# Viv Update



## Leite02 (Jan 19, 2020)

Good morning to everybody,

After a month and a half since the assembly of Viv:

https://www.dendroboard.com/forum/new-members-introductions/354262-hello-everyone-spain.html
https://www.dendroboard.com/forum/new-members-introductions/354298-2nd-post-proyect-update.html

I have to say that everything is working very well.
I have already reduced the rain and the moss has taken root very well, I just have to wait for it to adapt and keep growing to occupy all the bottom.

Orchids and broms have been little more than two weeks and also seem to be going great.

I only have to wait until I get a few ferns and "climbers" to finish the decoration.

Thanks for watching!!!


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## Johanovich (Jan 23, 2017)

Looks really promising. Are you planning on keeping animals in there? If yes I'd be a bit worried about the heater behind the tank and the fact that most of the sides are open, which could make animals feel stressed because they feel out in the open.

If not, absolutely marvelous tank


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## Leite02 (Jan 19, 2020)

Johanovich said:


> Looks really promising. Are you planning on keeping animals in there? If yes I'd be a bit worried about the heater behind the tank and the fact that most of the sides are open, which could make animals feel stressed because they feel out in the open.
> 
> If not, absolutely marvelous tank


Thank you very much for your words! I really appreciate it!

On animals, it depends a lot on how the tank evolves and the health of the plants, my free time to give them the care they need, etc.
That radiator is always off, it would only be used in case the room temperature drops too much.
I have to receive some plants (especially ferns) and plant them on the sides so that the possible inhabitants feel a little more protected and safe.

But as I say, until the end of the year maybe next year, I have no plans to introduce the animals.

Thanks again!


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## fishingguy12345 (Apr 7, 2019)

That is a lovely tank! I'm quite in awe of the wood that you used.


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## Leite02 (Jan 19, 2020)

fishingguy12345 said:


> That is a lovely tank! I'm quite in awe of the wood that you used.


Thank you!

They are pretty mangrove woods pieces, yes. I have been very lucky to find it. They are three pieces in total, glued with cyanoacrylate + bicarbonate + cigarette nozzles. 

In the store I had a good time looking for the ideal design. The seller was a little fed up with me ...


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## J_w35 (Mar 19, 2017)

Looks incredible! reminds me of Justin Grimms Peninsula build. I love it!


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## Leite02 (Jan 19, 2020)

J_w35 said:


> Looks incredible! reminds me of Justin Grimms Peninsula build. I love it!












Wow, thank you very much. That is one of the best compliments to me. Justin Grimm is for me as Takashi Amano, for aquarium hardscape lovers.
I am proud of the result for now but I know that I need a lot to reach his level, I put effort into my work but I lack all his talent.


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## Leite02 (Jan 19, 2020)

Hi all! I hope you all are well!

A brief update on the status of the viv.

Due to the whole issue of the coronavirus, i have had to be a long time away from my usual residence. Therefore, the entire system has been disconnected except for the drip wall system (closed water system). That has worked quite well, these months! Both on the wall and floor. So I'm quite happy with the result, after so long without seeing the terrarium.

I have relocated it and added new plants in their places provisionally (I'm not sure about moving them), and now it's time to wait a few more months, for them to grow again. The previous ones when I left them, were already almost blooming. So I think they were happy.

Thanks for watching!


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## Tihsho (Sep 21, 2009)

Gorgeous build! Two questions, what substrate is that? Almost looks like aquascaping substrate. Also, what moss did you use on the back wall? It looks like mini pellia AKA coral moss, but I can't tell for sure. Some close up shots of it would be great!


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## Leite02 (Jan 19, 2020)

Tihsho said:


> Gorgeous build! Two questions, what substrate is that? Almost looks like aquascaping substrate. Also, what moss did you use on the back wall? It looks like mini pellia AKA coral moss, but I can't tell for sure. Some close up shots of it would be great!


Thank you!

Yep, for the soil I used ADA Amazonia and a thin top layer of Amazonia Powder (smaller grains).

The moss is Christmas moss ("Vesicularia Montagnei"). It loves abundant light and constant humidity, it grows like crazy.


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## Tihsho (Sep 21, 2009)

The Christmas Moss looks phenomenal! Do you have a false bottom below the substrate? I didn't see one, but I wasn't sure if it was hidden.


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## Leite02 (Jan 19, 2020)

Tihsho said:


> The Christmas Moss looks phenomenal! Do you have a false bottom below the substrate? I didn't see one, but I wasn't sure if it was hidden.


Yes, in fact, almost the entire area under the "driftwood" is a giant false bottom, with a layer of substrate.
I made a large box with this material (I don't know exactly what it is called in the United States), covered with "mosquito netting", so that no substrate enters the drainage pipes:


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## Tihsho (Sep 21, 2009)

Ah ok, so your false bottom doesn't cover the entire bottom of the enclosure. Interesting! That material in the US is generally referred to as egg crate or light diffuser to some.


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## Leite02 (Jan 19, 2020)

Good morning to all,

Quick monthly update
The terrarium has not had great changes. Bromeliads, orchids, and ferns grow well (it is difficult to appreciate in the images). But the _tillandsia _(as I anticipated) is doing badly, in the next few months it will almost certainly die completely.

But the important thing is that I have already found a partner for "Panama", after a few years alone. An authentic "_Latin lover_" 🤣. As soon as he got out of his transport box, he was calling until he located her and has not stopped following her, since he entered the terrarium. 

He arrived a little thin, but has already begun to devour everything that happens in front of him. Damn stalker! 🤪🤪

Thanks for watching! (Sorry for the dirty windows and the amount of messy clothes, bags, shoes. I have 4 little monster kids at home and I hardly have time to breathe 😩)


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## fishingguy12345 (Apr 7, 2019)

Thanks for the update. That's a gorgeous terrarium and great looking frogs.


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## Leite02 (Jan 19, 2020)

fishingguy12345 said:


> Thanks for the update. That's a gorgeous terrarium and great looking frogs.


Thank you very much! I really appreciate your words and more coming from you! I love your jobs and frogs!


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## Leite02 (Jan 19, 2020)

The party has already started!














































































🤣🤣🤣🤣


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## RGilbers (Oct 2, 2020)

What a wonderfull viv looks really amazing. What kind of fern do you have there I think it is a lovely small fern would fit in my viv as well


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## Leite02 (Jan 19, 2020)

RGilbers said:


> What a wonderfull viv looks really amazing. What kind of fern do you have there I think it is a lovely small fern would fit in my viv as well


Thank you very much!
I have three types of ferns. Two epiphytes and the terrestrial one.

The terrestrial is Asplenium spec. Panama:









Epiphytes;
Pyrrosia nummularifolia:









And Huperzia:









My epiphytes are tropical ferns, but not from South America.


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## RGilbers (Oct 2, 2020)

they look wonderfull but as you probably guesed I'm looking for a nice small fern from S America preferably the Amazone


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## Leite02 (Jan 19, 2020)

RGilbers said:


> they look wonderfull but as you probably guesed I'm looking for a nice small fern from S America preferably the Amazone


Some of the
Microgramma species is what you are looking for. It can be very nice is your viv. It is a beautiful climbing fern!
👍👍👍



https://fieldguides.fieldmuseum.org/sites/default/files/rapid-color-guides-pdfs/240_Uatuma-Pterid_0.pdf


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## RGilbers (Oct 2, 2020)

great thanks for the advise!!!!

Wow that pdf is awesome. I will have to send my mother in law out for shopping in brasil and try to send some of those plants to the netherlands


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## Leite02 (Jan 19, 2020)

I would send my mother-in-law away too. But much further than the Amazon !!!


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## RGilbers (Oct 2, 2020)

Leite02 said:


> I would send my mother-in-law away too. But much further than the Amazon !!!


LOL like the moon or so? I'm fortunate I have a wonderfull mother in law my problem is my wife hahahha she doesn't like darts


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## Leite02 (Jan 19, 2020)

Real life normal day of a normal frog:

- “I think he's gone”









- “Yes, it seems I can get out









-“I'm out of here, I'm going to have a drink with my friends!”









-“Ehh! Where are you going? I was going to put on a movie and make some popcorn.”









- “Shit!”


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## Leite02 (Jan 19, 2020)

Good morning to all!
Quick monthly update:

All plants in the viv are growing properly. The truth is that I expected something more. But I can not complain.
Always stable temperatures and humidity.

Edit: Masdevallia Pleurothallis blooming:

















General view:

















And especially the frogs, which are very healthy and seem happy:


















Thanks for watching!!!


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## RGilbers (Oct 2, 2020)

Looks pretty awesome specially with the frogs having fun in their habitant. I can wait to order some frogs for my viv but I think its good to wait a while more


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## Leite02 (Jan 19, 2020)

Curiously, and although it seems contradictory, they have so many hiding places and they are so "free" that we can see them almost every time we pass in front of the viv.
It makes me especially funny, because the way the moss has grown has caves and passages where they enter on one side and leave on the other. They even seem to play hide and seek with each other.


I would advise you that if you can wait, it is highly recommended.
The health of the plants is a good indication to know if the viv has good parameters to house the frogs.
Many years ago they gave me good advice, which I have followed since then and it has been very good for me: If you can make an orchid thrive in your terrarium, you almost certainly have perfect environmental conditions to house the frogs! You just have to monitor the conditions at ground level.


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## RGilbers (Oct 2, 2020)

Leite02 said:


> Curiously, and although it seems contradictory, they have so many hiding places and they are so "free" that we can see them almost every time we pass in front of the viv.
> It makes me especially funny, because the way the moss has grown has caves and passages where they enter on one side and leave on the other. They even seem to play hide and seek with each other.
> 
> 
> ...



I will wait yes even though my viv starts to look coming alive but the best is wait till january, february. I have seen here on the forums that this is the best. But it is thehard way hahahahah


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## Leite02 (Jan 19, 2020)

Little big news for me!
Doing some maintenance on the tank I found my first clutch from this pair. Very happy:


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## RGilbers (Oct 2, 2020)

Congrats Leite02!!!


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## Leite02 (Jan 19, 2020)

RGilbers said:


> Congrats Leite02!!!


Thank you so much!


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## Leite02 (Jan 19, 2020)

Hi friends! How long since my last update. I hope you all are well.

Well, this weekend, we had a surprise! The offspring have already emerged from their bromeliads. At the moment I have confirmed that there are 3. I think that there are no more.
They have come out with a somewhat duller color than their parents:


























The boss:










Viv Update: About a year of growth
About the terrarium, this weekend was cleaning and some pruning.
Everything has gone very well, except for the moss. It was such a quantity and weight that much of it has been detached from the tree fern. Basically it has resisted the moss that is clinging to the false roots. But still, I like how the aesthetics turned out.

In this time almost all the orchids have bloomed - and lost their flowers too quickly .
Ferns grow like crazy and bromeliads maintain a fairly acceptable color:










Thanks for watching!


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## fishingguy12345 (Apr 7, 2019)

Congratulations!
And that's a great looking tank.


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## Leite02 (Jan 19, 2020)

fishingguy12345 said:


> Congratulations!
> And that's a great looking tank.


Thank you, Fish!


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## Christine86 (Feb 4, 2021)

Nice viv, it looks very natural 👍


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## Leite02 (Jan 19, 2020)

Christine86 said:


> Nice viv, it looks very natural 👍


Thank you very much, Christine!


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## Leite02 (Jan 19, 2020)

Good morning to everybody,

Offspring update:

The three brothers are doing very well, they seem very healthy and are growing quite a bit. 
They are very bold, in fact, one of them has no fear when I open the lid to do the weekly maintenance. I can see them practically daily:

















2. 
















3.
















And the father remains focused on his affairs:











Thanks for watching!


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## asteroids (Mar 20, 2021)

Whats the light your using?


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## Leite02 (Jan 19, 2020)

asteroids said:


> Whats the light your using?


Hi!
It’s a ONF Flat One.


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