# My new tree frog tank, in progress



## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

Here's the tank build thread. Well, not the whole tank, just the front. 

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/parts-construction/77051-my-first-diy.html

And now I'm filling it in. Except for the glass, silicone and magnets, everything else I already had on hand. Trying to do this cheap! The plants were purchased at Lowe's a few months ago, 2 plants on sale for 1.50 each. I split them up to put in the viv. The rocks were scavenged from unused tanks, sanitized with bleach. Every thing was sanitized with bleach. 

Pictured is the substrate and first planting. I had an awesome piece of wood that was perfect for a pond divider. Now, tree frog people, don't start PMing me. I understand that my Super Tiger Monkey Tree Frogs are not the best swimmers, and, I've learned that crickets aren't either. This 'pond' is really more of a rock garden. There will be a little bit of water under the rocks, but, none at the surface. I have a very nice, 4' or so, vanilla vine that is growing hydroponically. Wanted to be able to keep it growing in water because it gets pissed off when you change it's conditions.

The Vanilla and the wood are being brought over from their current tank. This is a little nerve wracking because they have nemerteans in their tank, now. The wood was soaked overnight in a strong bleach/water solution. Then overnight again in clean water with dechlorinator added. Then baked on my porch for a day. Then left on my heat vents for a few days to dry out. Today, they've been in the oven for 5 hours. The Vanilla will get a careful scrub and bleach bath. 

Now, Ed warned me that I still might bring the nasty worms over from their tank. I'm really hoping not. 

Ok here are pics so far. 

FTS









Bottom screen. I wanted to make sure my frogs had good ventilation









Pond/rock thingy









Floor shot


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## fieldnstream (Sep 11, 2009)

Looks awesome Kris! Are you going to put any vines across the viv up higher as perches? I'm sure they would love it and it would be cool to watch them doing the monkey frog shuffle across the viv


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

Yup! I'm trying to figure out how to position the wood branches now, but, it will go from top to bottom and across. I grabbed some long vines of pothos from the ladies at work and then there's the Vanilla vine that will originate in the pond and vine up the branches. 

(you can see the pothos waiting, to the right of the tank)


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## brinkerh420 (Oct 2, 2011)

I think because you have so much room above, you might be able to do a branch crossing in the upper middle of the tank (Suspended in the air by siliconing sides to glass) like I did if you want to.

This could make more space above (more usable space)

Mine looks really cool and I was able to plant way more broms.

only an Idea, but it works very well from my experience.

My post: 
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/tree-frogs/77261-green-tree-frog-viv.html


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

The wood


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

brinkerh420 said:


> I think because you have so much room above, you might be able to do a branch crossing in the upper middle of the tank (Suspended in the air by siliconing sides to glass) like I did if you want to.
> 
> This could make more space above (more usable space)
> 
> ...


Yea, I tried to do that but this is heavy wood and I needed to be able to rest the weight of each piece on the wood below it. So, now the overall weight is on the bottom piece of wood (each piece siliconed there), which rests on the LECA drainage layer, and the ends are siliconed to the glass.


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## Judy S (Aug 29, 2010)

I like the way you have the branches--does the silicone actually hold the wood in place once the tape is removed-or are you going to also use GS or Gorilla Glue. Some advice on which to use for permanence would be welcome--since Silicone doesn't always "stick" to glass...but yet there is advice from posters to use silicone before applying GS as a background. And you wonder why people, like me, get so confused and hesitate to take forward steps!!!


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

I hope so, Judy S! The weight of the wood is on the bottom of the tank and not the sides. I was able to balance the wood there with no silicone. So, I'm hoping the silicone will secure it enough for frogs to climb on it without being crushed in an avalanche of branches. 

I'll be checking it for sturdiness before I add the frogs, for sure. 

Judy, I've learned that you just take in the information from the board, mull it around, and, then do what makes the most sense to you.


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

Planted and leaf littered. Next pictures will have the inhabitants. Maybe next weekend, or, whenever it's cured. 

The plants look sort of jumbled right now, but, they'll straighten out once they start fighting over the light. The Vanilla grows pretty fast. I'm hoping it will out grow the pothos so I can yank that pothos out of there. I'd really love a viv filled with Vanilla vines.


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## stevenhman (Feb 19, 2008)

Looks good Kris! I like what you did with the magnets. The wood definitely finishes it up nicely.


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## B-NICE (Jul 15, 2011)

Its going to be great when the plants start to grow tall. I love that plant with the triangular leaves, it grows nice and tall and your frogs can perch on those big leaves.


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## Freeradical53 (Jan 25, 2008)

When you say "vanilla vine" is that the orchid "vanilla"? The next time I build a tank, I would like to do so without the GS or any background. Sure would be a lot more simple.


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

Freeradical53 said:


> When you say "vanilla vine" is that the orchid "vanilla"? The next time I build a tank, I would like to do so without the GS or any background. Sure would be a lot more simple.


Yes, the orchid Vanilla. I got some nice pieces from Oak Hill Nursery a couple years ago. I was killing it piece by piece. Tried all kinds of ways to pot it up but nothing worked. Eventually I tossed the last piece into a vase of water and this vine grew out of it. I put it in the tree frog tank and it took off! 

Some day I'll make a Vanilla grow out tank. The vine and leaves are just so pretty.


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## josh_r (Feb 4, 2005)

Nice! I like the simplicity. Vanilla orchids are super cool too. I wish I still had mine


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## frogfreak (Mar 4, 2009)

Hi Kris,

It looks great! Your tree frogs will love the wood and planting. I really like the vanilla Orchid and it grows like a weed.


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

Judy S said:


> I like the way you have the branches--does the silicone actually hold the wood in place once the tape is removed-or are you going to also use GS or Gorilla Glue. Some advice on which to use for permanence would be welcome--since Silicone doesn't always "stick" to glass...but yet there is advice from posters to use silicone before applying GS as a background. And you wonder why people, like me, get so confused and hesitate to take forward steps!!!


Hey Judy, If you have had problems with silicone not sticking to glass, then you didn't clean it properly. Try wiping it down with rubbing alcohol first. Silicone sticks incredibly well to glass. It is what they bond fish tanks with. I attach cork bark to the walls with silicone all the time. I also attached some pieces of rather heavy ghost wood to my walls the same way Kris did. Had tape running all over the viv and everything.
Kris, when I did it, my concern was the silicone eventually letting go of the wet wood. To take care of this, I built up little "dams" or shelf bracket-like bumps of silicone under the ghost wood. So even if the bond to the wood releases over time, they are still sitting firmly on the silicone dams. I'll see if I can find pics but they are on a different computer.


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

Pumilo said:


> Hey Judy, If you have had problems with silicone not sticking to glass, then you didn't clean it properly. Try wiping it down with rubbing alcohol first. Silicone sticks incredibly well to glass. It is what they bond fish tanks with. I attach cork bark to the walls with silicone all the time. I also attached some pieces of rather heavy ghost wood to my walls the same way Kris did. Had tape running all over the viv and everything.
> Kris, when I did it, my concern was the silicone eventually letting go of the wet wood. To take care of this, I built up little "dams" or shelf bracket-like bumps of silicone under the ghost wood. So even if the bond to the wood releases over time, they are still sitting firmly on the silicone dams. I'll see if I can find pics but they are on a different computer.


I think I get what you're saying about silicone brackets. A raised ring below the wood so that if it releases it won't slide down the glass? I don't think it's too late to do something like that. I was also considering covering the joint between the wood and the glass with clay. Can hang more vines from them and it will do the same thing as your silicone dam (if I'm picturing it right).

Maybe I'll do both!


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

frogface said:


> I think I get what you're saying about silicone brackets. A raised ring below the wood so that if it releases it won't slide down the glass?


Yes exactly! It sounds so much more clear when you say it. I think that means I need another coffee!--Ahh, that's better! (got my coffee!)



frogface said:


> I don't think it's too late to do something like that. I was also considering covering the joint between the wood and the glass with clay. Can hang more vines from them and it will do the same thing as your silicone dam (if I'm picturing it right).
> 
> Maybe I'll do both!


I don't think clay will do much to support should it give way. I think you should do the "both" option. Silicone to grab and clay to cover. What I did was to hang some long fibered sphagnum moss over the joints to cover the silicone and give me a place to nestle some live moss.
Here are some pics of the four pieces that were siliconed in. I first cut the ends so they had a good smooth attachment point. The first two are also supported by the lower eggcrate but the second two are heavy, yet totally supported by the silicone on the side walls. They holding up great many months later. The last couple pics are all I could find of the actual dams. They look sloppy because they were near the back and hard to reach. I trimmed them up with a razor blade but have no pics of that.
On picture number 3, between the "V" in the cork bark but further back, you can also see where I siliconed a piece of cork bark to make a suspended shelf running side to side. They love to play on that.


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

Thank you! I'll do exactly that. I would just feel awful if the wood fell and injured my frogs.


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

You should have seen it while they were drying. Duct tape all over the viv. It would have looked very familiar to you, Kris.


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## Judy S (Aug 29, 2010)

Never occurred to me to use rubbing alcohol to clean the glass first...and I had also used clay..but after several months in the humidity, everything sort of slid down and I was really ticked...Thanks for the "solution" (I love puns...)...and will make sure the ends of the wood are as blunt as I can make 'em for better adherence...and make a silicone brace. I knew that silicone is used in the making of tanks, but also that silicone can have some strange properties...I couldn't quite figure out how large a tank we are looking at...and how the "shelf" was configured...will have to look more closely when it's not 1:15 am...thanks again for all the info.


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

Judy, the four vivs I have shown there, are all 12" wide x 24" front to back and 24" tall.


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

Hey Doug, how long does the silicone need to cure before I put the damp clay over it? Turns out that I inadvertently made the 'brackets' in my original setting of the branches, because, I'm a little umm, imprecise in my use of silicone. 

Anyway, I'm wondering if putting the clay around the silicone before it has completely cured will interfere with its curing? This afternoon will mark 48 hours since it was applied. There is still a slight smell inside the tank. 

Thanks for all your help


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

General question/advice. 

I have some rope (small, more like string  ) that I was going to make some vines with. Would that make the tank too cluttered? If it sounds like a good idea, where would you put them? I was thinking of originating them from the top right area where there is a void and attaching them to the wood in the center and left, and on down to the ground.

What do you guys think?

edit: Never mind. I don't want to have to wait for more silicone to cure. I want my frogs in that tank now!


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## brinkerh420 (Oct 2, 2011)

Where did you get the alocasia (amazonicus, I believe?)

The tank looks great!


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

brinkerh420 said:


> Where did you get the alocasia (amazonicus, I believe?)
> 
> The tank looks great!


Thanks! 

I got that plant at Lowe's for 1.50, and split it apart to put in the tank. I think it was a pretty good deal


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## punctata (Jan 31, 2011)

Looks great. Are you going to bowl feed the frogs? Lots of tree frogs lunge at food and could end up getting some of that bark. Even with leaf litter there is a chance for it to happen. I have heard alot of sad storys involving a tree frogeating a piece of wood.


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

punctata said:


> Looks great. Are you going to bowl feed the frogs? Lots of tree frogs lunge at food and could end up getting some of that bark. Even with leaf litter there is a chance for it to happen. I have heard alot of sad storys involving a tree frogeating a piece of wood.


Yes, I'll be bowl feeding. I left an open area on the ground on the left side for their bowl. I'm hoping it will be easy for them to see perched up on the wood. 

That's another reason I want to move them to this tank. The tank they are in has poor visibility and I can't tell how their feeding is going. This way, I'll be able to monitor them and their food intake better.


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

frogface said:


> Hey Doug, how long does the silicone need to cure before I put the damp clay over it? Turns out that I inadvertently made the 'brackets' in my original setting of the branches, because, I'm a little umm, imprecise in my use of silicone.
> 
> Anyway, I'm wondering if putting the clay around the silicone before it has completely cured will interfere with its curing? This afternoon will mark 48 hours since it was applied. There is still a slight smell inside the tank.
> 
> Thanks for all your help


Putting clay over the silicone WILL hinder its curing. Curing time depends on a lot of things, humidity, temperature, how thick the bead was, air motion, freshness of silicone tube. Put your tank in a warm, dry room. Putting a light over it will help raise the temp and keep it dry, thus speeding the curing. Then point a fan at it to speed up the curing. You really want that smell to be gone before adding the clay. Especially if you are in a hurry. Remember that being open and aerated with the fan may make it seem like the smell is gone when it is not. When you think it's cured, turn off your fan and seal it up tight for a few hours. Then smell it.

Have you considered building your vines out of the viv? This would allow you to set it up and even put your frogs in. Then you could add your completed vines later, hanging them over a branch, perhaps with a little clay.


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

brinkerh420 said:


> Where did you get the alocasia (amazonicus, I believe?)
> 
> The tank looks great!


That is Allocasia Polly and you can usually find it at Lowes. Kris must have found it on sale. It is usually about $6 for a small one or $16 for a full sized one. Each pot will have two plants and can be easily seperated and put into two vivs.


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

Thanks, again!


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## Judy S (Aug 29, 2010)

Pumilo said:


> Judy, the four vivs I have shown there, are all 12" wide x 24" front to back and 24" tall.


OOOHHHH...the confusion has been resolved...I was so puzzled to figure out how all those things were in one tank! DUH...so were they conversions?? They look terrific... and when I went back to #3 saw the "shelf." What do you have in the vivs...and do they all have a mister??? Circulating air??


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

Judy S said:


> OOOHHHH...the confusion has been resolved...I was so puzzled to figure out how all those things were in one tank! DUH...so were they conversions?? They look terrific... and when I went back to #3 saw the "shelf." What do you have in the vivs...and do they all have a mister??? Circulating air??


Thanks Judy, I posted to help you and Frogface with the wood attachment. I feel like I'm hijacking to go any further here so maybe I could PM you with those answers? I am open to PMs anytime.


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

Hey that's looking great!

I can't quite remember but I think that _Alocasia_ 'Polly' is one that has an obligate dormancy period. It is important to watch for that and if the leaves start to drop on it it needs to go into a slightly drier (but not totally dry) environment for a few months.


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

hydrophyte said:


> Hey that's looking great!
> 
> I can't quite remember but I think that _Alocasia_ 'Polly' is one that has an obligate dormancy period. It is important to watch for that and if the leaves start to drop on it it needs to go into a slightly drier (but not totally dry) environment for a few months.


Uh oh..


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

Yeah it could be worthwhile to look at some other plant to use like that. I remember I had 'Polly' that went dormant once and it was too wet and the thick tuber just died and rotted and oh man it smelled horrible.


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

I have just the replacement plant in mind. It's their favorite for sleeping. Don't know the name, though. It's light green and sort of arrow shaped and the edges curl up a bit. Hah, does that narrow it down? 

I've got it growing in the water in their current tank and it does really well. Can't move it over (or won't rather), due to the nemerteans.


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

Frogs moving in today, possibly. Here are some updated shots. 

I wrapped clay around the siliconed joints of the branches. Then I made a slurry of clay, peat, coco fiber, live sphagnum and java mosses. There are several brand new paint brushes in the laundry room. However, even though they were still wrapped up, they smelled of laundry detergent (I always give things the sniff test before they go in a viv  ) So, I painted by hand and, of course, got mud everywhere. 

The clay was a bit on the dry side and the wood is also dry. I'm hoping that will help the slurry stuff soak in. If that happens, I'll move the frogs in. Otherwise I might wait a day or two or risk having muddy frogs. 

I also added a fast growing, sturdy vine. Don't remember what it's called, but, I think I got it from NEHerp. It's been a while. 

The frogs are in a temp container, atm, because their current tank just does not smell healthy (sniffed again!). Haven't seen any microfauna in there, in a while. Just a lot of nasty, microfauna-eating, worms. 


Pics:
Front view with clay over silicone









Left side









Right side









Slurry









Painting!









Mud tank









Cleaned up a little


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

All moved in! They seem a little disoriented, atm. I hope they'll like their new home.


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## ricky2424 (Aug 31, 2010)

kool looking tank!!!


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## DragonSpirit1185 (Dec 6, 2010)

just curious...what was you painting with and why lol


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## stevenhman (Feb 19, 2008)

I believe that it was clay to cover the ugly silicone.


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

Yes, clay to cover silicone and then clay/moss slurry to cover clay. Hopefully it will be mossy some day.


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## jackjack2011 (Jun 20, 2012)

looks great! love the wood in the center


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

That's looking great!

I really want to set up a tree frog tank. I have some plants here with broad, attractive leaves like _Geonoma_ palms and _Carludovica_ that I think would go really well with tree frogs.


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