# Large terrarium pictures.



## linket22 (Jan 9, 2007)

Does anyone have any or can link me to HUGE frog terrarium pictures. I have the possibility to to help build something in the region of 6ft by 2ft deep by 3ft high and im needing ideas. This will be made from scratch including actual terrarium, so im in the process of thinking about ventilation on such a large enclosure. Any help would be appreciated.
Mark


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## VivariumWorks (Feb 27, 2008)

This is a 4X4X2






















This one was 5'X20"X 36"


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## midget (Jul 30, 2009)

Hey Viv you did what i was planing on doing on that last viv but i didn't and now i'm mad i didn't i just don't have the heigh i need. Great viv


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## VivariumWorks (Feb 27, 2008)

Yea that worked out well, but it was a serious challenge. I built the top part and the background all in one piece on 1" blue DOW foam board cut to fit. Then all I had to do was drop in the background/top into the aquarium, which was in the client's home, and silicone it in place. From there it was just a matter of siliconing the seam between the trim and the wood top. It really worked out well, it just took a LOT of planning and EXACT measurements to get it right. But it meant I didn't have to lug a 125g tank back to my place and then back again.


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## OH23 (Sep 19, 2008)

@ VivariumWorks - Amazing vivs !!! Just wanted to know, what kind of moss you used in the 2nd pic of the first viv? I mean, the moss that grows nicely along the waterfall.
Thanks


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## rmelancon (Apr 5, 2004)

5ft x 5ft x 4ft with instructions on how to build it.

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/me...370-gal-viv-indoor-greenhouse-const-jrnl.html


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## VivariumWorks (Feb 27, 2008)

You asked. Sooooooooooooooo.......

That is Java Moss. 

However it may not look like what you think of as a very unique series of transitions has occurred. I've observed it multiple times now. But is most clearly visible in this particular tank I've been following for about 4 years now.

The java moss starts off as you know it looking like this.



















Then depending on the nutrient load in the water, the emergent java will become slowly overtaken by a faster growing black algae biofilm. This biofilm is probably not just one species but a large number of them working together to form a very thick layer that grows over the nice green java. A key aspect with this biofilm is that it has a much stronger hold on the rock and can grow in areas with much heavier flow than the java moss can. This has occured when there is a high-ish nitrate/phosphate load in the water. I have turtles and small mouth bass in the water portion so that accounted for this. 











Then the java after a time will begin to poke out from under the black mass covering it. As you can see above. And this re-emerging java takes on a new growth pattern and morphology. It looks almost like a different species. Then after a while it grows out and begins to fan out, it begins to trail and grow looking like the normal java again.

Because of this layered succession, you get this nice dark black background behind the green java, and a much thicker, drought resistant multispecies community. Now that the java and the algae biofilm are anchored onto the previously bare/uncolonized rock and have created a volume/space made of dead moss, algae, and bacteria/fungi, the root systems of higher ordered plants (ferns, grasses, etc) can have something to hold onto begin growing in. It took about 3 years to form. Now the community has reached a stable point and unless I turn off the water for 3-4 days it doesn't die off.

The next step is to introduce a few fern spores to the community and see if I can't get the next phase moving. In theory now that the rock has been "preped" I can get all kinds of stuff growing in it. Unless of course that particular biofilm is producing an inhibiting allelopathic chemical/secondary metabolite that is preventing the fern gametophytes and transient seeds from establishing themselves. Which would then make one wonder if the black algae came along with the java, as it clearly isn't inhibiting it's growth. And if this is the case, and this interaction is found in nature, then why is the java "immune" to the biofilm’s allelopathic effects? Determine this and you may have a new method by which to make aquatic crops resistant to formation of pathologic epiphtyic biofilms. Of course then again, maybe I’m just reading too much into the green slimy stuff again…. It happens… a lot.


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## Colleen53 (Jan 19, 2009)

Great post and beautiful pictures of your tanks.


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## maverick3x6 (Jul 31, 2008)

VivariumWorks said:


> You asked. Sooooooooooooooo.......
> 
> Then depending on the nutrient load in the water, the emergent java will become slowly overtaken by a faster growing black algae biofilm. This biofilm is probably not just one species but a large number of them working together to form a very thick layer that grows over the nice green java. A key aspect with this biofilm is that it has a much stronger hold on the rock and can grow in areas with much heavier flow than the java moss can. This has occured when there is a high-ish nitrate/phosphate load in the water. I have turtles and small mouth bass in the water portion so that accounted for this.
> 
> ...


Excellent explanation! I've had very similar occurrences where the biofilm completely devours the java on my water feature... and I see the little green patches appear, but I had no idea that was java emerging from underneath... however, it never looks to me like they work together... the black always consumes the java, and so I cover it with a black trash bag for a few weeks to kill it off.

see here: http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/plants/41917-spreading-black-growth.html

is that the same growth you were referring to?


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## OH23 (Sep 19, 2008)

wow, great explenation !!!
Everything is crystal clear, thank you very very much for your replies and amazing pics.


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## VivariumWorks (Feb 27, 2008)

That algae looked a little greener than my kind but its likely simliar. Yea it will comepletly take over the java, and fast. My advice? Let it! The java will get covered, but it won't die off 100% for some reason. Then it will poke through and grow like crazy again. Just consider it as a natuarl order of vivarium progression. I've only seen this in stable long term viv's so the fact that its happening isn't necessarly bad.

What I would do, is let it form for a while. Then flush out all the water in the system and add RO water. This will help drop the nutrient load and the java, which grows better under low nutrient conditions than the algae, will come back but this time looking different and with a better hold on the rocks and less likely to die off if you turn the pump off.


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## maverick3x6 (Jul 31, 2008)

VivariumWorks said:


> That algae looked a little greener than my kind but its likely simliar. Yea it will comepletly take over the java, and fast. My advice? Let it! The java will get covered, but it won't die off 100% for some reason. Then it will poke through and grow like crazy again. Just consider it as a natuarl order of vivarium progression. I've only seen this in stable long term viv's so the fact that its happening isn't necessarly bad.
> 
> What I would do, is let it form for a while. Then flush out all the water in the system and add RO water. This will help drop the nutrient load and the java, which grows better under low nutrient conditions than the algae, will come back but this time looking different and with a better hold on the rocks and less likely to die off if you turn the pump off.


Thanks for the heads up viv!


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