# New exo, epiweb background..



## asialk (Oct 29, 2009)

Hi everyone.

So I'm redoing some of my viv's and this is the first one.
I wanted to try the epiweb on this one. I don’t have pic's from the early stages but this is what I have done so far.




























The bottom is egg crate sitting on plastic cups with some mesh on it and sealed all around with silicon.
There is a pump under the egg crate pumping water onto the epiweb.
I constructed a divider between the epiweb and the substrate so that the substrate won't wet from the dripping background and i'm going to fill it with gravel. 
I'm going to cover it with EpiWeb moss mix 
The mix is consisted of 60% ground sphagnum and 40% ground tropical mosses + seeds of Peperomias, Begonias and Gesneriads And I'm going to add a couple of Miniature epiphytic orchids on there.

The center peas is going to be a tree root that I'm going to construct from pipes and ropes covered with cement, paint & coco fiber.

Here is a short video of what I have so far..


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## Judy S (Aug 29, 2010)

*Re: New exo, epiweb back round..*

It may be more informative for people who like and want to use the epiweb/drip wall technique if you had shown how your sectioned off the pump/drip area...nice start...


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## freaky_tah (Jan 21, 2009)

*Re: New exo, epiweb back round..*

Good start, but what's a back round  ?


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## asialk (Oct 29, 2009)

Thanks...


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## Dizzle21 (Aug 11, 2009)

good start! Is this your first time working with epiweb? What are your thoughts on it so far as to workability?


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## asialk (Oct 29, 2009)

Thanks for the comments guys.
It's my first time working with the epiweb. Personally I think it's impossible to achieve a natural landscaping with it and that’s why I went on a flat background. 
I'm more interested on trying the epiweb moss mix. 

Anyway, I had some progress on the viv today, the plan is giving it a few more cotes of cement and then cover everything with coco fibers.
To be honest, I don’t really like the result so far and I'm thinking of tearing it out and do something different, maybe some vines coming down from the side walls.
The idea is planting apatite plants& moss on it eventually.

Before I'm starting over I would really appreciate your objective opinions on how this design looks so far.. I promises not to be offended..

Here it is:


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## Bearo (Oct 21, 2011)

You have a good ground to stand on, but thet "stump" doesnt have a natural shape to it.. You could do better  No offence.
Though, coverd with plants - it could work.


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## asialk (Oct 29, 2009)

Ya' that’s why I'm hesitant to start over. 
Here's a video of some of my viv's I made a while back, you can see what I was going for on one of them (wasn't planted when I made this video). It was done the same way.


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## skanderson (Aug 25, 2011)

i actually like the start of the liana base. if you are going for a stump look i agree that its not right, but i has the look of a large scale vine and i think that is nice to see for a change.


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## Dizzle21 (Aug 11, 2009)

asialk said:


> Thanks for the comments guys.
> It's my first time working with the epiweb. Personally I think it's impossible to achieve a natural landscaping with it and that’s why I went on a flat background.
> I'm more interested on trying the epiweb moss mix.



Cool, ya Ive seen where they make rounded mounds of epiweb and secure them to the flat back ground to give it some texture and depth.


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## MKammerer (Apr 21, 2008)

Awesome start. Could you give an example photo of what you're looking to achieve here? I don't know much about Epiweb, looks like a fiber background that will allow moss / small plants to grow easily?


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## asialk (Oct 29, 2009)

Thanks,

Here's a picture of what I have in mind. 










I decided to finish what I started before I decide if I like it or not. So here is my progress for this weekend:


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## jpstod (Sep 8, 2005)

Take my advice do not start second guessing yourself..Go with what you got a run with it.
Most likely your base for vine will be buried in the Substrate anyways.

It will take a While to fill in but your Plants will grow in. 
Take my advice plcce the Lights forward not Directly above the Pad because the plants at the Top will block out the Bottom.

Some people expressed some concerns about these type of Pads because there was a few people who had very small delicate frogs get caught in the Pad and die. For Large Frogs I think it not an issue.


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## asialk (Oct 29, 2009)

Thanks,

I wasn't aware there's a safety issue with the epiweb.

I added some vines to the structure and I hope it will be ready for planting next weekend.


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## asialk (Oct 29, 2009)

A little progress,
Added some vines and the drip system has been working for a few days with no problems so basically it's ready for substrate.










top view:










Also made venting for the exo hood:


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## Judy S (Aug 29, 2010)

I really liked what you have done with the fan installed on your hood....can you explain how you did that...that's so cool looking...


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## asialk (Oct 29, 2009)

Thanks,

Really simple, I drilled a hole with a hole saw and glued the fan from the inside with silicon, drilled a small hole at the top for the wirers and.. tada..
I think it’s a must sins the lights produce allot of heat with no aeration batwing the hood and the modified sealed top.


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## ChrisK (Oct 28, 2008)

jpstod said:


> Some people expressed some concerns about these type of Pads because there was a few people who had very small delicate frogs get caught in the Pad and die. For Large Frogs I think it not an issue.


http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/pa...s-epiweb-matala-warning.html?highlight=epiweb


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## asialk (Oct 29, 2009)

A small update,

So, had the flu all week so not much progress. Started planting, different types of moss and some bromeliads not much yet but it’s a start..
You can see in this short video how it looks like today, I hope to complete planting this week..

Btw, the sides are going to be covered with black background.

You can also see my leucs froglets on this video..

Haven’t decided what to do with the epiweb safety issue yet.


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## parkanz2 (Sep 25, 2008)

As far as the epiweb issue... I've seen some people press a thin layer of clay/peat mixture into the surface of the epiweb to cover up some of the superficial "danger" fibers.

I don't seem to have any of those threads saved but I'll see what I can dig up.


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## asialk (Oct 29, 2009)

Taking my time on this one.

Here's the small progress I made so far:


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## punctata (Jan 31, 2011)

What kind of Moss are you useing on the vines? I am looking to something like that with my tank.


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## asialk (Oct 29, 2009)

Liverwort, Star moss, Riccia, Sphagnum moss,pillow moss, the Epiweb tropical moss mix & anything that is not Java..


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## shibbyplustax (Feb 28, 2011)

parkanz2 said:


> As far as the epiweb issue... I've seen some people press a thin layer of clay/peat mixture into the surface of the epiweb to cover up some of the superficial "danger" fibers.
> 
> I don't seem to have any of those threads saved but I'll see what I can dig up.


If you find that thread let me know, I would be interested to read through it. Asialk, the tank is comin along great, keep up the good work.

Sent from my DROID2 GLOBAL using Tapatalk


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## pike (Feb 26, 2012)

this is great i'm trhinking of doing the same to a new exo terra 90x45x90 tank .question 1 what light bulbs do you have in the canopy and what transformer did you use for the fan? 2 what pump are you using for watering.3is it just mist system your using? cheers jon


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## asialk (Oct 29, 2009)

Three 28w 6500k Nepton light bulbs. The transformer is a 220v-12v 5A (I'm from Israel and the electrical system here is 220v) and it's hooked to allot of fans for my other vivs.


Right now it's only misting (Mistking) but I'm going to add a fog system next week.

It's a 300 l\h Atman pump. I have many pumps laying around from my reef days.. 


Thanks for the comments guys.


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## afterdark (Jan 16, 2007)

I built this tank and one other just like it with clay over EpiWeb for the background. I haven't had any issues at all and everything is doing great. Lots of microfauna, plants are growing and the frogs are breeding. Can't complain!

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/members-frogs-vivariums/68812-new-16-cube-pic-heavy.html


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## pike (Feb 26, 2012)

thank's for the advice i have gone for 4x 26w exoterra canopy and epiweb watersystem and side panels ,it comes with a pump also linia branch .and my new tank arrived today .i'm going to put a flase bottom in and a water heater. 1 question is best postion for heat mat bottom or side? as they will have epiweb on them.cheers jon


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## asialk (Oct 29, 2009)

Jon, you're going to use a water heater and a heat mat? 
For the heat mat I think it's more effective to position it at the bottom.

Mike, great looking viv.
I'm planning to leave the epiweb as it is and just let plants & moss cover the whole thing. Until then I'm not moving any frog in to it.
That's the plan for now anyway.

So, got the fog system installed today. You can see it at work on the video below.
One problem though. The exit hole inside the viv had a mesh on it and it seams to build up water on it and block the exit for the fog after a few minutes.
I took the mesh out for now but I need to find a way to frog\fruit fly proof it.

I'm open to any suggestions.

Thanks guys..


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## asialk (Oct 29, 2009)

Added some miniature orchids today.


Bulbophyllum strangularium









Tolumnia









Bulbophyllum viridiflorum









Angraecum distichum









Phalaenopsis equestris









Epidendrum porpax









Dendrobium pachyphyllum


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## asialk (Oct 29, 2009)

Been a wail since the last update..

Hers a video of this viv from a week ago, you can see one of my E.tricolor transport its tads to the water source.


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## Nismo95 (Jul 30, 2011)

amazing viv collections man. What size do you prefer with exo's?? I really like the 18x18x24's but these look like the 24x18x24's. And the java moss really looks great in your vivs. maybe its time for me to take the plunge


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## asialk (Oct 29, 2009)

Thanks 
Most of my tanks are 18x18x18. I'd love to have the 24x18x24's but I have a real space issue..


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## Erskine888 (May 1, 2021)

I've not used this type of material for the background - does it hold water as well as hygrolon?


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