# My first 10 gallon viv!!!



## Laxgoal100 (Sep 9, 2008)

Hey guys, this is the start of my new 10 gallon vivarium for 2 D. Auratus. I know its a little small, but its all i have. I am also gonna put in a cork background, a log, and some bromeliads. I really like tsillandsia (however you spell that).

The spread out moss is ricca, does anyone know how long it takes to establish?









Lighting setup: 2 30 watt floros









cocohut i will put in


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## Devanny (Jul 11, 2008)

So far it looks like a good starts, maybe you should spread the moss after you have the log and other stuff in first, but other than that i like it so fat. As far as having the moss spread, just keep it moist and give it good light thats how i got mine to stay alive and spread.


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## RedEyeTroyFrog (Jan 25, 2008)

ur ok buddy, a decient start, mis the ricca heavily and give good light, good things will happen..........good things will happen


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## Julio (Oct 8, 2007)

i woudl have some more plants and a background


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## Laxgoal100 (Sep 9, 2008)

Yeah, like I said, Im getting a cork background and some bromeliads and hopefully a jewel orchid or something


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## Virulent (Sep 9, 2008)

You're off to a promising start and it sounds like you have your layout pretty well planned out. Can't wait to see it once it grows out a bit!


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## moothefrog (May 16, 2008)

Same here.What kind of auratus are you putting in there?


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## Laxgoal100 (Sep 9, 2008)

either blue and black or green and black. Im not really sure yet. Im gonna ge tthe frogs at a convention in october. I also just picked up a mini ficus to stick in there. 

I have a feeling i put the ricca in there too early...


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## stoph (May 10, 2008)

Isn't 10 gallon small for 2 auratus? I keep 1 froglet in a 10 gallon.
Anyway they love leaflitter so you can move half of the ricca to fill in gaps and cover the other half with leaflitter.


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## Laxgoal100 (Sep 9, 2008)

i know its small, but it will have to do for a while its all ive got. Im sure ill be able to make a larger viv in a year or so... good idea with the leaf litter. I am putting in a mini ficus so there should be some of that


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## Laxgoal100 (Sep 9, 2008)

Ok, so here is an update. this is all the cork i could get my hands on for a background, so it will have to do. The final things i will add are gonna be a piece of wood and a bromeliad or two. The new plant on the left is a mini ficus.










Thought you guys might think these are cool, this is my other hobby! nepenthes, or tropical pitcher plants. If you have questions about carnivorous plants ill always be willing to help you out!


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## stoph (May 10, 2008)

Are you putting that pitcher plant in the viv? It's gonna eat all the frog food .


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## AlexRible (Oct 16, 2007)

looks good, A word to the wise be careful mini ficus they don't like to be to wet. I called mine the jesus tree cuz I would mist it too much and all the leaves would fall off, then it would dry out and come back to life.


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## kyle1745 (Feb 15, 2004)

You are also going to want to watch the temperatures with the lights on the tank it could make the tank very hot. Please check out the care sheets for recommended temperature ranges for many of the common species.


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## Laxgoal100 (Sep 9, 2008)

those lights arent very hot.


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## hoyta (Jan 18, 2006)

Those lights do get hot, especially in the fixtures they are in. They probaly will be fine, though, with nothing extra needed.
Honestly, I would take the cork out completely if you aren't going to do a full background. The Riccia will spread well with the lighting as long as you mist it well. Another bit of advice- Be careful not to get the fly dust on the Riccia- It will kill it quickly


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## rotarymagic (Mar 4, 2008)

stoph said:


> Isn't 10 gallon small for 2 auratus? I keep 1 froglet in a 10 gallon.
> Anyway they love leaflitter so you can move half of the ricca to fill in gaps and cover the other half with leaflitter.


Oh please.... are you the type that uses a 75gallon to house a single pair of azureus?


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## rotarymagic (Mar 4, 2008)

Laxgoal100 said:


> Ok, so here is an update. this is all the cork i could get my hands on for a background, so it will have to do. The final things i will add are gonna be a piece of wood and a bromeliad or two. The new plant on the left is a mini ficus.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


A black adhesive background would make everything pop with contrast and remove the distraction of looking through the back of the tank since the focus is IN the tank.

Pink and white fittonias are kinda cool too...


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## Laxgoal100 (Sep 9, 2008)

rotarymagic said:


> A black adhesive background would make everything pop with contrast and remove the distraction of looking through the back of the tank since the focus is IN the tank.


thats a great idea, were would I get something like that. Im not sure what kind of materials would be resistant to water. maybe ill just do some fern panels on the sides...


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## gretchenellie (Aug 7, 2007)

if you are going for cheap, you could use a black colored aquarium background.. 

it wont give much depth, but it will close it in and make the eye focus on the tank..


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## Laxgoal100 (Sep 9, 2008)

thanks, but what are some other possibilities?


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## rotarymagic (Mar 4, 2008)

Laxgoal100 said:


> thats a great idea, were would I get something like that. Im not sure what kind of materials would be resistant to water. maybe ill just do some fern panels on the sides...


It goes on the outside of the glass so I dont think water is an issue. Aquarium stores will have it.


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## stoph (May 10, 2008)

> Default Re: My first 10 gallon viv!!!
> Oh please.... are you the type that uses a 75gallon to house a single pair of azureus?


Lol, what's your point, smallest vivs are the best? That's a first.
I like to have my animals to have a little bit of extra living space and not to test the minimum, is there something wrong with that?
Are you the type that want's to fit as much frogs in 1 small terra, because it's cheap, it doesn't take too much space so you can have more vivs, to have as many frogs as possible, to let them be more visible?
I don't have a problem with him keeping them in a 10 gallon but 10 gallon or some literature even says 15 gallon is the minimum to keep a pair so i advise people to go one size larger.

A 10 gallon will look crammed with 2 animals and it's not easy to fit a lot of features in a 10 gallon.
For example that coconut takes 1/6 of the floorspace.
So Laxgoal100 get this 10 gallon running, learn from it and in time you will probably want go bigger - it will look a whole lot more impressive having a medium size full grown viv.
Good luck.


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## divingne1 (Mar 21, 2008)

If you don't want the shinyness (not sure if that is a word but lets just go with it) of the aquarium background, you can get some black felt and velcro it to the back of your tank. I did that with my saltwater tank and it looks great. You can remove it and put it back on easily. 
Candy


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## moothefrog (May 16, 2008)

Its not to small,a good rule of thumb is 5 gallons per frog,but some people say 10 gallons per frog.Looks like a good start,keep us posted.What morph of auratus are you putting in there?


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## Laxgoal100 (Sep 9, 2008)

Yeah, I know there are a lot of different opinions on tank sizes. I really wish I could be working with a 20 gal, but its not possible right now. I have heard a lot of different opinions from expirienced frog people and a lot say 10 gallon is not optimal but it will do. Not sure yet, probably green and black. maybe blue and black. Ive been thinking about getting a pair of azeurus instead...


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