Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Finally I'm posting some pics. I still don't have clear one of the entire tank for some reason. There are a few pics from the very start (December I think) and present day.

added some plants

Present day

I found the moss outside btw.

The frogs

The java moss really likes that area on the driftwood

And this is my African Violet I rescued (from myself) and brought back to life.

The vivarium turned out very nicely. That African violet color is awesome. It was worth a rescue effort, for sure.

A lot of people put Java moss down because it is a bit scraggly on the substrate, but it does seem to do its best on wet driftwood.
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Patty
Pahsimeroi, Idaho

D. auratus blue
D. galactonotus pumpkin orange splash back
D. imitator
D. leucomelas
D. pumilio Bastimentos
D. fantasticus
P. terribilis mint and organe
D. reticulatus
D. castaneoticus
D. azureus
P vittatus
P. lugubris

Thanks. I like java moss for backgrounds but riccia for substrate. HOwever my riccia hasn't been growing worth a crap! Its staying alive but that's about it. I don't know what else to do to make it become a lush green carpet like i've seen in pictures. any thoughts?

How did you make that water feature? I love the look of the water running down like that. I understand the nature of raising water to make a waterfall/feature, but is that stone it's running down? If so, what kind. Is it wood?

I'm new to the forum, and am thinking of starting a terrarium for my bday (to later add darts to hopefully) and that is exactly the look I would want.

It is cypress driftwood I got off ebay the water is running down. Its held up by great stuff coated with black silicone and coco-fiber. There is a 250 gph pond pump that powers the pond. I messed around buying two "terrarium" pumps that were way too weak and finally I broke down and went to Home Depot and bought sturdy pond pump for under $30.

Do a lot of research before making your own. I spent months researching before I attempted. Blackjungle.com is what peaked my interest firsts. I'm fairly happy with how it turned out, though the subsrate does stay too moist due (water follows the path of least resistance, like electricity!). Also the pond section is pretty but now I think its kind of a waste of space! I may cut it in half.

You can get by with "too wet" as long as the water is circulating well and doesn't get particularly stagnant. All of my tanks are "too wet," but the plants still do well and the frogs don't seem to be harmed by this.

For the pond, you could try some water plants with floating leaves, and/or build up one area with some larger smooth rocks and pebbles so that one area is quite shallow. The frogs will tend to use this as part of their space, and it won't be wasted.
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Patty
Pahsimeroi, Idaho

D. auratus blue
D. galactonotus pumpkin orange splash back
D. imitator
D. leucomelas
D. pumilio Bastimentos
D. fantasticus
P. terribilis mint and organe
D. reticulatus
D. castaneoticus
D. azureus
P vittatus
P. lugubris

I build my waterfeatures using either a sump tank or an internal slow area in the tank it self. eitherway, it's fun. Here is one photo that i scuplted the rock work to look like limestone with a tree root. the waterfall from sump tank is 6' H, and in the enclosure, 4'.

I don't use great stuff as i've seen it fail. I use pond foam and rock it up with vivarium mortar so that i can get a more rock look to it. I also use aqua-via pumps, like rio but better, for anything from a ten gallon to a room sized habitat, they work great! marine depot has great prices too.

For palidariums though, I like to make sure that I have 1" above the water level to eggcrate so that the plant roots don't rot and to ensure that the nitrogen cycle will allow for the gases to contact the plant roots. if your water is touching the roots, many plants will fail with out air. I use 2" x 6" pvc pipe drilled and then the eggcrate, then the screen mesh for enclosures like the exo-terra or such tanks that have water features, and the same but like the wonderfully planned one above, allow for a "pond" area. I still create a streem type water fall on one side or such but the idea is still the same.

I also use water plants to help bring oxygen in and some bacteria to start the cycle. i use tree fern panel on the back that i dip into the water areas to bring that nice soup up to the plant that i grow on the walls.

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Thnx,

Deven

Caught that tank on Dendro, it looks awesome. GOod job.