# Ten Gallon Build (must see)



## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

Ok, so I'm challenging myself to create a ten gallon for a pair of thumbnail darts... the catch... I want this tank to seem spacious without being too bare. I've got my plant list ready for order, as well as two bags of ABG mix

Here's a few pictures of what's been done so far.


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## Damon Ryan (Nov 13, 2015)

Dope! 


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## Fingolfin (Jan 31, 2016)

One of the best 10 gals I've ever seen!

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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

Here's the plant list, if you have any suggestions for alternatives or arrangement, please let me know. I'm still a noob with actually building vivs, I've researched for 8 years before taking the plunge. I specifically chose these plants because the description says they stay small, but like I said, if any of these aren't going to work LET ME KNOW PLEASE <3.

X1
Selaginella uncinata 'Peacock Spikemoss' | Josh's Frogs

X1
Davallia tyermanii 'White Rabbit's Foot Fern' | Josh's Frogs

X1
Ficus pumila 'Quercifolia' - Houseplants | Josh's Frogs

X2 
Neoregelia 'Chiquita Linda' | Josh's Frogs 

X1
Alocasia 'Tiny Dancers' | Josh's Frogs

X1
Cryptocoryne lucens | Josh's Frogs

X1
Ficus punctata 'Panama' | Josh's Frogs


This ten gallon was actually the first viv I started building. I also have a 40 gallon on pause (the 40 is my second build)

Here's the http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/pa...0-gallon-build-customer-pics.html#post2634522


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

Thanks for the compliments, guys!


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## greenthumbs (Nov 6, 2015)

Is there a drainage layer? You're going to want one of those.


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

greenthumbs said:


> Is there a drainage layer? You're going to want one of those.


Oh lord, if I didn't know there's supposed to be a drainage layer, after 8 years of reasearch, I'd tell you guys to ban me from the forum lol


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

I'm trying something I haven't seen yet... I'm gonna try using this planted aquarium substrate as my drainage layer. If anyone has tried this and had good/bad experiences, let me know how it worked for you  thanks in advance!


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

Here's my hole to pull out excess water










Top view









Side view









Front view


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## carola1155 (Sep 10, 2007)

Lokirathehunter said:


> Oh lord, if I didn't know there's supposed to be a drainage layer, after 8 years of reasearch, I'd tell you guys to ban me from the forum lol


I think the problem is that it looks like your drainage layer is way too thin. You need a decent amount of space (at least half an inch) to separate the water level from the actual substrate. I use a 2" false bottom in most of my tanks and I don't let the water get above an inch. If you don't properly separate the substrate from the water it will get over-saturated and nasty real quick.

This becomes even more important if you have a drainage layer from the aquarium substrate like you are planning. That stuff will wick water up into your substrate.

Other than that, the hardscaping looks fantastic and I think this could end up be a really cool build for how big it is.


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## Encyclia (Aug 23, 2013)

I love the use of space in this tank. Great idea just coming out from one corner. I think it looks excellent. I am with carola, though, that I am not wild about the use of a thin layer of sand for the drainage layer. It is so small that it will get clogged up pretty quickly, I am afraid. In order to be able to use that great hole that you have for drainage, you will need the water to be able to flow to the corner. I think with grains that small, much of the water will be adhering to the boundary layer of the individual grains of sand. I would do pea gravel, at least, if not good ole clay balls or even an egg crate false bottom. I would also go deeper, too. I know you don't have much vertical space in that tank, but I think you will be willing to give up space for a good drainage layer after you have used the tank for a while. If aesthetics are the concern, you can always paint the outside of the tank black where the drainage layer is to conceal it.

Great start!

Mark


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

Encyclia said:


> I love the use of space in this tank. Great idea just coming out from one corner. I think it looks excellent. I am with carola, though, that I am not wild about the use of a thin layer of sand for the drainage layer. It is so small that it will get clogged up pretty quickly, I am afraid. In order to be able to use that great hole that you have for drainage, you will need the water to be able to flow to the corner. I think with grains that small, much of the water will be adhering to the boundary layer of the individual grains of sand. I would do pea gravel, at least, if not good ole clay balls or even an egg crate false bottom. I would also go deeper, too. I know you don't have much vertical space in that tank, but I think you will be willing to give up space for a good drainage layer after you have used the tank for a while. If aesthetics are the concern, you can always paint the outside of the tank black where the drainage layer is to conceal it.
> 
> Great start!
> 
> Mark


I would never use sand D:
I have 2" in there, I just pushed the gravel down at the edges for the photo. I had no idea this stuff wicks moisture, in that case, I'll just stick my eggcrate in there. I do need an area with the aquarium substrate for my Cryptocoryne lucens, but I'm not adding any water feature because this tank is just way too small for that.


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

Here's my second tank... 

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/pa...0-gallon-build-customer-pics.html#post2636801


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## austin (Dec 6, 2013)

Cool hardscape, nice looking.


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## Encyclia (Aug 23, 2013)

Lokirathehunter said:


> I would never use sand D:
> I have 2" in there, I just pushed the gravel down at the edges for the photo. I had no idea this stuff wicks moisture, in that case, I'll just stick my eggcrate in there. I do need an area with the aquarium substrate for my Cryptocoryne lucens, but I'm not adding any water feature because this tank is just way too small for that.


My mistake, Loki. When looking at the picture, I thought the bag you were showing had sand in it. I didn't realize it was opaque  That stuff looks suspiciously like the Ecocomplete I have in my planted tank. Does the stuff look volcanic? If so and if it's like Ecocomplete, it might be too abrasive to use above the water line for the frogs. I would worry about it cutting their thin skin, but maybe that's just me. I had to replace my 90 recently because of years of that stuff getting between the algae pad and the glass and it scratching up my glass. It's pretty sharp in spots...

If you are growing the crypts semi-immersed then it would probably be a great substrate for them since they are root feeders. I would just make sure it's below the water level. I also think it it is fine-grained enough that it might wick up to your substrate.

I am interested in seeing how this one turns out! Thumbies will really enjoy that layout, I think.

Mark


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

Yes, it's that volcanic type rock, very scratchy, it's like regular aquarium gravel sized pieces. Barely smaller than a pea, with a few smaller bits. It will all be covered up. I actually came up with another idea instead of taking the aquarium substrate out I'll leave it in around 1" and add an inch of something that doesn't wick moisture. Maybe two layers of eggcrate just zip tied together. That would still allow my water loving plants' roots to reach down into the gravel. Under all my wood there's a 1.5" x 3" rectangular clearance with screen siliconed in place for all the water to reach my port in the back while keeping frogs out.


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

As for frogs, those won't come for at least another 6 months to a year. But I've already picked a few different ones I'm considering. I want just a male and a female so finding sexed pairs isn't always easy. I may end up settling for a frog that isn't my favorite. I really want a pair of Ranitomeya lamasi buuuuut those are $250 per frog and I guess they won't even sell them to you unless you're a master dart breeder. So I've been waiting for maybe 3 
Ranitomeya ventrimaculata. I really LOVE Ranitomeya variabilis, but I feel like green on green I won't actually see them much besides a little green blur out of the corner of my eye lol. So, I think I wanna go with reds, oranges, yellows, and blue/black. I may end up with these http://www.joshsfrogs.com/sexed-pair-dendrobates-ventrimaculatus-french-guiana-yellow-for-sale.html they aren't my favorite but I still love them anyway.


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

This is the light I'll be testing for this build, there aren't many options when it comes to florescent lights for a ten gallon. I know I do NOT want to use CFLs. They don't produce enough light for me. Not only that but this cool little clip light has moonlight LEDs and it was only $40! Hopefully it gives me some really good growth.

Also, I'm in search for a cutting of marcgravia PRETTY PLEASE <3 if anyone has any, let's talk prices


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## lando (Sep 10, 2010)

I think you'll be fine with that drainage layer. I have a 10 gallon (my first build) that's been running for nearly 5 years and honestly, I've never had to drain any water. Once the plant roots get down to the water level, they suck up a large portion of the water. I have a traditional eggcrate FB and it cost me valuable vertical height.


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## lando (Sep 10, 2010)

Forgot to mention how awesome it looks. Haha. Great job!


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

Well that it's wonderful news!! How deep is your drainage layer? How often do you mist? 
And thank you!! I'm trying to build my vivariums as well as Grimm. Obviously that's pretty limited with such a small build.


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## lando (Sep 10, 2010)

My drainage layer is about 1-1/2"- 2" deep. It's not in front of me to measure. Haha. I mist at least once a day, sometimes 2 if it looks dry. In all honesty, a lot of people mist too much which creates an excess of water collecting under the FB. As long as you have an acceptable humidity level for your frogs, there's no reason to overdo it. It's a rainforest not a swamp. Haha. 
Grimm's work is amazing. That's quite a standard to hold yourself to. I'm pretty sure everyone on here drools over his builds. Haha. Patience is the key! The trick to small vivs (and any other enclosure for that matter. Be it a reef, planted tank or what have you) is to remember scale. It's hard to explain, but basically you don't want a giant log overwhelming the entire scape. Small branches, small rocks, small plants all arranged in a way that makes everything seem larger than it is.


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

Exactly! That's why I chose the smallest plants and a slow growing vine. I'm adding internal air circulation with these http://m.newegg.com/Product/index?i...avmgc-xbi25SeFLKCEDsoaAu1J8P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds they are soo tiny I feel like I'll be able to run them at half speed for some air circulation. I may try to get some miniature orchids and marcgravia. Those need some air circulation. I think I'll stick to hand misting because the tank is so small. Can I use the distilled water from Wal-Mart? It says it's JUST distilled water, no ions or anything else added.


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

I know I already posted a list of links, but here's little thumbnails of the plants I chose.










Hopefully, I'll be able to afford a couple mini orchids and some marcgravia


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## Keeferd (Mar 20, 2016)

wow that setup looks like something from some fantasy realm, can't wait to see it fully planted.


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

Thank You!


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

I may possibly upgrade my light to Finnex Planted 24 7 Fully Automated Aquarium LED Remote Control | eBay THIS! Fully automated day/night cycle with a frikken REMOTE and it's only 80 bucks!

Has anyone had luck with this before?


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## lando (Sep 10, 2010)

Lokirathehunter said:


> Exactly! That's why I chose the smallest plants and a slow growing vine. I'm adding internal air circulation with these 2 Pcs 3 Pin 40mm Square PC Computer Cooling Fan DC 12V Black - Newegg.com they are soo tiny I feel like I'll be able to run them at half speed for some air circulation. I may try to get some miniature orchids and marcgravia. Those need some air circulation. I think I'll stick to hand misting because the tank is so small. Can I use the distilled water from Wal-Mart? It says it's JUST distilled water, no ions or anything else added.


The distilled water should be fine. I use RODI for everything because I have an RODI filter. Haha. Those fans are TINY! Barely 1-1/2" square. Not sure what kind of CFMs they push, but you won't need much in a 10 gallon honestly. You may need a controller for them to adjust speed and convert them to AC so you can plug them into a wall outlet. I usually buy my fans and controllers as a kit because I don't know jack about electricity. Haha.
Check out Andy's Orchids for your mini orchids. Great stuff with a great search field to help you narrow down what will work in your enclosure. I have some Marcgravia Rectiflora that's in need of a serious trimming. PM me when you're ready for a piece and I'll hook you up. I also have a ton of TINY vines and creepers i can throw in. Don't ask me the names because I never can remember. I know I have a couple peperomias and some others. I'm about to do a bunch of replanting in my 75 gallon so I can throw a bunch of cuttings your way cheap.


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

lando said:


> The distilled water should be fine. I use RODI for everything because I have an RODI filter. Haha. Those fans are TINY! Barely 1-1/2" square. Not sure what kind of CFMs they push, but you won't need much in a 10 gallon honestly. You may need a controller for them to adjust speed and convert them to AC so you can plug them into a wall outlet. I usually buy my fans and controllers as a kit because I don't know jack about electricity. Haha.
> Check out Andy's Orchids for your mini orchids. Great stuff with a great search field to help you narrow down what will work in your enclosure. I have some Marcgravia Rectiflora that's in need of a serious trimming. PM me when you're ready for a piece and I'll hook you up. I also have a ton of TINY vines and creepers i can throw in. Don't ask me the names because I never can remember. I know I have a couple peperomias and some others. I'm about to do a bunch of replanting in my 75 gallon so I can throw a bunch of cuttings your way cheap.


now don't be getting me all excited -.- lol


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## Jjl (Feb 2, 2014)

Lokirathehunter said:


> I really want a pair of Ranitomeya lamasi buuuuut those are $250 per frog and I guess they won't even sell them to you unless you're a master dart breeder.


Highlands aren't the only "Lamasi" out there. Green and orange Sirensis also have the striped patterning, and are more affordable. (Though if the coloration is what you're focused on, then you might be out of luck for a while).


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

Ranitomeya ventrimaculata 'Arena Blanca' I absolutely love these little guys. I just wish I could hand pick each frog instead of getting a random one from an online seller. I'd be the person to sit there for an hour making sure I pick the prettiest ones.


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## cam1941 (Jan 16, 2014)

Go to a reptile expo so you can see exactly what your buying... Usually better deals too.



Lokirathehunter said:


> Ranitomeya ventrimaculata 'Arena Blanca' I absolutely love these little guys. I just wish I could hand pick each frog instead of getting a random one from an online seller. I'd be the person to sit there for an hour making sure I pick the prettiest ones.


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

The reptile expos around here are all snakes and lizards... I saw three frogs, two tincs, and a red eye  and their prices were horrendously high... $75 for a Patricia -.-


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

Ok, let me just say HOLY SH*T LOOK AT THIS TINC MORPH! Green Sipaliwini...

Look at how much the colors vary, I'm sitting here like "WOW... OOOH... OMG!"  I may even be crying a little ;_;










pretty, right?



just wait...











getting better?














and my favorite...


It's the most beautiful frog I've ever seen ;_;


















There were tears

Here's a nice example of the variations


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## joshsfrogs (May 6, 2004)

Loki,

Green sips are a personal favorite dart frog of mine here at JF also! Have you already placed a plant order with us? If not, I can offer some suggestions for you to think about.


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

JoshsFrogsPlants said:


> Loki,
> 
> Green sips are a personal favorite dart frog of mine here at JF also! Have you already placed a plant order with us? If not, I can offer some suggestions for you to think about.


I'm going to try to snag a pair of thumbnail frogs since I've only got a ten gallon tank.

When I get my 40 set up, I'll be buying those green sips!

Here's the list of plants I plan on purchasing for my ten.


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## joshsfrogs (May 6, 2004)

Lokirathehunter said:


> I'm going to try to snag a pair of thumbnail frogs since I've only got a ten gallon tank.
> 
> When I get my 40 set up, I'll be buying those green sips!
> 
> Here's the list of plants I plan on purchasing for my ten.


They look like great choices! 

The only concern I see worth noting is that the Tiny Dancers do get quite large and thick with tall leaves (up to 12-14" tall) and since their stems are large, they can't be trimmed down very well aesthetically to fit into a 10 gallon long term, but if you want one short term, you can always move it out. 

The quercifolia and panama are nice small-leaved, slow-growers, with panama being the slowest of the 2, making them a good choice for a 10 gallon viv. Our Ficus pumila 'Minima' is being discontinued so we are selling our nice, thick stock plants currently, but I wouldn't recommend all 3 varieties in that size viv. 

The white rabbit's foot fern does seem to grow quite a bit slower than the black rabbit's foot fern, making it also a great choice for a 10 gallon viv. 

Have fun!


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

JoshsFrogsPlants said:


> They look like great choices!
> 
> The only concern I see worth noting is that the Tiny Dancers do get quite large and thick with tall leaves (up to 12-14" tall) and since their stems are large, they can't be trimmed down very well aesthetically to fit into a 10 gallon long term, but if you want one short term, you can always move it out.
> 
> ...


Tiny dancers was a concern for me too, but I think it will work well until I can put it in my 40 or my 55 so I figured I'd just grab it now. I do plan on maintaining this tank really well, since it's so small.


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

Quick update, guys, I just ordered my fans. 









I need to figure out a way to rig them to a wall outlet (without some crazy hazard), and maybe put a cheap manual dial controller on them. They are so small (1.6in.) I might not even NEED the controller. I imagine I can run them full speed for a few seconds or minutes to clear my glass. I may even only use one and just run it all the time to keep a gentle breeze, depending on how much air movement I get.

Has anyone got a decent solution that requires minimal money? I'm not afraid to cut wires and solder them back together. I used to fix electronics, like xboxes, wii, ds, playstation...


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

I decided to photoshop all my plants into the tank (very sloppily) , I also decided against the tiny dancer, I'm gonna go with mood moss 

new plant list










photoshopped version of the tank










I think I'll be very happy with the plants I chose, especially when they start growing in.

Give me some feedback on this layout!


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## greenthumbs (Nov 6, 2015)

Looks good! Just one thing, you'll want at least some area of your floor covered in leaf litter, since frogs (thumbnails are no exception) like to hide and forage in it.


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

I added the wrong photo to the forum -.- oops! I actually have leaf litter in my finished photo, I was rushing around making food and uploading lol


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

Ok, so uploading from my phone is a bad idea. I will upload the actual image when I get back home!


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## joshsfrogs (May 6, 2004)

Hi Lokira,

Taylor & Michelle here from the plant department: We looked at your set-up, and while it does look good, we also have some suggestions if you are interested.

-1st, we suggest placing the quercifolia and panama further apart from each other - on opposite sides of the "mound". You could do the quercifolia at the base on the far left side, and the panama on the far right side. That way they will spread inwards to fill it in, and not get tangled together half way through filling in that mound.

-We felt as if you could benefit from adding another tropical in the front right corner of the tank if you wanted. Since it's a small tank, there aren't a ton of options for adding tropicals with color that won't get too large, but we came up with 3 options that we think could be a good fit: 
-Saxifraga stolonifera 'Strawberry Begonia'
-Alsobia dianthiflora 'Lace Flower' doesn't have much color but does produce flowers that do
-Episcia cupreata 'Silver Skies' will get larger than the other 2, but unlike the tiny dancers, it will still look nice when trimmed down to stay as a smaller plant.

Of course your other option is to just stick with the plants you have and keep that open corner as a moss pad for the frogs to have some extra room.

Hope this helps.


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

Here's the actual image. I'll have more leaf litter in there than what's pictured.










I also think I might add a fogger into the duct work to create some cool effects. not sure if it's worth it. I'm on a tight budget.


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

JoshsFrogsPlants said:


> Hi Lokira,
> 
> Taylor & Michelle here from the plant department: We looked at your set-up, and while it does look good, we also have some suggestions if you are interested.
> 
> ...


I was just thinking the same about those two plants! I'm going to put the panama in the back right and keep my front right corner clear. This tank is going to be view able from front and right, so in the off chance my little thumbies get bold, they will be in the open in that spot, then as they get closer to the middle and back they have a lot more coverage to hide. I'd like to keep the plants away from the glass so I can see as much as possible. Unfortunately, these photos don't show all the cool little nooks and crannies I have for my frogs to hide in. 

Also playing around with the idea of vines  I'm going to put little bits of moss in random spots on my wood and background, hopefully I'll have some nice mossy patches on those vines, if I decide to make some.


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

I decided I wasn't happy with the look, so I carved more foam.
Hopefully, soon, I'll adhere some sphagnum moss to the carved areas.





































Lots of changes will be made before the tank is finished, I'm MAYBE half way done.


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

Quick update, small plant order has been placed!!
The background is finally done!
but I didnt have time to snap any photos 

Tomorrow I'll show you some good stuff! 

The blank ones are not ordered yet. I'm so excited for this brom... I might die lol


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

*Updated Background (pics!)*

Here's the updated background! These vines took FOREVER... to get the skinny vines, I unraveled a large piece of the rope. I played around with the position of the vines and finally decided on this.

It's still drying, so, I haven't dumped the excess coconut fiber out yet. I still have a few nice pieces of rope left, so I may drape a few more across the back glass on the right side.

Here's an angled view of the top.









From the side









and the front... (the glass looks awful, I know)


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

Here's a REALLY quick idea of where all the plants will be going.


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## jonjoyce346 (Oct 15, 2014)

Those vines look awesome!


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## Gibbs.JP (Feb 16, 2016)

Great job. This has been fun to watch progress.

I'm guessing the top left back corner you cut out is for an internal fan?


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

Vines are dry, I added my drainage layer and started arranging my rocks. I cut pieces of screen to fit around my rocks and weighed it down with a few extra rocks. I didn't want my screen bunching up at the edges, since I'm trying to go for a clean look. Abg mix and plants come today or tomorrow! I'm so excited, this is finally coming together!


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

Gibbs.JP said:


> Great job. This has been fun to watch progress.
> 
> I'm guessing the top left back corner you cut out is for an internal fan?


Thanks, I'm glad you like it!
Yes, the cutout is for a 40mm internal fan. Those should be arriving in the next week or so.


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

jonjoyce346 said:


> Those vines look awesome!


Thank you! they were a pain


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

Really bad news... I'm getting really p*ssed off right now! My vines are all falling off exposing wet silicone... 

It's been three days since I put the vines in, and I didn't glob it in or anything. I think I got a bad batch of silicone, go figure my luck. I want to scream.

I think I'm gonna rip out all the vines and try to scrape out some of the crappy non-drying silicone.

here's some pics... Still, overall, extremely happy! Been waiting to finish and get some plants in here for over a year now.

Davallia tyermanii "White rabbit's foot fern"









Ficus pumilia "Quercifolia"

















And the gorgeous bromeliad Neoregelia dungsiana (seriously in love with this clumping mini brom)









I also cut a few of the small ones off (it wasn't quite fitting where I planned)









It still didn't fit where I planned, because it was just a TEENY bit too tall with a TINY bit too much of a root ball. But that's ok!

Tank Shot 









Still lots more to do, but until more money comes along, it'll just grow like this for now


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## baskis (Jun 7, 2015)

Nice! Your hardscape looks great, great inspo since I'm considering a small build to take with me to college (if they let me bring it). I hope it grows in well and your moss takes off!


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

baskis said:


> Nice! Your hardscape looks great, great inspo since I'm considering a small build to take with me to college (if they let me bring it). I hope it grows in well and your moss takes off!


Thank you! I planned it out for a long time, still running into tough and unexpected things along the way, but well worth it!

I don't see why they wouldn't it's like fish, contained in a glass box, no stains or poop lol

I haven't put my moss in yet, the only thing in there is ABG mix, the brom, the fern, and the ficus pumilia.


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

My fans came! So, a little wire cutting, stripping, twisting, and electrical tape, I now have a rigged fan for internal air circulation!










All hooked up, running nicely for a half hour before bed.


















Other news, I had to move my bromeliad to a better draining spot, so, it's now centered, tucked between two branches.










Max loves watching me work on the tank, if I close the door without him he meows until I let him in. Then he hops up next to me, sits patiently watching, while he purrs <3 










A couple close-ups (phone camera is weird it cropped them??)

LEDs Finnex Planted+ cliplight


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## oldlady25715 (Nov 17, 2007)

You get the award for most detailed 10 gal build ever! It looks a lot bigger than 10, and that's a compliment.


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

oldlady25715 said:


> You get the award for most detailed 10 gal build ever! It looks a lot bigger than 10, and that's a compliment.


Thank you! That was my goal. I knew I would need very small plants and a nice interesting piece of wood that didn't take too much space. Even in person it seems larger. The pictures don't show all the nice little hiding spots. I can't wait to get a real top and finish this. I hate being broke haha


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

the image re-sizing seriously needs an overhaul.  i shouldn't have to refresh 12 times to get my pictures to appear normal sized...

can't even see anything because it's too big.
really didn't want to have to edit these photos

does anyone know a quick fix for this without having to go manually re-size all my images?


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

The day before I got the fans, I saw some little fuzzy mold starting on my bromeliad stems! I got my fans the next day... Mold GONE. Totally gone, not even the slightest sign it was there. The glass was fogging up before bed, not anymore! Internal air circulation is amazing for the viv. 

My bromeliad is starting to get these adorable little stripes. Every day they are a little more pronounced.

The ficus pumilia quercifolia is already showing signs of upward growth. It went from drooping forward to resting against the background.

As for the rabbits foot fern, I haven't seen anything noticeable, yet. But it's only been a few days so far.

Hopefully this week I can grab my leaf litter, some isopods or springtails and my moss. I haven't seeded the tank with cleanup bugs yet. I still don't even have a proper top. I'm using two scrap pieces of glass. Lots to do still...


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## papa_mcknight (Feb 3, 2013)

Love the hardscape in this build, has so much potential. Will definitely be following this


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

papa_mcknight said:


> Love the hardscape in this build, has so much potential. Will definitely be following this


thank you! I planned it out for a very long time! I'm glad you like it!


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

My ficus pumilia quercifolia is looking a little sad. Does anyone have tips for making it thrive? It's the little oak leaf creeping fig. Any suggestions would be very helpful! 

Moss is on it's way from Josh's Frogs. Mood moss! I'm very excited to see how well it does in my vivarium.

I changed a few of my rocks for ones I liked more. I may change them a little more before I'm happy with them. They don't seem natural enough. Maybe moss and leaf litter will make it better.


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

I changed the rocks AGAIN 
I can't help it -.-

Springtails are ordered, finally... I'm seeing more mold hiding in the shadowy areas  So, hopefully these springs will kick it outta there.

I think I may harvest my own isopods... We have the big giant gray ones and some smaller purple/red ones hanging out where I live. I wanted to order some white dwarf isopods but josh's frogs is out of stock 



















































the cat for size reference


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

Mold everywhere! I know mold is normal for a new viv, but it's scaring the sh*t out of me, being on my bromeliad... Not OK -.- 

Some of it is green, most of it is white.

And the good news... My brom has sprouted an adorable little root


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

The mold is almost gone! Finally...

I got my glass cut today, along with my no-see-um mesh.
Everything is in place and ready to go.

Springtails and moss arrive tomorrow!




















































Someone please tell me what's wrong with my ficus pumilia quercifolia!! I really don't want it to die!


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

Glass top is taped shut while it cures. The epoxy I used was marine epoxy I applied it with q-tips I used the mesh as my hinge. There are no gaps and it still allows me to open everything up. I really didn't want to use any plastic/acrylic hinges in case there was a slight gap. I know it doesn't look very pretty but this tank is just a 'play around build' until the next one. 










Speaking of 'next build' all my work on this tank has sparked interest in my boyfriend... HA! YES!!! He wants a huge extravagant build in the future... He keeps handing me money to finish this build because he's suddenly impatient for it to be finished. He's secretly in love and can't wait for it to be done, I know it! lol He mentioned a mist king system the other day. He said "Hey, uhhh, mist king is not that much, I can afford that." I followed with "Well I don't need one, I like hand misting my tank because it's so small, a mist king would be unnecessary." a few hours later, we're about to go to sleep, he's laying there and says "Is a 55 gallon big enough? I think it's too small" So, I'm pretty sure he's hooked! 

I'm thinking something like 48x24x24


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## baskis (Jun 7, 2015)

The pictures aren't loading for me. I totally understand your boyfriend's interest in the hobby. My girlfriend and I were at the zoo and she correctly identified most of the darts just based on my constant blabbering about them


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

baskis said:


> The pictures aren't loading for me. I totally understand your boyfriend's interest in the hobby. My girlfriend and I were at the zoo and she correctly identified most of the darts just based on my constant blabbering about them


They're on imgur, let me see if I accidentally made them private.


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

Maybe this helps?


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## baskis (Jun 7, 2015)

Haha of course, right after I replied they started loading fine. Maybe imgur is blocked at my school? Anyway, the tank looks great. Maybe a little sparse at the moment but after it grows in and you place the moss it should look even better


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

Moss and springtails are in! I can already see this moss might not work for what I want. I should've got the sheet moss. I'll wait it out and see how it goes, but it seems like it's too much cushion. I may try the slurry method, but I just don't want my tank to be ugly lol. I've also been drawing out the plans for the 48"x24"x24"


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## Teacher Tia (Apr 19, 2016)

I'm curious, are you not using leaf litter?


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## Teacher Tia (Apr 19, 2016)

Oops, I just saw that you added it in on of your photoshopped photos. Are you putting it over your moss?


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

I am using leaf litter! lol This tank is still in construction, it's not done yet.

here's my most recent order from Josh's Frogs!










and a few pictures of the tank prepped for the new order. I moved the rabbit's foot fern to a better draining spot, and made it a little more visible. The hybrid fern will be in the back where the rabbit's foot fern was.

































































Little cave under the brom 










Another two days and I'll have more plants  and finally my leaf litter!


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

I finally got around to getting my other light. I had a repti-glo 5.0 laying around at my other house, so I set it up over my tank to see if my plants like it.

Before









After










Angled shot

Before









After










and my very ugly setup lol


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

After four days in a box, my plants finally arrived today. They are looking a little yellow and sad  

Pictures will be up soon.


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

Update pics


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## frogtodd (Dec 25, 2014)

I probably missed it, but what do you plan on housing? 

Great viv by the way!


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

frogtodd said:


> I probably missed it, but what do you plan on housing?
> 
> Great viv by the way!


Thank you! 
I've changed my mind so many times, but it's stayed on thumbs. Right now I'm hoping for a pair or trio of Ranitomeya ventrimaculata 'Arena Blanca' or Ranitomeya imitator 'Varadero'


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## Gibbs.JP (Feb 16, 2016)

That turned out really nice, great job! Looks much bigger than a 10g too


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## bsantucci (Nov 17, 2014)

What is that moss used here? I'm new to vivariums and still learning all the mosses. Is it mood moss?

Tank came out great!


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

Gibbs.JP said:


> That turned out really nice, great job! Looks much bigger than a 10g too


Thank you! That was my goal, to create a decent looking ten gallon viv.



bsantucci said:


> What is that moss used here? I'm new to vivariums and still learning all the mosses. Is it mood moss?
> 
> Tank came out great!


Yes it's mood moss, and thank you!


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

I've got a little something that I'd like to discuss about cleanup bugs. I found some squiggly lines on some condensation a few days ago. Of course I had a mini heart attack, I knew it was wood mites. People seem to be split 50/50 on whether or not these are useful or if you can/should keep them. My springtails are still kinda lacking on mold cleanup. But these wood mites have swarmed every damp moldy section in the viv so far. It starts with just a few clustered together and then has progressed to many of them. I've seen a huge amount of mold disappear within 3 days, and I haven't touched a spec of it. I'm going to give it a few more days/weeks to see how this goes. But so far, wood mites are totally fantastic in my vivarium! I'm not going to suggest keeping or getting rid of them until I test the situation further. 

Pics of a smaller cluster of wood mites, the trails on the glass, and a few roamers.


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

I have some before and after photos from the second planting until today


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

Some random close up shots of the growth in my tank.

I also moved my rabbit's foot fern AGAIN -.- it just doesn't seem to like the places I put it. So, now it's in the front.











Roots everywhere with this brom, I swear!


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

I left Friday until very late Sunday night, the tank was left without misting or air circulation and I came back to a few pleasant surprises! Springtails and wood mites are booming, roots and brom pups are getting larger, and I even found new unidentified plants and some more brom pups sprouting from the mother!


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## Kai Wolf (May 17, 2016)

Oh wow, this is turning out so well! And I love the fact that you're posting regular updates on its progress. It's highly encouraging to the rest of us that haven't taken the plunge yet, lol (I'm in a similar situation as you... been reading about this FOREVER, but still haven't made one yet).


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

I try to keep updates coming every few days so everyone can see the whole cycle. I got some slime mold, I wiped it away and it spread, so I wiped it better lol

More bromeliad growth shows every day. I check the tank periodically throughout the day and notice something new or something changed.


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

Update. Lots of growth. I mist maybe once a day. Rabbit's foot fern hasn't shown any signs of growth and it's turning yellow and brown 

Still have mold but the smell is starting to get less musty and more earthy. There are SO MANY SPRINGTAILS!!!! 

If anyone is still interested in updates, I'll keep them coming.


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## Drew Shark (Jan 7, 2016)

Please keep posting updates! This viv is an inspiration to me that you can have a great viv in a small package. 

Drew


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

I know pretty much nothing about bromeliads... but I swear my bromeliad is about to bloom! If anyone could give me a sure answer if I'm crazy or not, that'd be fantastic! Lol


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)




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## Phishsaw (May 27, 2016)

Wow, beautiful viv! What kind of frog did you decide to keep in there?


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## Sin (May 15, 2016)

Nice viv!

Maybe I missed it but I got a question about your fans, or better the circulation. I can see where it blows out of your background but where did you put in the intake?


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## MasterT (Jun 7, 2016)

Hey great job!!

I am working on a 10 right now, I was wonderin how thick your drainage and substrate layers are?


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

The bromeliad is DEFINITELY blooming!


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-U15AXSxkA

Vivarium update


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## spdybee (May 24, 2015)

Very nice viv. Thanks for posting the update. I see the rabbits foot fern is still there. Have you managed to get any new growth from it? One suggestion, next time you may want to wipe down the glass so there isn't so much moisture on it before taking a video.


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

I was feeling lazy and it was actually just a test video but I got impatient lol


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

I was not feeling well that day


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## Sammie (Oct 12, 2009)

Looking good, what's the plant you zoom in on at the very beginning?


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

Sammie said:


> Looking good, what's the plant you zoom in on at the very beginning?


Thank you! The plant at the very beginning is ficus pumilia quercifolia. 'Oak leaf creeping fig'


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

I added the plants I got from a trade with a fellow dendroboard member. Two beautiful little orchids, two marcgravia cuttings, and I THINK a fern. I've got the orchids right in front of my fan so the water droplets don't collect on the leaves. 

I honestly water my tank maybe once a week, and my fan isn't on a timer so I either forget air circulation or leave it running for a few hours or days. My humidity seems to stay in the range of 75-100% humidity. The canopy stays a tiny bit drier at 70+ if i forget to mist for more than 4 days. I've found, misting more than once every two days i get too much moisture. Opinions? Suggestions?


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## xxohmycaptainxx (Dec 10, 2010)

Looking good so far. Only critique I have is that the tank would look nicer if you added some variety in terms of bromeliads. I like the placement of the broms you currently have but there's no real color. I'd love to see you add in some different species of bromeliads to add a bit of color and variety. It just looks a bit too uniform at the moment.

The rest of the plants however look very nice and I love the hardscape of this build. Just add some new bromeliads to that group to liven things up and I think you'll really have a gorgeous tank on your hands!


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

There's only one bromeliad in there and this tank is gonna be overgrown way too fast  that brom spits pups off like crazy. It's a branching mini bromeliad. I need to move it to a larger tank so it actually has room to branch out. My pups are smashing up against the background and top glass already. The brom I have gets to be a max of 3" tall. Lol my tank is tiny. But hopefully soon, I can start my large build.


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)




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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

For anyone interested, the type of bromeliad I have is available on josh's frogs

http://www.joshsfrogs.com/neoregelia-dungsiana-cork-mount.html

It's smaller than mine but I'm sure you'll have pups sprouting within a few months.


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

As of today


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

Big update on moss, took out some mood moss and replaced it with wild collected mosses that seem to be growing after only a week.


















































































Full tank+lights+junk I have cluttering the nice view....


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

Tank update


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

this will be the final update before the tank gets taken apart.


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## martini5788 (Aug 10, 2015)

Taken apart? Why?! It's gorgeous!! 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Lukehartung99 (Aug 27, 2016)

This tank is stunning! Where did you get the tiny broms? 
I have been looking everywhere for a small variety since I have a 20 gallon long tank and I really need tiny plants


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

Lukehartung99 said:


> This tank is stunning! Where did you get the tiny broms?
> I have been looking everywhere for a small variety since I have a 20 gallon long tank and I really need tiny plants
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk


Bromeliad Neoregelia Dungsiana

here's the only link i've found where it's up for sale.


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## Lukehartung99 (Aug 27, 2016)

Thank you!!!


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

I decided to keep the tank and the frogs are in! Dendrobates tinctorius yellowback


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

Full tank shot


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## TheDartDude (Nov 26, 2016)

This is amazing


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

Full tank shot as of May 9th 2017. Breeding hut added even though it is a big eye sore right in the front. Lucid has the forearm stripe and Lucy has the spot.


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

Kinda blurry, didn't get around to wiping the glass, just wanted to update.


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## jayjigga (Apr 20, 2007)

Looking good! How do you feel about the space? You're doing a good job making it look bigger than it is, but do you feel cramped?


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

The two frogs in there seem to be happy.


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## serial hobbiest (Mar 5, 2017)

Very very nice. I enjoyed scanning through this thread, watching the progress. Congrats on a job well done. Thanks for sharing!


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## blackmudpuppy (Mar 9, 2017)

This is such a cool build! Taking notes!


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## *tinc_so (Dec 18, 2016)

i just had to revive this thread, are there any updates? this tank is amazing lokira, i hope you didnt take it apart


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## Lokirathehunter (Oct 16, 2015)

Unfortunately the tank was taken apart about a year or so ago. The frogs have been moved to my 20 gallon vert tank until I get moved into my new house, where they will be moved into a 30"x30"x36" enclosure. The tank is still together, just no plants or anything inside.


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