# Journal Time..DONE!



## asydabass (Jul 12, 2005)

Ok, it's time to start this journal. Some of you may have already read what I'm doing. 90gal vertical vivarium. It will house Galacts and an unknown thumbnail species. I have some ideas, but I'm just gonna wait till frog day to see who has what :wink: 
This will probably take me some time to complete.. so stay with me. 
Ideas, suggestions, and comments are most welcome(except ones about mixing species.There are several threads I can read if need some opinions on that). With that said..Time to Get to Work!!
~Donald
I'll start posting pictures in a few hours...


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## asydabass (Jul 12, 2005)

The false bottom.

























You can see how I took apart the bottom rim of a 10gal to makes corner and side supports. I left water in it for about 30 hours..No Leaks!! That was my first time making something that held water. Thanks to those who gave me hints how to do it.


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## asydabass (Jul 12, 2005)

THE TANK with sump in, just to see hieght limitations.


















The background will be treefern fiber. I just placed those in there for storage right now. I am going to panel the back. Put a totem going down both corners, to give it a little depth. You know, more than just a flat surface. And then, as you can see with the slanted ones, I'm going to put a totem going on an angle, about half way up the tank, from front to back on the sides of the viv. The totem on the side will be heavily plants with moss and ferns, perhaps a couple small broms.

I'm not going to do a water feature. Just a few drip lines. The pump is going in the back corner of the sump.









Just a some of the plants I picked up as I was out and about. Crocadile fern, and some creeping fern, I forgot what it was. And a random black mystic. Let me know if you know what the fern on the left is. It "vines" out.

As far as lighting goes. I'm using a 20" 96watt 6700K fixture that has dual built in fans. http://www.esuweb.com/cardfile.asp?Item ... ionship=36 if any one is interested in seeing. It's 20"x7"x2.5"(?) Thats not the exact one, but it's the same thing with an all 6700k bulb. That is for sure, but I will add more lights with parts I have around here if its needed. I'm trying to plant accordingly in regards to plants at top, and plants at the bottom. Dried leaves are my ground covering of choice.


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## Jordan B (Oct 8, 2004)

NICE piece of wood.


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## themann42 (Apr 12, 2005)

wow awesome peice of wood. did you just cut that from a fallen tree in the woods somewhere?


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## asydabass (Jul 12, 2005)

It followed me home... The other half said I could keep it.

It was just sticking out of the ground just like that.


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## MattySF (May 25, 2005)

*what kind*

Do you know what kind of wood is it? As for your project there. So far so dope..


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## TPopovich (May 7, 2004)

If you haven't bought the light yet, you may want to check out AH supply and build your own hood. I have a 36" Coralife CF 65 watt light along with AH supply's 96 dual 36 and a 55 and hands down, the AH Supply's put out more light. I'm not sure if its the reflector or they drive them harder but I would definitly go with AH. The only thing I like about the Coralife is the fixture is nice.


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## asydabass (Jul 12, 2005)

Hey!
I have not bought the fixture yet. But, I talked on the phone to AH, and they were QUITE helpful.. but with what they suggested it came to twice as much, plus I had to build my own enclosure. So, I'm gonna get the Coralife, and then I can add from there. I actually have a few AH kits from old tanks laying around. So I'm gonna have have to learn what I need as I go.

As far as the wood goes, it's bald cypress. I know eventually the bark and exterior will rot away, but that just means I get to re-do it in time. Keeps things interesting. Anyways I'll post most tomorrow.
Take care,

PS~> still no ID on the fern?


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## asydabass (Jul 12, 2005)

Ok, I got my pump today. I needed to get a strong one to pump up four feet. I have 420gph, and all I want it to do is drip, lol. Actually at that height, it's 300gph. I was gonna buy the dripper manifold from BlackJungle. Before I do, does anyone have an alternative? I really don't need or want 9 outlets. But it's only $12, so it's not too bad. I also pickuped up a rabbitsfoot fern as well. I can't go to the nursery and not get something  I'm also checking out using Seagrape or Laurel Ficus leaves in the bottom. If you have any experience with these, or just want to see what they look like, check out my post under Plants ~> new leaves or something like that.
I just threw everything into the tank to get a size comparison, and see what I'm working with, Here's the pic. I'm gonna get the rest of the tubing and treefern panel on my break tomorrow, or maybe Tuesday. then I can really start the construction. 

Once again...share any ideas or suggestions you might have. What would you do with this setup. Take Care Everyone. Thanks for looking :!:


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## asydabass (Jul 12, 2005)

Hey guys. I got some new stuff for the viv.
I bought the rest of the treefern panels and totems. And the dripper manifold came in today. 

Here's the pic of the driplines and treefern panel being siliconed to the back of the tank. There are 5 driplines in total.


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## Dane (Aug 19, 2004)

That's really thoughtful of you to put a PS2 in there for when the darts get bored. I think they might like an Atari better. As far as I know, "frogger" isn't out on Playstation yet.


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## asydabass (Jul 12, 2005)

There's also some high performance LT! Valve Springs in there, you know, in case they wanna show off to the ladies by racing.
Anyways, I know that picture was kinda lame..more of a glorified bump. But Later today!! Friday~~ I should have some good stuff to show you all.
Until then,
~UnderDog to the Rescue!
or


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## asydabass (Jul 12, 2005)

Ok, I did a little work today. I apologize in advance for the quality of the pictures. My digital is broke, so I'm using a cheap one for the time being. I set the tank in place. "Put" the false bottom in. Placed in the clay pellets. Added one layer of my special substrate(Exo-Terra Jungle mix, treefern fiber, and coco bedding). Finished the background and driplines, and obviously, the tree.

The light came in today. in the front is a coralife aqualight 96watt 6700k. in the back is a dual 13watt AH supply retrofit. It's a nice morning and evening light when the 96wattis not on. I picked up my fan today. Coralife 3.125in covered fan. Now I need plants, and the front from FCA. Pretty barren right now, I know.. but at least the major part is done. Time to plant!


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## CTM75 (Aug 10, 2005)

*Cool...*

Looks great man!


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## Jordan B (Oct 8, 2004)

I'm starting to get really jealous. That is going to turn out a GREAT tank. If I were you, I would load it up with bromeliads and put in a few pairs of pumilio. With a tank that large I think you could get away with it, if it was heavily planted.

Jordan


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## asydabass (Jul 12, 2005)

Thanks guys. 8) My plan for the plants is: on the ground, and on the background, is to plant very heavily with "plants". I want many ferns and vines. And the Tree is to be covered with bromeliads. I still need to do some touch ups and get the front, before I start any major plantings. I have a few ferns already that I'll throw in to see how well they do, and where. Kinda like my test subjects.

As fall as the group of pumilio goes, that is VERY tempting! I'm just not sure I have the experience to handle that. I think maybe I could do one pair of them, but as I've posted before, I want a group. So I might stay with Imitators. And I'm not sure how I feel mixing pumilio with galacts. I guess it all comes down to Frogday. I'm not even gonna go there with a plan :!: 
Take Care and check for updates soon!


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## Jordan B (Oct 8, 2004)

Pumilio and galacts probably wouldn't work well together, but your right imitators or intermedius should do well. Can we get a picture of you standing next to the tank to get an idea of the size? Thanks.

Jordan


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## asydabass (Jul 12, 2005)

Hey if you wanted a picture of me all you had to do is ask. Go to http://www.BigStud...~eh~Nevermind... I'll get a pic of me next to it when Melodie gets home to help. The only other thing I thought of was scrapping the darts and going for a pair of Palm Vipers, or perhaps some Golden eyelash... 

I think I better just stick to figuring out my plants for now. Oh, I ordered just a few Broms too. Inca x Fireball, Tiger Cub, and some unknown but really neat mini. I'm waiting for Jace to get some new ones in.


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## Jordan B (Oct 8, 2004)

I like the snake idea, they've always had a soft spot with me lol. NAIB has a dart tank with some species of viper in it, I forget which one though. Pumilio and eyelash vipers, a costa rican tank. That could turn out pretty cool.

Jordan


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## asydabass (Jul 12, 2005)

Green & Black auratus, Phyllobates lugubris and Blue Jean pumilio. Top it off with a Golden Eyelash viper. 

Oh, I'm waiting for some plants to arrive, as well as my nursery to get their shipment of broms in. And I have once again(to no surprise) changed my frog selection. I would like to get Blue and brown/bronze auratus for the bottom. I'm going to look at some a local breeder has, tomorrow. They're F1s, about 16 monthes old; the only thing is, they're all female. He bred the adults and raised to babies, hoping for a pair, and got 30 females! Something wierd there. Anyways I'm going to check em out manana. Take care, and let me know if anyone has a male Blue and bronze, or even a nice blue and black for sale.


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## asydabass (Jul 12, 2005)

ok, not a real update, but a little one. I got some plants in today. I got them from http://www.Tropiflora.com Again I say, the plants are just thown in there for see what space I have to work with and to keep the plants alive while I wait for my front to arrive. I have decided that in the fork of the tree, there will be a "centerpeice" bromeliad. Either a single large one with a BRIGHT red center, or all red, or a large cluster or red ones. Then on the rest of the tree, there will many green bromeliads. Some will have a touch of red, such as the Tiger club. Anyways..pics~>

*New Broms
Inca x Fireball









Tigercub









Neo. lilliputiana x fireball x eltoniana








But it will look like this









Someone asked for a pic of me by it..sorry, guess I need someone else to take to pic. It's 18in wide, 24" deep, 48 in high.









Randome shots

















I'll have mor epics soon. I'm buying some frogs this week to start quarantine.
Later,*


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## asydabass (Jul 12, 2005)

After looking at the pic with me in it; it does the tank no justice. The tank is a nice size, and is dwarfed by the angle of the shot. Sorry.


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## Jordan B (Oct 8, 2004)

How are you attaching the broms?


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## asydabass (Jul 12, 2005)

Currently, they're just stuck and wedged into various holes and cracks.

I'm still waiting on the insert from FCA, but for the time being I taped a plastic drop cloth to the front. I wanted to start testing for my temps and humidity. I put my therm up about 12" from the top, turned on both lights... went up to like 87F!! Turned the fan on (with is also taped into a hole in the plastic cover), and dropped the temperature down to like 76F..what a fan! Anyways thats it. 
OH, and I got some new little guys this week. I'll take pics and post tomorrow.


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## jpstod (Sep 8, 2005)

Nice Variety of Plants...

I might have missed it, but just in case no one answered you or you haven't found out yet....The Fern you asked about looks like a Kangaroo Fern ( from Austrailia )..I just bought some for my tank..They make grat Hanging baskest also.


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## asydabass (Jul 12, 2005)

Hey! Thanks you very much! You joined the topic late, and still took the time to answer a question for me. You're the man! And it's funny, the second I read it, I was like "oh ya, I knew that". Lol
Take Care,


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## Laxman (Aug 26, 2005)

might sound kinda dumb but dont you think that the eyelash viper might get tempted one day and have a little bit of a feast???? I know the colour of the dart frogs is supposed to warn off preditors but doesnt the eselash viper use heat sensing pits more than its sight when hunting????


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## jpstod (Sep 8, 2005)

Glad to help..........


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## asydabass (Jul 12, 2005)

I'm speaking from book knowledge only, not experience; but I don't think it would be a problem at all. Eyelash vipers might perhaps eat a frog that was of porpotion to it; but I don't see a 18"-24" viper eating a frog the size of a my fingernail. The viper would target something such as a bird, or rodent. Maybe a large redeye, or an anole, but not a dart. And in captivity I'm not sure the snake would get hungry enough to get "tempted". Eitherway I'm not getting an eyelash, as much as I may want one :wink: .


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## asydabass (Jul 12, 2005)

*Journal Time..new pics*

Here's a small update. I got some new plants in. I'm not sure if this is how I'm going to keep it or not. I'm still looking for a nice "centerpiece" for the fork in the tree. Oh, and the bottom has not been planted yet. I still need to wait for my insert to arrive from FCA. I guess they're REALLY backed up. Anyways thats it.  


















This side looks sloppy..needs to be changed


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## Guest (Sep 27, 2005)

It already looks fantastic. Great job. Can't wait to see the center piece.


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## Guest (Sep 27, 2005)

NICE broms man.
lookin good.


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## Darks!de (Nov 16, 2004)

Wow, that is so nice. Brom jungle.

Luke


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## asydabass (Jul 12, 2005)

*Journal Time DONE!!*

Hey everyone. First off, thanks for taking the time to look at my little project. Well, I believe it's done; but I'm sure there will be some small changes as I see how it works. It will house a group of Kristen's (Trinacliff) wonderfully beautiful Imitators, and a trio(1.2) of blue/bronze Auratus. By the way, I'm looking for a male auratus for this group. Well, here you go :!: feel free to ask any questions.










Some people said they wanted a size comparision


















OMG It's bigger than me!


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## Guest (Oct 7, 2005)

Thats a nice looking vivarium. I'm curious how your false bottom is working out. I didn't see how you kept all the water from getting "between" the false bottom and the real one. Does it leak at all?


-Tad


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## JoshKaptur (Feb 17, 2004)

All I can say is VERY nice!


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## asydabass (Jul 12, 2005)

Tad, 
I have a rim of plastic tarp siliconed to the glass and then draped an inch or so inwards. You can't see it because it's under the substrate. There's only about 1/8" on each side between my glass bottom and the tank. I also left a pcp pipe exposed, but hidden, in the back corner so I can add or take out water easily.


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## frogman824 (Aug 10, 2005)

Hey man, that's an amzing tank, I hope to make one like that someday. 
If you're still looking for a male blue/bronze auratus then Bill Weirts has some I think at http://www.qualityexotics.com 

Mike


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## MattySF (May 25, 2005)

Wow! your labors have been well rewarded. Super job.


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## Dane (Aug 19, 2004)

The finished product is awesome.


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## Lukeomelas (Mar 15, 2005)

WOW, this is probably one of the best vivs I've ever seen. Thanks for sharing the entire process with us. Keep us posted, you'll have frogs calling in no time :wink: !

Luke


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## nburns (May 3, 2005)

Awesome looking viv! Thanks for sharing the journey and finished product.


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## StevenBonheim (Feb 22, 2004)

That little clump of striped broms is sweeeet!! What kind are those?


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## asydabass (Jul 12, 2005)

Lol Luke! I sure I hope so..I'm surprised you remembered that.

Steven, hey, you had to pick the one plant in that tank that I don't know what species it is. It's a variagated form of some Neoregelia species. They were some left overs from a landscaping project a friend did. If anyone knows, let me know.


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## sirfugu (Sep 7, 2004)

Really cool. How many broms did you use?!?


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## asydabass (Jul 12, 2005)

Single broms(some have pups that I didn't count) *16*

One big clump *9*


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## *GREASER* (Apr 11, 2004)

i think we need more pics of girls poseing with tanks. If those dudes into cars and motorcycles have all those pictures taken with girls on there vechiles we can have girls poseing with vivariums.


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## Guest (Feb 15, 2006)

*WoW-Nice ViV!!! I really like the tall slim ones!
I like yer door panel & I've seen some other "nice" ones, but I don't understand why more people don't orient their door as a side opening, & view the "front" through an unbroken pane of glass/acrylic?*


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## nburns (May 3, 2005)

I understand what you are saying about being able to look through an unbroken plane of glass but it would take a lot more time and money to build a tank that way when these "fish" tanks are pretty much built so that when we use them vertically it is much easier to put the door in the front. Not to mention many people utilize the sides of the tank as well as the back for planting and landscaping and it would be hard to have a door on the side of the tank for that reason.


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## jpstod (Sep 8, 2005)

Working Backwards or sideways is extremely hard.

When I did my 10 Gallon Verticles I did this, it was extremely hard to do. It took more effort than working with a 3 sided base.

Alot of the decision also has to do this how the Tanks are displayed and Built. If your going to have them side-by-side, it would be stupid to have side doors.

Also front doors make it easier to get better pictures


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## Guest (Feb 17, 2006)

> but I don't understand why more people don't orient their door as a side opening, & view the "front" through an unbroken pane of glass/acrylic?


I aquired a custom built 180 gal. built by All-glass. It has a couple of things I need to do to bring it up to snuff. One, is the sliding door is in a track that leaves a 1/4" gap. This I cut clear acrylic 1/4"x1/4" strips which I will epoxy in place. second, a glass divider (for a water section) from front to back about 4" min. height with no provisions for drainage of the other section into. third, the door side is not to my liking from a viewing point of view. Much as you stated. I have considered making this the back. I was thinking of designing a clever removable section in the back panel at this door area.

The top of the tank is open, thus the inside can be accessable from it although the height is 3' in addition it will have a light hood and other items there as well, so access isn't easy. I could have a pulley system suspending the hood, etc.

I have walked throught some of the issues in my mine, however I must admit that I really have to reconsider all the disadvantages of doing what I would like to do, including the fact that by having the slider in the back I also need to have space alloted to getting behind this thing to tend to the inside, even if it were considered a backup door.


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