# 370 gal. Viv/Indoor Greenhouse (Const Jrnl)



## rmelancon

So I've been trying to figure out how to build this for several years. Several years ago I sectioned off a corner of my basement and built a "basin" for growing plants for the terrariums. The basin is made from 2x6's and pond liner.










Here's a close up of a side. The pond liner is stapled to the outside of the 2x6's.










I've been wanting to enclose the entire thing and put frogs in it but couldn't ever come up with a good plan. The first material I always think of is 2x4's for building something large. The obvious problem with any wood is exposure to moisure. There are many methods of sealing but they are either really expensive (epoxies) or possibly toxic (paints, wood sealers, etc). So I thought of using ChoiceDek or some other composite board used to build decks, but again they are pretty expensive and a lot of them have anti-fungals or UV resistant chemicals and who knows what else in them. So I finally settled on something I found at Lowes the other day: 100% PVC Trim Board. Basically boards made from 100% PVC, like the pipe. The ones I'm using are 1x3. And they are actually 1x3, unlike lumber which is quoted bigger than it actually is.

So the basic idea is to frame windows for the sides and for the doors. Hard to explain how it will attach etc. and to be honest I'm not exactly sure how it will come together. But I'm sure I'll figure something out and it will make sense once it's done and I post pictures. So here's a pic of how the frames will come out. Each board has a one inch deep by eight inch wide channel cut that will frame a piece of eight inch plexi.


















I know the plexi will warp but it is seated an inch deep on all sides so it doesn't have anywhere to go. I am pretty sure it won't be able to warp itself out of the frame and that's all I'm worried about. Once put together it will be up and running for a while before I put anything in it. I'll post more pix as the work progresses. Comments welcomed.


----------



## tkromer

That should look fantastic when it's finished! Keep us posted  I think you should be careful acclimating the plants to the high humidity too quickly though, leave the windows partially open for a while after you finish just so the don't go from ambient of 50 or less to 90%+ overnight.


----------



## bgmike64

I can't wait to see your progress as it goes along. Keep us posted


----------



## nburns

Rob, should be an interesting project to watch, thanks for sharing! Keep us updated.

Nate


----------



## rmelancon

So I made some more progress today. Got the back left side done and one of the small panels on the left installed. For the back panels I used this "cracked glass" plastic sheeting that I believe is used over flourescent lighting in commercial use. It was cheaper than the acrlyic and since it is up against the wall, no need to see through it. I also decided for the remaining panels I will attach the top most piece of the frame with a bracket instead of glue. This way if I need to replace the acrlyic for some reason or decide to go with glass I can just undo the top and replace it pretty easily. To attach the panels to the basin I used construction strapping. Basically heavy duty steel. I wanted something that wasn't going to easily bend. The sides are just clamped together for now but I'll probably use some sort of L bracket to hold the corners.


















I thought I would have a lot of gaps to seal where the panels meet the basin but by the looks of it, the rubber smashed down pretty evenly. I'm pretty pleased with the way this is working so far.


----------



## frogparty

LOOKS AWESOME! Takes me back to my days of large lizard breeding where you had to build your own tanks. I bet since it is in your basement keeping the temps you want should be easy


----------



## Julio

looks like a great project!!, what kind of material are you using in the first pic that looks like reflective alunminum?


----------



## rmelancon

Julio said:


> looks like a great project!!, what kind of material are you using in the first pic that looks like reflective alunminum?


Got it at a local hydroponics store, very thin, they sell it in big rolls. I believe it is called "Sunfilm Mylar Reflective Film".


----------



## Corpus Callosum

Are you going to leave the mylar on the walls and keep the enclosure as greenhouse, or make a background and have it be more like a viv? Great project, thanks for the pics.


----------



## rmelancon

I'm probably just going to leave the mylar up. If I tried to do a background it would never get done. I may try mounting some things on the back walls attached to the studs. Thinking about making some kind of shelf in the back corner. We'll see.


----------



## sports_doc

Robb
I used to use the mylar myself when I was an orchid grower....my experience is that it didnt hold up forever under wet conditions...started to flake off if you know what I mean. FYI

S



rmelancon said:


> I'm probably just going to leave the mylar up. If I tried to do a background it would never get done. I may try mounting some things on the back walls attached to the studs. Thinking about making some kind of shelf in the back corner. We'll see.


----------



## rmelancon

The mylar is not going to be on the inside. I'm leaving it attached to the wall and will just reflect through the back windows.


----------



## rmelancon

So after pulling all the plants out of the basin I realized that standing water was going to be a problem. Even my 50 gallon and bigger tanks have enough evaporation that water doesn't become stagnant, but this one I think will be a problem. So I decided it needed to have some type of drainage. Which is a problem because the basin sits on the floor. So in order to drain I had to raise it a bit. Since I was raising it I figured I would put it on wheels so I could move it around if needed. So here is the bottom now:










And the hole for the drain bulkhead. I reinforced it with a 1x4 so there is less flex and hopefully no leaks.










I also figured in order to drain well I would have to make one side slightly higher. The only problem is that with the wheels, in order for them all to touch the ground and thus support weight, they would have to be different heights from the high side to the low side. So I put varying lifts of 3 different heights, from the hight side to the low side with the last (drain side) having no lift. I kind of guesstimated on heights and amazingly got it right the first time. All wheels touch the ground and there is about a half inch height difference from front to back.










All the walls are done too, so now I can get back to working on the doors and the top.


----------



## rednkhuntertd

Wow, I can't wait to see what the finished product will look like  I have never seen anything like that done before. Keep up with the good work!


----------



## rmelancon

Got the plumbing installed, bulkhead and 3/4 PVC. Pipe is angled slightly and will drain into an A/C Condensate pump that will pump the water outside. It is a lot heavier now and though I was able to carry it into the garage by myself I am going to need another person to help me bring it back inside.


----------



## biocmp

wonderful work rob. Is there a specific frog you have in mind for this project?


----------



## rmelancon

I'll probably put some form of histrionicus in there.


----------



## Corpus Callosum

What type of substrate are you going to use? Bet you can keep a nice micro fauna population in there.


----------



## rmelancon

Most of it will be Leca covered with sphagnum and leaf litter, but I will also do a section with some kind of soil.


----------



## MJ

Amazing stuff Robb 8) Don't fancy using any of the soils Brent and Matt worked out? Looking like an awesome project man


----------



## rmelancon

Sides installed, next up the front and doors.


----------



## Quaz

Exciting! that sure is inspiring. Keep up the updates.


----------



## frogparty

Looks great! Water feature in the future? How about some heavily plant mounted branches criss crossing each other?


----------



## rmelancon

Got the doors installed. Couldn't find any 135 degree angle brackets so I just used hinges and they worked well. Things didn't quite line up exactly on the sides and I have a small gap the length of the door frame that I'll fill with caulk. Now for the top...


----------



## jpstod

biocmp said:


> wonderful work rob. Is there a specific frog you have in mind for this project?


I was under the impression that the Greenhouse was for plants to grow out to use in other tanks not to raise frogs in.

Although I do believe that frogs would really love it in there.

I want to do a huge tank to grow plants in also. Theres more large plants than there are small or miniature plants for small tanks.

Fantastic job so far.

Thanks for the Journal.


----------



## rmelancon

jpstod said:


> ...
> I was under the impression that the Greenhouse was for plants to grow out to use in other tanks not to raise frogs in.
> ...


I hope to use it for both purposes. I'll still have it stocked with a lot of plants that I can trim to use in other tanks, but I hope that the extra space will be conducive to increased production in some of the harder species. We'll see how that theory pans out.


----------



## trow

That's cool,when I use this stuff for trim work I use a biscuit joint for any 90 degree angles.It work's really well.
Very cool wish I had the room.


----------



## rmelancon

trow said:


> That's cool,when I use this stuff for trim work I use a biscuit joint for any 90 degree angles.It work's really well.
> Very cool wish I had the room.


I thought about using biscuits but wanted to make it "deconstructable" in case I move from my current house. So I went with exterior deck screws and they are working our really well. The gaps, if any are very minor.


----------



## NickBoudin

Amazing. I wish there was more glass, and less PVC, though. But for your use, it's perfect. Keep it up man, looks great!


----------



## rmelancon

NickBoudin said:


> Amazing. I wish there was more glass, and less PVC, though. But for your use, it's perfect. Keep it up man, looks great!


The reason I went the 3 inch wide was because I wanted to seat the plexi an inch on all sides as I know it is going to warp and wanted to be sure it couldn't warp out of the frame. I also think that if I went skinnier the PVC would start to have too much flex.


----------



## rmelancon

So for the misting heads I took a 1 inch Forstner bit and went about 3/4 inch into the board then came back with a 1/2 inch bit through to the other side. This is because the bulkheads are only about 1/4 inch "deep". This one will go across the top center. I will have two others parallel to this one.


----------



## RBroskie

> I'll probably put some form of histrionicus in there


hmm, wish that was an option for me :lol: 

that would be pretty cool to see someone in the states keeping these frogs. if they are around people dont flaunt them too much. i want to see some! awesome project you have there btw.


----------



## FwoGiZ

MAN, you are plain freaking cRAZY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i ll take a lot of you ideas since i just bought a huge (not that much compared to you!!!) 85 gallon tank and im thinkin bout makin it a super dart frog paradise!


----------



## flyingkip

Any updates?  :lol:


----------



## keekalmatter

I think I may have missed it but what are the dimensions of the sides?
I used PVC board to do some trimwork one time and I remember it being extremely flimsy.


----------



## nellis

Really like that bulkhead fixture you made for the sprayers. The whole setup is also quite nice. Kudos.


----------



## rmelancon

The dimensions are roughly 5 feet x 5 feet x 4 feet with a diagonal across the front to make a pentagon. The PVC boards are flexible but I wouldn't call it flimsy. I've tied everything together with screws and brackets and there is flex but it's not bad at all. The bottom is 2x6 boards for the sides supported by 2x4's oriented such that 4 is vertical. It's actually almost done, structurally anyway, just finishing up the top. Have a newborn that has taken up a lot of my time lately but I'll update with more pictures soon.


----------



## keekalmatter

I think the board your using is 1 inch and I don't remember the stuff we used being that thick, maybe 1/2 inch which is why it was flimsy. Anyway, really nice set up. Hope everything is going well with the little one. Congratulations!


----------



## rmelancon

keekalmatter said:


> I think the board your using is 1 inch and I don't remember the stuff we used being that thick, maybe 1/2 inch which is why it was flimsy. Anyway, really nice set up. Hope everything is going well with the little one. Congratulations!


Thanks, definitely keeping me busy. The boards are one inch thick. They have half and three quarter I think. Finished the top today, now the fun part, setting it up


----------



## DocChris

WOW... this "vivarium" is bigger than the bathroom in my first rental. Now THAT'S what I call a "frog room"


----------



## rmelancon

So the construction is basically finished. Heres how I did the top, basically mesh secured between the sides of the 1x3 trim board with wood trim and nails then trimmed flush.


























Heres a view from the inside showing the t5 lighting mounted to the trim.


----------



## rmelancon

Here's the final product, minus of course the interior design.










Added this for size reference, I'm about 6 feet tall.










This is the pump that will drain it. It's an AC condensate pump and I will eventually plumb is to the outside but for now it will just dump into a 5 gal bucket.


----------



## rmelancon

And finally some possible future inhabitants...


----------



## jpstod

Thank you for the updates
Inspiration for everyone


----------



## Brian Ferriera

Awesome stuff Rob! Thanks for letting us see this the whole way through. 
Brian


----------



## Ridge

Hey Rob,

Did you install some ways to hang cork bark/planters, etc from the top and sides of that awesome vivarium you built?

Also, does that appear like it will be enough light to hit the plants sitting on the bottom ?

Dave


----------



## rmelancon

Ridge said:


> Hey Rob,
> 
> Did you install some ways to hang cork bark/planters, etc from the top and sides of that awesome vivarium you built?
> 
> Also, does that appear like it will be enough light to hit the plants sitting on the bottom ?
> 
> Dave


I thought about this and what I will probably do is install some stainless screw-in hooks where I want to hang things. I need to find a way to utilize the vertical space. I'd like to hang some big tree fern panels but don't want to spend a fortune. Thought about epi-web but have heard some people had problems with frogs getting caught in it.

As far as light, there are two 46 inch 55watt t5s in the middle and two 36 inch 40ish-watt t5s, one on each side. It seems pretty bright, though I can always add more on top or possibly even more inside if it isn't bright enough. My gauge is usually that if I get sphagnum growing on the bottom, it's bright enough for most things.


----------



## rmelancon

Since I hate throwing away huge chunks of styrofoam that will go sit in a landfill for eternity, I tried to use a couple big pieces to fill some space in the drainage layer. Then I use potting baskets to fill some more space. I'll add leca over this and then sphagnum.


----------



## griffen0218

this is going to be awesome keep us posted


----------



## yuri

Nice job Rob! Are the possible tennants histrionicus or sylvaticus?



rmelancon said:


> And finally some possible future inhabitants...


----------



## rmelancon

yuri said:


> Nice job Rob! Are the possible tennants histrionicus or sylvaticus?


Yeah, the top pic is "caramel" froglet and the bottom is a "bullseye". Both histrionicus.


----------



## rmelancon

Next step, a ton of Leca.


----------



## MJ

So that's where all the LECA went!

Looking good Robb! looking forward to seeing it planted up mate.


----------



## Julio

great frogs!!


----------



## devin mac

rob, for hanging background that will serve as a good anchor for plants, i've had great luck with the coconut mats that you would line hanging baskets with. By themselves they're pretty flimsy and pull apart fairly easily, but you could silicone it to something more rigid.


----------



## Mywebbedtoes

This is a beast! I am excited to see it done. BIGGER IS BETTER!


----------



## RedEyeTroyFrog

ah i just watched ur youtube video, and thought that plant growing area looked familiar, so here u are...this is amazing and u have an amazing frogroom, and frogs!


----------



## kyle1745

Had not seen this before... This is amazing, and thats a ton of leca.

What frogs are those Robb?


----------



## MJ

there ya go bud 



rmelancon said:


> Yeah, the top pic is "caramel" froglet and the bottom is a "bullseye". Both histrionicus.


----------



## frogsanddogs

I agree with Devin Mac's suggestion of using cocofiber sheeting to mount plants if you need something cheaper. It is very easy to hook in pieces of corkbark that have orchids and such growing on them... easy to get viney things to root in, and if it is mounted to a rigid backing, you can also silicone on some branches and other corkbark pieces to plant into the holes. 
Tree fern is the best, but this stuff is MUCH cheaper and if you do a good job planting it thoroughly, it looks pretty good as in the viv I used it in, you can't even see the backing... there are several pieces of driftwood and corkbark mounted to it with things planted throughout them and then some vines seeded into any empty spots and you can't actually see the backing. I have also used some of the liners that I have gotten very cheap to make little pockets or baskets- mini sized to mount little plants that need some of their roots mounted or even set into a great stuff planter....
The other thing would be to mount cork bark directly or some really cool pieces of wood/ branches and plant into these directly.
Anyway, whatever you decide... that is awesome!!!! You did a fantastic job- was quite an undertaking- I have been watching your thread from the start- did not envy you at the beginning with such a task, but definately loving it now that it is time for the planting and interior design and adding the frogs!
Can't wait to see pictures with those steps- fun! Fantastic job!


----------



## MountaineerLegion

Holy Smackelhaney! Man you gotta love someone that thinks big...and then follows it up with action. I can't wait to see the final product.

MountaineerLegion


----------



## rmelancon

Speaking of really big, does anyone know a source for really big pieces of wood? ie. driftwood, or other types for terrarium use. This enclosure needs a couple of big pieces and I'm expecting they will be expensive IF I can even find any.


----------



## Mywebbedtoes

There are a few good ebay sources for cypess.


----------



## moothefrog

NICE PIECE OF DRIFTWOOD - eBay (item 300264556214 end time Oct-13-08 12:39:15 PDT)


Cypress Aquarium Driftwood 20"Lx 8"Wx 5"T - eBay (item 370094536498 end time Oct-14-08 13:21:39 PDT)


----------



## rmelancon

Cool, thanks.


----------



## kristy55303

you could get a bulk shipment of flat virgin cork bark pieces from maylandcork for wholesale prices, they are pretty big if you choose bigger pieces and also have ubes if you want to go that route. kristy


----------



## addam4208283

wow. nice job on the set up. i have always wanted to put something like this together. could never think of a way to build it, plus the lack of space. definitely something to try and do later on though. thanks for putting together the thread and showing us the progress step by step. now is the top that you put on the greenhouse a net type covering? it looks that way in the pictures. if it is are you worried about there being to much ventilation, causing the hum. and temp to go down? are you thinking about any particular plants to put in there? meaning mainly broms, or are you going to be having vines, orchids, and other kinds in there as well? 
ADAM


----------



## rmelancon

addam4208283 said:


> wow. nice job on the set up. i have always wanted to put something like this together. could never think of a way to build it, plus the lack of space. definitely something to try and do later on though. thanks for putting together the thread and showing us the progress step by step. now is the top that you put on the greenhouse a net type covering? it looks that way in the pictures. if it is are you worried about there being to much ventilation, causing the hum. and temp to go down? are you thinking about any particular plants to put in there? meaning mainly broms, or are you going to be having vines, orchids, and other kinds in there as well?
> ADAM


The material for the top is basically sheer nylon curtains. I am a big fan of airflow in tanks and not too worried about humidity. The humidity in the room rarely drops into the 30's and only does so in the winter. The evaporation from the substrate keeps it plenty humid enough. I like to have periods of drier air and that usually happens in the winter. If I want to raise the humidity for a period of time I have sheets of plastic to cover the top.

Plantwise it will be mostly bromeliads with some jewel orchids and other various tropicals. Other orchids probably won't have enough light to do well but I am going to try mounting some up close to the lights and see how they do.


----------



## rjmarchisi

I have used this place for large ghostwood pieces, around 6' tall, expensive but good.

http://www.drynature.com/


----------



## rmelancon

rjmarchisi said:


> I have used this place for large ghostwood pieces, around 6' tall, expensive but good.
> 
> http://www.drynature.com/


I'm assuming you have to call them to get a price? Do they ship those big pieces?


----------



## rjmarchisi

I don't know about shipping as I took the pieces home on the subway, got a few strange looks.

rob


----------



## ChrisK

i think i had that same fostex 4 track recorder back in the day haha - actually had some histrionicus back in the day also!


----------



## rmelancon

That's funny, it was so high tech back then. Can't bring myself to get rid of it I guess. Did you have a skateboard signed by Slayer too?


----------



## rmelancon

Got Wood?










Picked these big grapewood pieces up at the Herp show in Columbia, SC this weekend.


----------



## sports_doc

Robb
you might also check you local pet store. They get shipments weekly I bet, and with a little special ordering I'm sure some will be willing to bring in some big pieces from their suppliers. Would save on individual shipping.

When I lived in FLA, you could find cypress for sale everywhere...massive 'lawn art' pieces... Drive down

Shawn


----------



## ChrisK

rmelancon said:


> That's funny, it was so high tech back then. Can't bring myself to get rid of it I guess. Did you have a skateboard signed by Slayer too?


Yeah I used to record some crazy guitar solos on that, no but I got an Ibanez signed by Paul Gilbert  that's a crazy greenhouse by the way, did you breed those histrionicus? I had the Ecuadorian ones from Ron G in the late 90s thru early 00s


----------



## rmelancon

ChrisK said:


> Yeah I used to record some crazy guitar solos on that, no but I got an Ibanez signed by Paul Gilbert  that's a crazy greenhouse by the way, did you breed those histrionicus? I had the Ecuadorian ones from Ron G in the late 90s thru early 00s


No kidding, I have an Ibanez Jem signed by Steve Vai.

The histrionicus are CB. They were raised artificailly on mainly pumilio eggs.


----------



## Derek Benson

rmelancon said:


> No kidding, I have an Ibanez Jem signed by Steve Vai.


That's awesome. Steve Vai rocks..


----------



## ChrisK

Haha yeah my friends were so happy and freaked out when I learned how to play The Attitude Song when I was like 18

Man that bullseye frog pic brings back frog memories, not the pattern but the colors and body shape.....


----------



## rmelancon

First round of planting done.


----------



## kyle1745

Looks good, what else are you planning on adding.


----------



## rmelancon

Few more pix:


















Bonsai Ficus Tree, used to be in a lot better shape. Hopefully it will come back a little in here. Have another one doing pretty well in a smaller tank.


----------



## AlexRible

it looks really good! When are you planning on introducing your frogs?


----------



## Corpus Callosum

That tree is pretty sweet, I would love to see some vines (and shinglers) crawling up the tree from the base of the trunk.


----------



## rmelancon

Corpus Callosum said:


> That tree is pretty sweet, I would love to see some vines (and shinglers) crawling up the tree from the base of the trunk.


What's a shingler?


----------



## Corpus Callosum

It's a vine that grows somewhat flat to the surface it is vining to (the leaves look like shingles, where the name comes from).



















Here are some cool pics from the wild, they never get this big in my tank, but maybe with your space they would:

Rhaphidophora cryptantha
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c74/asiaticgreen/Aroids/Rhaphidophora/Rhaphidophorasp2.jpg
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb31/corpus_callosum/Marcgravia.jpg


----------



## chesney

This has got to be the coolest viv I have ever seen!!! So what kind and how many frogs are you adding?


----------



## rmelancon

kyle1745 said:


> Looks good, what else are you planning on adding.


I've got some miniature orchids I am going to mount close to the lights, probably on the big branches near the top.


----------



## Ontariofrogger1973

awsome setup! if i had that i would mix tank it.. maybe Mantellas and pigmy chameleons.... lol


----------



## Julio

is looking good! should look amazing when fully planted


----------



## Kocodu

All I can say is...Wow!


----------



## rmelancon

AlexRible said:


> it looks really good! When are you planning on introducing your frogs?


I need to get some leaf litter and get some good fauna growing in there. There is a plastic rubbermaid sunk in the substrate on the left side filled with soil that I tried to get springtails established in. Been unsuccessful so far, not sure what the problem is.


----------



## kyle1745

Did you lift the whole thing off the ground from the earlier pictures?


----------



## somecanadianguy

rmelancon said:


> I've got some miniature orchids I am going to mount close to the lights, probably on the big branches near the top.


you finally have a tank big enuff and u wanna go with minis?
joking aside looks great cant wait to see more this is a very cool tank im jealous.
craig


----------



## rmelancon

kyle1745 said:


> Did you lift the whole thing off the ground from the earlier pictures?


Yeah, adding the bracing and wheels so that it could drain came up about and inch shy of being high enough to drain into the pump. So I put the whole thing on 1 inch foamboard and quarter inch ply. Now it is just high enough that the drain sits right on the opening into the condensate pump.


----------



## forestexotics

That looks fabulous! I am super jelous. I have always wanted to have a greenhouse style tank set up. I guess when I win the lottery I will get right on it.


----------



## rmelancon

somecanadianguy said:


> you finally have a tank big enuff and u wanna go with minis?
> joking aside looks great cant wait to see more this is a very cool tank im jealous.
> craig


I thought about the larger orchids but I think in order to get enough light for them to bloom I would have to mount them really high in which case the spike would probably hit into the top. Maybe if I can find one that doesn't have really tall spikes. Every other big orchid I have tried to grow under lights has always eventually died. Could be a host of other problems but I always attributed to not enough light. With the minis I've got, I have been able to get one type to bloom once in a small tank mounted really close to the top. We'll see what I come up with.


----------



## rmelancon

sveight said:


> ... I guess when I win the lottery I will get right on it.


Actually the total cost hasn't been too bad, the parts for the basic "tank" excluding all plants, wood, etc. on the inside is around $300. Lights, wood, condensate pump and LECA were the most expensive pieces.


----------



## clwatkins10

I love that bonsai! Bonsai used to be one of my hobbies (still is actually) It would be awesome to see some aerial roots coming down from that tree! Do you have a pic of the other bonsai? Great project BTW


----------



## rmelancon

clwatkins10 said:


> I love that bonsai! Bonsai used to be one of my hobbies (still is actually) It would be awesome to see some aerial roots coming down from that tree! Do you have a pic of the other bonsai? Great project BTW


That's exactly what the other one did, aerial roots from top to bottom. I'll take some pics of it, need to clean the glass on the tank.


----------



## ChrisK

rmelancon said:


> I need to get some leaf litter and get some good fauna growing in there. There is a plastic rubbermaid sunk in the substrate on the left side filled with soil that I tried to get springtails established in. Been unsuccessful so far, not sure what the problem is.


Maple seems to work really good for me, did you try it? It breaks down fast but the springtails love it, I put oak on top of it since it breaks down slower but with a thick layer of maple under it, 2 pums aren't able to finish them all off (yet....) in a 12x12x18


----------



## rmelancon

Put in the leaf litter, a few mini orchids, a few regular size orchids.


----------



## MJ

Awesome stuff Robb! 

I got some frogs that would love that viv lol.. 

Got any final plans on who's going in?


----------



## jausi

WOW!!!1

If I had the money I hired you to build me one something like that, congrants is amazin


----------



## Jeremiah

Any new pics ?


----------



## flyingkip

No new updates? Interested to see what it looks like after 2 months.

Grtz,
Thomas


----------



## rmelancon

I'll get some updated pics soon. Not much has changed for the most part. I have added frogs and I believe they have even transported some tads which would be nice. I was also pleased to see them using all of the space, hanging out on the upper bromeliads as will as in the leaf litter. I plan on adding a couple more of the big achmea bromeliads but I don't want to overcrowd things.


----------



## ChrisK

Yeah sounds like good news, did you get the springtails going good in there? The substrate I put in this experimental tank for a pair of uyama 06 has them going strong since, didn't need to reseed: http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/me...ture-pumilio-tank.html?highlight=experimental


----------



## tinctorus

Any updated full tank shots of this masterpiece?


----------



## rmelancon

Some updated pics

















One of the four inhabitants, I believe they are 2.2









A really nice bromeliad that didn't quite like the new digs









One of the males calling









The white "things" are to kill the snails


----------



## chinoanoah

ballerrrrr --- Is there a youtube video of this?


----------



## dart_frog_junkie

AAAMMMAAAZZZZIIINNNGGG!!! How long did this take you? It turned out great


----------



## Julio

good to see taht they are doing well!! any eggs yet?


----------



## rmelancon

Julio said:


> good to see taht they are doing well!! any eggs yet?


Actually have a couple froglets in there. I'll try to get some pix of them.


----------



## batrachiophyle

wow, indeed! 

one of the most impressive home vivarium projects i've ever seen... you should really be quite proud of yourself. what a fantastic job... from construction to aesthetics... an A+!

the space allocated alone says a lot about how you feel about the animalia you work with.. 

[  ugh... if only i could provide ALL of my frogs with that kind of space, and environmental enrichment... ]

...mindbogglingly awesome!!!


----------



## rmelancon

One of the froglets


----------



## vivariman

That's really great rob, you did a great job. I am surprised that the vanda on the branch did well with all that moss on it, I have heard they like alot of air around the roots. (Don't change it now if its working!) It has great dimensions.


----------



## Julio

nice to see those froglets, here is to many more, woohoo!!


----------



## flyingkip

Nice! Congratz on those!

Is that the san lorenzo- sylvaticus morph?

Grtz,
Thomas


----------



## rmelancon

dart_frog_junkie said:


> AAAMMMAAAZZZZIIINNNGGG!!! How long did this take you? It turned out great


Thanks, it took a few weekends to build the enclosure and then another couple weekends setting it up.


----------



## rmelancon

flyingkip said:


> Nice! Congratz on those!
> 
> Is that the san lorenzo- sylvaticus morph?
> 
> Grtz,
> Thomas


They were imported as San Juan sylvaticus. They look a lot like san lorenzo though I have only seen a few pix.


----------



## flyingkip

rmelancon said:


> They were imported as San Juan sylvaticus. They look a lot like san lorenzo though I have only seen a few pix.


I haven't figured out the difference either. Haven't seen any of these morphs in real life yet.

Nice looking frogs tho! Good to see them breeding !! Congratz again


----------



## almazan

Always good to see some production out of these guys, great job Rob
Charles


----------



## rmelancon

chinoanoah said:


> ballerrrrr --- Is there a youtube video of this?


There is a youtube video that I think shows what it was before turning it into an enclosure. When I get some time I'll do another video and get some footage of the frogs.


----------



## rmelancon

vivariman said:


> That's really great rob, you did a great job. I am surprised that the vanda on the branch did well with all that moss on it, I have heard they like alot of air around the roots. (Don't change it now if its working!) It has great dimensions.


Are you referring to the the orchid (sorry don't keep track of the names very well)?


----------



## tikifrog

Rob,

Phenomenal job and an incredible inspiration. I have a 10x12 shed that I've thought of doing
something with. It already has a greenhouse vent and fan and an AC unit installed but I have never found the right idea to line the interior walls with. Your construction has me thinking about it again.

Thanks for sharing,

John


----------



## rmelancon

Wrestling/courting









Male calling


----------



## Julio

these guys are great. keep posting thos pics.


----------



## jcarbone61

very nice !!


----------



## Ohio_Reptile_Guy

love the setup!! im new to frogs as i do not own any yet, but either this weekend or next i am going to pick up 28 of these guys, cant wait they will compliment my reptile collection nicely


----------



## chinoanoah

Ohio_Reptile_Guy said:


> love the setup!! im new to frogs as i do not own any yet, but either this weekend or next i am going to pick up 28 of these guys, cant wait they will compliment my reptile collection nicely



LoL 28! Wow! Make a new thread and post em all when you get them!


----------



## ChrisK

Robb what kind of mold issues did you get using the grape wood in there?


----------



## rmelancon

ChrisK said:


> Robb what kind of mold issues did you get using the grape wood in there?


Big black bubble mold and some white stuff. There is still some areas that are molded over but I don't really notice it anymore. It's probably much more noticeable in a small tank. It was a big concern when I initially set it up but now like I said I don't even notice it.


----------



## ChrisK

rmelancon said:


> It's probably much more noticeable in a small tank.


Yeah tell me about it, nasty - seems like it was causing plants to die also. Where do you get those outrageous sized broms?


----------



## rmelancon

ChrisK said:


> Yeah tell me about it, nasty - seems like it was causing plants to die also. Where do you get those outrageous sized broms?


The large ones on the ground are Aechmea (sp?) that I got at Lowes or HD, the ones up top are off of Ebay, don't remember the names.


----------



## ChrisK

rmelancon said:


> The large ones on the ground are Aechmea (sp?) that I got at Lowes or HD, the ones up top are off of Ebay, don't remember the names.


Yeah I was considering getting them at HD or a nursery also since you really can't find megabroms anywhere else, do you do any sort of special cleaning regimen on them for the chemicals they use?


----------



## rmelancon

ChrisK said:


> Yeah I was considering getting them at HD or a nursery also since you really can't find megabroms anywhere else, do you do any sort of special cleaning regimen on them for the chemicals they use?


I just rinse them really good with a hose (tap water). I also usually remove all of the soil, though recently I stuck the whole pot in and just covered most of it with sphagnum.


----------



## alxamorales

Wow this vivarium is amazing. It reminds of what those lunatics in the UK and around Europe are making for their frogs and animals alike. Really great job.

P.S. I mean lunatics in the nicest way possible


----------



## Leidig

Great thread. That truly is a beautiful viv. I would love to have something similiar to that some day.


----------



## rmelancon

Finally got an orchid blooming:


----------



## frogandtoad

Nice job getting the orchid to bloom. Some of them can be pretty picky. 
How are your San Juan's doing? They are such a beautiful morph.


----------



## Swords

I love these PVC setups you've done! I'm getting ready to do four of my own PVC trimboard & fiberglass tub surround with sliding glass fronts after seeing your inspirational posts.

Have you had any leakage issues with the drainage bulkheads that you've put 
in your PVC trimboard setups?


----------



## rmelancon

frogandtoad said:


> Nice job getting the orchid to bloom. Some of them can be pretty picky.
> How are your San Juan's doing? They are such a beautiful morph.


Have a couple of offspring in there that are nearing adult size, need to pull them soon.


----------



## rmelancon

Swords said:


> I love these PVC setups you've done! I'm getting ready to do four of my own PVC trimboard & fiberglass tub surround with sliding glass fronts after seeing your inspirational posts.
> 
> Have you had any leakage issues with the drainage bulkheads that you've put
> in your PVC trimboard setups?


No leaking, the rubber pond liner provides a pretty good seal. I also do an extra silicone seal on the inside.


----------



## fleshfrombone

I want to do an orchidarium with trim board. How large do the pieces come? Fantastic project.


----------



## rmelancon

Thickness is 3/4 or 1/2 inch
lengths 8 and 12 feet
widths 3-6

at least that is what is at my local Lowes.


----------



## botanyboy03

This is incredible!!!!!!!!!!!! Any updates?


----------



## Dendro Dave

Somehow I missed this thread till now....very cool Rob. I can't tell you how many times I've stared at a corner in my living room or bedroom and thought "hmm a nice walk in shower with glass doors, plants and frogs would look nice there"


----------



## rmelancon

botanyboy03 said:


> This is incredible!!!!!!!!!!!! Any updates?


One update is that after two years the large grape vine wood pieces have collapsed, so I wouldn't recommend using large pieces. There are still sections intact but I plan to redo the interior soon. Another problem I've had is scale on the bromeliads, nothing new but I thought with the larger enclosure I may have better luck. When I redo it I am going to add a couple of fans to increase airflow.

An update on the animals, there were 2.2 and they have produced 2 frogs in two years. I recently split them up and moved one pair to a new enclosure as the males started really going after one another. I'll probably try a different frog when it is redone.


----------



## ChrisK

rmelancon said:


> An update on the animals, there were 2.2 and they have produced 2 frogs in two years. I recently split them up and moved one pair to a new enclosure as the males started really going after one another. I'll probably try a different frog when it is redone.


Really, that's amazing that in something that size there's that kind of tension in there with a type of frog I never saw any of that kind of aggression from and only 2 offspring came out of it, might be something Aaron mentioned once about once the tank is large enough for the frogs to set up territories, that's when the trouble might start. Do you think much denser planting might help? 
Pairs or 1.2 trios might be the way to go, but do you notice any of that kind of aggression when any of the offspring get some size? Asking because it's starting to really get a little crowded in one of my tanks, but don't want to pull any young too prematurely.....


----------



## rmelancon

ChrisK said:


> Really, that's amazing that in something that size there's that kind of tension in there with a type of frog I never saw any of that kind of aggression from and only 2 offspring came out of it, might be something Aaron mentioned once about once the tank is large enough for the frogs to set up territories, that's when the trouble might start. Do you think much denser planting might help?
> Pairs or 1.2 trios might be the way to go, but do you notice any of that kind of aggression when any of the offspring get some size? Asking because it's starting to really get a little crowded in one of my tanks, but don't want to pull any young too prematurely.....


I don't know that dense planting would make much of a difference. As large as the enclosure is, it's probably tiny compared to the territories they would establish in the wild. I have 1.2 working for pumilios, not sure with these guys. I've wanted to do 2 females in different enclosures and move a male between the two.

Once they are 3/4 grown or > 6 months out I would be okay with moving them out as long as they went into a decent tank or went to someone who would be watching them to get pairs set up. Just try not to stick them individually in 10s for long periods.


----------



## rcteem

updated FTS???


----------



## rmelancon

rcteem said:


> updated FTS???


I'll try to get some pix this weekend. Unfortunately one of the big logs collapsed, but a friend of mine who just saw it this weekend said he thought it just made it more realistic. Trying to reposition some of the downed orchids though.

I plan on redoing this one pretty soon and incorporating some type of fan to increase air flow to hopefully help the bromeliads.


----------



## ChrisK

Keeping that rotting wood in there would probably be good for microfauna too - so what types and ratios are you considering putting in there next?


----------



## rmelancon

rcteem said:


> updated FTS???


Here you go. Some of the miniature orchids in the middle were just added but a few have been in there since the beginning. Some are upside down after the collapse of the main branch. Also added a fan on the left side to hopefully help with the health of the system. There is a lot of scale and hopefully the fan will help some. I think the orchids will benefit from the air flow as well.


----------



## Julio

nice growth! any breeding activity?


----------



## rmelancon

Julio said:


> nice growth! any breeding activity?


I had 2.2 in there for about 2 years and got 2 froglets. Separated them out recently and there is now 1.1.1. Going to try a different type in here soon, not sure which ones though. Definitely another egg feeder.


----------



## rmelancon

Recent video of enclosure, not sure if this will work...

http://s219.photobucket.com/albums/cc300/rmelancon/?action=view&current=IMG_0510.mp4


----------



## Lukeomelas

I love seeing videos, you get a lot better perspective than pictures. Wow, the viv looks great!


----------



## ashb

time for a yearly update on this bad boy...


----------



## rmelancon

I'll get some new pix up soon. I've got 8 or so escudo in there now. Took some of the larger broms out as they were covered with scale and took the ficus tree out as it had started getting some kind of black fungus.


----------



## ClintonJ

I'm glad it's still up. Excited about some new pictures!


----------



## Noort

I would love to see more!!


----------



## rmelancon

Some updated pix:


----------



## vivlover10

I believe it is time for an update!!!!!!!!!!!

This build was awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## rigel10

@Rmelancon: I like the frog of your avatar. Which species is?
Seriously, how are the temperatures in winter & summer in this big viv?


----------



## VenomR00

Uh Oh I see a spider web in that brom lol. Nice area man, makes me get so much inspiration.

Rigel that is a made up frog that he designed and tatooed himself with ^^


----------



## a hill

A beautiful and inspiring thread. 

-Andrew


----------



## alogan

This is awesome! Such a good idea!


----------



## Okapi

I cant believe the pictures in this thread still work after all these years. Bumping because this was an awesome thread.


----------

