# New BIG tank but not so big tank (Heavy Pics)



## rpmurphey (Mar 9, 2009)

I am building a tree trunk for my works display tank. The way that I decided to biuld it is a little different than other peoples that have done this in the past.

I use chicken wire for the core to cut down on weight.

of course the Great Stuff was used and foam

Mortor for the texture of the tree

and airbrushed for color

I'm not a person of many words when pics say alot. If anybody has questions about the built please fill free to ask as many as you want. This is still in the planing stage of what is going to be the inhabitants. Maybe Malaysian leaf frogs...Vine Snakes.....something from the Orient because that is how I am setting up this tank.

Hope you all will enjoy

I will get the dimentions later as well as a FTS


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## Julio (Oct 8, 2007)

pretty nice work, what size tank is that going in?


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## DizzyD (Sep 19, 2006)

very, very nice work. can't wait to see the rest.


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

Great looking tree. Keep us posted with updates.


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## rpmurphey (Mar 9, 2009)

Julio said:


> pretty nice work, what size tank is that going in?


I don't know off the top of my head plus i'm too lazy to figure it out right now. The enclosure is an octagon. The glass is about 2 to 2.5 feet wide, the height is about 3.5 feet tall so the dementions ? (too lazy). If I had to guess I hink the tank is around 160-200 gallon tank. When I go to work tomarrow I will measure it and let you know. The bottom of the tank is water proof but there is only about a 6-8 inch space for water/ground. I was thinking bout having a water feature with maybe a small fish of some kind, I don't know but the boss wants one.


Frogface, DizzyD, Julio, thanks I hope that it will turn out the way I'm hoping for. Any ideas about the inhabitants


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## happy dart (Nov 22, 2009)

WOW! Really nice job. So you attached sheets of foam to the chicken wire core to act as the form for the buttresses, then covered everything in Great Stuff, shaved/shaped, then added mortar?

Can't wait to see this set-up!


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## rpmurphey (Mar 9, 2009)

happy dart said:


> WOW! Really nice job. So you attached sheets of foam to the chicken wire core to act as the form for the buttresses, then covered everything in Great Stuff, shaved/shaped, then added mortar?
> 
> Can't wait to see this set-up!


That is exactly what I did. I think the whole thing wieghts around 30 -35 pounds.


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## rpmurphey (Mar 9, 2009)

So I measured the tank and it is 50" L x 25" W x 34.5" H. So if my math is correct it is a 109.5 gallon octagon tank.

I will try to get a FTS tomarrow. I forgot to bring my camera with me today


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## gilliusis (Jan 7, 2010)

very good work. Some time ago I made the same work for a small terrarium (• Afficher le sujet - Imitation arbre tropical) . 
This kind of buttress is gorgeous to watch in a terrarium. Continue to send photo !


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## rpmurphey (Mar 9, 2009)

gilliusis said:


> very good work. Some time ago I made the same work for a small terrarium (• Afficher le sujet - Imitation arbre tropical) .
> This kind of buttress is gorgeous to watch in a terrarium. Continue to send photo !


Thank you. Your buttress is nice as well


So I took some more pics of the tank. I need to take some more as I just got some plants and put them on today. Plus I need to go back to the hardware store and get some eggcrate to make a false bottom. There is going to be a little water feature for the Malaysian Leaf Frogs of maybe some little fish or something don't know yet.


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## rpmurphey (Mar 9, 2009)

So I am almost done with the cage at my work. The only thing that I need to do is put the top back on and maybe some more plants on the backside of the tree stump.

False bottom









False bottom in tank









With some plants

































































Here is the cage from the top view.


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## rpmurphey (Mar 9, 2009)

I still need to get some moss, leaf litter and maybe some other things that I haven't thought of yet.


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## nathan (Jul 24, 2009)

So what are you planning on putting in there?


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## xsputnikx (May 11, 2010)

thats really coming along very nice.... gives me ideas for my next tank


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## rpmurphey (Mar 9, 2009)

nathan said:


> So what are you planning on putting in there?


I don't really know. It would be awsome with a colony of frogs, but I still haven't decided. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.


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## RyanEthan (Oct 28, 2009)

Hey man!!!!

So what about the lights?? Are you still going with the T5's, or something more powerful? And it looks great man!!! I can't wait to see it!!!! And we'll figure out if I can possibly send some cool animal over from my neck of the woods!! I know there's lots of vinesnakes over here!!!!

Ryan


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## rpmurphey (Mar 9, 2009)

RyanEthan said:


> Hey man!!!!
> 
> So what about the lights?? Are you still going with the T5's, or something more powerful? And it looks great man!!! I can't wait to see it!!!! And we'll figure out if I can possibly send some cool animal over from my neck of the woods!! I know there's lots of vinesnakes over here!!!!
> 
> Ryan


I think I'm just going with the T5's (three of them) hopefully that will be enough light for the plants. 

Should see about the vinesnakes, that would be cool for my project.


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## rpmurphey (Mar 9, 2009)

So I think I have found what i'm going to put in there a Soloman Island eyelash (Ceratobatrachus guentheri)


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

ooooooh I love that frog


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## slipperheads (Oct 17, 2007)

I suggest a group of some brightly colored mantella (Bright Yellow/ Red). Not sure the species names of either.


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## rpmurphey (Mar 9, 2009)

§lipperhead said:


> I suggest a group of some brightly colored mantella (Bright Yellow/ Red). Not sure the species names of either.


I was thinking about mantellas but I don't know how well they will sell. Keep in mind that this tank is in a store. If it was my personal tank I would more than likely put mantellas in there.


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## jpstod (Sep 8, 2005)

rpmurphey said:


> I was thinking about mantellas but I don't know how well they will sell. Keep in mind that this tank is in a store. If it was my personal tank I would more than likely put mantellas in there.



Keep in Mind that Displayed Animals sell better than those that are not.
I tend to buy animals that are displayed better than those that are not.


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## rpmurphey (Mar 9, 2009)

jpstod said:


> Keep in Mind that Displayed Animals sell better than those that are not.
> I tend to buy animals that are displayed better than those that are not.


That is true but in Phoenix there isn't that big of a scene for mantellas that I have noticed, but dendrobates are. I could be completely wrong about that but I haven't seen that many people asking about those here (Phoenix).


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## rpmurphey (Mar 9, 2009)

What do you people think about

Hyalinobatrachium fleischmanni










or Cochranella granulosa.


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## keith campbell (Aug 11, 2007)

WOW!! looks good! I would love to get my hands on a tank that size to play with. As far as inhabitants, I would make sure you go with a captive bred frogs from reliable breeders. I see that your a store...It would sure suck to tear that thing apart and redo it every time you get a new group of frogs!


Where is this store at?

Keith


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## Arizona Tropicals (Feb 15, 2010)

keith campbell said:


> Where is this store at?
> 
> Keith


I also would like to know where your store is located.


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## slipperheads (Oct 17, 2007)

Such a nice viv, but why put nocturnal frogs in it? Because the tank itself will grab a lot of attention, I just don't see any point in wasting it on frogs that only move around at night. I would want to show customers something to make them stop and watch to keep them in the store longer. Maybe some brightly colored mantellas, or Leucs, would look amazing in there. Just an opinion!


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## almazan (Jun 6, 2004)

And good luck finding either of those glass frogs, they are both rare in the hobby as well as the wild.


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## boricorso (Feb 19, 2008)

Great looking tank.

I agree on displaying dyurnal frogs rather than nocturnal.

If it was mine I'd put either some Vanzos, Varadero, Bastis or el Dorado or maybe some leucs.


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## gilliusis (Jan 7, 2010)

Hi,
I think you should put frogs that easily show the crowd, a group of terribilis yellow ! no ?!


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## slipperheads (Oct 17, 2007)

yellow terribs would look amazing, and would sell well. How about a group of pumilio? I keep having to remind myself that these frogs are in the tank to sell to the customers, so maybe Pums wouldn't be the best choice in the world. If you do have a good market for Dendrobates as you say, I keep going back to mention Leucomelas. But some Rio Brancos would really grab my attention .


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## rpmurphey (Mar 9, 2009)

I was thinking about some Yellow or Orange Terribilis. They are a good frog in groups (5-10) also they are big, comparable to other frogs.

The type of people that come into the store are more of the beginner type so any of the smaller frogs are out of the question in my oppinion. I would not feel comfortable selling one to some one that might kill it on accident because of lack of knowledge and experiance. Plus people that have been in the hobby for some time learn not to buy frogs from the pets stores because of the cost/health. I buy from wholesalers/breeders or from people on DB.


Thank you everyone for the suggestions on the frogs but I still haven't decided yet.


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

I think Terribilis would be a good choice.


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## rpmurphey (Mar 9, 2009)

Ok, so I have decided about what is going into the tank......P. terribilis. So now I need to get around 10 of them, preferably Yellow or Orange so if anybody has some please pm me.


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## nathan (Jul 24, 2009)

If you are looking for frogs that you need to resell. You may want to reconsider your choice. I dont know your area, but terribilis would be very expensive in a retail store. They go for $75-100 dollors here on the site. At a recent show they were $400 a pr. So if you are looking to have something bold but easy to sell you may want to consider leucs, galacts, or tincs.

Just my 2 cents


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## slipperheads (Oct 17, 2007)

nathan, your solution is right on your doorstep man! Hit up AZDR and they can hook you up well, maybe even a discount as a small business owner.


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## gilliusis (Jan 7, 2010)

rpmurphey said:


> Ok, so I have decided about what is going into the tank......P. terribilis.


Good ! A group of yellow would be terrible beauty !


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## rpmurphey (Mar 9, 2009)

§lipperhead said:


> nathan, your solution is right on your doorstep man! Hit up AZDR and they can hook you up well, maybe even a discount as a small business owner.


I have already asked Amanda and she dosen't keep any Phyllobates I wish she did it would make it alot easier.

Ryan


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## RyanEthan (Oct 28, 2009)

While putting so many frogs into such a big tank would be nice, I think another question that I have not seen anyone ask yet is "would you be willing to sell the whole tank?" While it would be nice to have all of the frogs in the world, and all of the suggestions sound great, I think that having such a big tank that is heavily planted might pose a problem in selling the frogs, as even the bold frogs can hide very well. Does anyone think that this tank might be selling itself, and/or could be better used with to sell the tank and its' contents, or to house a breeding project, and not to just sell the occupants?

I think either a short term strategy of put in a super cool colony of frogs and sell the whole setup or colony would be good to take, or either a long term strategy of a breeding project would be good. I see this take as great for dart frogs, gtp's, uroplatus or vine snakes. This tank is awesome, but it holds so many possibilities being in a retail store!

I only think this because I have seen 40 gallon tanks with colonies in them of big frogs and little frogs, and I couldn't find the frogs for the life of me, so I didn't buy anything!

Ryan


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## Occidentalis (Jul 11, 2009)

Any updates with leaf litter, etc? That's a nice looking 6 sided "octagon" you've got there. A Petco nearby had a similar tank that they used to house Russian tortoises before they closed. The tortoises sure did utilize the vertical space!


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## rpmurphey (Mar 9, 2009)

Occidentalis said:


> Any updates with leaf litter, etc? That's a nice looking 6 sided "octagon" you've got there. A Petco nearby had a similar tank that they used to house Russian tortoises before they closed. The tortoises sure did utilize the vertical space!


Thank you

Im in the process of getting a box of leaves and some moss but not that much moss.

I think I'm going to take it apart and and raise the false bottom but I don't know if I'm up to that.


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