# 40 Breeder: Vertical or Horizontal?



## Villosa (Feb 17, 2009)

Hello obsessed PDF people! 

I'm stuck with a decision, a big decision. One that will forever alter the lives of 6 little jumpy things. 

The subject: Spare 40 breeder (36x18x16) that has a edge to edge crack at the long side of the tank. The crack is near the top lip, where the corner meets and one can essentially fill the tank with water until about 5 inches from the top before it leaks.

The inhabitants: 6 sub-adult Leucs, only a few months away from being adults! 

Current living situation: 10 gallon horizontal...

The plan: Sculpted background to look like trunk and tree roots from a rain forest. Mossy (I love moss), leaf litter, good sized shallow pool, lightly planted with small growing broms (maybe)

Reference: http://people.csail.mit.edu/jaffer/TreeRoot.jpg

Materials: Sodium Bentonite/peat/sphagnum mix. Leaf litter (oak, magnolia), leca, film canister (for breeding of course), usual false bottom materials etc etc 

Vertical design: 8" acrylic at the bottom for false bottom design (allows me to all water feature and drainage). 5" off the top for ventilation+2x circulation fans. Essentially ~28x18x16 of space to with give or take a few. 

Crack interference: None aside from looking UGLY...

Pros: Allows me more freedom with the tree trunk and roots, allows for a taller, more spectacular setting. Allows for vertical climbing areas, resting sites, breeding areas etc. 

Cons: Enough room for frogs? (obviously the #1 concern, looks are second)

Horizontal design: 4" acrylic off the bottom and 2" at the top for ventilation, harder time for circulation fans to be installed. Plan is the same trunk and roots. Materials all the same. 

Crack interference: Cracked panel is the roof and hardly seen.

Pros: Certainly enough horizontal room for 6 leucs. 

Cons: Due to height issues, there will be no false bottom, no water feature, lower trunk, smaller root design. 

The decision: Vertical or horizontal?

Thanks!


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## AaronAcker (Aug 15, 2007)

Why not do it horizontal and not front opening?

Easy to hide crack, make it the back panel. More height 24" vs. 16-17" Easy to install fans, have back of top lid installed w/ your fans. Room for false bottom  ALSO easy to install a tube into false bottom behind background for drainage via siphon tube. ?? my .02


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## jeffr (May 15, 2009)

You have 6 leucs nearing adultood in a 10 gallon??


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## -Jex- (Mar 29, 2008)

I would also say horizontally top opening. I did that exact setup for three luecs they used the entire floor space.


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## yours (Nov 11, 2007)

Leucomelas definitely need more horizontal room, and that breeder set horizontally would be nice for them! You can even make one of the corners dip into gravel/water if you really want......your imagination sets the limits!



Alex


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## Villosa (Feb 17, 2009)

Hmm, and here I really wanted a front opening setup. Oh well. Frogs come first. It's bout tme they moved out. 

Thanks everyone.


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## yours (Nov 11, 2007)

You can invest in an EXO TERRA xxl tank(36 x 18 x 18), which has the front opening doors......AND then you can turn that 40 into a vert for some arboreal species!

Diiiiiiiidja wanna have your cake and eat it too?? Heheh 



Alex


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## Villosa (Feb 17, 2009)

Wow I would but my rack's width is only ~16"


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## gbeauvin (Aug 3, 2010)

AaronAcker said:


> Why not do it horizontal and not front opening?
> 
> Easy to hide crack, make it the back panel. More height 24" vs. 16-17"


If I'm not mistaken, a 40br is actually wider than it is tall, so front-opening horizontal actually makes it taller than top opening?

-GB


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## AaronAcker (Aug 15, 2007)

gbeauvin said:


> If I'm not mistaken, a 40br is actually wider than it is tall, so front-opening horizontal actually makes it taller than top opening?
> 
> -GB


Quote "Cons: Due to height issues, there will be no false bottom, no water feature, lower trunk, smaller root design. "

you may be right, the false bottom comment may have thrown me off... i'd have to go look at mine... BUT either way, I have no problem having a false bottom and a water feature in my 40b when they are set up horizontally.


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## tgregoire (Jul 21, 2010)

I agree with yours. Build or buy another tank for your leucs and build a vert. Like mine for example. 








The coolest style tank to build in my opinion!!!!


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## BlueRidge (Jun 12, 2010)

tg, that vert is awesome. Do you have a link to a build thread?


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## tgregoire (Jul 21, 2010)

Thanks jared!! I do actually, it is only a partial build journal because I borrowed the camera and had to give it back before I was done, but it def gives you a good idea on how I built it. It is on my buddys forum. Click the link I have as my signature, go to forums, then construstion. Don't forget to join!!!!


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## yours (Nov 11, 2007)

Bad ass tg! Love the combo rock/wood you have going on in there! Life is NOT complete w/o some VERT action...*grin*



Alex


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## tgregoire (Jul 21, 2010)

Still working out some minor kinks, but overall this method makes it very easy to plan a tank out so it can be built down to a T for exactly what, whatever your keeping needs. Check out the build, join and comment as to how you feel about my building method as it is VERY different and more time consuming.


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