# Diggenem's 56G Rebuild.



## diggenem (Sep 2, 2011)

OK I held out as long as I could. A few months ago I tore down the 56 column and started all over from scratch. I wanted something that would last for a while and be quick to build, so I opted for a tree fern back ground with cork bark panels for the sides.

The wood I purchased off eBay over the course of a few months to get exactly the look I wanted. None of the wood is imbedded in the background to make it easier to maintain and change if I see fit to do so. 

I wanted this build to be epiphyte heavy with lots of moss, orchids, peperomias and others. I still have a few plants to purchase but the overall look is complete. 

I already have a couple of gallons of ABG, magnolia leaf litter that I will add after I move into the new house, which should be in a couple of weeks. I also have a pretty nice culture of dwarf white isos, dwarf purple isos and temperate springtails. 

Well sorry for being long winded. Here are dome pics of where I am now.

Background








Wood.








FTS








Quarter view








Light, top setup








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## rigel10 (Jun 1, 2012)

Nice viv! Congrats


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## dedman (Sep 5, 2008)

Nice build - just wondering, what kind of lights are those?


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## atp0726 (Jan 21, 2014)

What is the background made of?


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## diggenem (Sep 2, 2011)

dedman said:


> Nice build - just wondering, what kind of lights are those?


These are the lights;














atp0726 said:


> What is the background made of?


The background is tree fern panels with GS sprayed into the seams. The GS is covered with TB3 and peat.


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## ngeno626 (Nov 14, 2013)

I like the look. its going to look great when the moss grows in


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## diggenem (Sep 2, 2011)

ngeno626 said:


> I like the look. its going to look great when the moss grows in


Thanks! Is still a work in progress. I'm waiting on another order of moss and orchids to come in. 

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## diggenem (Sep 2, 2011)

So I finally moved into the new digs and it has a large finished basement.






The picture only shows a bit more than half of the room. Definitely a lot of space to expand the future collection! Im guessing it will probably fill up very quickly especially since I start a new job in a week that will double my current salary so big ups to that!!!

I got around to finishing the 56 today and I'm very happy with it. I thought you guys were kidding about orchids and the number they do on bank accounts! I haven't even acquired all of the ones I want to put in this build. Well with out further delay here are some updated pics:

Full tank shot








Quarter left








Quarter right









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## Judy S (Aug 29, 2010)

Do you have fans or something which will circulate the air?? I see you have two vent holes, but from what I've read...and my own failure...the orchids and airplants will not survive without the air circulating. Just curious, why did you select the lights that you did...do you have a way to draw off the heat that will be produced come summer? It looks wonderful...what frogs are you putting in???


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## fieldnstream (Sep 11, 2009)

Bubba that's a stunning viv! New place is looking nice too...bet there's no mold in that one! Congrats on the new job too...movin on up.


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## diggenem (Sep 2, 2011)

Judy S said:


> Do you have fans or something which will circulate the air?? I see you have two vent holes, but from what I've read...and my own failure...the orchids and airplants will not survive without the air circulating. Just curious, why did you select the lights that you did...do you have a way to draw off the heat that will be produced come summer? It looks wonderful...what frogs are you putting in???



Thanks Judy.

I do have a fan circulating air, If you look at the full tank shot you can see it in the top right hand side of the image. 

I chose the lights because they were inexpensive but pretty bright. I plan on upgrading to the Jungle Hobbies fixture when I get some extra cash coming in. The lights are mounted about 2" above the top and do not heat the tank at all. The tank stays at about 68 degrees because the room is so cool. Heat is definitely not an issue. Really I need a heater for the room to regulate the temps. I doubt heat will be an issue during the summer months. 

As far as frogs I'm thinking Luecs or E. Anthonyi.


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## diggenem (Sep 2, 2011)

fieldnstream said:


> Bubba that's a stunning viv! New place is looking nice too...bet there's no mold in that one! Congrats on the new job too...movin on up.


Thanks Field! I can't wait til I get paid so I can give in to my frogging desires.


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## diggenem (Sep 2, 2011)

Another shot of the tank:









And a few of the orchids:

Restrepia cymbula









Restrepia cymbula flower









Trichosalpinx semilunata









Ceratostylis rubra


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## diggenem (Sep 2, 2011)

Well doesn't seem like anybody is very interested, but I'll keep posting anyway. I'm finally satisfied with the layout and the moss is starting to really take off. I need a few more plants to fill in the background, any suggestions?

I also picked up a couple of Santa Isabel tads (thanks Amphinity Frogs) and some starter iso cultures from Repticon Atlanta yesterday.


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## papa_mcknight (Feb 3, 2013)

diggenem said:


> Another shot of the tank:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## diggenem (Sep 2, 2011)

papa_mcknight said:


> diggenem said:
> 
> 
> > Another shot of the tank:
> ...


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## Athena (Mar 20, 2013)

Looks really nice! I love the depth of it. You've got some great orchids too


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## Hornet (Sep 29, 2010)

diggenem said:


> Well doesn't seem like anybody is very interested, but I'll keep posting anyway. I'm finally satisfied with the layout and the moss is starting to really take off. I need a few more plants to fill in the background, any suggestions?
> 
> I also picked up a couple of Santa Isabel tads (thanks Amphinity Frogs) and some starter iso cultures from Repticon Atlanta yesterday.


when you think people arent interested, just imagine them being too jealous to comment lol. Some awesome mini orchids in that build


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## chillplants (Jul 14, 2008)

Was the last pic you posted fog on the glass or fog in the tank? It's a nice effect if it's in the tank.


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## snake54320 (Dec 16, 2011)

Very nice layout and great growth for only a couple of weeks ! 

For the background, I'd go with some small ferns.... Pyrrosia spp are very cool (thinking of P. serpens in particular), but some Rhaphiophora, Marcgravia, Microgramma, Bolbotis (not sure), Humata are pretty awesome too. And many more that I don't know about 
Smal orchids like Masdevallia and bulbophyllum could also be option. 
But most of theses plants are unfortunately hard to find and fairly expensive...

Snake


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## diggenem (Sep 2, 2011)

Athena said:


> Looks really nice! I love the depth of it. You've got some great orchids too


Thanks! The depth of the 56 columns is what I really like about these tanks. I don't like thin tanks.







Hornet said:


> when you think people arent interested, just imagine them being too jealous to comment lol. Some awesome mini orchids in that build


OK, I'll keep that in mind!!









chillplants said:


> Was the last pic you posted fog on the glass or fog in the tank? It's a nice effect if it's in the tank.


The fog is inside the tank. I let the fogger run for about an hour so it's nice and dense and then I turn on the fan and let it blow around. I need to get everything on timers so it's automated.








snake54320 said:


> Very nice layout and great growth for only a couple of weeks !
> 
> For the background, I'd go with some small ferns.... Pyrrosia spp are very cool (thinking of P. serpens in particular), but some Rhaphiophora, Marcgravia, Microgramma, Bolbotis (not sure), Humata are pretty awesome too. And many more that I don't know about
> Smal orchids like Masdevallia and bulbophyllum could also be option.
> ...


I will definitely check out the suggestions. Im definitely looking for some more mini orchids. I only have a few and I'm already addicted. My bank account is not going to like it!!



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## diggenem (Sep 2, 2011)

Moss growth. 






















Sprouting from corkboard panels








Full tank shot with foggy glass









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## Dendrobait (May 29, 2005)

Sweet tank!

What kind of moss is that?

And how did the Trichosalpinx do?


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## myersboy6 (Aug 23, 2010)

Dude that moss is killer! makes me want to take the moss i have on the ground off of the ground and just put it all over the wood i have in the tank. I like the look of it!


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## diggenem (Sep 2, 2011)

Thanks!!!! The moss is fern moss I got off eBay. Most of it turned yellow but it has taken over the side walls and I still have a few good patches over some of the branches. The Trichosalpinx is doing good and has flowered for me several times during the spring. 

The layout is slightly different from the pics and I'll get some updated pics soon but until then...









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## diggenem (Sep 2, 2011)

This is what the tank looks like now. I'm still feeling iffy about the layout, but I'm going to let it grow in a bit more. I'm open to any suggestions.


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## LadyKeiva (May 10, 2013)

diggenem said:


> This is what the tank looks like now. I'm still feeling iffy about the layout, but I'm going to let it grow in a bit more. I'm open to any suggestions.


Really love how this tank looks! Has such a natural feel to it.


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## Dendrobait (May 29, 2005)

I feel like you need a few larger large leaved plants in here. Particularly since anthonyi really enjoy climbing on them. Since I added a few Dracula to my tank they've been up at the top a lot more.


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## diggenem (Sep 2, 2011)

Thanks for the suggestion! I felt like I needed some too so I added a hoya carnosa and I am waiting for a shipment of broms to come in. Got a pretty good deal on them too I think. 
Here's how she looks as of right now. I'm trying to get this symmetry bug out my head so I switched all of the branches to one side to give a root- like appearance.


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## diggenem (Sep 2, 2011)

Got some broms in today. I think I'll leave it alone now and let everything grow in


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## diggenem (Sep 2, 2011)

Got some toys in the mail today! Three 24” Current USA LED+.









I felt that my light setup was to much of an eye sore. So after about a month of researching and reading reviews on various fixtures, I decided on the LED+s. They are nice looking fixtures to say the least. Very thin and unobtrusive









Here's a pic of the old setup. It's two outdoor led spot lights tied to two lamp stands and two screw in led spots in a double fixture. A real eyes sore and a tangle of wires









Here's how the LED+s look after being setup. Much cleaner. I can't even see the fixtures if I am sitting on my couch or coffee table. Don't mind the pink foam blocks, I am using them to angle the back fixture so that it shines on the background.















.

I don't think they are brighter than the old lighting situation, but I do notice that the light reaches more areas of the tank. 
Here's a pic of the tank being lit by the old lights








Here's a pic of the LED+s at work

















Here's a pic of the moonlights, well the bright blue moonlights.









I'll try to get some pics of the other settings and maybe a video of the effects.


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## diggenem (Sep 2, 2011)

Fixed my fogger today.


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## wriggles (Apr 5, 2014)

How did you get the fern moss to grow so well on the walls? Do the walls hold enough moisture throughout the day with just misting?


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## diggenem (Sep 2, 2011)

Basically that's all. The mister is set on 2 times a day for 15 seconds. I can't get it to grow on the back wall though


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## moore40 (Jan 29, 2008)

Like it man! The LED's are a real nice setup too.


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## diggenem (Sep 2, 2011)

Thanks!!!


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## diggenem (Sep 2, 2011)




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## diggenem (Sep 2, 2011)




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## Slurpeesnow (Feb 13, 2014)

Love it, looks to be growing in nicely


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## Slurpeesnow (Feb 13, 2014)

what sort of moss is that?


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## diggenem (Sep 2, 2011)

Most of it is Feather Moss, especially behind the bid Bulbophyllum. There is also some Sheet Moss and Weeping Moss.


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## diggenem (Sep 2, 2011)




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