# Vivarium discussion Sept 28, 2020



## fishingguy12345 (Apr 7, 2019)

This is my favourite of my tanks. A 36x18x24" Atasuki sliding door vivarium. Houses my group of Ranitomeya sirensis "Rio Pachitea yellow" (1.1.5, mating pair unsure of the rest of the genders). The lighting isn't spectacular, it needs upgrading, I had to put this tank together faster than I'd planned when this group's regular tank had an accident… new lights are on my Christmas list .

Egg crate false bottom, ABG style substrate, magnolia leaf litter (my favorite). 
Cork bark mosaic background, with ramps going out into the tank. Lotus pod, coco huts, just for fun ;-), these guys won't use them for laying eggs/depositing tadpoles.

The side walls are painted black on the outside, then silicone on the inside with peat moss and cork chunks oppressed into it. I like the look , more climbing places for the frogs. 

Plants:
Philodendron McCauley finale hybrid
Lots of unnamed Neoregalia bromeliads
Maranta leuconeura
Solanum cf evolvulifolium 

What I like most about the tank:
The levels give the frogs places to frolic, to hide, to perch, to hunt. 

What I dislike about the tank: nothing. I stare at this tank the most. It's by far my favourite of my vivariums. The broms are starting to pup out into the empty space, making more usable space for the frogs .

Thoughts?


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## Socratic Monologue (Apr 7, 2018)

I really like the Philodendron, both how it looks and how I can imagine frogs using it. Will it outgrow the viv?

I can't get a good idea of how well the negative space has been used, only because the FTS is straight-on. Do you have any angled pics or ones that show how far the hardscape protrudes into the viv? I like the muscular look of some of the background elements, and I hope they protrude more than I can see.

Also: did you have any issues with conceptualizing the layout of a slightly longer viv like this one (rather than a tall cube)? I can't wrap my mind around how I would approach the shape.


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## fishingguy12345 (Apr 7, 2019)

Socratic Monologue said:


> I really like the Philodendron, both how it looks and how I can imagine frogs using it. Will it outgrow the viv?
> 
> I can't get a good idea of how well the negative space has been used, only because the FTS is straight-on. Do you have any angled pics or ones that show how far the hardscape protrudes into the viv? I like the muscular look of some of the background elements, and I hope they protrude more than I can see.
> 
> Also: did you have any issues with conceptualizing the layout of a slightly longer viv like this one (rather than a tall cube)? I can't wrap my mind around how I would approach the shape.


Here's one from the top, unfortunately this tank is on the bottom of a rack so I can't take a good overhead shot. 











The philodendron hasn't grown much in the 6 months or more they I've had it. I'm hoping it stays compact. If not, I'll trim it. 

The hardscape against the back portrudes enough that it lets the frogs clamber along them. 

The hardscape takes up about 1/3 to 1/2 of the depth of the tank where it reaches out at the bottom. 

I REALLY enjoyed laying out this tank. I'm not a visualizer, so I did the layout manually by placing the pieces in the tank. 

Originally, BEFORE this was for Ranitomeya, I was planning towards a Dendrobates tinctorius morph and didn't have very much moss in around the background pieces, since I wasn't worried about frogs getting behind it. That changed when the inhabitants changed. 

In terms of laying it out: I had put the cork pieces for the background on a piece of cardboard to see how it would look together, and liked it, so I kept it that way. Then after putting the main pieces into the background I tested putting the rest of the pieces in around them. Probably spent 2-3 weeks moving the pieces around before I was happy enough with them to silicone them in. Some of them aren't actually siliconed in but are just leaning against the background.

I enjoyed the extra length to work with. I found it easier than an 18x18x24" , let me use the cork on less steep inclines.


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## DPfarr (Nov 24, 2017)

This is only a remark about what I prefer seeing. Not about functionality for animals or your own good taste. 

The walls (side&back) meet in a 90°. I appreciate being confused my vivaria aren’t that. Not having 90° that makes it easier for me.


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## Socratic Monologue (Apr 7, 2018)

fishingguy12345 said:


> Philodendron McCauley finale hybrid


So, after almost a year, how is this plant doing in terms of size?


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## fishingguy12345 (Apr 7, 2019)

Socratic Monologue said:


> So, after almost a year, how is this plant doing in terms of size?


Really little growth. Almost no noticeable growth whatsoever. 

Here's a picture i just took:


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## fishingguy12345 (Apr 7, 2019)

One of the inhabitants out looking for a morning snack


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