# IAD Display tanks



## Dunner97074 (Sep 19, 2004)

Did anyone snap any pics of the three display tanks at IAD? I forgot my camera and now I'm kicking myself. The three tanks were toatally incredible. I fell in love with the tank built in the refrigerator w/ orchids. 
Mike


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## pa.walt (Feb 16, 2004)

i'm sure there were a few shots taken of the vivs. one of your fellow MAD persons was there taking pics. 
zac zamora was the guy who did the 2 vivs. [email protected] is the site i got off his card.
ben's viv,(the other one) was pretty neat also. i forgot to ask him questions about it though.


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## Alan (Jan 12, 2005)

I'll post some hi-res pics shortly.

Alan


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## dmartin72 (Oct 27, 2004)

Mike...I didn't see you. You must have come in early Sunday morning. As Mike said, Zach of Variance had the most unbelievable display tanks. This one was made inside a wine cooler! WOW! :shock:


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## dmartin72 (Oct 27, 2004)

With the door open.


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## Guest (May 2, 2005)

Far out. I guess that's one way to run an environment cool enough for Masdevallias!! What kind of frogs were in there? I would have guessed conditions good for Masdevallias are too cool for darts, but maybe not Mantellas?


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## jbeetle (Feb 8, 2004)

No frogs, just a VERY nice tank. It should work well for high elevation darts and atelopus.


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## dmartin72 (Oct 27, 2004)

Zach didn't have any frogs in it. It was amazing! It had the cooler, fan on the inside for air circulation, misting system and a waterfall. I'm sure I missed something else.


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## Alan (Jan 12, 2005)




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## dmartin72 (Oct 27, 2004)

Nice close-up Alan...you can even see the fan. Oh by the way this was the small display. The other one was huge and had a resin (?) man made tree inside of it that was incredibly realistic. The only thing it needed was a chance to fill in a bit more.


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## Scott (Feb 17, 2004)

Did anyone talk with Zac about how he made the background for this? I am probably going to drop him a note on it... but I'd love to know if anyone brought this up with him.

thx.

s


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## RSines (Feb 15, 2004)

Scott,

I asked him about the tree. I am trying to remember the exact steps, I think he said he carved it out of foam and covered it with epoxy or resin (something), then as it was drying, he pushed the texture in from a mold he took from a real tree. I got the feeling he sotra rolled it on strip by strip to get that natural feel. 

Hmm, it made more sense when he explained it... :roll: You'll have to ask. 

I agree with what everyone said, what AWESOME tanks. The compost one really has got my brain churning. I like it because it is not too complex for people to attempt.

-Richard


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## Scott (Feb 17, 2004)

I already had plans for "Refugia" (I believe that is what Ben calls it) type of tank. I've got 2 45g "corner" tanks and I'm going to take some of the "back" corner and do this.

I am more interested in how he formed his landscape. The tree looked cool but is waaaaay outside my expertise at the moment.

I'm wondering if he used expandable foam and then silicone/peat (or cocofiber) or if we went more with a Weldbond type application (over foam).

Anyone know?

s


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## dmartin72 (Oct 27, 2004)

Scott,

It didn't look like the foam silicone peat combo. I would guess the welbond route. That tree was awesome, but definitely a massive undertaking! On that note, I can't believe I forgot to mention that I picked up a resin tree stump from Steven (StevenBonheim). Talk about a piece of art! I'll take a picture and post it later. If you can talk him into it, he can customize one for your size needs. I'm sure he'll be busy with college in a few months. :wink:


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## jbeetle (Feb 8, 2004)

I think Richard summed up making the tree pretty well, as that's what I remember him telling me. I forgot to ask about the background... to interested in all the plants lol .


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## jbeetle (Feb 8, 2004)

I think Richard summed up making the tree pretty well, as that's what I remember him telling me. I forgot to ask about the background... to interested in all the plants lol .


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## KeroKero (Jun 13, 2004)

I unfortunatley didn't have as much luck getting Ben's tank as I did the other two (had a lot of light reflecting off the glass), but here are my pics of the Variance tanks.

The smaller one:






































The larger exhibit:




















Had some slight glare issues with the second one too since the door was closed (got to take pics of the smaller one when it was open in the morning) but they still turned out.

Now I jsut gotta post all my frog pics!


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## jbeetle (Feb 8, 2004)

Very nice pics Corey. All 3 of those tanks were just stunning.


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## Guest (May 3, 2005)

refugium = an area free of predation that allows micro-organisms to breed (used frequently in reef tanks to allow amphipods/copepods to continue procreating and introducing themselves to the display tank).

refugia = more than one refugium.


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## joker555 (Jan 8, 2005)

I was thinking of doing a project similiar to the wine cooler viv, I only wish I could have been at IAD to ask Zach questions about it. Did anyone get any specs on how he made it or how it functions? 

There are a couple odd things I don't understand such as: I understand the fan is for air circulation, but how is he getting a fresh air supply in the viv, or is he depending on the plants for that? Or, how did he trail the cords for the fan, light, mister out of the tank/fridge?

If anyone knows or has any good guesses I would very much like to hear them  

Thanks,
Dustin


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## Peter Keane (Jun 11, 2005)

Using wine chillers or coolers is nothing new in the dart frog hobby.. I have two up and running right now.... BUT nothing like these gorgeous vivariums.. each one had a price tag of ~ $5,000, planted and believe it or not well worth it... I am now experimenting with Phyllomedusa Bicolor and tomopterna (waiting to aquire).. in a stand up shower with a glass door front.. it already has a drain built in, an opening near the top for a showerhead.. which I will make smaller to allow several misting nozzles in. The acrylic I got to go across the top did not pass the humidity test, it warped I really didn't want to work with glass but I am pricing 3/8" tempered glass to go across the top.. the lighting will consist of 2 shop lights with Vita-Lite strips in it.. I have a friend who says he can re-create a foam tree stump in one corner with some wide butresses.. he will also put in some tree openings for the bicolor to hide and hopefully breed.. behind these stump holes in the tree I want to cut out a 4" square opening to observe the inside of each hole.. I also want to make this a walk in.. If anyone has any ideas for this project I would thank you in advance.. Peter


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## Guest (Jun 11, 2005)

*tree*

how was the tree in the last picture made?


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## Guest (Jun 11, 2005)

Probably out of some kind of epoxy - flevopol, ect. Just a guess.
Brooks


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