# Hurricane project: 20 long for D.azureus pair



## eyeviper (May 23, 2006)

I have needed to reconstruct my vivarium for my Azureus pair for a while now. Thanks to Hurricane Sandy I get a 2 day break from classes and a reason to stay indoors. Here is the quick and dirty little project I am working on and finishing tomorrow hopefully. 

I siliconed roughly 2 inches around the front and 2 sides of the tank. 









I left a 1/2" gap so I can monitor the water level under the false bottom. 









I made the false bottom. I put a nice slope in it to give the tank some more dimension (hopefully)









I used a black filter sponge to make the slope of the pond bank. I then siliconed the edge of the egg crate to the foam and used some peat to cover it up. The substrate will be leaf litter directly on the false bottom and will gently slope toward the pond. 









next I use window screen to cover the false bottom. I ran a bead of silicone around the whole edge of the tank/false bottom. I then pressed the pre-cut mesh into the silicone for a clean hold

















I also ran the bead around the edge of the pond 









Here is the finished product right now. Tomorrow will come the fun part.


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## eyeviper (May 23, 2006)

Well this short project is done! It has taken me a little while to post the pictures. I like to call this short, sweet, and simple...because it was short, it looks relatively sweet, and it was brain numbingly simple  Enjoy. 

I began playing with the wood placement.









Added some smaller sticks create a better feeling with the wood.


















I love the pond area 









Next I used black aquarium background for the back of the tank and began adding leaf litter. I used live oak and orchid bark as the base with magnolia and oak on top. 



























I began planting. I used few plants to keep it simple and allow plenty of room for them to really fill out. 




































I added my mossy coco hut. Hopefully the moss bounces back from its dry dying spell. 









Added some Isos, and springs. 









And the final product. 









Inhabitants now at home.


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## DaysAndDarts (Jan 24, 2012)

Nice looking tank. I like the simplicity of it that's a method I want to try.


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## Taari (Nov 6, 2012)

Love that arching piece of wood in the middle. The whole thing looks very nice!


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## eyeviper (May 23, 2006)

Thank you. Simple is sometimes the best.


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## hypostatic (Apr 25, 2011)

I like the organization of the tank in general, but I feel like it could use some more plants around the center of the tank? Like maybe something that would grow very low to the ground in the front or some epiphyte on the wood?


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## Buddysfrogs (Mar 29, 2012)

hypostatic said:


> I like the organization of the tank in general, but I feel like it could use some more plants around the center of the tank? Like maybe something that would grow very low to the ground in the front or some epiphyte on the wood?


I agree. It looks some what symmetrical. Add a small plant but overall a very simplistic organized look. I like it.
Buddy

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2


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## eyeviper (May 23, 2006)

hypostatic said:


> I like the organization of the tank in general, but I feel like it could use some more plants around the center of the tank? Like maybe something that would grow very low to the ground in the front or some epiphyte on the wood?


Alas be patient! haha there is some dischadia growing up the arching wood which I am hoping will make a sort of curtain over arch. I am also hoping the peperomia will fill in the left corner and counteract that gap. I agree it looks bare but many tanks do when first planted.


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## eyeviper (May 23, 2006)

Figured I would post some better pics and a little update of how things are coming along. Moss growth is great and the frogs seem to love the new setup. They opt to sleep under the leaf litter in this tank. They used to like the coco hut or under the wood but now its smack in the middle and 1/2" from the front of the tank under a leaf. I love getting up in the morning coz even if the lights come on before I get up they don't move until I start moving around. then they come hoping out. Its awesome. Enjoy.














































The riccia is growing great









She wanted to see what was going on


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## TheFabricator (Dec 8, 2012)

Looks awesome great job!


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## sumer (Dec 14, 2012)

First take pride. This is the best "how to" thread I've read on this forum.
I am very new at this and just started reading on PDFs. Other than they're truly beautiful, I know nothing. But this thread has told me many things. 
I'm an aquarium hobbyist and mostly do planted aquariums. I have 2 questions after reading your thread-
1. First layer egg crate and second steel mesh. Then you covered it with dried leaves. Then how did you plant the plants ? I mean didnt you use soil or anything ?

2. Can you list the names of websites you bought the supplies from !!

Thanks once again for such awesome and minimalistic approach. No foam thing or glass door thing. How easy and beautiful this is.

Sumer.


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## eyeviper (May 23, 2006)

sumer said:


> First take pride. This is the best "how to" thread I've read on this forum.
> I am very new at this and just started reading on PDFs. Other than they're truly beautiful, I know nothing. But this thread has told me many things.
> I'm an aquarium hobbyist and mostly do planted aquariums. I have 2 questions after reading your thread-
> 1. First layer egg crate and second steel mesh. Then you covered it with dried leaves. Then how did you plant the plants ? I mean didnt you use soil or anything ?
> ...


Thank you very much! I am glad you could follow along and it helped. When I started I always liked when people posted step by step so that is what I always try to do. To answer your questions-

1. The eggcrate is laid down on supports. I like to use fiberglass window screen. Do not use the steal mesh available in the same section. Some people like to use weed blocker (the black plastic sheets for gardening beds) but I find the drainage is horrible with it. I lay down the fiberglass mesh and I silicone it into place around the edges of the tank. 

2. As for planting I decided to do a minimalist approach. I put homemade "ABG" mix down only in the places I was going to put plants. (The left hand side with the green plant in the back corner) There is maybe 2-3 handfuls of substrate where that plant is. That is it. Then I put down a layer of live oak and sandy oak leaf litter, Then magnolia over the top. 

3. As for websites I get very few supplies other than flies, leaf litter, and other random stuff off line. I find all my supplies locally from Home depot, walmart, and local reptile stores/ aquarium stores. The eggcrate and silicone is from homedepot, the wood from a reptile store and the aquarium store I work at, and the window screen from wally world. I make my substrate using orchid bark, tree fern soil, charcoal, eco earth, and some natural peat. PM me if you want to know the exact retailer I like to deal with.

Hope that helped!


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## sumer (Dec 14, 2012)

Thanks for the quick reply.
Now I think I will have to read up on "ABG mix". I'll search and read.
I'm seriously thinking about making a viv now. Wont hack your thread. Time to start a new thread now. 
I'll really appreciate your comments and guidance there.


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