# Getting greener........



## JoshH (Feb 13, 2008)

Growing in nicely, been about five months since startup now. Still having a hard time getting the moss to take over the back wall and rocks, instead I get green algae! At least the plants look ok....

Water drips over the back constantly while a ultrasonic misting system fogs the tank from the bottom in morning and evening. Automatic lighting kicks in around 12 giving about eight hours of 100w PC. The water quality has dramaticly improved with chemical and biofilters in the five gallon sump, while beech/oak leaves have brought the pH down to a stable 6.8. I'm leaning towards a misting system in the near future to see what effect that has.


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## iridebmx (Oct 29, 2008)

lookin good!


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## Amphiman (Nov 8, 2007)

Looks amazing...very unique...


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## Bob Fraser (Nov 21, 2007)

sweet looking viv. Josh. was a pleasure meeting you & your girlfriend at the mads meeting.


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## Julio (Oct 8, 2007)

is growing in pretty nicely!!


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## Mywebbedtoes (Jul 2, 2007)

You know, people talk about how our tanks look nothing like the frogs habitat...which is true if you see it in person, as the real areas have much larger plants and much more leaf litter (depending on species). And although darts don't call it home, your tank looks a lot like the Monte Verde cloud forest in Costa Rica. Very well done indeed! I will try to get more pictures to show what I mean.


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## JoshH (Feb 13, 2008)

Mywebbedtoes said:


> You know, people talk about how our tanks look nothing like the frogs habitat...which is true if you see it in person, as the real areas have much larger plants and much more leaf litter (depending on species). And although darts don't call it home, your tank looks a lot like the Monte Verde cloud forest in Costa Rica. Very well done indeed! I will try to get more pictures to show what I mean.



That's exactly the habitat I was focusing on, the higher elevation forest of Ecuador or Costa Rica. Most of your lowland darts do come from areas thick in larger plants like philos, gingers, and young trees. There you will find a leaf litter environment. But the rocky slopes and canyons higher up are a mecca for smaller epiphytes. Even just the orchid diversity is rediculously high. In fact the growth and diversity here is so intense that even trees leaves often have micro plants growing on them, becoming coated in algae and moss in just a few weeks.

Thanks for all the compliments! I'm slowly fine tuning this thing, trying to find ways to make it more and more self-sustaining.


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## Mywebbedtoes (Jul 2, 2007)

I was just there and was amazed by what grows. All along the trails are colapsed branches that litterally fail inder the wait of the epiphytes growing on them. Often I could pick through a fallen branch and find two or three different orchids and multiple fern species. Amazing. Again, this tank has it going on extremely well.


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## Sarkany (Mar 11, 2008)

Quite a nice viv!  The sides aren't covered, which isn't my thing, but hey, each to his own.


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## JoshH (Feb 13, 2008)

Sarkany said:


> Quite a nice viv!  The sides aren't covered, which isn't my thing, but hey, each to his own.



Yeah I normally do the sides too, just to have more planting area and less glass. But this tank was kinda small and is placed as the centerpiece of the living room, so if I did the sides then that would be visable from outside the glass and make the tank look tiny. That was something i went back and forth with for awhile. Plus now I am able to see behind the one-piece rock panel and check for detritus build-up. The tank kinda illuminates the whole room now, which I love


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## roxrgneiss (Sep 30, 2007)

Magnificent! Your tank looks like it is very close to a balance of super cool epiphytes and host material. I like the rock work more each time I see it.  Can I lend you a few of my snails to take care of that algae problem?  Are you going to stock it with frogs at some point or is this just for the greenery?

Mike



JoshH said:


> Growing in nicely, been about five months since startup now. Still having a hard time getting the moss to take over the back wall and rocks, instead I get green algae! At least the plants look ok....


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## JoshH (Feb 13, 2008)

roxrgneiss said:


> Magnificent! Your tank looks like it is very close to a balance of super cool epiphytes and host material. I like the rock work more each time I see it.  Can I lend you a few of my snails to take care of that algae problem?  Are you going to stock it with frogs at some point or is this just for the greenery?
> 
> Mike


Thanks Mike! Maybe I could get some super colorful and endangered tree snails to do the job........actually a tiny slug did make it in my other plant tank somehow. Apparently he has extremely specific tastes, as he only ate all the growing tips of my favorite Anthuriums. Kinda like those butterfly fish that only eat coral polyps........


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## Mywebbedtoes (Jul 2, 2007)

By the way, kittly litter or your own mix on the substrate?


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## JoshH (Feb 13, 2008)

Actually it's water lily soil from Home Depot. It's basically the same as Flourite aquarim plant gravel. I use it as a top layer over regular pea gravel, then cover with leaves. The only plants that are actually growing in it are some tropical Utricularia and Pilea sp. I like the open texture of this mix for great biofiltration....

I didn't know anyone was using cat litter for terrariums, though I remember seeing something about it on the aquarium forums......


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## Mywebbedtoes (Jul 2, 2007)

It looks very natural, like the real thing.

There was an article by Brent Brock in Leaf Litter where he talked about cat litter as a substarte and I remember reading about it elsewhere too. Anyrate, I will have to check that out.


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## JoshH (Feb 13, 2008)

Here's my latest January update........


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## Julio (Oct 8, 2007)

looks even better, great choice of foliage!!


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## Mywebbedtoes (Jul 2, 2007)

Wow Josh. Currently this is my favorite tank. Wonderful design and use of plants! I want my next tank to be similar in design. I need more plant sources!


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## JoshH (Feb 13, 2008)

Thanks guys! Most of the plants in there I got as small cuttings from fellow DB'ers. It seemed like the plants had a harder time getting established on the epoxy for the first 5 months or so, now it seems to be stabilizing and really rapidly growing. All the little peperomias and selaginellas need to be pruned bi-weekly. As of now the tank still has no misting system, just hand sprayed daily. My next modification will be to build a proper parabolic reflector for the 100w PC.


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## Laxgoal100 (Sep 9, 2008)

Seriously man, the plant diversity in this tank is outsdanding. I wish this was mine, but I could only strive to make a tank like that. It's not often you see a viv with so many different species of plants. Looks just like Monte Verde, Costa Rica as was said!


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## thedude (Nov 28, 2007)

wow this tank is awesome! i really like that bromeliad in the top right. very bushy looking. whats the plant in the second picture with long pointy leaves?

looks great man, keep us posted.


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## JoshH (Feb 13, 2008)

Thanks for the compliments!




thedude said:


> wow this tank is awesome! i really like that bromeliad in the top right. very bushy looking. whats the plant in the second picture with long pointy leaves?
> 
> looks great man, keep us posted.


The one in the middle pic that looks kinda like a maple leaf? That's Anthurium polyschistum (sp?)


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## Garuda (Feb 15, 2008)

Your tank is stunning! (as are the others on your website)

How exactly do you attach the plants to the resin rocks? Do the crevices build up debris? I looked at one of your earlier posts and I just couldn't tell how you do it.


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## JoshH (Feb 13, 2008)

Garuda said:


> Your tank is stunning! (as are the others on your website)
> 
> How exactly do you attach the plants to the resin rocks? Do the crevices build up debris? I looked at one of your earlier posts and I just couldn't tell how you do it.


I just tuck them into the crevices with a little live moss around them. The rock structure is made with epoxy over foam, and has hundreds of little pockets and cracks in it. The finished rock is very similar to lace rock or marine "live rock" in texture. With ample spraying and fert the plants root into it very quickly.


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## Fishman (Jan 16, 2007)

Wow, wow, wow!

Do you have a build journal for how you did your rocks?


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## JoshH (Feb 13, 2008)

Fishman said:


> Wow, wow, wow!
> 
> Do you have a build journal for how you did your rocks?


I just made a gallery for the whole tank process, there should be comments about the different stages. Here you go........

Diversity - Dendroboard Gallery


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## Garuda (Feb 15, 2008)

Thanks Josh. I like the idea of the fog coming up through the drain. Does it still work after you put the substrate in?

Also, when you say "Mineral enhanced two-part epoxy paint" what exactly is that?

Sorry for all the questions but I really want to learn techniques you've used in your viv since it it so spectacular.


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## JoshH (Feb 13, 2008)

Garuda said:


> Thanks Josh. I like the idea of the fog coming up through the drain. Does it still work after you put the substrate in?
> 
> Also, when you say "Mineral enhanced two-part epoxy paint" what exactly is that?
> 
> Sorry for all the questions but I really want to learn techniques you've used in your viv since it it so spectacular.


Yep the fog comes up the center drain, which isn't covered. The water runs down the sides of the pipe and the fog rises up the middle. 

"Mineral enhanced two-part epoxy paint" was just my name for that mix of epoxy, lol... I was experimenting with different grades of sand and ground rock (granite) added to the liquid epoxy. I was partly inspired by the silicone based Silestone countertops. So the main mix was about two parts epoxy to one part sand/stone. The only thing I would do differently is to color the epoxy paint with something, maybe concrete color. It ended up being too blue-gray for my liking. I just used fish safe epoxy for ponds, two part......


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## Ontariofrogger1973 (Oct 18, 2008)

thats an awsome tank, i love tha palm on the bottom


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## *slddave* (Jun 2, 2006)

Did I spy a marijuana leaf in there?


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## kyle1745 (Feb 15, 2004)

Looks really good. Are those real rocks or did you make them?


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## CptnMayo (Mar 4, 2008)

awesome tank dude


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## *GREASER* (Apr 11, 2004)

Hey Josh I think I might be starting one of these very soon. I have a 80 or 90 gallon that I was going to just put a bunch of HUGE rocks in it because I want to do an all boulder tank like this with lots of flowing water. But I was worried 1. about the big rocks cracking the bottom of the tank and 2. if I ever wanted to move it I would have to break the entire thing down. If i get really lazy I might just get a bunch of real rocks but I would liek to do what you did here on a much larger scale. especially b because I could build much larger rocks then I would ever put in my tank. Where did you get the epoxy? Does Lowes or Home Depot have the foam you used. I think I know the texture of the foam you used but I am not 100% sure but i think I have an idea.


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## LittleDip (May 20, 2007)

Your tank is amazing and very inspiring. I hope one day I will have one like this myself.


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## JoshH (Feb 13, 2008)

Some new pics...........I seriously need to do some pruning, lol


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## Mywebbedtoes (Jul 2, 2007)

You amazing man. I remember a wall there before, can't see it now! Well done!


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## chinoanoah (Mar 9, 2009)

Very nice! Jurassic Park style, man.


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## Julio (Oct 8, 2007)

that has filled in really nice!!


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## roxrgneiss (Sep 30, 2007)

JoshH said:


> I seriously need to do some pruning, lol


Sure do!  Looks really awesome though! 

Mike


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## Alfy111 (Aug 6, 2005)

thats amazing! is there any way you could repost the pictures from the beginning of the thread? because they dont seem to be there anymoree.


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## JoshH (Feb 13, 2008)

Alfy111 said:


> thats amazing! is there any way you could repost the pictures from the beginning of the thread? because they dont seem to be there anymoree.


Sure, this all started in the Spring of 2007, to give you an idea of timeframe that the changes took place.


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## Julio (Oct 8, 2007)

i still can't believe that is the same tank from the first pic to the last.


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## JoshH (Feb 13, 2008)

Julio said:


> i still can't believe that is the same tank from the first pic to the last.


What I find amazing is that all the plants are growing directly on bare epoxy rocks, no soil in the tank whatsoever. The bottom is covered with an inch of laterite and gravel which the water flows through. I spray it down with orchid fertilizer every few months.


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## Julio (Oct 8, 2007)

do you have water running over the fake rocks?


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## JoshH (Feb 13, 2008)

Julio said:


> do you have water running over the fake rocks?


Very slow but constant drip, goes into a 5 gallon sump below than back up to the top of the tank. Lighting is a 100w CF.


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## dirtmonkey (Feb 10, 2007)

Absolutely beautiful.

I rarely fertilize terrariums, never in most cases, and my plants grow fine. I think the bacterial cycles and any microfauna take care of the nitrogen and most mineral needs. I also leave most dropped leaves in for the that reason.

Vincent


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## dirtmonkey (Feb 10, 2007)

When you say "100w CF" do you mean the 100w equivalent, that actually uses something like 23 or 26 watts?

V


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## JoshH (Feb 13, 2008)

dirtmonkey said:


> When you say "100w CF" do you mean the 100w equivalent, that actually uses something like 23 or 26 watts?
> 
> V



Haha, nope......I'm talking about one huge industrial 100w CF 6500K bulb with reflector. That's a 1000W equivalent, putting out over 6000 lumens! I figure that should be enough on top of a 40g square ;-)

It has to filter through a 1/8th inch lens and a hazy piece of 1/4" plexiglass, so its not as bright as one would imagine.


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## R1ch13 (Apr 16, 2008)

This has now became one of my favourites.

Really well done mate, I always love to see some evolutionary pics of tanks...

One thing that really takes my breath away is that stunning Selaginella, Ive never seen it used to that effect before.

Id love to give it a go, could you please let me know what species it is?

Thanks a lot and well done

Richie


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## Morgan Freeman (Feb 26, 2009)

Woooaaahhh that's some serious growth!


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## dirtmonkey (Feb 10, 2007)

R1ch13 said:


> ...
> One thing that really takes my breath away is that stunning Selaginella, Ive never seen it used to that effect before.
> 
> Id love to give it a go, could you please let me know what species it is?...


In case Josh doesn't see that, I think it's Selaginella plana. It can look like some prehistoric jungle fern from the side.


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## R1ch13 (Apr 16, 2008)

dirtmonkey said:


> In case Josh doesn't see that, I think it's Selaginella plana. It can look like some prehistoric jungle fern from the side.


Cheers buddy.

Really appreciate it, looks stunning so Ima try get my hands on some.

Richie


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## fleshfrombone (Jun 15, 2008)

I think I just cried a little (why don't mine look like that?). That viv is incredible.


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## Leidig (Apr 10, 2009)

That's gorgeous. Well done.


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## 013 (Aug 9, 2006)

fleshfrombone said:


> I think I just cried a little (why don't mine look like that?). That viv is incredible.


Light, light and even more light (and a bit of water). I found that to be the key.


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