Starting my vivarium project today!

[mindybigred]

I am so excited to finally get started on my first vivarium.

Here is what I have so far:
Tank size is 55 gallon dimensions are 48x12.5x21.

Plants I am using are as follows:

Angraecum distichum
Macodes Petola "The jewel orchid"
Bulb. sessile 'Makai'
Maxillaria sanquinea
Haraella odorata
Cirrhopetalum (Bulbophyllum) yasnae
Gastrochilus dasypogon
I also have a variety of air plants I will be using.
I am going to pick up some bromiliads today or in the next few days.



Things I need to shop for:

Great stuff foam.
Stand for tank.
pump for water feature.
black silicone
egg crate
fiber glass screen mesh
plumbers tubing for false bottom.
lighting?? help with that would be great!
some rocks
moss
fan
screen framing kit for the top.
glass for the top
coco fiber
Humidity and temperature gauge
probably missing some items


I can't wait to get started.

[Tindomul1of9]

Great plan!!!!!! I wish I had included a background on my 55 gallon tank, but at the time I didn't know how to do it. Congrats, Im excited for ya.

[mindybigred]

Thank you!!

Quick question? What is the average cost to complete say a 30 gal. system like one of yours?

[Tindomul1of9]

With a background, plants, materials, etc.... Around $300. More or less depending on size.

[mindybigred]

Tindomul1of9,

Thanks for the information. Very much appreciated. I have another issue that I have been wondering about. Any advice would be extremely helpful.

How often do you need to change the water, so it does not get stagnant? Also, what is a good method for removing the water?


Thanks,

Mindy

[Rainfrog]

Water changes will be determined by several factors.
1. Moving water has more oxygen and build harfull bateria more slowly and is less likely to atrack insect larvi frome things like mosquitoes.
2. if there are plants in the water this will help filter and pull toxins from the water collum.
3.adding a small filter will drasticaly improve water quality especialy without fish to muck it up. thre are small filters like the wisper 10i are even 20i depending on how much water you have that are pretty inexspensive and work great. I plan on some day doing a 55 for PDFs or Mossy Frogs and plan on using one of these.

A good way to get water out is with a turkey baster to suck it out of a small bit of hose/tubing like for siphoning a fish tank but smaller and you wouldnt need the gravel cleaner cup on the end

[Rainfrog]

should have spell checked that one!!!

[mindybigred]

Wow I never thought about a turkey baster. But I bet it works great! Thanks for the advice

My fiance is now very interested in my project and is ready to build his own. I am very excited and I think our apartment might end up turning into "The Aquarium Jungle."

[gman1214]

I'm also starting to create a 55 gallon and I think I'm culess on how to make one LOL I've always wanted one though, so if some body whould be kind enough to tell me what I need it would be great.

[tunachris]

I did the tubing and turkey baster number when I first built my vivarium, but have never needed to use it. My vivarium is "dry" and houses Crested Geckos. This past weekend I tore it completely down to change the background. I used 2 24" X 24" Exo-terra backgrounds, and used silacone and paint to hide the seam. I also glued a lot of moss along the joint and along the seams in the background. Hid the bottom part of the joint with a large branch. I was going to make my own background, but was able to get the Exo-terra backgrounds online for $12 each, and I really like the look.

I have a false bottom with aquarium gravel under egg crate and window screen. Substrate is a mix of soil and coconut husk chunks. Over time the whole system has become bio-active, and is very low maintenance.

Chris