
> I think 4 teribilis would do just fine in there. 4 Galactonotus would too. Either way, Keep us posted!


The plant in question is Peperomia Caperata - Unsure as to how well its coping in the humid conditions, as its dropped a few leaves.

All being well I am collecting a group of 4 yellow Terribilis juveniles this week, so I will update


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

Just to update, I purchased 4 CB 3 month old Phyllobates Terribilis (Yellow morph) from a Dendroboard member tonight.

I will add photos soon


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## BlueRidge (Jun 12, 2010)

WOW, what a difference a camera makes. Tank looks very good, growth looks great.


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

JaredJ said:


> WOW, what a difference a camera makes. Tank looks very good, growth looks great.


Cheers mate 

I've only been able to locate 3 of the 4 frogs atm, all hiding and not eating but I guess its an acclimatisation period for them - heres a snap of one of them :


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

Just thought i'd add a complete plant list :

Bromeliads :

Guzmania (sp) 
Neoralgia Tarapatoenisis 
Nidularium fifi
Tillansdia Bulbosa
Tiliiansdia (sp)


Climbers :

Ficus Pumilia
Ficus Quercifolia
Tradescantia fluminensis tricolour

Others :

Anubias Barteri 'Nana'
'Babytears'
Begonia Bowrae
Croton
Dracaena deremensis
Fittonia 'Red'
Peperomia Caperata
Peperomia Puteolata
Pilea Glauca
Pilea Involucrata
Pilea (sp) - Unidentified
Tropical Moss


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

10mm polycarbonate sheeting has replaced the mesh top / perspex combo :




























Seems to let plenty of light through too :


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

Heres a snap of one of the Terrbis that braved the floor today :










and one of the fan setup on the tank (unsightly but effective) :










Cheers

Anthony


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

Added some internal air circulation to stop the air from stagnating in between external air ventilation.


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)




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## peekaboogliders (Oct 12, 2010)

WOW this is really gorgeous. What do you do when the broms and such get too big for the tank?


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

Thought i'd update with a few photos and also additions...

I have added a Mistking misting system and replaced the polycarbonate lid with a split sheet of 4mm Pilkington Optiwhite glass (3 x 16mm holes predrilled for the mistking system).

Optiwhite lid plus Mistking fittings 

























The largest of the Terribs :









FTS:









Pepperomia Caperata (note flower stalk) :









Ficus growth :









Begonia Bowrae and moss growth :









Brom offsets :









Starting work on a thumbnail viv next month 

Comments welcome, both good and bad

Kind regards

Anthony


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## Leucomelas18 (Jun 12, 2008)

From Start to finish it looks AMAZING! I wish my first viv came out looking like that. Great choice of frogs for the tank as well. Can't wait to see the Thumbnail Tank!


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## AaronAcker (Aug 15, 2007)

Looks really good filled in!


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

Cheers for the comments. 

I'm not that happy with the look, but i'm planning on a rescape later in 2011.


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## eos (Dec 6, 2008)

WOW! It looks awesome! Complete turn around from the first page of this thread! Great job


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