# First Vivarium Build- 29 gallon



## Azriel (Jun 15, 2011)

I don't have much to show yet, but I have a start at least! I've been doing lots of research in the past couple of weeks, so it's nice to finally have something to show for it. Please keep checking in on this thread, because I'll post photos along the way, and I'll also be asking questions I'm sure. Constructive criticisms are welcome. 



















Questions: 
1. *I have GE Silicone I Kitchen/Bath/Plumbing. Is this the right kind?* The only thing is that it's clear, and I thought it would be better to get the black kind because that way when I cover the Great Stuff with coco fiber, if there are any bare patches they'll just be black. I guess alternatively I could look for the black GS that's meant for ponds... 

2. Do I have to put silicone on the glass before applying GS? I guess that's where having black silicone would come in handy, because then it will hide the back and side of the tank, which I'm sure will be pretty ugly looking from the outside with the GS pressed up against the glass. 

3. This question has its own thread: http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/parts-construction/69846-pet-resistant-insect-screening-false-bottom.html

Thanks and stay tuned!


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## Azriel (Jun 15, 2011)

Strange, I'm not sure what happened to the photos, but I'll post them again! 

Start: 


















Making progress; I wrapped the FB in screen and applied silicone to the walls where the GS will go. 









I ended up answering my previous questions on my own, so please ignore those.


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## BYHGAB (Jun 13, 2011)

Looks good so far, im keeping an eye on this, I wanna do the same thing


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## Azriel (Jun 15, 2011)

Thanks! I'm figuring it out as I go. I got a big piece of driftwood (I think it's mopani wood), and I'm trying out different positions to see what looks best. Opinions? I think I already have a favorite, but I'm not telling.


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## PeanutbuttER (Jan 1, 2011)

2 is my favorite "pose"


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## Azriel (Jun 15, 2011)

2 was my favorite also! I went with that one. 

Here is the arrangement I've decided on. There will be a slow trickle of water coming out of a hole in the cork bark piece on the far left that will trickle down into the pond. I will slope the sides of the pond so the frogs can get out if they fall in, don't worry! 










I followed Grimm's awesome idea for the air circulation vent system and made my own mini version of that. Still waiting on the computer fan for it.


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## Azriel (Jun 15, 2011)

So I have a question. Do you guys think this tank will have enough usable space for a pair of D. tinctorius? Here is the side-view picture again:









And here is a top-view picture:









I'm thinking they will be able to climb all over the background (I'm making a ledge or two) and that large piece of driftwood.


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## Azriel (Jun 15, 2011)

Bump. 

Anyone??


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## quack (May 14, 2011)

Looks great! Can't wait to see it after the gs!


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## Paul (Nov 15, 2007)

Really great detailed build journal, it's always so exciting with the development of each new step!


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## Azriel (Jun 15, 2011)

Thanks! 

There will be a minor setback, because I bought the kind of GS that expands too much. I'm going to return it, and I've ordered the black kind online. So I have to wait for that to get here before I can do much more.


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## El Saptio Joyas (Jun 15, 2011)

Azriel said:


> I don't have much to show yet, but I have a start at least! I've been doing lots of research in the past couple of weeks, so it's nice to finally have something to show for it. Please keep checking in on this thread, because I'll post photos along the way, and I'll also be asking questions I'm sure. Constructive criticisms are welcome.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Didnt look like you had ques ans.

- I use GE silicon II - dont remember if your ver has microban - you dont want mold inhibitor. I prefer to put coat on glass b4 doing GS foam. I use a plastic dry wall spreader - prob cost 50cents and cleans up super easy. I use black for base and coating GS. I use clear for vert conv kit (if relevant).

Yes - the light yellow GS is ugly - the black silicon does ok job of hiding this, but i just spray flat black paint on sides. This is personal preference. No right or wrong here. Dont use large gap - I did and its hard to control - other posters said it can crack the tank. The black color has several brands but i cant find it local - just got mine from Amazon.

I think your doing a great job. Youve kept it simple. I would not add anymore wood. Your 29g is good size for pair of anything. 

Great pics - thx for sharing


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## rbrock (Nov 2, 2008)

Great job tank looks good lots of detail. What ever gets to live in it will love it.


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## Arpeggio (Jan 15, 2011)

Looking great!


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## johnyrocks (Jun 25, 2011)

Nice so far. I've never had a problem with the big gap filler kind, but for a huge one. lol. No, not because it cracks glass (4 times, never did -_-), but it shrinks overnight, and it unsticks from the glass. The window and door kind has mold resistant crap in it. So yeah the black kind you're getting or gaps and cracks.


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## Azriel (Jun 15, 2011)

Progress report! 

This is how it looked after the GS:









And this is how it looks now with the background pretty much complete:



























It's getting there, slowly but surely!


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## mrfrogdude (Jun 26, 2011)

Looks nice! I just completed a 29 build a well for my first.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk


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## nschmitz06 (Feb 20, 2011)

Looking good so far, will look really good with some broms in there!!... I imagine they are on order  ... I'm also interested to see what you do with your pond area.


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## Azriel (Jun 15, 2011)

I had to put the progress of my viv on hold for a while because I was busy working on my aquariums (I keep fancy goldfish and just finished building a wet/dry filter). But I'm starting up the viv project again, and today I got the fan for the internal air circulation. Here are some pics. Credit to Grimm for the inspiration on this. 



















Cut and strip the red and black wires.









Cut and strip the adapter wires.









Splice.









Used shrink tube to hold them together.









Voila!









Here it is in the compartment I built for it. It takes air from the bottom of the tank and moves it up to the top.


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## DragonSpirit1185 (Dec 6, 2010)

looking good so far...that pond foam sure did swallow up that cork bark.
the GS in the red can did't expand that much for me


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## EverettC (Mar 9, 2004)

How do you intend on separating the water from your substrate? It will roll off of your screen in to the water area right now, I've taken GS and created a barrier with that before which works out well. Tank looks great though! Black GS makes a huge difference, can't wait to see it finished


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## Azriel (Jun 15, 2011)

I just finished the water feature, here's a video!


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## BethInAK (Jul 12, 2011)

i really dig your hairy background. and the hairy box for the fan. 
can't wait to see it planted!


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## DragonSpirit1185 (Dec 6, 2010)

Azriel said:


> I just finished the water feature, here's a video!
> Poison Dart Frog Tank Water Feature - YouTube


just make sure you use R/O or distilled water so you don't get a mineral buildup on the glass


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## gnod (Sep 12, 2011)

Azriel said:


> I just finished the water feature, here's a video!
> Poison Dart Frog Tank Water Feature - YouTube


very very nicely done, i love that waterfall.. so slick and simple. where'd you end up putting it? i mean, the pump.


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## Azriel (Jun 15, 2011)

DragonSpirit1185 said:


> just make sure you use R/O or distilled water so you don't get a mineral buildup on the glass


I've heard you should use distilled for misting and dechlorinated tap water for the water feature is fine. But yeah... maybe the water line would form a buildup on the glass, and I wouldn't want that! Hmm... I just don't want the water to become too acidic though, which I think it could if I use distilled in the water feature. 



gnod said:


> very very nicely done, i love that waterfall.. so slick and simple. where'd you end up putting it? i mean, the pump.


Thanks! I needed to keep it simple for my first build since I don't totally know what I'm doing!  lol I made an access for the pump right behind the waterfall.


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## DragonSpirit1185 (Dec 6, 2010)

Azriel said:


> I've heard you should use distilled for misting and dechlorinated tap water for the water feature is fine. But yeah... maybe the water line would form a buildup on the glass, and I wouldn't want that! Hmm... I just don't want the water to become too acidic though, which I think it could if I use distilled in the water feature.


even removing the chlorine there is still minerals in tap water wich will leave deposits on your class.
almost everyone who has been doing this for a while uses r/o for everything in their vivs...
I think some use spring water and shizz for tads tho


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## Azriel (Jun 15, 2011)

DragonSpirit1185 said:


> even removing the chlorine there is still minerals in tap water wich will leave deposits on your class.
> almost everyone who has been doing this for a while uses r/o for everything in their vivs...
> I think some use spring water and shizz for tads tho


Yeah I understand that. I have pretty hard water here and my main hobby is fishkeeping. So I know all about water deposits... unfortunately.  I'll go with distilled water in the pond then I suppose!


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## Neontra (Aug 16, 2011)

All I can say is....... SWEET! I'm gonna start a new 29g in mid november and i'm gonna use the same FB design and waterfall design you did. I plan on using distilled for both misting and a water feature, just because if you look at an aquarium that you need to add more water too you can see an ugly deposit line and i'm also getting that in my older tank. One question though, what pump are you using? I was thinking of using the zoo med pump in thier waterfall kit, but I don't want it to squirt water out or not even pump high enough, I want it to trickle. Also, is that cork to "separate" the land and water? Another idea stolen


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## Azriel (Jun 15, 2011)

Neontra said:


> All I can say is....... SWEET! I'm gonna start a new 29g in mid november and i'm gonna use the same FB design and waterfall design you did. I plan on using distilled for both misting and a water feature, just because if you look at an aquarium that you need to add more water too you can see an ugly deposit line and i'm also getting that in my older tank. One question though, what pump are you using? I was thinking of using the zoo med pump in thier waterfall kit, but I don't want it to squirt water out or not even pump high enough, I want it to trickle. Also, is that cork to "separate" the land and water? Another idea stolen


I used the Zoo Med Micro Pump 104, it's perfect! You can adjust the flow rate a little on it. Yeah, the cork is to keep the substrate out of the water. 

My plants are here! I ordered from Black Jungle. I just left the tags in for now so I remember what they are.


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## DragonSpirit1185 (Dec 6, 2010)

Azriel said:


> I used the Zoo Med Micro Pump 104, it's perfect! You can adjust the flow rate a little on it. Yeah, the cork is to keep the substrate out of the water.
> 
> My plants are here! I ordered from Black Jungle. I just left the tags in for now so I remember what they are.


can you post the pics again and tell me the names....I like them.
what is the plant in the water?


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## Azriel (Jun 15, 2011)

Sure Brandon, here is the plant list and I'll upload a photo of the tank with all the plants labeled too.
Plant list:
Selaginella sp. (spikemoss)
Pleurothallis allenii
Bacopi monnieri (moneywort)
Ficus pumila var. quercifolia (oak leaf creeping fig)
Ficus sp. “lance leaf”
Ludisia discolor var. alba (jewel orchid)
Dischidia ovate
Polypodium formosanum (grub fern) 

I added a fake vine today. 









With labels


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## Azriel (Jun 15, 2011)

Here's a little update on the plants. I'm seeing new growth on most of them, and they all seem to be more bright green than they were at first. 














The Bacopa monnieri is the fastest growing so far. 








It even produced this little flower a few days ago!









The Picus pumila is putting out new leaves very quickly. 









The rhizome on the grub fern seems to be growing up away from the dirt.









The Ludisia discolor is bending toward the light.









Even the Pluerothallis allenii has a little bit of new growth becoming visible.









And the spikemoss keeps reaching up and up. 

















Bugs, leaf litter, and a few other miscellaneous items are on the way!


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## Azriel (Jun 15, 2011)

Oh, and one more thing... I found a bunch of tiny mites crawling around in there!


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## DragonSpirit1185 (Dec 6, 2010)

co2 bomb the tank

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/pa...-using-co2-generator.html?highlight=generator


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## cyck22 (Sep 8, 2011)

Are mites a problem in the viv? Dont the frogs eat the mites?


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## Azriel (Jun 15, 2011)

I was advised that the mites are not a problem, so I'm not going to worry about it. Apparently most vivariums get mites, and the frogs will eat them. Sometimes you get predator mites that will eat the good bugs in the tank, but I guess that's rare.


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## DragonSpirit1185 (Dec 6, 2010)

Azriel said:


> I was advised that the mites are not a problem, so I'm not going to worry about it. Apparently most vivariums get mites, and the frogs will eat them. Sometimes you get predator mites that will eat the good bugs in the tank, but I guess that's rare.


do you really wanna chance it?


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## Neontra (Aug 16, 2011)

I have predatory mites in my viv, but the springtail populations are going crazy in there. Mites are just fine, and what's really crazy is I must have hundreds in there but my spring pop. is just fine.


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## DragonSpirit1185 (Dec 6, 2010)

I love the Bacopa monnieri.
every picture I look up online it doesn't show it in the water.


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## ICS523 (Mar 10, 2012)

Cool, I swear I bought these same plants from black jungle when i built my vivarium, i wouldn't worry about the mites, most bugs are pretty harmless and the frogs will just eat them, people tend to over-react about stuff like that.


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