# Two simple pumilio tanks



## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

IMG_20190307_144234 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

Escudo 1 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

IMG_20190316_173303 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

And another on the way...

IMG_20190316_173056 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr


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## Socratic Monologue (Apr 7, 2018)

Nice! 

What is the lighting over the center and right hand viv?

This may reveal my ignorance of the dark secrets of pumilio keeping, but: what is the black gravel substrate in the unplanted viv?


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## indrap (Aug 28, 2018)

Socratic Monologue said:


> This may reveal my ignorance of the dark secrets of pumilio keeping, but: what is the black gravel substrate in the unplanted viv?


Correct me if I'm wrong op but it looks like fluval stratum? Also I love the execution of your tanks. Do you just silicone the tree fern panels on? I am thinking about using tree fern panels for my next build.


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

Socratic Monologue said:


> Nice!
> 
> What is the lighting over the center and right hand viv?
> 
> This may reveal my ignorance of the dark secrets of pumilio keeping, but: what is the black gravel substrate in the unplanted viv?


The lighting is 2 x twin LED luminaires - 4000k and 6500k colour, with 2 x T5 HO tubes above each tank aswell. All on individual timers for summer / winter ambient temps.

Fluval Stratum planting subsrate 



indrap said:


> Correct me if I'm wrong op but it looks like fluval stratum? Also I love the execution of your tanks. Do you just silicone the tree fern panels on? I am thinking about using tree fern panels for my next build.


Correct, just siliconed onto the sides of the tank.

Give's a nice 'clean' look and plants love growing on / climbing on it.


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## varanoid (Jan 21, 2011)

Beautiful tanks. Love the first one especially. Very nice proportions.


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## Dr. Manhattan (Oct 28, 2016)

If by simple you mean absolutely stunning. Awesome job man.


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

varanoid said:


> Beautiful tanks. Love the first one especially. Very nice proportions.





Dr. Manhattan said:


> If by simple you mean absolutely stunning. Awesome job man.


Many thanks


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

Little update.

2 x single mistking nozzles installed.

Springtails and dwarf tropical woodlice added.

Initial planting done using bromeliad pups (offshoots) and cuttings from my other tanks :

IMG_20190329_115941 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

IMG_20190329_115917 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

IMG_20190329_115922 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

IMG_20190329_115932 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

IMG_20190329_120006 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

Orchid order will be placed in the next few weeks to finish off planting, also leaf litter isn't added at the minute as I want to maximise moisture on the substrate initially to enable cuttings to root.

The lighting setup will be changed in the near future also, just undecided on what to go for right now, as it's 18" wide I can't use T5HO bulbs like the other tanks as the smallest bulb lengths are 24" long...


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## Socratic Monologue (Apr 7, 2018)

They look nice, although the viv with the 'hand' design element is gonna freak the frogs out. Maybe plant some moss on the hands.



gex23 said:


> IMG_20190329_120006 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

Socratic Monologue said:


> They look nice, although the viv with the 'hand' design element is gonna freak the frogs out. Maybe plant some moss on the hands.


That's the barest of planting in a brand new viv, new plants (mainly orchids and epiphytic climbers / trailing plants) along with moss and liverworts and a lot of growing in under the new light i'm building and it'll be filling in nicely


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

So I was taking photos of my frogs today, and noticed something odd in the photo :

IMG_20190331_122429 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

IMG_20190331_122753 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr


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## ds51 (Oct 13, 2017)

gex23 said:


> [/quote]
> like the look of this you done
> but would like to see a plant list


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

ds51 said:


> like the look of this you done
> but would like to see a plant list


Here's a link to my build journal for the that vivarium, there's a number of posts listing the plant orders I placed for that tank :

https://www.dendroboard.com/forum/parts-construction/341009-24-18-24-exo-return.html


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## Socratic Monologue (Apr 7, 2018)

gex23 said:


> That's the barest of planting in a brand new viv, new plants (mainly orchids and epiphytic climbers / trailing plants) along with moss and liverworts and a lot of growing in under the new light i'm building and it'll be filling in nicely


No, no... it looks really nice, truly, and doesn't need anything. I was trying to make a dumb joke about the reflection in the glass -- it looked like there were hands actually in the tank, and it made me laugh.


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

Updated shots :

Escudo viv 1 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

Escudo viv 2 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

RB viv by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

Escudo 2 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr


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## ds51 (Oct 13, 2017)

what became of the tadpoles


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## RogueFish (Jun 22, 2019)

gex23 said:


> The lighting is 2 x twin LED luminaires - 4000k and 6500k colour, with 2 x T5 HO tubes above each tank aswell. All on individual timers for summer / winter ambient temps.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Those vivs look great!

Few questions regarding the fluval plant substrate if you don't mind... 

- How do the microfauna handle it? They populate ok?
- Do you still use a drainage layer?
- Finally, in your experience, why are you choosing to use the fluval stratum instead of more traditional substrates like ABG? Pros/cons?

Sorry to bother but I'm new to the hobby and in the weeks worth of research I've been doing, I've not seen anyone use that substrate yet.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

ds51 said:


> what became of the tadpoles


They didn't make it past the stage of hatching out on the leaf. Not seen any signs of eggs / tads since.

But I live in hope!


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

RogueFish said:


> Those vivs look great!
> 
> Few questions regarding the fluval plant substrate if you don't mind...
> 
> ...


Many thanks!

In response i'll answer as best I can :

- I have springtails in there currently and the population has exploded (albeit no frogs to predate on them yet)
- I use a standard hydroleca drainage layer, approx 3 inches deep, same as I do for the other tanks that have an ABG substrate
- Coming from a planted tank background where ADA / nutrient ruch substrate is widely used to good effect, I really wanted to apply it in a PDF setup. After seeing that Grimm used it so sucsesfully in his 'peninsula' build, I decided to go for it.

Interestingly, I find its moisture level is far more consistent than the ABG mix and the none-epiphytic plant cuttings i've planted in the stratum substrate have really taken off far quicker than in an ABG substrate. That's with a relatively low level light right now....

I plan on replacing the LED strips I currently use on the larger tanks (and beamswork on the smaller tank) with either AI prime or Ecotech Radion freshwater units - with the mindset that I prefer the smaller form factor and controllability aspect / cleaner looks.


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## Kinstrome (Oct 6, 2017)

How has using tree fern fiber panels worked for you? How readily do plants root to them? They look good.


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## ds51 (Oct 13, 2017)

gex23 said:


> They didn't make it past the stage of hatching out on the leaf. Not seen any signs of eggs / tads since.
> 
> But I live in hope!


that's a shame mate 
there will always be other time you will have tadpoles 
best of luck I keep an eye on this


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

Added a group of 0.0.4 Oophaga pumilio 'Isla Colon' to the 18*18*24 today


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)




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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

Just found my first escudo froglet today


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## Teletom (Jun 24, 2019)

Congrats!

If you are ever looking on selling any froglets let me know.


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

Cheers!

I'm from England so probably not 

Witnessed one of the Oophaga pumilio 'isla colon' - so a confirmed male making it a 1.0.3 group so far


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)




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## Tijl (Feb 28, 2019)

Your tanks and frogs look amazing!


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## gex23 (Apr 15, 2008)

Tijl said:


> Your tanks and frogs look amazing!


Thankyou


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