# My first terrarium 60x45x60 cm



## Christine86 (Feb 4, 2021)

Last december I've bought my first terrarium, it's a exo terra 60x45x60 cm (24x18x24 inches) I wanted this for a very long time but never bought it for all kinds of reasons, but now i finally have one:

Making the background:









Background and bottom finished, first plants added:









And the final result as it looks at this moment:










So please let me know what you think about it!


----------



## FroggerFrog (Jan 11, 2021)

It looks really good! What are you putting in the tank?


----------



## Christine86 (Feb 4, 2021)

FroggerFrog said:


> It looks really good! What are you putting in the tank?


 Thnx! I don't know what frog to put in, there are a few that I like. But first I want to be sure to control the viv and wait a little bit longer so the plants have time to grow. 

Frogs I like :
ranitomeya ventrimaculata, the red ones
dendrobates auratus
Maybe epipedobates anthonyi


----------



## Christine86 (Feb 4, 2021)

Last weekend I got this mister for the viv, don't mind the sensor, had to put this in the right place at that moment


----------



## Encyclia (Aug 23, 2013)

Welcome to the board!


----------



## FroggerFrog (Jan 11, 2021)

Christine86 said:


> Thnx! I don't know what frog to put in, there are a few that I like. But first I want to be sure to control the viv and wait a little bit longer so the plants have time to grow.
> 
> Frogs I like :
> ranitomeya ventrimaculata, the red ones
> ...


For starters, auratus are amazing beginner frogs. Epips are underrated in my opinion and are also a go to beginner frog. Just be careful because they breed like crazy. Any thumbnail isn’t the best beginner choice so I would hold off of those for later.


----------



## Christine86 (Feb 4, 2021)

Encyclia said:


> Welcome to the board!


thank you!


----------



## Christine86 (Feb 4, 2021)

FroggerFrog said:


> For starters, auratus are amazing beginner frogs. Epips are underrated in my opinion and are also a go to beginner frog. Just be careful because they breed like crazy. Any thumbnail isn’t the best beginner choice so I would hold off of those for later.


I think I might go for the auratus then but I still have time to think it over. 

I don't have any breeding intentions so maybe not the anthonyi. I think the breeding is also something to figure out for me, is there a way too not get them into breeding?


----------



## FroggerFrog (Jan 11, 2021)

Christine86 said:


> I think I might go for the auratus then but I still have time to think it over.
> 
> I don't have any breeding intentions so maybe not the anthonyi. I think the breeding is also something to figure out for me, is there a way too not get them into breeding?


Simply not buying a female. Usually most dart frogs are easy to tell their gender with exceptions of some.


----------



## Christine86 (Feb 4, 2021)

FroggerFrog said:


> Simply not buying a female. Usually most dart frogs are easy to tell their gender with exceptions of some.


That sounds simple enough


----------



## SimonL (Aug 29, 2020)

I started off with auratus and ventris around six months ago. I’ve since realized that the auratus is a very shy breed which I only see at feeding time. The ventris are a lot more visible. Another good beginners frog is the Leucomela, I have just built a new tank with the intention of hosting some Leucomelas, once this lockdown loosens up a bit....


----------



## Socratic Monologue (Apr 7, 2018)

Even at adulthood, reliably sexing most darts in the absence of calling or egg laying is challenging. Proven animals, or probable pairs from experienced breeders are sometimes available, but they're somewhat few and far between. Furthermore, depending on species, two males together may not be the best choice.

You did a nice job designing the viv.


----------



## Christine86 (Feb 4, 2021)

Socratic Monologue said:


> Even at adulthood, reliably sexing most darts in the absence of calling or egg laying is challenging. Proven animals, or probable pairs from experienced breeders are sometimes available, but they're somewhat few and far between. Furthermore, depending on species, two males together may not be the best choice.
> 
> You did a nice job designing the viv.


Thank you! Not bad for the first time I think 😊
I'll have to do some research on the male/ female/ breeding part.


----------



## Christine86 (Feb 4, 2021)

A better video of my terrarium 😊


----------



## Socratic Monologue (Apr 7, 2018)

I missed your last video. A fogger isn't a mister, and most of us don't recommend foggers -- they're for visual effect.


----------



## Christine86 (Feb 4, 2021)

Socratic Monologue said:


> I missed your last video. A fogger isn't a mister, and most of us don't recommend foggers -- they're for visual effect.


 Ok, my mistake, the dutch word for fog is mist. And yes for one part it's visual effect, the other part is to make sure my humidety is not going to low.


----------



## klc21473 (Jan 13, 2021)

Very nice! Thanks for sharing.


----------



## SimonL (Aug 29, 2020)

Christine86 said:


> Ok, my mistake, the dutch word for fog is mist. And yes for one part it's visual effect, the other part is to make sure my humidety is not going to low.


You might find a rain system (sproeisysteem) is more suitable for a dart frog vivarium. Fog systems can make the air too dense and the frogs won’t like it so much. Take a look at the systems at AquaNatureTec Aqua Nature Tec - Webshop


----------



## Christine86 (Feb 4, 2021)

klc21473 said:


> Very nice! Thanks for sharing.


Glad you liked it!


----------



## Christine86 (Feb 4, 2021)

SimonL said:


> You might find a rain system (sproeisysteem) is more suitable for a dart frog vivarium. Fog systems can make the air too dense and the frogs won’t like it so much. Take a look at the systems at AquaNatureTec Aqua Nature Tec - Webshop


The fogger is running with a controller. The last two days I've been watching it, and it only turns on a couple of times in the afternoon en in the evening until it reaches the right % and than turns off. Still finetuning the density so it is not to dense. I also mist by hand to make sure there is water in the broms and the rest don't dry out.


----------



## Christine86 (Feb 4, 2021)

Plants are growing fine!

New pup on brom ( photo is not the best quality)










seperated the pup of this tillandsia from the motherplant:












Now I'm happy with the growth of this ficus, if it has taken over the viv I might me be less happy with it 
Also new leaves on the begonia and philodendron. And yes i glued the corck, it was falling apart....


----------



## Christine86 (Feb 4, 2021)

Nice to see the difference:

27-12-2021:









05-03-2021:










And some other pictures of the plants:

This syngonium was a very sad looking plant, but it have produced some new leaves. 










New pup of this brom is also growing well:










And my new plant, cissus amazonica, hope it'll cover the background.


----------



## Christine86 (Feb 4, 2021)

Last week I bought all the stuff to culture my own fruitflies, was a little bit scared of it because it's kind of new to me. I've made a new bucket today and it was not that bad 😄 How many buckets should I have before I can think of buying frogs?











And the viv is looking better and better, ready for some froggies!


----------



## Vargoje3 (Oct 5, 2020)

I just got my first frogs a week ago and I have 10 cultures going which is way to many. I did a lot to practice in the last 2 months. For five terribillis froglets I'm going to make one melanogaster culture or two every week and alternate. I'll keep one hydei culture going for when my frogs get bigger.


----------



## Socratic Monologue (Apr 7, 2018)

@Christine86 , what is the size (fluid ounces/ml) of those culture cups? They look smaller than the US standard 32 oz cups to me.


----------



## SimonL (Aug 29, 2020)

Socratic Monologue said:


> @Christine86 , what is the size (fluid ounces/ml) of those culture cups? They look smaller than the US standard 32 oz cups to me.


Since Christine probably buys them from one of the same retailers that I do , I’m going to guess they are the 520 or 550ml ones. I think that’s around 20 fl oz


----------



## Socratic Monologue (Apr 7, 2018)

SimonL said:


> Since Christine probably buys them from one of the same retailers that I do , I’m going to guess they are the 520 or 550ml ones. I think that’s around 20 fl oz


Closer to 18oz. Good to know. You folks are going to have to adjust estimates if you get US recommendations; I'd guess that cup might produce half as many FFs as our 32oz cups.

I make three cups each week for ~50 frogs and most feedings I have many FFs to spare.


----------



## Christine86 (Feb 4, 2021)

SimonL said:


> Since Christine probably buys them from one of the same retailers that I do , I’m going to guess they are the 520 or 550ml ones. I think that’s around 20 fl oz


😄 I think we use the same retailer indeed.


----------



## Christine86 (Feb 4, 2021)

Socratic Monologue said:


> @Christine86 , what is the size (fluid ounces/ml) of those culture cups? They look smaller than the US standard 32 oz cups to me.


Yes these are smaller than the US standard cups, mine are 520 ml


----------



## Christine86 (Feb 4, 2021)

So... yesterday I went to a breeder that lives very close to me. He showed me al his frogs, froglets, plants, and fruitflie cultures. I got a lot of information about the frogs, almost to much to remember it all 

But in the end I got home with 0.0.4 Dendrobates Auratus Birkhahn .They're still settling in,but I've seen all four of them and I've seen that they were eating the springtales. So they're like 3-4 months old now, little bit younger then I expected. First I had in mind to feed them fruitflies like 3 times a week, but is that enough at this young age?

This is the boldest of the four, also the one that jumped the wrong way (out of the viv ) when I was putting them into the viv. The other ones are to shy at this moment


----------



## Dawsokj1988 (May 26, 2017)

It's a beautiful setup. Well done.


----------



## Christine86 (Feb 4, 2021)

Dawsokj1988 said:


> It's a beautiful setup. Well done.


Thank you 🙏


----------



## Paskui (May 23, 2020)

I like a lot. Fantastic 


Enviado desde mi iPhone utilizando Tapatalk


----------



## Christine86 (Feb 4, 2021)

Paskui said:


> I like a lot. Fantastic
> 
> 
> Enviado desde mi iPhone utilizando Tapatalk


Thnx


----------



## Christine86 (Feb 4, 2021)

This morning I made two movies of two frogs that where eating some fruitflies. Maybe not so special for you guys, but I enjoyed watching it. Warning, it's not the best quality.

The 2nd frog is in the back of the viv on a plant leaf:





Same frogs but the frog in the back is now on the wooden vine:


----------



## Christine86 (Feb 4, 2021)

Got plant mail today  











I bought a couple of orchids, I hope they will give some nice flowers. I didn't expect the size of the big one on the right, I took a little pup of it and put the rest in the windowsill  The fittonia was for free,this was the third time I bought something from this webshop and always got something for free.

The big orchid already has a nice flower:









cute little orchids:










And by far the smallest orchid I've ever seen (the one on the right):


----------



## Christine86 (Feb 4, 2021)

Time for some new photo's

My family named this froggie Sumo, I wonder why 









Maybe next week a bromeliad flower: 











And a nice flower in this plant:


----------



## Christine86 (Feb 4, 2021)

So...the viv is running for a couple of months now and the plants and frogs are doing great!










Who can spot the 4th frog? 









I saw this one calling, so at least one male.


----------



## hansgruber7 (Mar 23, 2020)

I love your tank! You've done such a wonderful job. Beautiful frogs too. So cool.


----------



## Christine86 (Feb 4, 2021)

hansgruber7 said:


> I love your tank! You've done such a wonderful job. Beautiful frogs too. So cool.


Thank you so much 🙏


----------



## Christine86 (Feb 4, 2021)

The viv is running for over a year now:










And one of the male frogs:


----------

