# Log vivarium



## mitcholito (Dec 30, 2011)

*I have had this idea for 4-5 years. To make a vivarium piece that gives you the impression that a piece of rainforest branch with epiphytes has been cut off and sealed it in a glass box.
There has always been details that have stopped me from finalizing it. Technical shortcomings and the problem of using a real tree branch that would disintegrate rather fast.
All pieces has finally fallen together with materials, technique and ways of working.*










*The branch is made up of a hollow cork trunk that has been fitted with two water containers (two pieces of 1,5 litre PET-bottles) in the cavity inside. From each of the containers there is a Hygrolon wick that supplies the Hygrolon sheet with a constant addition of fresh water.
Underneath the Hygrolon sheet is plastic sheet that acts as a water barrier to prevent the cork to get wet (and start decaying).
The branch is suspended between the sides of the vivarium.* 










*Water reservoirs last for 2 weeks and are filled through the holes for the wicks. No misting or other watering is needed. *
*An 3960 lumen @6500K UHOP-Led panel provides light.*


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## BrianC (Jul 18, 2009)

_very_ cool! I can't wait to see how it grows in. Nicely done.


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## Shibumi (Feb 13, 2012)

It's very clean looking. Nice idea.


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## parkanz2 (Sep 25, 2008)

Very cool indeed. Be sure to keep us updated as it grows in!


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## Azurel (Aug 5, 2010)

That is beautiful.....Once it grows in I bet it is gonna be amazing....Nice work.


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## Bunsincunsin (Feb 11, 2008)

I've been thinking about this build lately but couldn't remember who posted it (and of course, the search function wouldn't let me search for "log"); I knew it was from a while back so I just clicked on page 51 and, lo and behold, that's where the thread was sitting!

Anyways, I was wondering if you had any updates to post? I really like the idea of this tank and would love to see how it's grown in. What size is it by the way?


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## ndame88 (Sep 24, 2010)

Ya, would love to see what it looks like today.


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

I like! Been toying with a similar idea myself, but the no substrate look always makes me feel bad in the end. Thinking if I do it, and want inhabitants, they will have to be orchid mantis, or something like a GTP or eyelash viper.


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## ndame88 (Sep 24, 2010)

Why would you use Hygrolon as a means to waterproof the cork log, I thought cork held up well to moisture? I understand using Hygrolon to grow moss and epiphytes, but why to waterproof?


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## TheFabricator (Dec 8, 2012)

How bout an update?


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## mitcholito (Dec 30, 2011)

Hi all, Its definately time for a update of this. The viv has now been running since april last year. More or less 9 months.

The log with its internal water reservoir has been functioning very well.
I had one small outbreak of fungus gnats that affected some of the Lellingerias and a couple of Hymenophyllums. I treated with nematodes and all got back on track.

If it hadn't been for the fungus gnat atack the viv could have come a little bit further. Especially the Hymenophyllums that are slow growers as it is. 

I hope you enjoy! 

Front shot










Full frontal view










Side view 










Detail


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## Bjcg (Jan 4, 2013)

Woww! Truly amazed!


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## mitcholito (Dec 30, 2011)

Bunsincunsin said:


> What size is it by the way?


Its 75 x 35 x 35 cm


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## pa.walt (Feb 16, 2004)

mickaels orchids has some nice pics of using hygrolon and epiweb. i would post pics but i think i am going off topic with what i wrote. also i don't know how to post a pic here.


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## rigel10 (Jun 1, 2012)

Do you think to host frogs in this viv?


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## pa.walt (Feb 16, 2004)

rigel10 said:


> Do you think to host frogs in this viv?


pretty sure he is more into his orchids than frogs in the set up. do a search on michaels orchids. has alot of orchid pics plus some neat uses for the hygrolon.


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## TheCoop (Oct 24, 2012)

How amazing is that!?! Very beautiful..


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## eyeviper (May 23, 2006)

Very cool. I have had a similar idea but haven't been able to manifest it yet. You did it very well. I would live some benedicta in a tank like that. I dont know why but I always think they would look amazing.


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## cbreon (Apr 25, 2005)

pa.walt said:


> mickaels orchids has some nice pics of using hygrolon and epiweb. i would post pics but i think i am going off topic with what i wrote. also i don't know how to post a pic here.


just post the link Walt, I'd like to see some more pics...


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## pa.walt (Feb 16, 2004)

Mikaels orchids' photosets on Flickr 
hope it comes up.
this pretty much shows all the stuff mickael has. alot of pics of orchids and about 70 odd pics of epiweb/hygrolon stuff. looking at the pics wants me to try my hand at orchids.
he deals with dusk tropics...i did spell his name wrong. oops


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## eyeviper (May 23, 2006)

Can you shed a little more light on the LED lights you're using?


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## pa.walt (Feb 16, 2004)

eyeviper said:


> Can you shed a little more light on the LED lights you're using?


Dusk Tropic
try this link.....


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## ICS523 (Mar 10, 2012)

Wow lovely viv! I think this is a really great concept, very creative.


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

Dear OP:

I like it...It looks very clean. Is there a black background or just clear? It might look cool with black contact paper as a background. Also I think it would be cool to have a 1 inch layer of really nice black sand as the floor if you aren't planning on anything else. Or maybe white sand...hell get some glowing calci sand, might be cool....Just my 2 cents.


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## Blue_Pumilio (Feb 22, 2009)

Glowing sand would ruin it.


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

Blue_Pumilio said:


> Glowing sand would ruin it.


You think? I thought it might look cool with just a nice white bed of sand under it, and then it would cast a glow at night. 

I think black sand would definitely add to it though. At the very least then you don't have water spots and little puddles after misting, just a nice possibly sparkly black floor.


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## Blue_Pumilio (Feb 22, 2009)

It's like putting colored gravel in a planted aquarium. Not only would it take the focus off the log (which is strong due to the minimal approach), but it is just out of place. My goal would be to duplicate the look of nature, there is enough beauty to work with. 




Dendro Dave said:


> You think? I thought it might look cool with just a nice white bed of sand under it, and then it would cast a glow at night.
> 
> I think black sand would definitely add to it though. At the very least then you don't have water spots and little puddles after misting, just a nice possibly sparkly black floor.


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## Sammie (Oct 12, 2009)

Dendro Dave said:


> At the very least then you don't have water spots and little puddles after misting, just a nice possibly sparkly black floor.


I don't think he mists it though, or maybe he does, but it seems like there would be no need to do so with the hygrolon.

But I do agree that some black gravel would look good


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

Blue_Pumilio said:


> It's like putting colored gravel in a planted aquarium. Not only would it take the focus off the log (which is strong due to the minimal approach), but it is just out of place. My goal would be to duplicate the look of nature, there is enough beauty to work with.


Well it just looks white during the day...so it would be like a tropical branch hanging over a white sand beach. But I think black sand would be more elegant overall.


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

Sammie said:


> I don't think he mists it though, or maybe he does, but it seems like there would be no need to do so with the hygrolon.
> 
> But I do agree that some black gravel would look good


He has to unless he has some very well concealed drip lines running there that puts water on/in the branch and no where else. That or he hand mists it or has the automated mister just hit the branch, even so it would be nearly impossible not to get some drip on the floor of the tank.

All the hygrolon does is hold moisture/provide a substrate for moss/plants to attach to...you still have to get it wet somehow.


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

Oh another cool idea for this tank might be a fogger... In fact you could make a tube with holes or slots that ran the length of the back of the viv and attach a fogger hose to it and have a curtain of fog that flowed down the back glass, rolled across the floor and bellowed upwards a bit.

Or you could try my idea of how to suspend fog to make a cloud by using a similar system to the above that dumped the fog into a tight mesh basket like no-seeum, running the length of the front of the tank that kinda caught the fog and held it there and a fan above a vent in that area to suck the fog up and blow it out, so that it never gets a chance to fall... Basically trying to get it to roll across the top glass inverted and then blown out with no chance to drop...

Another way, or possibly in combination with what I just said, would be to have a fan blowing down into the tank in the back, or ones mounted on the sides (maybe hidden by the branch in this viv) blowing air don into the viv and/or across the bottom (maybe from both sides) to create a postive air pressure that forces the fogged air to stay in the top of the tank for the most part. Add some led strips on a sound controller and a storm sound loop and you've got the storm viv with an actual hovering storm cloud being lit by lightning... At least that's the theory, I haven't actually gotten the chance to build that system yet...but plan to soon  

Pretty sure it can be done satisfactorily... You might have a few stray tendrils of wispy less concentrated fog dropping down, but I could live with that if the main mass mostly hovered.


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## Sammie (Oct 12, 2009)

Dendro Dave said:


> He has to unless he has some very well concealed drip lines running there that puts water on/in the branch and no where else. That or he hand mists it or has the automated mister just hit the branch, even so it would be nearly impossible not to get some drip on the floor of the tank.
> 
> All the hygrolon does is hold moisture/provide a substrate for moss/plants to attach to...you still have to get it wet somehow.


It wicks water from two bottles inside the log. I thought there was pictures of it in this tread, but I must have seen it on his website.


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

Sammie said:


> It wicks water from two bottles inside the log. I thought there was pictures of it in this tread, but I must have seen it on his website.


Ah ok, that is cool....but possibly a pain to always have to refill.


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## boabab95 (Nov 5, 2009)

Dendro Dave said:


> Ah ok, that is cool....but possibly a pain to always have to refill.


If i'm not mistaken, there's a hole in the side glass, so he just needs to fill it up with a watering can...


*edit*

Describes it here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lika_sweden/6948057038/in/photostream/


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

boabab95 said:


> If i'm not mistaken, there's a hole in the side glass, so he just needs to fill it up with a watering can...
> 
> 
> *edit*
> ...


This is why I should read, instead of just looking at the pretty pictures


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## kev_n_gina (Jan 21, 2013)

Very Cool Idea and well planned out

Long term that is looks more like art then anything else..

I can see that in the middle of some hoity toity all white simplistic room with a bunch of socialites commenting "Oh Biff I think it speaks of about the duality of human nature and our simbiatic relationship with nature"

I really like it


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## mitcholito (Dec 30, 2011)

eyeviper said:


> Can you shed a little more light on the LED lights you're using?


As Pa Walt said this viv is lighted by a 100 x 600 mm UHOP LED-panel as in the ling he provided. The panel puts out a total of 3960 lumen @6500 K and 36W.



Dendro Dave said:


> Dear OP:
> 
> I like it...It looks very clean. Is there a black background or just clear? It might look cool with black contact paper as a background. Also I think it would be cool to have a 1 inch layer of really nice black sand as the floor if you aren't planning on anything else. Or maybe white sand...hell get some glowing calci sand, might be cool....Just my 2 cents.


You certainly can do a lot of varietys in design and layout. But the whole idea from the beginning was to get the impression that a piece of rainforest branch with epiphytes had been cut off and sealed in a glass container.  



Dendro Dave said:


> He has to unless he has some very well concealed drip lines running there that puts water on/in the branch and no where else. That or he hand mists it or has the automated mister just hit the branch, even so it would be nearly impossible not to get some drip on the floor of the tank.
> 
> All the hygrolon does is hold moisture/provide a substrate for moss/plants to attach to...you still have to get it wet somehow.


There is no spray nozzles, no drip lines, no fogger and I never spray it manually. The whole concept with this way of growing is that the water comes from within and saturates the Hygrolon by wicking action. 
The result is that I never have water dripping on the bottom, water flecks on the glass or water residues on leafs. 
One big dilemma with spray nozzles is that there is always blank spots where the spray never reach. Behind branches and so on. With this concept you can get an almost 100% coverage.
Another good thing is that it is 100% silent (no pumps), no hoses or power cables.

The water reservoir within the trunk (2 x 1,5 liter) last around 2½ weeks.


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

mitcholito said:


> As Pa Walt said this viv is lighted by a 100 x 600 mm UHOP LED-panel as in the ling he provided. The panel puts out a total of 3960 lumen @6500 K and 36W.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Ya, hence my comment... "I should probably read rather then just look at the pictures"  ...Do the fog ideas though...do it...you know you want to


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## toaddrool (Feb 5, 2013)

Very elegant!


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## ICS523 (Mar 10, 2012)

Wow, really unique concept. you should try baclighting it to remove any shadows.


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## allllllen (Sep 24, 2011)

WOW. what a unique and awesome looking tank / idea.
I love it.


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## jacobi (Dec 15, 2010)

Any updates?


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## tbhf (Jul 31, 2006)

That's different. Very cool tho


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## reptiles12 (Jul 18, 2012)

Do you think we can have an update? I'm dying to see how this tank looks now


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## dragonkeeper (Mar 24, 2011)

Update photo please.


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## a hill (Aug 4, 2007)

Just figured I'd bump and pay a bit of respect to this beautifully designed tank!


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## Seth K. (Jan 24, 2010)

I agree. It is a beautiful tank. 
The minimalist look is what draws me to it. 
No distractions, just nature. Do past some pictures please!
Have you done any other experiments with hygrolon?


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## Mossy (May 20, 2015)

I would love to see some updates on this tank. This is one of the coolest looking tanks I've seen.


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## mitcholito (Dec 30, 2011)

Thank you for the nice comments. I will take some update pics of the log.


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## myersboy6 (Aug 23, 2010)

i know this is an old thread but i have always loved this build and i am looking at doing something similar to this for my office. do you have a list of the plants you used for this tank by chance?


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## viv_erin (Dec 4, 2015)

well, now I feel bad about myself, lol.


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## myersboy6 (Aug 23, 2010)

viv_erin said:


> well, now I feel bad about myself, lol.


Haha I don't think I quite undestand this comment.. or what it's directed towards


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