# 65 gallon with drip system.



## NickBoudin (Nov 3, 2007)

This is my 65 gallon viv I built about 4-6 months ago not sure when I really actually began progress with it. Anyway it's got a false bottom made with egg crate. A drip system with a 9 port manifold. A few pieces of Malaysian drift wood. I used tree fern panels on the spray foam background. Substrate is a mix, with clay. Lighting is CF with 10000k bulbs.

This has probably been my best build ever, and the tank is really taking shape. I've never had a vivarium grow so quick. The lighting and drip system all make this happen, I almost thing a drip system is more superior then a misting system. Though, my misting system for my 55 gallon is a DIY. 

Anyway, here's a few pictures! You can see more over at my website, here's the link.

65 gallon viv [UPDATE] 7/7/09





























Questions and comments are always welcomed, thanks for looking!
Nick


----------



## HunterB (Apr 28, 2009)

Great tank
I especially love the brom coverage on the background


----------



## Julio (Oct 8, 2007)

nice job, looks sweet!


----------



## NickBoudin (Nov 3, 2007)

Thnak you! Most of those are wallmart broms belive it or not.


----------



## chesney (Jan 18, 2007)

WOW! That is an awesome tank!


----------



## NickBoudin (Nov 3, 2007)

Thanks a lot !


----------



## thelegend76 (Feb 10, 2009)

Nick,

That's cool looking! Do you have any construction pics so we may steal your ideas on making the drip system. I for one would like to see your manifold & pump setup. I'm in the process of doing something similar with a 40G breeder, but I bought only a 4-way drip manifold(adjustable). Anyways thanks for the beautiful pics and if that's your end result I can only have high hopes for mine.

Larry


----------



## NickBoudin (Nov 3, 2007)

Actually I dont, unfortunetaly. My cammera was missing durring the build, and time is never on my side, so i decided to go for it and build it. Basically i picked up the manifold at home depot, they use it for gardens, it accepts 1/4 inch line. I used 1/4 aquarium air pump line for the drip system, I blocked off 3 ports and only used 6. I then sprayed foam insulation over it and then once the foam was dry I cut the lines near the foam so you cant see them. The trick is leaving a great amoutn of space to work in the corner where your pump is, and make sure your pump has enough pressure to move the water 90* up the side of the tank and through the smaller lines. I used PVC pipe to connect the pump to the manifold, using some other vinyl 3/4" and 1/2" line to make it adapt to the pump. I had 4 different methods of a drip system before I got this one going, and it's working just fine!


----------



## stitchb (Jan 26, 2009)

Man AWESOME setup. I really like it alot. Do you have any idea what the plant in the first and fourth (I believe it's the same) from last pics in the link is?

Great work


----------



## NickBoudin (Nov 3, 2007)

I'm not sure what plant you're asking about, the red one?


----------



## stitchb (Jan 26, 2009)

NickBoudin said:


> I'm not sure what plant you're asking about, the red one?


This one:










And, this:










I believe they're the same and I think I have some too...Just not sure what it is lol

ps-Hope you don't mind me using those images


----------



## NickBoudin (Nov 3, 2007)

I dont mind, it's fine. I'm not sure what it is. It's a type of moss though, from florida. From the wild. Sorry!


----------



## stitchb (Jan 26, 2009)

HAHA no worries I picked mine from my front yard lol. I havent put it in a viv yet but it's goin crazy in my temp-even climbing up the plastic! It should do well for you!

Great work again, cant wait to see more


----------



## NickBoudin (Nov 3, 2007)

If you ever find out the name of it, let me know!


----------



## stoney225 (Apr 24, 2008)

Do you run your drip system continuously?


----------



## NickBoudin (Nov 3, 2007)

Yeah, never turned it off, never topped off the water, yet, never changed the water, yet.


----------



## thelegend76 (Feb 10, 2009)

Nick,

I've been putting together my cage. And for the egg-crate pump access shaft, did you silicone yours to the aquarium or just stand it up and then great stuff it in there? I'm not sure how I want to do it, it would seem more stable by siliconing it first, but what do I know.

Larry


----------



## NickBoudin (Nov 3, 2007)

In my previous 55 gallon I did, I used plexi glass and siliconed it, but for the 65 I just used some masking tape to hold it in place, then spray foam'd over it and let it cure. It's up to you, really. Keep in mind you may need to drill holes in it to feed the lines through for the drip system, and if you do, make sure you keep the lines about 1' longer where it meets the pump, that way you wont have trouble in the end when you're plugging them into the manifold.


Learn from my mistakes!


----------



## NickBoudin (Nov 3, 2007)

Got a clutch of 4 eggs about 16 days ago from the pair of azureus I keep in this tank, and they're turning out to be a good batch. 3 good ones, 1 tad has hatched the others are wiggling around like crazy!


----------



## johnc (Oct 9, 2009)

I know this thread is a couple of months old but I have a relevant question, so I hope no one minds . Nick - what make/model pump did you use please?


----------



## NickBoudin (Nov 3, 2007)

I honestly am not sure. I remember I got it from my gandparents when they got some pond fountain. Instead of using this pump my grandpa spliced the line from another and used 1 pump for 2 fountains. So the extra one went to me. Sorry!


----------



## johnc (Oct 9, 2009)

Thanks for the response.


----------



## ChrisK (Oct 28, 2008)

What kind of top is on there, and how is it ventilated?


----------



## NickBoudin (Nov 3, 2007)

It's a regular glass aquarium top with the plastic filter cut out area removed and a 2" section of window screen framed out with a small computer fan in the middle.


----------



## ChrisK (Oct 28, 2008)

Cool is that center brace in the center of the top? Most 65 gallons you kinda need like a double lid for it because of the center brace


----------



## NickBoudin (Nov 3, 2007)

Yeah I actually cut the center brace out and I'm using a glass top made for an aquarium without one.


----------

