# 22.5W x 24H x 18D Euro-style build



## herbivrus (May 28, 2014)

This is my second viv in which I'm using man-made materials for the background (EcoWeb, AquaMat, EpiWeb, and hygrolon), and the first in which I had a vivarium constructed with a European-style slanted-glass false bottom. I also used several large fake rocks made for me by Dendroboard member VivariumWorks (he makes some _really_ nice stuff; I want to try one of his banyan root molds sometime, too!).

Here's the vivarium with back and bottom panels of EcoWeb cut to fit:








[/url]New viv EcoWeb panels by herbivore12, on Flickr[/IMG]

And now with the side panels also added (wanted room for some nice shingling plants and other epiphytes). You can also see the shadow of the best tool I've found for cutting EpiWeb/EcoWeb material cleanly -- a regular ol' serrated steak knife:








[/url]New viv side panels by herbivore12, on Flickr[/IMG]

Here's a side view of the vivarium so you can see the slanted glass false bottom. The "substrate" is an EcoWeb panel on top of the glass. From my experience with another viv, plants will root in this stuff quite well, but I also provided my plants with short mesh pots with ABG mix to get them established. I'll remove the pots once the plants root in the EcoWeb (or maybe just leave them in there, as they are obscured by the leaf litter anyway):








[/url]Slanted glass false bottom detail by herbivore12, on Flickr[/IMG]

More to come!


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## herbivrus (May 28, 2014)

Here's the viv with AquaMat (equivalent to hygrolon) hot-glued to the EcoWeb panels, which are themselves attached to the glass with silicone adhesive.








[/url]Large rock attached by herbivore12, on Flickr[/IMG]

You might notice a big rock floating magically in the corner there; although it is very light, being made of foam, it was too heavy to attach to the hygrolon directly without the hygrolon sagging. I had to figure out a good method of attaching that background piece. First I considered attaching the rock directly to the glass with adhesive, and then cutting the EcoWeb/hygrolon panels to fit around it, but I knew that would leave gaps that I would somehow have to fill due to the craggy nature of the rock, and would take away from rock surface area in which I could plant vining epiphytes in the crags. What to do? Here's the solution I settled on:








[/url]Steel spikes support rock by herbivore12, on Flickr[/IMG]

Those are two stainless steel spikes emerging from the background. They are the pointy end of those receipt-spikes you see on folks' desks, with stacks of paper pierced on them as the worker tallies accounts or whatever. The plastic bases are securely attached to the rear glass with silicone adhesive -- I also had to hollow out a small area of the EcoWeb to accommodate those bases, and then the panel was lowered onto the spikes so they protruded as seen. I then coated the base of the rock with Gorilla Glue, waited about 35 minutes until the glue was very tacky, then slid the rock onto the spikes until the base of the rock was flush with the hygrolon. The rock is now securely held in place against the hygrolon very nicely, its weight supported by those spikes and distributed well by the spikes' plastic bases siliconed to the rear glass. It worked better than I thought it would!

I added another of VivariumWorks' large rocks to the bottom of the viv so that it makes contact with the other rock, giving the upper rock additional support against the base of the viv and effectively wedging the bottom stone in place. There is room behind that bottom rock to plant stuff, too:








[/url]Another stone placed by herbivore12, on Flickr[/IMG]

To be continued . . .


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## herbivrus (May 28, 2014)

Now to add additional details to the background. Here, I'm using EpiWeb branches and hygrolon vines. The upper left branch is afixed with hot glue to the hygrolon, and with silicon to the upper glass, and wedged between the rocks. The lower right branch I placed so that it would look like a fallen branch or a root buttress. I then arranged the hygrolon vines as seen and attached them to the branches and background with hot glue. I was trying to go for an effect of a vine emerging from the base of the rocks and climbing its way up the branches -- we'll see how it turns out as stuff grows . . .








[/url]EpiWeb branches, hygrolon vines by herbivore12, on Flickr[/IMG]

Here it is with Folius' moss mix now rubbed into the hygrolon walls and vines and the EpiWeb branches:








[/url]Moss Mix added by herbivore12, on Flickr[/IMG]

And now with some plants and leaf litter added, to begin growing in (I've since added a couple more shinglers/vining plants to the back panel, as well, and will probably add another couple of small orchids):








[/url]Some plants added by herbivore12, on Flickr[/IMG]

A little closer:








[/url]Closer view planted by herbivore12, on Flickr[/IMG]

An oblique view of the left side of the tank:








[/url]Left side oblique view by herbivore12, on Flickr[/IMG]

And of the right:








[/url]Right side oblique view by herbivore12, on Flickr[/IMG]

All those plants in pots at the bottom are not for this viv! They're just being held there as I work on another project. Or two . . .


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## herbivrus (May 28, 2014)

And here's the rack-in-progress. There will soon be an additional 12x12x18 on the top shelf, and another vivarium identical to the one this thread's been about on the bottom shelf. But I think I'll use broms in that one, and consider a pumilio species for it, possibly.








[/url]Beginnings of the frog rack by herbivore12, on Flickr[/IMG]

As for the viv this thread has documented, I'm considering either a small group of Phyllobates aurotaenia or D. leucomelas, or a pair of tincs. There is a coco-hut and petri dish tucked under the large rock on the right (and it's not nearly as dark under there as it seems in pics, as there are two Current USA Satellite LED fixtures lighting the viv). Anyone have advice on how many P. aurotaenia or leucs would be comfortably housed in this size viv (22.5W x 24H x 18D)? I'm thinking a trio, but if a foursome or five would fit, it might be fun to see their group behaviors. I don't want to overcrowd, though. If I go with tincs of some sort, it'll be a pair.

Up top are Chazuta and Yurimaguensis imis; the Chazutas have been laying like crazy, and there are several tads in film cans and broms. A friend is looking for a male Yuri for me (both of mine are females, I think -- no calling, and they've staked out separate territories that they seem to be living peacefully within). Will be adding one more viv to the top row -- plan there is for R. vanzolini. So many great frogs, so little space!


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## a hill (Aug 4, 2007)

Very well done. It'll look even better with time. 

That said, you really need a better looking rack for these beautiful vivariums! 


- Andrew


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## herbivrus (May 28, 2014)

Thanks, Andrew. The rack will look better when there's another viv added to the two up top, and another big one beside the lower one. I'll consider fancier display when I know I'm in a permanent-ish home (considering a move at the moment)!


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## a hill (Aug 4, 2007)

Haha, I totally understand! In the past I just didn't set anything up, but I was moving around via airplane. 


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## FroggyKnight (Mar 14, 2013)

a hill said:


> Very well done. It'll look even better with time.
> 
> That said, you really need a better looking rack for these beautiful vivariums!
> 
> ...



Hey! Don't disrespect the baker's rack!! I have so many of those things around the house.... 

Nice job with the tanks, I really like your effective use of "man-made" materials. The way you built it allows for the most planting space, and that is something I have struggled with. Needless to say, I will be using this build as a template for one of my tanks. Don't worry though, I won't copy EVERYTHING

John


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## herbivrus (May 28, 2014)

I’ve finally decided on the future inhabitants of this viv; a trio of “black-footed orange terribilis from Tesoros de Colombia, via Jeremy at JL Exotics. I wanted to have a big, bold frog species for this build, in part to impress visitors who sometimes stare into my thumbs’ vivs and ask me “Are you sure you have frogs in there?”, and in part because they are just gorgeous, wonderful frogs. I mean, look at this thing!










But it’s also important to me to support commercial conservation efforts like Tesoros, which is currently struggling in part due to a lack of support from the very hobby it is trying to serve; if we hobbyists do not support these efforts, which _legally_ export these great critters, we’ll soon find we have little legal access to new frogs as governments increasingly restrict the animal trade (often rightfully, to protect native species with limited ranges). Legal animals may cost a little more than those that come from smuggled stock, but at least we know our dollars are going to help preserve legal access to animals, as well as to preserving their sensitive habitat. If you can throw a little money toward Tesoros, please do. Or consider picking up a few of their animals from someplace like JL Exotics, who are currently selling some of these frogs at a discount to try to help Tesoros move some inventory to keep them going. Phyllobates terribilis - 'Orange - Black Foot' It’s one of the best ways we have to ensure we’ll have access in future to sustainable, legally exported frogs like O. lehmanni and other frogs Tesoros is working to breed, protect, and provide to the hobby.


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## FroggyKnight (Mar 14, 2013)

GREAT CHOICE!!! Those frogs are both beautiful and a great way to help Tesoros de Colombia. Just remember that they will use extremely little vertical space.

John


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## herbivrus (May 28, 2014)

Yeah, I figure that means I can put more pretty plants up high where these big frogs won't trample 'em. Though they do have an easy path to the top following the slant of those rocks... 

Since you have these frogs, I of course defer to your experience! Though I have seen terribilis up high in an acquaintance's viv before. Sometimes several at once, tucked into some cozy corner. I mentioned that I had heard that they would spend almost all their time on the ground. Their owner replied, "Guess they forgot to tell the frogs that."  I'll be fine if they stay low most of the time; when I made the choice, I suddenly feared for my little peperomias and other delicate plants, but since they're up high and trailing down, I'll wait and see how they do. Jeremy's been nice enough to hold onto the frogs for me for a bit so that the plants can take firm hold before I put the frogs in there. And yes, these are fantastic frogs! Looking forward to getting them in a couple weeks.


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## reptiles12 (Jul 18, 2012)

wow that is going to look amazing


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## a hill (Aug 4, 2007)

Ah, you'll have to update this thread for sure, I've had my eye on those frogs for a few weeks now...

Completely agree with you about them. 

-Andrew
PS. I gotta have one controversial view  those are great racks though. 


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## Judy S (Aug 29, 2010)

I looked online about the Aquamat...how did you choose which product to purchase???


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## herbivrus (May 28, 2014)

Judy S said:


> I looked online about the Aquamat...how did you choose which product to purchase???


It was just what was available at the time; there was no longer a US distributor for hygrolon, and this similar product was carried by First Ray's Orchids. I think it is no longer carried, now, also; however, I recently took delivery of yet another similar product from Folius, called "Spyra". It seems to be basically the same stuff, except in black. Haven't used it yet, but will be using it in another build for a vivarium of the same dimensions as this one soon; I think it'll work just the same, based on its construction.


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