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I have a 75Gal (reef ready) tank that I'm converting into a vivarium. I plan on having a pool of water about 6" deep to house some fish. The land will be built up on eggcrate and it will be higher than the water feature. I will also have a sump under the stand which will house a water filter,heater and return pump (which will power the waterfall).

I'm undecided if I should have the water on one side (left side) only or surround the land on 3 sides (my preference).

In either case, what would be useful (and aesthetic) to hide the false bottom under the land mass? I also suppose I should screen that section in so that the fish will not swim under the land area and out of site, but the ability to flow water through needs to be maintained.

Any ideas/advice would be appreciated.

Mark F

After you have your egg crate cut to the shape you want it (cut away where you want your pools to be) and have it placed in the tank you can use needle point mesh to create a slope into the pool(s). I got the mesh I used from Wal-Mart. It is a flexible plastic mesh in the art and craft section. It comes in several colors. It may take some tinkering with to get it to fit correctly and slope the way you want it. After you have the egg crate and mesh in place use some fiberglass screen (the same kind that is used for screen doors) to cover the whole bottom.
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0.0.5 Blue Dendrobates Auratus
3.2.1 African Dwarf Frogs (Hymenochirus boettgeri)
2.2.0 Asian Floating Frogs (Occidozyga Lima)
1.1.0 White's Tree Frog (Litoria caerulea)

You can get Java moss to grow on that needlepoint mesh so that it looks aesthetic. It may take a few months, but I have seen websites that sell java moss "curtains" for aquarium backgrounds by doing this. That would help make your divider aesthetic and still water permeable. Plus, Java is my personal favorite for a "moss" carpet in the dart frog terrarium as well.

I personally like it much better than that pillow moss stuff. It's thicker, grows faster, and you can be sure you aren't bringing in any diseases on it since it will withstand a 10-15 minuted soaking in a 10-20% bleach solution and subsequent rinsing. To me, that's the ticket.

Check out http://www.nature-aquarium.com/xmas.htm. Here, they're using christmas moss (which is another possibility), but I've seen it done with Java as well. I personally have no experience with the christmas moss.
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Homer W. Faucett III, esq.
Purveyor of Trivialities and Fine Nonsense

I used slate to cover up my false bottom, it looks pretty good. You can see pics on the link in my signature, its on the 46 gallon bowfront. You would need more slate because its 6 inches, mine is only 4.
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Click here to See my frogs and Terrariums!
0.0.7 Green and Black Costa Rican D. Auratus
0.0.4 D. Azureus
0.0.2 Golden Mantellas

Thanks for the link to the pictures with the slate as the border. I think that is what I'm leaning towards.

I would be afraid that a sneaky frog would slip between the cracks in the slate and get under the false bottom.

I just continued the tank substrate down my needle point mesh divider and into the water. It just looks like a slope.
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0.0.5 Blue Dendrobates Auratus
3.2.1 African Dwarf Frogs (Hymenochirus boettgeri)
2.2.0 Asian Floating Frogs (Occidozyga Lima)
1.1.0 White's Tree Frog (Litoria caerulea)

In my set up, I took the window screening all the way from the back and siliconed it around all the edges on top of the false bottom, and left enough to drape all the way down the front and was able to glue it all down in the front. So, the frogs cannot get under the false bottom because I siliconed it to the floor and the sides, the slate just hides this.I on't keep the water at about 1.5 inches but its only about .5 an inch because of all the java moss that has grown in the water, and the frogs will occassionally hide behind the slate, and I have no problem with that, it is the coolest and most humid part of the tank. Just make sure you seal it off!
Mark
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Click here to See my frogs and Terrariums!
0.0.7 Green and Black Costa Rican D. Auratus
0.0.4 D. Azureus
0.0.2 Golden Mantellas

I see now. Good technique.
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0.0.5 Blue Dendrobates Auratus
3.2.1 African Dwarf Frogs (Hymenochirus boettgeri)
2.2.0 Asian Floating Frogs (Occidozyga Lima)
1.1.0 White's Tree Frog (Litoria caerulea)

Thanks!
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Click here to See my frogs and Terrariums!
0.0.7 Green and Black Costa Rican D. Auratus
0.0.4 D. Azureus
0.0.2 Golden Mantellas