# Tribute to the Tribute Viv



## phender (Jan 9, 2009)

I liked the look of the tribute viv so much that I thought I would try one myself.

The tank is a 36x18x24 ExoTerra that will be the future home of a trio of Tesoro Bicolors (with the blue legs) that I picked up recently. With luck I might get a couple more to join them. I wanted to give them as much floor space as possible and since my backgrounds usually infringe quite a bit on the floor, I figured this type of tank would give me lots of floor, but still give me lots of planting space. 

Here is the first mock up.









I went with a egg crate bottom because I wanted to make a small pond for the frogs to deposit their tads if I missed collecting their eggs.

Here it is with the pond (it has a window screen liner) and ABG mix. I like hiding ponds a little. I think it creates a little more interest.









Here it is with a few structure plants. The Philodendron on the left is recurvifolium from Brazil. The Alocasia on the right was supposed to be reversa, but I think it is probably cuprea. The broms on the right are Vriesea flammea x corcovadensis. The three tillandsia looking broms on the left are Vr. correia-araujoi (the little ones) and Vr. corcovadensis (the larger one). The middle brom is Werauhia marnier-lapostollei. The orchid in the top right is Bulbophyllum Kalimpong. No, I didn't keep with new world plants. I apologize to the purists. There is also a Triolena pustulata in the back middle that you can't see from this angle.










I still need leaf litter, and a few more peperomias, ferns, moss and orchids to fill in the cork rounds a bit.

I will post more pics as I go. Comments, questions and critiques are welcome.


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## Andrew Lee (Jan 21, 2014)

Looks really nice Mr. Henderson! I will definitely follow your progress!


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## Gibbs.JP (Feb 16, 2016)

Great job Phil! Now you've got me wanting to do my upcoming orange terribilis tank like that!


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## Encyclia (Aug 23, 2013)

Looks great, phender! If it's a tribute to a tribute, does that make it a meta tribute? 

Mark


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## Krakkin (Jul 1, 2013)

I just want to know where you found the longer cork tubes. I can't seem to get anything longer than 10-12". Those make for some awesome looking branches.


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## GOSKN5 (Dec 31, 2011)

Looks great.. when planting a plant in a cork tube like that.. do you fill the tube with substrate? Or do you have a hole with a pot or what?

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## Dane (Aug 19, 2004)

How about a few pics of the bicolors? Are the legs as vibrant as you had hoped?


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## phender (Jan 9, 2009)

Krakkin said:


> I just want to know where you found the longer cork tubes. I can't seem to get anything longer than 10-12". Those make for some awesome looking branches.


I went through Pangea Reptiles. The price is less than $7.00/lb. and they encourage you to tell them exactly what you want. Best of all shipping is $4.99 no matter how much you buy.

I asked the for cork tubes between 3"- 6" in diameter and between 24"- 36" long with as much texture as possible with no more than one cut end. That is is exactly what I got. I also got some flats as well for future projects.


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## phender (Jan 9, 2009)

GOSKN5 said:


> Looks great.. when planting a plant in a cork tube like that.. do you fill the tube with substrate? Or do you have a hole with a pot or what?


I fill the open ends of the cork with sphagnum so the frogs won't go inside, but all the plants I will be planting on the cork will be epiphytes like bromiliads, peperomia, certain ferns and some begonias, so just a little sphagnum poked into the crevices of the cork provides plenty of foothold and moisture for the epiphytic plants.



Dane said:


> How about a few pics of the bicolors? Are the legs as vibrant as you had hoped?


Boy I just can't make you happy can I Dane! 

The bicolors are still quite young. Two of the three still have remnants of the dark stripe down their backs. I like the light blue spots on the dark blue background on the legs so far. It would be nice if the legs become an overall baby blue, but I will be happy if they at least stay a different color than the gold/yellow body.

The one that has the most yellow right now. The legs are a little more blue in real life.









The two that still have stripe remnants.


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## goof901 (Jan 9, 2012)

phender said:


> I fill the open ends of the cork with sphagnum so the frogs won't go inside


Any reason why you don't want the frogs going inside?


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## phender (Jan 9, 2009)

goof901 said:


> Any reason why you don't want the frogs going inside?


I have found when frogs find a place like inside a cork log, they don't come out very much and sometimes can't find their way out at all. I would rather they have hiding places under large leaves, behind branches, etc. where I can monitor their health and reactions within the group.


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## Gibbs.JP (Feb 16, 2016)

goof901 said:


> Any reason why you don't want the frogs going inside?





phender said:


> I have found when frogs find a place like inside a cork log, they don't come out very much and sometimes can't find their way out at all. I would rather they have hiding places under large leaves, behind branches, etc. where I can monitor their health and reactions within the group.


Just as Phil mentioned... trust that the frogs will find hiding places you never meant to create! I fill all my cork tubes with foam so they can't get lost or stuck inside at any point.


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## roxrgneiss (Sep 30, 2007)

Very nice, Phil! I don't think the BG is even something to be missed, with so much of the vertical space occupied by branches. Plus the plants will do some filling in over the next year.

What kind of lighting are you running over this? Any plans for additional epiphytes?

Mike


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## phender (Jan 9, 2009)

roxrgneiss said:


> Very nice, Phil! I don't think the BG is even something to be missed, with so much of the vertical space occupied by branches. Plus the plants will do some filling in over the next year.
> 
> What kind of lighting are you running over this? Any plans for additional epiphytes?
> 
> Mike


Yah, I'm hoping the plants will fill in to the point that a background would be blocked out anyway.
Right now I have a 36" 2 bulb HO T5 fixture. If I start loosing the vertical stripes on the Werauhia, I will go to a 48" 4 bulb fixture.
I have already planted a few more ferns, peperomias, begonias and orchids. I have also transplanted more moss on the cork. Most are cuttings from my grow out tanks, so they need to take root and grow a bit. 
I guess its time for another picture when I get home.


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## phender (Jan 9, 2009)

So, here are a few more pictures. A full tank shot and some close-ups.


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## roxrgneiss (Sep 30, 2007)

The viv looks really good. Lots of great little plants in there. Is the bromeliad Vriesea corcovadensis/lubbersii?

Do you have something for air circulation set up or is it passive?


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## phender (Jan 9, 2009)

roxrgneiss said:


> The viv looks really good. Lots of great little plants in there. Is the bromeliad Vriesea corcovadensis/lubbersii?
> 
> Do you have something for air circulation set up or is it passive?


Thank you. The red brom is Vriesea flammea x corcovadensis.

My project this weekend is to install a fan that I had in my 40 gal plant nursery tank.


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## cap7 (Dec 4, 2016)

Beautiful, plant placements looks great


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## phender (Jan 9, 2009)

Just an update. The various peperomia sprigs are starting to look like they will be able to take some foot traffic soon, so maybe by the end of the month I will transfer the bicolors.
Here are a couple angled shots that give a better 3D aspect.



















Then here is a picture of my 24x18x24 that just went through a redesign, just because I like it and want to show it to you.


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## GOSKN5 (Dec 31, 2011)

Looks great! What is the plant in the last pic under the two broms on the right? Large leaves with white veins

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## phender (Jan 9, 2009)

GOSKN5 said:


> Looks great! What is the plant in the last pic under the two broms on the right? Large leaves with white veins
> 
> Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk


That is Alocasia 'Black Velvet'. If you are looking for one or two, BonnieLorraine on this site has some available.


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## roxrgneiss (Sep 30, 2007)

Hi Phil, 

How are the epiphytes branches Looking? Update? 


Mike


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## phender (Jan 9, 2009)

I need to do a little trimming this weekend and I will take some pics. The Begonia sp. 'Maldonado' is running a little rampant.


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## albovar1678 (Jan 11, 2021)

GOSKN5 said:


> Looks great! What is the plant in the last pic under the two broms on the right? Large leaves with white veins
> 
> Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk


its alocasia regulina black velvet


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