Edited: 11/8/2008 10:57:07 PM by livnThelowLIFE
Edited: 11/8/2008 10:53:09 PM by livnThelowLIFE
anyone into dart frogs (dendrobates)????? i have been building a vivarium,wich will have tropical plants and be a very humid tank.i will get a few darts to put in it.they are not an easy amphibian to keep.you must keep them at right temps\humidity plus feed them very small food.because they are a small species.such as ... fruit flies,springtails they are only poisonus in the wild though(due to the food they eat)
i went and got a 36 gallon bow front .i think it will be a good starter.im going to get a pair of blue azureus for it as soon as i have the tank and food source established.im hoping to get some input from everyone on my journey!as well as give others a few pics,and usefull info,just as i have found by looking at other peoples posts.
first i did a mock-up with the eggcrate for the false bottom,i decided to add a pvc pipe on the left side for a humidifier,i also made a open area across the top for any water tupe changes i might want to change,then i decided to make a void on the right side so i can change or service a pump or filter without disrupting the immediate tank.(fastened with zip ties)
next i put the ge black 100% silicone on the back and sides using a putty knife(i put it on thick!) 2 1\2 tubes....do this in well ventalated area
then i put some fiberglass screen over the false bottom to prevent anything falling through.fastend it with a needle and fishing line!
after this i prepared the the tank floor. i placed pvc pipe to help with the weight of anything i might put in the tank later(i also notched each one so water wouldnt get trapped in them). i went ahead and put a underwater heater in it and made sure i could change the temp easy through my access on the right side.
before i put the false bottom in i cut some silicone off the right side so i can veiw the pump,water level,and heater(so i can see completely under the false bottom)
then i set up the false bottom and put the rest in place(i siliconed around the bottom and the side and the back) i made it to where there is a half inch gap in between the false bottom and the front of the tank.so i can put rocks there to hide the false bottom(i wedged stuff in there to hold everything in place till the silicone dries) plus i threw the extra peices of eggcrate in the back for added support for the heavy rocks
i went down to the river a block away from my house and managed to find some decent rocks.....i then took them to work and sprayed them off(you can do this at a car wash to get all the nasty stuff off). then i boiled them till the water evaporated.then did it again!(took an hour roughly) my wife was not happy ! it stinks like a creek! then i took them to the sink and used bleach water to kill germs (10% bleach 90%water)
next i layed the tank on the back side (over a towel) i sprayed a can of great stuff foam spray on the back walls and covered everything thouroghly then placed the rocks where i wanted them9i will add another can tommorow after the first can cures)make sure to do this some where ventalated and easy to clean in case of a mess which is inevitable!
i added more rocks and another can of great stuff foam.then i spreaded more silicone to the foam and put coco bedding over it .it gives the effect of a dirt bankhere is a pic of a top veiw.i did it this way so i could replum lines for the waterfall.or change out pumps,ext...
seems to be a lot of work for some frogs. i cant even take care of fish. all i have left now is my sucker fish named Tank and he's shiting up the aquarium. literally.
yea i figured instead of having a bunch of reptils and shit i would focus on one tank.it wont just be the frogs that need maintained there will be fragile plants too that need light and humidity.......itle be fun though
more power to you man. i couldnt do it. looks like itll be cool though.
I think you should build that into a console in your truck... That wold be sweet! LoL
Nice looking tank bro. I got a 55 gal that I've been wanting to do something with recently. Good stuff.