# 150 Gallon Viv after a Year



## Tuckinrim8 (Jul 26, 2007)

Here is a couple "then and now" pictures of my old reef tank that was coverted to a Viv about a year ago. I still need some plants that will do well near the waterfall and cant seem to get anything to thrive there..


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## ClintonJ (May 11, 2009)

Nice man! This is an inspirational tank!


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## fleshfrombone (Jun 15, 2008)

DUDE! great tank!


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## Okapi (Oct 12, 2007)

Beautiful!


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## Reefer420 (Oct 18, 2009)

The tank looks great as usual.. always been a favorite of mine. have you ever tried any aquatic plants near the waterfall area, some anubias or java moss would look cool just to green it up a bit. I see you took the mints out of there.


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## dendrothusiast (Sep 16, 2010)

microsorum pteropus, the java fern. It's the ultimate waterfall plant and can even withstand lowlight. pretty much what was said like anubias and java moss are great to. those are the plants I always use on my waterfalls.


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## wimvanvelzen (Nov 1, 2008)

Great looking tank! Very natural materials and set up.

One minor point would be that there is a sharp division between the empty space in the first half of the tank and than a planted one at the back. May be some plants / rocks /wood in the front part and some empty parts in the back?


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## Julio (Oct 8, 2007)

looks amazing! pretty sweet


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## Froggywv (Aug 9, 2010)

Very Nice!!! I've been seriously thinking of tearing down the 125 cichlid tank in my living room and making it into a frog tank. This is very inspirational. 

What did you build the background out of? Did you do a build thread, I'd love to read through it.


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## Tuckinrim8 (Jul 26, 2007)

Thanks everyone!



Reefer420 said:


> The tank looks great as usual.. always been a favorite of mine. have you ever tried any aquatic plants near the waterfall area, some anubias or java moss would look cool just to green it up a bit. I see you took the mints out of there.


Thank you! Ya I tried anubias in the water feature and java moss on the waterfall, not sure if its water quality or lack of light but neither did very well. I took the mints out with the idea of adding yellow terribs but financial obligatons have put that idea on hold for the moment..



dendrothusiast said:


> microsorum pteropus, the java fern. It's the ultimate waterfall plant and can even withstand lowlight. pretty much what was said like anubias and java moss are great to. those are the plants I always use on my waterfalls.


Never tried Java Fern , I will look into it and give it a try! Thanks for the suggestion. 



wimvanvelzen said:


> Great looking tank! Very natural materials and set up.
> 
> One minor point would be that there is a sharp division between the empty space in the first half of the tank and than a planted one at the back. May be some plants / rocks /wood in the front part and some empty parts in the back?


Ya I wanted the background to be full of plants and the foreground to open and full of leaf litter. I like the ability to have an open viewing area uninhibited by plants/ wood close to the front glass. As for the waterfall, that is an open area that I am working on getting filled in. 




Froggywv said:


> Very Nice!!! I've been seriously thinking of tearing down the 125 cichlid tank in my living room and making it into a frog tank. This is very inspirational.
> 
> What did you build the background out of? Did you do a build thread, I'd love to read through it.


I built the background with expanding foam, cocofiber, eppiweb, fern panels, and manzanita. I did not do a build journal, but have a few pics of the set up process.. I will see if can did them up and post them here. Also I posted a thread when I first finished the tank and I think there was some set up pictures there as well. I am glad you like it!

Chris


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## eos (Dec 6, 2008)

The tank is looking great... have you had to do maintenance on the pump throughout the year?


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## Tuckinrim8 (Jul 26, 2007)

eos said:


> The tank is looking great... have you had to do maintenance on the pump throughout the year?


Thanks man! No I haven't had to touch the pump yet but I am sure the time is coming. It's just a small via aqua pump and they usually don't last very long.. The pump is in the overflow behind several layers of screen and stays relatively free of debris which I'm sure is why it's still going well. When it does finally give out its just a $10 pump so it's not a big deal to replace.


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## qiksilver5 (Jan 9, 2007)

wimvanvelzen said:


> Great looking tank! Very natural materials and set up.
> 
> One minor point would be that there is a sharp division between the empty space in the first half of the tank and than a planted one at the back. May be some plants / rocks /wood in the front part and some empty parts in the back?


Actually I kind of like the contrast. 

The base is just gravel right? No false bottom or anything? Or did I miss something.


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## Tuckinrim8 (Jul 26, 2007)

qiksilver5 said:


> Actually I kind of like the contrast.
> 
> The base is just gravel right? No false bottom or anything? Or did I miss something.


Thank you! Ya there is a false bottom made of egg crate and screen- I'll try and find the pics from before the substrate was added. The tank has a bulkhead from it's saltwater days and I just flipped the overflow and drilled several drainage holes at the level I wanted to keep the water at. All excess water drains down to a 5 gallon tub below the tank.


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## laylow (Apr 6, 2009)

You should post some of those orchid pics from your last thread. That pink one and those tillys are so good looking!!


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## Tuckinrim8 (Jul 26, 2007)

here is a pic from when the tank was a reef and the link to the thread from when I first finished the viv construction. My photobucket didnt have any construction pics so I am gonna have to do some searching for those..

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/members-frogs-vivariums/47036-150-gal-mint-terribilis-viv.html


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## fleshfrombone (Jun 15, 2008)

Man, you really have knack for this!


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## chesney (Jan 18, 2007)

I love it!


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## Tuckinrim8 (Jul 26, 2007)

fleshfrombone said:


> Man, you really have knack for this!


Thanks man, I appreciate that!




chesney said:


> I love it!


Thanks Lisa!


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## SmackoftheGods (Jan 28, 2009)

How has it been a year already? I remember when this was still a reef tank! Looks awesome, I wish I could get plant growth like that!


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## raimeiken (Dec 24, 2006)

nice tank!


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## wasatchtrops (Jun 22, 2010)

Pics don't do it justice. You are the inspiration for my 172 bowfront. 

Never tried Java Fern , I will look into it and give it a try! Thanks for the suggestion. 

Chris, I have java fern as well as several other low light plants that grow emersed.


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## Tuckinrim8 (Jul 26, 2007)

raimeiken said:


> nice tank!


Thank you!


wasatchtrops said:


> Pics don't do it justice. You are the inspiration for my 172 bowfront.
> 
> Never tried Java Fern , I will look into it and give it a try! Thanks for the suggestion.
> 
> Chris, I have java fern as well as several other low light plants that grow emersed.


Thanks Gabe! If you come on Sunday you wanna bring me a little to try? Thanks again for the giant springs!


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## SmackoftheGods (Jan 28, 2009)

Tuckinrim8 said:


> Thanks Gabe! If you come on Sunday you wanna bring me a little to try? Thanks again for the giant springs!


Don't you mean Saturday? Saturday is the reason I can't come....


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## Tuckinrim8 (Jul 26, 2007)

My bad Jake, yes the Bbq is still on Saturday - I am having a halloween kegger on Sunday and keep getting the dates mixed. Frogs Saturday, Beer Sunday..


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## Goji (Oct 14, 2010)

That is beautiful


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## Marty (Feb 27, 2004)

That's a great looking tank! You definitely have a knack for it.


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## Tuckinrim8 (Jul 26, 2007)

Thanks Marty, I am excited to finally get a misting system for it! When my parents called and asked what I wanted for Christmas that was the first thing that came to mind! I look forward to doing business with you!

Chris


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## Marty (Feb 27, 2004)

Excellent, you'll be well taken care of. Looks like this tank is going to get a bit more mossy soon ;-)


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## Chris155hp (Mar 17, 2010)

Sick tank. I envy you


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## Tuckinrim8 (Jul 26, 2007)

Marty said:


> Excellent, you'll be well taken care of. Looks like this tank is going to get a bit more mossy soon ;-)


I cant wait! Hopefully some of that moss mix will come out of its dormant state..



Chris155hp said:


> Sick tank. I envy you


Thank you, I appreciate it.


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## Saviorself (Jun 29, 2010)

Great looking tank! Hope mine turns out that nice. Awesome job!


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