# 29 Gallon Journal (1st tank)



## deckmanx (Oct 26, 2008)

Hello all, I just thought I'd share my first vivarium build with everyone. I have been somewhat of a lurker here for quite some time but I've just now been able to get started on the hobby.

My background is reef tanks. I've worked for a fish store, worked for a maintenance business, and had my own maintenance business. I'm also going to school for aquarium science in Orange County. Needless to say I have quite a bit of experience with reef tanks and I love this kind of stuff.

I originally wanted to do dart frogs (auratus) but swayed back to RETFs mixed with day geckos. After some thought and lack of motivation to deal with the Vit D supplementation for the geckos I'm back at PDFs. However, I really want thumbnails so I'm going to go for vents.

The build is a 29 gallon glass tank. I found the tank, stand, and canopy, all used, for 60 bucks. Score!

Here is the space where the tank will sit. Note the unfinished canopy.









I had to sand and then restain the stand. First time staining.


















Tank on stand. The placement next to the sliding glass door makes taking pictures a pain. Mostly I have to take them at night.









I'm going to post this in parts to keep it neater.


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## deckmanx (Oct 26, 2008)

This is going to be the waterfall. The pump will be behind the eggcrate for (supposedly) easy access. The water flows across the flat part of the wood on the left.









On the right is the false bottom already covered by weed block. Supporting the false bottom will be pieces of a tube that holds fluorescent light bulbs. The supports will be zip tied to the eggcrate. 









First application of Great Stuff. A lot easier than I thought it would be. I siliconed the left side by the water feature and on the right side to make it look nice.









2nd application of the GS. Did the left side and filled in some other parts. Also trimmed down in places.









Water pump and hose in place. The pump was one I had lying around.









GS on the left to hold in substrate. Front will be cut down and filled in with silicone to make less ugly.


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## deckmanx (Oct 26, 2008)

Detail of the water feature. Hard to tell what's going on from the picture.









Top down view makes a bit more sense.









Beginning to lay down coco fiber. That stuff was kind of a beotch to get dry. Even with Santa Ana's blowing I ended up just baking it (which my wife LOVED ).


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## deckmanx (Oct 26, 2008)

Coco-fibering is almost done. Just a couple of small patches. The gnarly piece of wood on the right I had GS'd into the background not thinking. I had to rip it out to coco-fiber behind it. Worked out just fine.









I wanted to make the viv as clean looking as I could so to hide the false bottom I left a 1/4-1/2 inch space from the front and side. In the space I filled in some gravel. You can see in the front where I siliconed to hide yellow great stuff. I could have done that part better.


















Close up of waterfall. This piece of wood is really perfect. It blends well with the piece below it.









The gap above the pump access is going to have to be closed. Thinking about GSing it. Not sure yet.


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## deckmanx (Oct 26, 2008)

Not the final placement of the big piece of wood on the right.









Canopy on. Two work lights on the tank. Water feature being tested. I put down straight coco fiber as a substrate without enough distance from the water. Bad move. Next morning it was a soggy mess.



























Water flowing.


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## deckmanx (Oct 26, 2008)

Definite lack of in between pictures. I removed the substrate and mixed orchid bark with cocofiber to get a nice mix of moisture and drainage. I added a layer of LECA to help with drainage. I also picked up 4 tillandsias from a plastic tub at LLL reptile. We'll see how they do.


















Lights! 2x55watt power compact. One bulb is 10000K for color, the other is 6500K for growth. I picked up the ballast and reflector for 10 bucks used. I got the bulbs from customaquatic.com.


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## deckmanx (Oct 26, 2008)

Currently my temp/humidity is reading 80-84 and 75-90. I believe my Flukers doohicky to be incorrect after doing some tests on it. 










Misted before bedtime and woke up to... CONDENSATION!









Next project is fans. I'll try out different placement to lower temps and increase airflow. Still need to get an accurate reading on temp and humidity.


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## deckmanx (Oct 26, 2008)

Inside the canopy. This is not finished. I need to clean up, place the fans, and seal the lid.









Two 80mm fans will provide cooling for the canopy.









Adapter I found at Fry's. 500mA isn't too bad. It's really nice for adjusting the fan speed.









Fan wiring. Unfinished.









Humidifier I found at Goodwill for $6.95 a couple of years ago. Works like a charm.


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## deckmanx (Oct 26, 2008)

This one I'm not too sure if it's happy or not. Hopefully it adjusts from living in a plastic tub at LLL.


















This one's my favorite.









This one has some nice red in the leaves but looks like it has seen a bit of abuse. I'm rooting for you little buddy!


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## deckmanx (Oct 26, 2008)

This is pretty much where I stand now. Plant placement is not final of course. I'm waiting for my plant package to arrive tomorrow from springvalleytropicals. I was very impressed with the customer service and awesome response time.

Checklist
-Seal waterfall access from animals
-Fogger plumbing into tank
-Drill holes in glass lid for ventilation
-Insect mesh to FF proof lid
-Make sure lid is nice and tight
-New thermometer/hygrometer
-Vents at back?


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## Vinicam (Sep 13, 2008)

!!! 

Very cool! Love the waterfall, keep posting!


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## clwatkins10 (Nov 15, 2008)

Nice tank. The water feature looks great.


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## RedEyeTroyFrog (Jan 25, 2008)

i would paint black acrylic paint on the front of the tank to cover the substrate and rocks and what not....other than that it looks really nice


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## loogielv (Nov 28, 2008)

RedEyeTroyFrog said:


> i would paint black acrylic paint on the front of the tank to cover the substrate and rocks and what not....other than that it looks really nice


not so sure i agree here. i like the gravel, it makes it look clean, and also doesn't make it look like you're hiding something. more natural. 

great build btw. I love viv builds because every one is always so different. and each build is different than the owner planned in the first place. with aquariums, you just fill it with water and throw stuff on the bottom.


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## chesney (Jan 18, 2007)

Wow, looks awesome...especially for your first!


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## deckmanx (Oct 26, 2008)

loogielv said:


> not so sure i agree here. i like the gravel, it makes it look clean, and also doesn't make it look like you're hiding something. more natural.
> 
> great build btw. I love viv builds because every one is always so different. and each build is different than the owner planned in the first place. with aquariums, you just fill it with water and throw stuff on the bottom.


That's pretty much what I was going for. I prefer as natural a look as I can when designing and building. I understand the wanting to hide the ugly leca or false bottom but I think that can be done without a big black thing on the tank. Just my preference. Next time around I will divide the water feature from the land with plexi instead of having it all one.


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## Scottyd (Apr 27, 2008)

awesome build journal!! You did a killer job on it!


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## deckmanx (Oct 26, 2008)

I got my plants today!!! Super stoked on the broms. I even got a peperomia prostrata as a bonus. I can't recommend springvalleytropicals.com enough. The plants got here just as I was getting ready to leave so I didn't have time to really set up my light box.

The broms









N. Wee Willy









N. punctatissima









N. Stormy Forest (who makes these names? awesome)









N. Superball (it sure doesn't bounce like one)









N. Smithii









N. Cheers









Peperomia Prostrata









Dischidia nummularia


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## loogielv (Nov 28, 2008)

deckmanx said:


> That's pretty much what I was going for. I prefer as natural a look as I can when designing and building. I understand the wanting to hide the ugly leca or false bottom but I think that can be done without a big black thing on the tank. Just my preference. Next time around I will divide the water feature from the land with plexi instead of having it all one.


any particular reason you want to divide it next time? I'm planning on building a viv with rear access to the water, pump etc etc via a door on the back of the viv. A false bottom with full water makes this a great plan, but if a divider would work better, i'd like to know about it. Thanks


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## deckmanx (Oct 26, 2008)

loogielv said:


> any particular reason you want to divide it next time? I'm planning on building a viv with rear access to the water, pump etc etc via a door on the back of the viv. A false bottom with full water makes this a great plan, but if a divider would work better, i'd like to know about it. Thanks


The false bottom with full water is perfectly fine, but my water level in the pond is much lower than I'd like it. If I had the two parts sealed from each other then I could bring the water level up a bit higher. This could maybe be fixed if I designed the water part differently but I'm not sure how...

I originally had the water level up too close to the bottom of the substrate and the coco fiber wicked A LOT of water up and got soggy. What I would do is separate the two sections and have an access point for the false bottom (or leca) to siphon off excess water. Also that way I don't have to worry about water stagnating underneath the false bottom.



deckmanx said:


> I even got a peperomia prostrata as a bonus


Yeah, it totally wasn't a bonus. In my rush yesterday I forgot that I ordered it. Still cool anyways!


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## deckmanx (Oct 26, 2008)

Here are some pictures of plants in the tank. I'm excited to see what kind of growth I get. I'm thinking I want to do Riccia on the waterfall.


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## twohoops21 (Sep 17, 2008)

yes spring valley is a great place to get plants...they are always healthy when i order....but how did you attach the broms like that? i see that so many people have them in their great stuff and on logs....do they not need soil to live? all of mine i have planted in soil and their roots seem to get very big. BTW the tanks looks great. cant wait to see what it looks like when it grows in.


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## deckmanx (Oct 26, 2008)

twohoops21 said:


> yes spring valley is a great place to get plants...they are always healthy when i order....but how did you attach the broms like that? i see that so many people have them in their great stuff and on logs....do they not need soil to live? all of mine i have planted in soil and their roots seem to get very big. BTW the tanks looks great. cant wait to see what it looks like when it grows in.


When you see them in the great stuff they are in baskets, probably with orchid bark or some sort of loose mixture. There are broms that are terrestrial and others that do better as epiphytes. All the broms that I have are Neoregalia which are epiphytic. I either put them in crevices or used wire to basically staple them to the background. The roots should grow out and they attach themselves to wherever they are.

Thanks for all the feedback everybody!


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## gthorpe2 (Jul 1, 2008)

The tank looks great!!! I love the way you did the waterfall. I might have missed it, but what do you plan on putting in there?


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## deckmanx (Oct 26, 2008)

D. Ventrimaculatus


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## deckmanx (Oct 26, 2008)

Update!

I have been lazy/busy since my last post and have not done much until this week. My light ballast decided to self destruct last Thursday so I was forced into actually finishing the tank before I get the frogs. 

I happened to have a 175 watt metal halide sitting around with a 5500K bulb and decided to try it out. I drilled some ventilation holes and mounted the fans. Yeah, that didn't work... The tank got to 85 with the fans at full blast. Eh, it was worth a try. So I ordered a new retrofit kit from customaquatic.com and picked it up at their warehouse in Vista on Monday. Oh yeah, I have been sick since last week Thursday with the flu and haven't been able to go to work. Doesn't mean my tank doesn't get love!

Here's some updated pictures for you guys:
New waterproof endcaps and shiny reflectors. ooooo









Canopy intake fan (there's also an exaust fan)









I like a clean look









This is me learning how to wire









So I'm actually kind of stoked on this circulation fan. I cut a square out of the GS in front of the wall, behind which the pump is contained. It gets very moist back there and the fan pulls that moisture out and into the viv! Awesome. The fan is totally removable too for when (I'm sure it will) it fails. I actually dont think it will be too unsightly especially when my plants flourish (crosses fingers) from excellent air circulation.









Fogger in action. I have it on a timer that's on a timer with the lights (lol). It comes on every other hour or so for about 10 mins. I may have to cut back once I get the top completely sealed. We'll see.









Token fog shot









Peperomia is starting to take hold. It's going to look good when it starts going nuts.









Moved some broms around. Still not completely happy with the far right one (stormy forest) and the front one (wee willy). I get worried about rot and I'm trying to keep them in areas with decent air movement so their roots don't stay wet.









Full tank









Ok, so here's where I stand as of right now: 
-I hate the big tillandsia on the left wall. It started to bloom and then the flowers promptly grew mold and the plant looks lame in the tank. 
-I'm not totally happy with the Stormy Forest and the Wee Willy. Any suggestions with those guys?
-I need to collect some leaf litter. Frogs no likey the plain coco fiber/bark.
-I need to get a piece of glass cut for the front part of the lid. I need to get it cut by Saturday. Any ideas on where to get glass quickly? Are glass shops pretty fast?
-Better water exit for frogs. Drowning=no bueno (anubias, riccia...)
-Riccia for waterfall area would be awesome.
-Perhaps some moss pillows to accent the bottom would be nice amongst leaf litter, especially when the peperomia grows in.
-Superball lost almost all color while a couple of others lost a bit here and there. I'm counting on that coming back as I have 130 watts of light on the tank
-Pomona Reptile Expo on Saturday!!! Frogs! I've decided I want Imitators if I can find them. If not, Vents are perfectly acceptable.

Please let me know what kind of feedback you have for me and any questions. Excited for frogs!


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## GSXR_MURRHEE (Sep 16, 2006)

Wow, tank is looking pretty good, can't wait to see it grown in some more. 
If you have an ace hardware by you, you can get glass and they'll cut it to size for you. That's what I've been doing, since I usually manage to break alot of the glass I try to cut, lol. For the water exit- why not just put a small piece of wood down there? I'm sure your broms will get their color back, shouldn't take long. Tank looks great, keep us updated!


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## silversax (Dec 31, 2008)

Deckman, this tank looks great! I'm doing some research before I do my first major tank build, and I have a couple of questions for you. (Sorry if you already answered them and I just missed them).

1) How are you going to seal the top of the pump access to keep your little froggies out?

2) How have you got your tubing for your humidifier running? Into your lid somehow? If so, how have you sealed that hole?

Good luck getting your Intermedius. I had 2 but one escaped . They're fun little froggies. Their calls are very pleasant too!


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## deckmanx (Oct 26, 2008)

silversax said:


> Deckman, this tank looks great! I'm doing some research before I do my first major tank build, and I have a couple of questions for you. (Sorry if you already answered them and I just missed them).
> 
> 1) How are you going to seal the top of the pump access to keep your little froggies out?
> 
> ...


1- This is GS built up on the egg crate that is the false wall. I could have pressed coco fiber into the silicone if I had any dried... Also if I had measured properly I could have done egg crate all the way to the top glass with fiberglass screen attached. The GS doesn't go all the way to the glass, the silicone is layered a bit to provide a tight seal.









2- I considered drilling my tank (as I have quite a bit experience doing that with aquariums) but got lazy... So I did this:
2 bushings and a threaded flex tube adapter wrapped in electrical tape









threaded flex tube adapter to threaded female/male 90 elbow to threaded female/female 90 elbow









to a threaded male adapter with the end trimmed off


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## deckmanx (Oct 26, 2008)

Wooooo frogs!!!!!!!!

I picked up a group of 5 breeding vents at the show for $200. Super happy about that. It was my first reptile expo and I was blown away by the stuff in there. I was also surprised by how friggin crowded it was but I guess it was LA.

This guy started calling not even an hour in the tank! lol


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## Mywebbedtoes (Jul 2, 2007)

Yeah you got a sweet deal. Those were really nice frogs.


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## chrisc627 (Jan 3, 2009)

Hey deckmanx- Im going to do something similar with my tanks and i was wondering how you do mantainence on your water pump? Im also having trouble keeping the suction cups stuck. do you have any ideas?


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## Leucomelas18 (Jun 12, 2008)

Love it all!! I can't wait to be able to make another tank and fill it with more frogs!


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## deckmanx (Oct 26, 2008)

chrisc627 said:


> Hey deckmanx- Im going to do something similar with my tanks and i was wondering how you do mantainence on your water pump? Im also having trouble keeping the suction cups stuck. do you have any ideas?


Maintenance on the pump... I haven't had to, but if I do I would just pull out the pump and service it I guess. Suction cups... I took them off because the pump sits at the bottom of the tank and the suction cups are not needed. Suction cups suck (no pun intended). They never work for any extended period of time.

Thanks for the feedback everybody!


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## silversax (Dec 31, 2008)

Thanks for the help! Hopefully I can get some pics posted of mine. Whenever I can finish it!


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