Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey,

So im almost done the background (i just need to add the epiphytic plants). It looks great so far.

Anyway, im thinking of making it a bog setup. Does anyone know a any good types of plants to use? This tank will be for my mantellas.

Also, any suggestions on a small pump so i can circulate the water, down the background? (like a waterfall idea).

Thanks,
M.N

>>Hey,
>>
>>So im almost done the background (i just need to add the epiphytic plants). It looks great so far.
>>
>>Anyway, im thinking of making it a bog setup. Does anyone know a any good types of plants to use? This tank will be for my mantellas.
>>
>>Also, any suggestions on a small pump so i can circulate the water, down the background? (like a waterfall idea).
>>
>>Thanks,
>>M.N

First off, I think you chose a great tank style for mantellas because that is how their habitat is in the wild. The plants I used in my bog vivarium were anubias, chameleon plant, acorus, java moss, crystal wort (riccia), hairgrass, and later on some pothos.

I used a pump modified from an old aquarium power head and just layed it in the area of the tank where the pool would be. I covered all but the intake strainer with the bog soil mix and had the tube buried and running to the water fall I made. The water fall is nothing but stacked rocks of some kind. If you have any other questions let me know. Here's a link to a gallery of my tank incase you havent seen it already. imageevent.com/audiomaster/goldenmantellas/bogvivarium Talk to you later.
-David Taylor
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"The day we would limit ourselves or adapt to the music scene, would be the day Opeth dies." -Mikael Akerfeldt; lead singer and genious behind the metal band Opeth.

As far as pumps go, your typical fountain pumps that you can buy at any hardware store (I wouldn't go with anything less than 70 gph) work just fine for less money. For a really good price on the same thing, I recently bought a 70 gph (maybe it was a 135 gph . . . I forget, and it's installed now) fountain pump from Quality Captives for $10 . . . that's about 1/2 what I paid at Lowe's for my first pump, and the output is higher on this one.

As for plants, Dave has already given you some great ideas, but you might also want to consider Cryptocorynes (I have C. beckettii in my terrarium, and it has grown quite well. There are tons of varieties to choose from, and most grow well emersed in high humidity environments). Java moss and Java ferns are another good plant. Water sprite is another. Many of the plants sold in the aquarium industry for fish aquariums work equally well as bog plants . . just do a little research.

I made a "bog" area in my terrarium by using a 18" x 18" piece of pond liner for my waterfall to drain into. It drains out of the bog into my false bottom. You've got a lot of options, and I think you'll love the results.
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Homer W. Faucett III, esq.
Purveyor of Trivialities and Fine Nonsense

>>As far as pumps go, your typical fountain pumps that you can buy at any hardware store (I wouldn't go with anything less than 70 gph) work just fine for less money. For a really good price on the same thing, I recently bought a 70 gph (maybe it was a 135 gph . . . I forget, and it's installed now) fountain pump from Quality Captives for $10 . . . that's about 1/2 what I paid at Lowe's for my first pump, and the output is higher on this one.
>>
>>As for plants, Dave has already given you some great ideas, but you might also want to consider Cryptocorynes (I have C. beckettii in my terrarium, and it has grown quite well. There are tons of varieties to choose from, and most grow well emersed in high humidity environments). Java moss and Java ferns are another good plant. Water sprite is another. Many of the plants sold in the aquarium industry for fish aquariums work equally well as bog plants . . just do a little research.
>>
>>I made a "bog" area in my terrarium by using a 18" x 18" piece of pond liner for my waterfall to drain into. It drains out of the bog into my false bottom. You've got a lot of options, and I think you'll love the results.
>>-----
>>Homer W. Faucett III, esq.
>>Purveyor of Trivialities and Fine Nonsense

Oh yeah I forgot, cryptocoryne is another great one. I only listed ones I used personally but If I had had the money, I would have loved to have a few crypts growing. I didnt feel I had adequate lighting either. Some of the amazon sword aquarium plants do good too as long as they have their leaves misted every now and then. Although I have noticed the same thing with a couple of the anubias species I used in my bog tank. Anyway, Ill talk to you later.
-David Taylor

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"The day we would limit ourselves or adapt to the music scene, would be the day Opeth dies." -Mikael Akerfeldt; lead singer and genious behind the metal band Opeth.