# 10 Gallon Viv for Imitator 'Chazuta'



## baskis (Jun 7, 2015)

I was setting up an extra 10 gallon viv when local DB user (and all around great guy) RichardA offered to sell me his male Imitator Chazuta. I tossed in some cuttings from another viv and got two more broms from Josh’s Frogs and then went and picked up my first dart. Here are the pics


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## Hercrabit (Oct 6, 2016)

That is only a 10g? It looks so spacious. I really like your layout. What type of wood did you use in the background?
Beautiful Imitator Chazuta!


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## baskis (Jun 7, 2015)

Hercrabit said:


> That is only a 10g? It looks so spacious. I really like your layout. What type of wood did you use in the background?
> Beautiful Imitator Chazuta!


Thanks! I found the wood in my yard actually. There's a good possibility that the wood eventually rots but with such a small tank I probably won't need it to last that long as I'll almost certainly move up to a larger tank in the near future.


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## Hercrabit (Oct 6, 2016)

I'm all for found/collected wood - I have several pieces in my vivarium & crabitats. I'm sure the wood will last probably until you get tired of it and redo your vivarium


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## taylorwebbed (Feb 17, 2014)

Looks great! like Hercrabit said, it looks huge! makes me want to size down some of the plants in my tank.


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## Fishtank100 (Oct 16, 2016)

yes, looks very roomy.


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## baskis (Jun 7, 2015)

Thanks everybody. I'd post new photos with a few new cuttings but quite a few of my plants are going through a considerable die-off phase so it's not too pretty at the moment.


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## baskis (Jun 7, 2015)

Here's a quick little update now that I have a female in the tank as well. The plants are beginning to take off and it should look much better in the next few weeks. 









A small chunk of Low Growing Moss from Manuran doing well 









The broms have a nice color now









The new female from user cmk here on the board. He was an absolute pleasure to deal with and delivered a beautiful frog. 









Another pic of her 









And the male who couldn't be more excited about my new acquisition


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## joshsfrogs (May 6, 2004)

Great looking little tank, it looks like you have good plant placement! It's only going to get better with time!


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## rigel10 (Jun 1, 2012)

I agree with JoshFrogs. Your job is an example of how to set up a small tank. Beware of woods that are not suitable: they rot quickly, as I have learned the hard way, forcing me to redo one of my vivs - wood I bought in an aquarium shop as java wood!


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## baskis (Jun 7, 2015)

rigel10 said:


> I agree with JoshFrogs. Your job is an example of how to set up a small tank. Beware of woods that are not suitable: they rot quickly, as I have learned the hard way, forcing me to redo one of my vivs - wood I bought in an aquarium shop as java wood!


Well you were right... Ended up replacing the wood with cork because it wouldn't stop molding


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## Hunlock (Feb 9, 2016)

I'm really digging the layout. It's very spacious, and you've made great use of the background. 

Cheers!


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## baskis (Jun 7, 2015)

Borrowed my brother's camera to get some pictures of the new layout.


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## baskis (Jun 7, 2015)

Just did some tank maintenance and thought I would post a quick top down pic. 
Getting kind of crowded in there


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## baskis (Jun 7, 2015)

And a couple more


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## FlyFishRI (Jan 15, 2017)

I don't think I have seen a better example of a small tank. Outstanding work!

Edit* What light are you using? Your plants seem to enjoy it, and it looks great.


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## baskis (Jun 7, 2015)

FlyFishRI said:


> I don't think I have seen a better example of a small tank. Outstanding work!
> 
> Edit* What light are you using? Your plants seem to enjoy it, and it looks great.


That's high praise, thank you very much!! 
I'm using a 6500k EVO Green Element. The plants do like it though I fear it may be bleaching out some of my highest plants.


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## FlyFishRI (Jan 15, 2017)

I was going to build one of the RapidLED lights for the 36x18x24 I am building but I think I may give this a shot instead in the 36" model.

You're welcome, I am really digging this tank!


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## Damon Ryan (Nov 13, 2015)

I really like the clean look to this tank inside and out! Is that just a regular rabbits foot fern? And what marcgravia is that?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## baskis (Jun 7, 2015)

Damon Ryan said:


> I really like the clean look to this tank inside and out! Is that just a regular rabbits foot fern? And what marcgravia is that?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


Thanks. Yep it's just a regular white rabbit foots fern, and it is marcgravia rectiflora. The rectiflora took a while to establish but grew a solid nearly 6 inches since the end of January. I love it


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## Damon Ryan (Nov 13, 2015)

I love the moss too! Where did you get that? 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## baskis (Jun 7, 2015)

That's Tropical Low growing moss from Chuck Manuran here on the board. It does excellent for me and is by far the best looking and most successful moss I've used.


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## CaptiveColor (Dec 12, 2013)

Beautiful tank. Really like the plant selection and placement. Also some of my favorite frogs.


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## baskis (Jun 7, 2015)

It's hard to capture the proper color with my phone camera but anyway here are some update shots.
Its been 8 months roughly since it was first planted


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## Tweezy (Jun 9, 2011)

The last brom to the right, what kind is that?


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## sulli.gibson (Jun 1, 2017)

Is there a drainage layer on this bad boy?

Edit: Nevermind, I see the drainage layer now. The substrate depth must not be too significant? The thing really does look roomy. Nice job.


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## baskis (Jun 7, 2015)

Tweezy said:


> The last brom to the right, what kind is that?


I believe that is neo. Wild tiger on the right


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## baskis (Jun 7, 2015)

sulli.gibson said:


> Is there a drainage layer on this bad boy?
> 
> Edit: Nevermind, I see the drainage layer now. The substrate depth must not be too significant? The thing really does look roomy. Nice job.


Yes it is a small drainage layer. In retrospect I would have made it deeper. I worry that it may not be draining as it should


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## Tweezy (Jun 9, 2011)

baskis said:


> I believe that is neo. Wild tiger on the right


Okay , thanks. Awesome viv by the way.


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## Schlepenslide (Feb 5, 2017)

Wonderful plant placement; it looks so much bigger than your run-of-the-mill 10 gallons! 

Do you find it fogs up a lot, or is it pretty easy to have a good view?


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## baskis (Jun 7, 2015)

Schlepenslide said:


> Wonderful plant placement; it looks so much bigger than your run-of-the-mill 10 gallons!
> 
> Do you find it fogs up a lot, or is it pretty easy to have a good view?


It stays pretty much completely fogged up all the time. I've found that my frogs feel much safer and are out more when the glass is fogged up so I just leave it that way


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## Phxnoah (Sep 26, 2016)

Do you mind sharing a plant list? This would be really helpful.

Thanks


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## baskis (Jun 7, 2015)

Phxnoah said:


> Do you mind sharing a plant list? This would be really helpful.
> 
> Thanks


Yeah no problem. 
Neo. red waif
Neo. Chiquita Linda 
Neo. Wild tiger 
Marcgravia rectiflora 
Peperomia prostrata 
Philodendron wend-imbe
Davallia tyermanii (white rabbits foot fern) 
Philodendron cordata 
Manuran's low growing moss


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## spikeizzy77 (Nov 8, 2016)

Wow, this viv looks incredible.


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