# My first construction journal (pic heavy)



## fleshfrombone (Jun 15, 2008)

Ok so I picked up this tank from a guy on craigslist along with a monster 150 gallon for $50. As soon as I saw the 37 gallon tall (the subject of this journal) I thought man this thing is perfect for a vivarium. So after reading about ghostwood another member on here, I can't remember who, remarked that Cindy Dickens at vivarium concepts would take pics on request of specific pieces that will work with the dimensions you provide so this is what I got after arranging them into what I thought was a cool root emerging from stream bed wall pattern:










So after fitting them together I ordered some Atlantic falls foam on ebay and it looked like this:










After 2 cans and letting it dry for what felt like an eternity:










Ok so I didn't have a camera at the time and I need this thing done so we'll skip ahead, I'll say this however, I used the concrete binder method mixing ace concrete binder and loose, dry coco fiber (thank you Chrystal aka CHuempfner for patiently answering all of my questions on the subject). I let this dry for at least a month with a fan blowing into the tank and another sucking air back out. After it was rock hard and completely dry I tested the water (tube seen in last pic). That's when I noticed it turned color and started to smell like it wanted to cure again. I let it dry for an additional 3 weeks or so and for some reason it still gave of the smell and turned. I said the hell with it, I'm planting this thing and if I can't put frogs in it so be it. I'll use it as a plant display tank. This is the result of its first planting (thanks Mike aka rollinkansas for the mini plant shipment):










So after letting it cycle for a while and feedback from DB members in the chat (thanks to feedback from catfur, nathanb, basshumper, otis07, corpus_collosum, frogpary, devanny, and others) I added leaf litter consisting of magnolia, selal, and madrona leaves, some cuttings from basshumper (Dylan) and otis7 (Emily) and some plant growth I got this:










After a few months of phytoremediation, water changes and cycling I added springtails and dwarf white isopods (thanks again to Dylan). I noticed all sorts of crazy microfauna popping up in both the leaf litter, ghostwood, plants, and even water. I decided to test the tank with a nominant imitator. She loved it and has been since moved back to her original tank. Having nothing else to put in there I decided to put my 1.2 luecs and so far so good. Here's a pic from today (12/26/2009):










I welcome any comments, questions, suggestions, and/or insights. Thanks to everybody that contributed to the construction of this vivarium, if I forgot anybody I apologize. Just send me a pm and I'll be sure to mention the part you played. This was very much a collaboration from several members sending plants, giving advice, and support.


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## azure89 (Jan 5, 2009)

It seems like the pics aren't showing up


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## fleshfrombone (Jun 15, 2008)

Thanks again nathanb for helping me posting the images directly!


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## Boondoggle (Dec 9, 2007)

Still no pics. I wanna see...


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## azure89 (Jan 5, 2009)

I really like your choice of driftwood and nice job on the planting! 

What you plan on keeping in there?


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## tachikoma (Apr 16, 2009)

no pics still.

EDIT:

Pics are working lol


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## fleshfrombone (Jun 15, 2008)

Right now it has my trio of luecs (you can see one in the last picture if you expand it). When I build a tank more suitable for them I plan to put a colony of lamasi in that tank.



azure89 said:


> I really like your choice of driftwood and nice job on the planting!
> 
> What you plan on keeping in there?


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## azure89 (Jan 5, 2009)

Sounds good I think that any thumbs or pumilio would be pretty happy in there


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

looking good! I love ghostwood. And I still have an orchid for ya when I see you


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## cheezus_2007 (Aug 20, 2009)

i dig the tank Ryan! heck yea..... i like the look of the ghostwood u picked up.... turned out phatty in that tank...


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## fleshfrombone (Jun 15, 2008)

Sweet! When I get cash from the school I would be interested in buying a few divisions as well. Based on the pics where would you place it? The upper right gets stays pretty dry, maybe a little too dry and thanks to the compact fluorescent bulbs pretty hot. I still need to rig a couple computer fans to the hood. By the way I predict a lot more ghostwood in our futures...



frogparty said:


> looking good! I love ghostwood. And I still have an orchid for ya when I see you


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## Devanny (Jul 11, 2008)

I like it alot Ryan, the pond looks great.


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## Boondoggle (Dec 9, 2007)

Now I see....very nice. You're patience payed off on that build.


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## fleshfrombone (Jun 15, 2008)

Couple pics of the inhabitants


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## fleshfrombone (Jun 15, 2008)

Here's a quick update with a different camera. The tank hasn't really changed all that much except I added an orchid thanks to frogparty for hooking it up.


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

looking great Ryan.


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## calvinyhob (Dec 18, 2007)

looking good brother really like it. you coming out to michigan to help me with my 225 now?


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## Julio (Oct 8, 2007)

looks good Ryan, nice job on the background and landscaping!


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## fleshfrombone (Jun 15, 2008)

Maybe when it warms up a bit lol. You midwesterners.. Don't know how you can handle it.



calvinyhob said:


> looking good brother really like it. you coming out to michigan to help me with my 225 now?


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## calvinyhob (Dec 18, 2007)

fleshfrombone said:


> Maybe when it warms up a bit lol. You midwesterners.. Don't know how you can handle it.


i dont know how they do either im from the west coast originally it sucks out here!


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## fleshfrombone (Jun 15, 2008)

I should add in that last pic I changed the lighting around to two CFL daylight bulbs in 6500k. I'm already noticing much better foliage growth and coloring. They tend to run hot so I installed a computer fan into the hood.


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## hukilausurfer (Aug 31, 2009)

no way! im having the exact same problem with a ten gallon i tried the concrete binder method with! the uncured smell is going down but 2 weeks ago it was sooo strong. so you just let it sit and its okay now?


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## fleshfrombone (Jun 15, 2008)

Well, all I can say is wait. If that doesn't work try phytoremediation, ie let the plants suck out the toxins.


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## fleshfrombone (Jun 15, 2008)

YouTube - Luecomelas Vivarium.MP4

Here's a vid so you can see what's going on in there.


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## cheezus_2007 (Aug 20, 2009)

that tank looks awesome man! i've got some pups with your name on em... still waitin for em to spread out.... one of my mo peppas has 2 pups and the other has one that i can see, so i'll for sure have some of those for ya. Should like dope in this tank


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