Vivarium Construction Help

[Zelda]

Hello. I'm starting my first Vivarium. I've done tons of research and bought a few books and read through them. I have some questions I would like some help on.
For starters I have got a 29gal Aquarium tank 30(l)x16(h)x12(d). In doing research it states "to have a healthier vivarium build one with a false bottom." So I'm doing that. My questions are as follows:

1. Do I need to put a screen over the eggcrate, and over the hydrotron substrate? Or will that increase the chances of spoilage?

2. When I put soil in, how much should I put in? I'm thinking of a couple inches.

3. Creating a waterfall, where do I put the pump? Down under the false bottom? Or do I keep it outside in a bucket of water? I have a 3/4" PVC for siphoning the false bottom in case of spoilage and needing to change out something.

4. Is 10-11" enough head room for the amphibians/plants in the vivarium?

5. Misting, am I fine using a 32oz water spray bottle?

6. What happens to the vivarium if and when I have to move? I live in an apartment so leases expire. When I move out, what will be the easiest way to move without affecting the vivarium or amphibians?

I think these are more specific questions I had. Any help is greatly appreciated. I want to make this vivarium last.

Thought I might get some answers better by posting here.

[Evilwezal]

First I would decided on what kind of Reptile/Amp your going to care for. Then I would construct the habitat around the animal(s). Your design is REALLY going to depend on the animal your going to keep. Once you've picked out your species. we could easily help ya.

[Tiamat]

1. Do I need to put a screen over the eggcrate, and over the hydrotron substrate? Or will that increase the chances of spoilage?

The screen is needed to make sure the earth doesn't fall in the water part of your tank. If you are planing on planting, it is pretty much a must.

2. When I put soil in, how much should I put in? I'm thinking of a couple inches.

just enought to make the plants you have get a firm starting grip.

3. Creating a waterfall, where do I put the pump? Down under the false bottom? Or do I keep it outside in a bucket of water? I have a 3/4" PVC for siphoning the false bottom in case of spoilage and needing to change out something.

Lets see, outside reservoir is a very good way to do it if you have the time, space, money to do it. Actually, an outside reservoir+reservoir in the tank gives you a much bigger water quantity. And the more water you have, the easier it is to control your water quality. Outside reservoir is also very good for maintainence. See it as the same principle as a reef tank.

4. Is 10-11" enough head room for the amphibians/plants in the vivarium?

hard too answer this one....you will get ground or tree amphibians? For the plants, it will all be based on their growth.

5. Misting, am I fine using a 32oz water spray bottle?

With water feature, and 2 shoots a day, you will not deviate to much from the 80-90% humidity.

6. What happens to the vivarium if and when I have to move? I live in an apartment so leases expire. When I move out, what will be the easiest way to move without affecting the vivarium or amphibians?

Are we talking about a 60g full of water/earth and stones? or a 15 gallon? You have to be real, and think for yourself on this one. No matter what, it will be better for you to remove your animals from the terra, keep them in a small container for transport. The terra, you deal with it the way you can.

[Zelda]

Tiamat: Thanks for all the help answering my questions. I did state that its a 29gal tank. If and when I move it isnt going to be hours away. Maybe 30-45min.

Thanks Again

[Fisherman 1991]

Zelda, do take whatever animals you have out the viv before transport. For that short bit of time, a plastic rubbermade container should work fine.

And like evilwezal said, pick the herp you want before you build the viv. Then you can build it to the herps exact needs

fisherman

[Zelda]

well I'm looking at starter frogs. Black and Green or Black and Blue, or Black and Yellow Dendrobatidae. I'll look into these particular species.

Maybe I have the wrong impressions of what a FB is and does. Again, this is my first viv, and the only experience I have is books and what people talk about. So I'm going to have a bunch of questions.

[Nubster]

Ask away. As far as a good "starter" frog in black and yellow, take a look at Dendrobates leucomelas. Black and blue - Dendrobates azureus or Dendrobates tinctorius. Dendrobates auratus is available in black and blue and also in black and green. All are beginner frogs.

As far as a false bottom, I can give you a very basic explanation. You raise eggcrate off the bottom of the tank about 2 inches, usually with sections of pvc pipe or something similar. Then you lay down some window screen, then your layer of substrate. Basically what the FB does is allow excess water to drain from the substrate and down in to the area under the eggcrate. This keeps the substrate from getting too wet and muddy and prevents plant roots from getting to wet and rotting. That is it in a nutshell. There is more to it than that but that is the most basic explanation.

[Zelda]

Many thanks for the explanation. I understood what it was there for. Here is the dilemma I am foreseeing. I want to have a riverbank type area for the frogs to soak and play in. I want to have a water feature there as well. Is this possible in doing with a false bottom? Or am I not thinking straight. Let me take a picture of all my drafting ideas. Maybe that will make sense. Give me a bit of time to add them and post them.
Thanks

[froggsong]

Do you mean a stream going into a pond? The are fairly easy to construct if that is what you are going for. You can use a piece of PVC sawed in half lengthways, you can mold one out of GS, or you can silicone rocks together to make a stream-bed. I molded the one for my newt tank out of GS, it was a piece of cake, lol.

[Zelda]

Yes. Where the water feature drains into a pond/soaking area for the frogs. I'm looking at getting Dendrobates auratus (Blue and Black) and I read somewhere that they don't necessarily require water. Is this true? Obviously it wont hurt to put one in there for the obvious reasons.
Thanks for that info. I didn't think to use pvc cut in half horizontally. I think I'll do that.
I drew up some pics of what I want my vivarium to look like. I drafted it on graphing paper. Im going to construct what I want it to look like out of the eggcrate and post pics tonight I think. Just so everyone has a better understanding of what I want to do.