# My 18x18x24 build...



## Lunatuck (Apr 15, 2021)

My terrarium showed up yesterday and I’m only waiting on a couple pieces of Manzanita wood, then I’m going to get to foaming it in. In the picture is a large cork round that will be in the center and provide a ramp and cave for my frogs when the design is complete, but wont be foamed to the background. It’ll be more foreground. I’ll try and post some progress pics here.


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## Lunatuck (Apr 15, 2021)

Got my wall foamed in. Also got my plants. Once the foam cures, I’ll silicone it up. I decided to keep my manzanita wood for foreground.


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## Double's (Mar 18, 2021)

I'm looking forward to your work. What frogs go in there?


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## Lunatuck (Apr 15, 2021)

Double's said:


> I'm looking forward to your work. What frogs go in there?


Most likely Tincs. I’m a newb.


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## Lunatuck (Apr 15, 2021)

After trimming the foam. With lights.


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## Lunatuck (Apr 15, 2021)

Covered with my background mix of peat moss, sphagnum moss, a little abg and reptibark.


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## Lunatuck (Apr 15, 2021)

It’s planted. I’m sure some stuff will change, but I’m happy so far.


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## Lunatuck (Apr 15, 2021)

Ok. I ordered 2 more bags of ABG. I think I want to bring the rear ground up a lot. Like maybe 6-8 inches. I'm hoping to give the forgs a way to make it up to the upper areas of the terrarium, and a natural substrate ramp will probably help. It'll also help make the plants in the rear more visible. 

I also plan on getting a biophytum sensitivum plant because it looks awesome and may take up some vertical space in the areas that seem a bit empty. I'm also considering an Orchid front and center, but will see. 

For now, I'm trying to figure out what my pre-frog watering schedule will be like. I haven't bought a misting system yet, but I'm sure it's coming. I may upgrade my chameleons mister and give his to the frogs. I think I'm leaning towards that.


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## hansgruber7 (Mar 23, 2020)

Looks great! Once all that grows in I don't think any of it will be looking empty. I find most people overplant and then you end up spending a lot of time trimming or it gets super overgrown. Also, I don't think your frogs will have any trouble climbing that to the top as is.


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## Frog&Toad (Nov 21, 2015)

Lunatuck said:


> Got my wall foamed in. Also got my plants. Once the foam cures, I’ll silicone it up. I decided to keep my manzanita wood for foreground.
> View attachment 298712
> 
> View attachment 298713


ID on the plants? Loving the build!!


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## Lunatuck (Apr 15, 2021)

Frog&Toad said:


> ID on the plants? Loving the build!!


Bromeliads, Pilea Depressa “tiny tears” Nephrolepis Cardifolia “lemon button fern”, Pilea Nam. “Creeping Charlie”, Pilea Inv “Moon Valley”, Episcia Curprecta “Silver sheen”, Begonia Menors, Nephrolepis Evaltata “Fluffy Ruffles fern”, Pilea “Pan Am” freindship plant, Pelonoa Repens “trailing watermelon begonia”. And a few others.


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## Lunatuck (Apr 15, 2021)

I am losing a few of the plants and I can’t figure out the reason. It could have been my sanitization stressed them too much, or overwatering. I’m not sure.

The begonias are struggling, I lost the baby tears and the episcia wasn’t looking good this morning.


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## fishingguy12345 (Apr 7, 2019)

Lunatuck said:


> I am losing a few of the plants and I can’t figure out the reason. It could have been my sanitization stressed them too much, or overwatering. I’m not sure.
> 
> The begonias are struggling, I lost the baby tears and the episcia wasn’t looking good this morning.


Episcia are very tolerant and will often go through cycles where the leaves die off and then regrow. 
2-3 months ago all the leaves on this plant had died and rotted away.


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## Lunatuck (Apr 15, 2021)

Update:

With just a few exceptions(begonias), all my plants are showing healthy new growth. I have a misting and watering schedule that seems to keep the humidity between 78 and 85%. Temperature is between 72F and 75F. I switched out my larger leaf litter for smaller leaf litter for aesthetics. My springtails seem to be reproducing because I see a few walking around in the enclosure. 

I ordered my fruit fly culture, culturing kit and my suppliments. Fruit flies are producing in the culture. 

So I ordered Dendrobetes Tinctorius ‘Particia’. They should arrive on Tuesday. 

The only future plan would be to automate the misting, but I want to start manually. As I get a sense of the frogs requirements, I’ll look to automate.


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## mae (Feb 8, 2020)

I’m not sure if it’s the same for all begonias, but the ones I have don’t like to have water directly on their leaves. 

The tank looks great! I might’ve missed it but have you decided on frogs?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Lunatuck (Apr 15, 2021)

mae said:


> I’m not sure if it’s the same for all begonias, but the ones I have don’t like to have water directly on their leaves.
> 
> The tank looks great! I might’ve missed it but have you decided on frogs?
> 
> ...


Thanks. Going with Dendrobates Tinctorius ‘Patricia’.


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## sharambil (Dec 28, 2020)

Tank looks great! Following.


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## Tijl (Feb 28, 2019)

Already gave some advice in your other topic : Frog Bromeliad accessibility?

But again, you realy want to 'max out' the moveable space for Tinctorius in this (too)small tank. 
There is only one option here for making this work and that is to create more levels in the tank.
The most easy fix would be by using larger pieces of driftwood for example. This way they have more shelter and more surface for them to move on. 

The way your tank stands today it does not really benefit the frogs you ordered.


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## Lunatuck (Apr 15, 2021)

Tijl said:


> Already gave some advice in your other topic : Frog Bromeliad accessibility?
> 
> But again, you realy want to 'max out' the moveable space for Tinctorius in this (too)small tank.
> There is only one option here for making this work and that is to create more levels in the tank.
> ...


If you read up to post #8, I did just that. You may not be able to tell from the picture but the cork acts as a divider with the ground behind about 5-6” above the front. It gives access to the rear shelves and the center cork top.

I also have a few extra tanks that I can use if they become agressive before they get sexed.


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## Tijl (Feb 28, 2019)

Lunatuck said:


> If you read up to post #8, I did just that. You may not be able to tell from the picture but the cork acts as a divider with the ground behind about 5-6” above the front. It gives access to the rear shelves and the center cork top.


Yes I read you made a 'ramp' with substrate and I see the small cork tubes in the back, but I'm convinced it's not enough to create platforms which the frogs can use.

In this small sized tank there is still a lot of open space in the middle and the sides of the enclosure that serves no purpose. Frogs don't like to expose themselves in open areas, so my guess is they will be behave quite shy the way the tank stands now.

Mayebe some updated photo's can help us gain more insight and help you to tweek your tank before the frogs arrive.


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## Lunatuck (Apr 15, 2021)

A few pics with frogs.


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## Lunatuck (Apr 15, 2021)




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## sharambil (Dec 28, 2020)

Tank looks super cool. I had a question for you. I am in the process of getting my own 18*18*24, and I noticed that you have plants in a clear storage container. Did you QT them? If so, what was your process, and how do you care for the plants in a storage box like that?


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## Lunatuck (Apr 15, 2021)

sharambil said:


> Tank looks super cool. I had a question for you. I am in the process of getting my own 18*18*24, and I noticed that you have plants in a clear storage container. Did you QT them? If so, what was your process, and how do you care for the plants in a storage box like that?


I didn’t technically quarantine them. I stored them in the bin while I was completing my tank and then before I put them in the tank, I sanitized them. This involved rinsing all old soil off the roots, submerging them in water for 15m, then putting them in a bath of 5% bleach and water, then rinsing off the bleach and resubmerging them in water for another 15m.
I did get some dye off, so this stresses the plants, but its supposed to limit any hitchikers. After the rinse, I planted them bare roots into my terrarium


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## Socratic Monologue (Apr 7, 2018)

That's a good plant treatment protocol, although I use 10% bleach to water.



Lunatuck said:


> I did get some dye off


What dye? Feel like I'm missing something here.


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## Lunatuck (Apr 15, 2021)

Socratic Monologue said:


> That's a good plant treatment protocol, although I use 10% bleach to water.
> 
> 
> 
> What dye? Feel like I'm missing something here.


Lol. Die off. Misspelled.


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## Lunatuck (Apr 15, 2021)

Made a few changes... I got rid of two begonias that were really suffering. They had a lot of die off and weren’t so pretty. I replaced them with two different Begonias. One is an angel wing which I hope to become the focal point. The other was a Begonia Rex which has some puple irredecence. 

I also seeded the sphagnum bases of most of my bromeliads with some live sphagnum moss. I’m planning on putting some moss in certain areas off the ground. Primarily on the cork bark ledges.

I also have a fireball Bromeliad, some Oak leaf Creeping Fig and a Pink wondering Jew on order. I want to get the Creeping fig covering the background. I think I may have space in there to fit the wondering Jew. Maybe.


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## Lunatuck (Apr 15, 2021)

Now with a fireball brom and moss added up top as well as Oak Leaf Creeping Fig on the top right.


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## Lunatuck (Apr 15, 2021)

Ok. Last plant is planted. Pink Wandering Jew. No room for anything else. Already starting to think about trimming back some stuff.


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## Lunatuck (Apr 15, 2021)

Growth update. Frogs always hiding in the cave. They don’t like pictures.


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## Tarantuland (Jun 4, 2021)

This tank looks great to me, but I know very little and don't have any frogs yet. Is there a drainage layer though?


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## Lunatuck (Apr 15, 2021)

Tarantuland said:


> This tank looks great to me, but I know very little and don't have any frogs yet. Is there a drainage layer though?


Yes. About 2” of clay balls or whatever they are called.


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## hansgruber7 (Mar 23, 2020)

Beautiful tank. Looks like it's going to get a bit overgrown before long. You may have to do some serious trimming.


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## Tijl (Feb 28, 2019)

Lunatuck said:


> Growth update. Frogs always hiding in the cave. They don’t like pictures.
> View attachment 300044


There is too much open space for them as I mentioned before. This makes frogs tend to hide.


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