# Future Bri-Bri vivarium intial hardscape - Opinions please.



## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

Here it is with the first bit of driftwood in situ :










And after I cut up and added some liana :










I now think the liana overpowers the original stump and makes it look too fussy - what are your thoughts?

Regards

Anthony


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## R1ch13 (Apr 16, 2008)

Your overthinking it mate.

I am the same, I try to place things nicely and it ends up looking too contrived and unnatural.

I love the smaller Liana with the broms mounted on it, but I feel it is a little small and looks pretty lost in there especially with the thicker Lianas overpowering it.

I would personally use the larger lianas as the main structure and mount the broms on them towards the back then use the smaller liana as an accent towards the front on the side.

I just put together a viv for my Retics and literally tossed the twigs/branches in along with the leaf litter and vine cuttings.

The only thought I put into it was where the broms would go to allow growth and pup space.

Regards,
Richie


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

Cheers for the input Richie.

Heres take 2 :


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## smittydc (Mar 27, 2010)

Much better in my opinion, good advice from Rich.I do the same thing with my builds...try to make them look all nice and neat and it turns out unatural looking.Looks to be the start of a nice tank.I've been looking at pictures and pictures...I'm starting a rack of 18" cubes.


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## eos (Dec 6, 2008)

I like take 2 much better.... it gives it a better sense of depth.


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## PatEmig09 (Oct 13, 2009)

I would add some java moss and leaf litter.


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

Reduced the base size of the front driftwood stump so it sits further to the right. Initial planting completed.










Still to add more broms / orchids / aroids / climbers / mosses / clay substrate / leaflitter.

Cheers

Anthony


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

Just to add, these atrocious photos will be replaced with some proper ones in the next day or so.

Cheers

Anthony


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## Shinosuke (Aug 10, 2011)

Looking better with each picture! The third one gives a great sense of depth, isn't as cluttered looking, and still leaves a lot of open area for the frogs. Plenty of room for plants on the wood, too.

Looking forward to watching this viv evolve!


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

Shinosuke said:


> Looking better with each picture! The third one gives a great sense of depth, isn't as cluttered looking, and still leaves a lot of open area for the frogs. Plenty of room for plants on the wood, too.
> 
> Looking forward to watching this viv evolve!


Cheers.

Here is a better photo :


DSC_0009 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

And a last shot of the Vanzolinii vivarium before it's torn down :


DSC_0021 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr


DSC_0022 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

Cheers

Anthony


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## chillplants (Jul 14, 2008)

gex23 said:


> Cheers.
> 
> Here is a better photo :
> 
> ...


Very nice. I really like the way this last setup looks.


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## eyeviper (May 23, 2006)

Looks good. the new setup has more depth to it which looks way better, glad you chose that one. nice broms too.


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

chillplants said:


> Very nice. I really like the way this last setup looks.


Cheers!



eyeviper said:


> Looks good. the new setup has more depth to it which looks way better, glad you chose that one. nice broms too.


Cheers for the feedback


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

Change of plans, I have another viv the Pums will be going in (spotted some Cauchero i'm interested in. 

Do you think this viv would be suitable for retics? (a deep layer of leaf litter will be added).

Cheers 

Anthony.


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

After nearly giving up, mending the shattered side and cramming 2 vivs worth of broms into one, here it is slightly reworked :


DSC_0023 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

Just waiting on the clay substrate now, so I can add the leaf litter.


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## Dizzle21 (Aug 11, 2009)

just curious, what are those black wires in the last picture? They come down the top left side and are all around the viv.


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

Dizzle21 said:


> just curious, what are those black wires in the last picture? They come down the top left side and are all around the viv.


The wires you can see are simply the thermometer which has two probes, so I can measure two temperature zones. These will be hidden when it's finished.

The other black wires are cable ties, which again when it's finished, will be cut flush.

Anthony.


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## Dizzle21 (Aug 11, 2009)

gex23 said:


> The wires you can see are simply the thermometer which has two probes, so I can measure two temperature zones. These will be hidden when it's finished.
> 
> The other black wires are cable ties, which again when it's finished, will be cut flush.
> 
> Anthony.


I gotcha now!  looking good! what type of tank is it? looks custom to me I like the dimensions.


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

Dizzle21 said:


> I gotcha now!  looking good! what type of tank is it? looks custom to me I like the dimensions.


Cheers 

It's a custom euro style vivarium (front vent under door and another on the lid), built with low iron opti-white glass for increased clarity and greater UVB transmission.

Dimensions are 41cm wide x 48cm deep x 60cm high (so about 31 US gallons).


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

Decided to add a small 'pocket' of clay in the main floor area of the tank, where hopefully the pums will hunt isopods and reap the benefit. I bought Tropica Aquacare plant substrate, which is basically clay and sphagnum moss, that is not fully 'fired' so it will break down : 


DSC_0026 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr


DSC_0028 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr


DSC_0032 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

Lighting is now 10 x CREE XP-E 6500K high output LEDs plus 2 x T5HO bulbs purely for additional heat (Biovital UV 5800k bulb + Osram 4000k bulb) - i'm hoping to see some good plant growth with this combination of spectra.

Cheers

Anthony


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## drutt (Oct 4, 2011)

Nice build..so in the center you use clay substrate but the darker substrate is that ABG mix? What did you use?
thanx


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

drutt said:


> Nice build..so in the center you use clay substrate but the darker substrate is that ABG mix? What did you use?
> thanx


The 'soil' mix is a combination of the following :

Xaxim (tree fern) granules
Peat
Crushed oak / beech / cattapa leaves
Fine orchid bark
Sphagnum moss (shredded)

Nice and free draining, so lots of air pockets ideal for root structures and isopods.


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

Leaflitter and the rest of the plants added :


DSC_0039 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

Detail :


DSC_0052 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

Messing around :


CSC_0051 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

And with it's twin :


DSC_0048 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr


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## Dizzle21 (Aug 11, 2009)

Very Nice!! It will look amazing once the sides are all grown in. Can't wait to see the next tank.


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## Noel Calvert (Jan 8, 2013)

The pictures look beautiful. I like your bromeliads, and I am wondering what is the method to mount these things to get them to root into the wood? I am new to them, so I know very little about them. I have been using a carpenters staple to hold the roots in place, and let them go...Seemed to work, but is there a better method? 

Also is that Philodendron hederaceum in the bottom of the tank? If so I would expect that to fill the tank in about 3 months with good light and water conditions. Mine here in SW Colombia in Tumaco is basically a weed I have to cut back every month though it is incredibly beautiful.


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## rigel10 (Jun 1, 2012)

It's very good. It looks ready for frogs.


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