Vivarium Photos

tunachris · #1 (**permalink**) 03-31-2007, 10:52 AM

Took some more photos of my vivarium. These were taken with the tank lights out, using room light only. The tank is a 60 gal. aquarium, substrate is gravel covered with window screen and a soil/coconut husk chunk mix. Humidity is provided by a reservoir connected to an aquarium pump, and through plastic tubing running into a perforated plastic supply line in the tank. I have a screen top over acrylic covers. A computer fan is attached to one end of the screen lid to provide air movement.

The tank has been set up for almost 2 years, I recently tore down the whole thing to add a styrafoam background. I used 2 24"x24" exo terra backgrounds, seamed together with silacone and painted to match. Moss is attached to the background to add texture. The left side of the tank is covered with a piece of styrafoam covred with cocounut husk chunks. I am thinking of adding a couple of small mounted orchids to the background for variety. I tried some Masdevillas before, but they were set in the substrate. I think they stayed to damp, and may have needed more light. I am thinking higher up may work better, and they won't get so soggy. I grow a lot of orchids outdoors on my patio, so I may even try to divide some of my Cattlyas to use in the vivarium, just don't know if there will be enought light. Small Cattlyas or Lycastes may work? Any advice would be appreciated.

Chris

Tindomul1of9 · #2 (**permalink**) 04-05-2007, 08:43 PM

it looks very cool! How did you attach moss to the background? That is, is it live, or glued on it or what??? Cute little lizard you got there!
The best catts to use would be Slc.'s. I have great luck with these in my vivarium, but only where there is alot of light, only 5 inches away from two 6500K 65 watt PC bulbs, and lots of air movement. SOme of the roots have grown to more humid areas of the tank, but that was its choice, not mine. Hehe.

tunachris · #3 (**permalink**) 04-08-2007, 11:58 AM

The moss is wired to the background or glued on. I would like to try some Catts, but may have to add at least one more 36" light to increase the light level. I put a Pleurothallis Brevi in last week, way up high on the background. I am going to see how it does and go from there.

Chris

tunachris · #4 (**permalink**) 08-08-2007, 12:26 PM

I recently got a new digital camera, so I took a few new shots of the Gecko vivarium. I recently pulled out some of the decor and went on an egg hunt. I found a total of 8 eggs buried in the substrate. I put them all in an incubation chamber and thought I was good to go. A couple of weeks ago my wife called me into the family room where the vivarium is, and lo and behold there is a baby crestie sitting on one of the plants. The next day I found a second one at the top of the enclosure between the screen top and some sliding plexiglass covers.

Right now I have a total of 6 babies, and 4 eggs incubating. So far in about a year and a half I have 16 eggs from 2 females.

Rainfrog · #5 (**permalink**) 08-09-2007, 06:25 AM

Looks nice congrats on the little ones!

sprwoman1 · #6 (**permalink**) 09-28-2007, 06:00 PM

This is similar to what I am trying to create. Any tips, advice, or things you would do diffrently?
Is the substrate too soggy for orchids?

tunachris · #7 (**permalink**) 09-29-2007, 06:45 PM

I have 2 Pluerothallis in the Viv, both are mounted on the side wall up high and doing well. I try to spray them on a regular basis, and I water them once every few weeks with a dilute orchid food mix. Mounted orchids seem to be the best bet in my envioronment. I tried a Masdevilla a couple of years ago, but it didn't live for long. I think the substrate stayed to damp, and the light a the bottom of the tank may have been to low.

The substrate never completely dries out so I don't know of any orchids that would do OK in the constant dampness.