Less is More in designing a vivarium

[gasteriaphile]

Hello there. Thought I'd start a new thread devoted primarily to The Vivarium as it relates, in my world, to anoles.

I began setting up my 29 gallon glass aquarium 5-6 weeks ago. At that time I designed it using two plants of Ficus pumila (sometimes known as "Climbing Dwarf Fig"), one on the left hand side and one on the right (see first attached image).

This week, as I was looking at the setup my mind's eye kept coming back to the ficus on the left. It was really not adding anything to the design in that it was growing without reference to the "log" or the other plants, etc. Whereas, the selaginella on the far right was sort of lost over there, out of the action.

So I decided that when the soil had dried out sufficiently, I would remove the left hand ficus altogether and re-locate the selaginella to the general area where the ficus had been. This I did today (see second attached image).

I think that now the design is more balanced, has more variety by having the texture of the selaginella more prominent, and in agreement with Mies van der Rohe, in design work, "less is more".

By the way, I do design work for terraria and vivaria. I am a university-trained landscape designer with professional drafting skills. For a fee I will design your vivarium for you on paper, showing numbers and locations of plants, where wood items and rocks go, etc. I work with my clients for a custom look based upon their likes, the availability of plants and materials in their neck of the woods, what works best for their animals, and what is consistent in "good design" for the size of your tank.

For more info, private message me directly.

Cheers, Breck

[Austin]

Looks good... What type of wood is that? I just love your tank...makes me want to get myself some anoles...

Is that a 10 g tank?

Where did you buy the anoles? I heard that you have a more terrestrial species, where could I get some of those?

[gasteriaphile]

Originally Posted by Austin

Looks good... What type of wood is that?
As best I can judge, it is some species of cherry.

Originally Posted by Austin

I just love your tank...makes me want to get myself some anoles...
Good!

Is that a 10 g tank?
Austin you are not reading carefully : "I began setting up my 29 gallon glass aquarium 5-6 weeks ago".

Where did you buy the anoles?
I do not have any....as yet. I have spent the last 5-6 weeks doing research on breeders, middle-men, and so forth. Thus far I have discovered less than half a dozen sources. The anole specialist/hobbyists/amateur breeders/herpetoculturists in the States are currently keeping, from my count, about 25 species. Not all available all the time, of course.

I heard that you have a more terrestrial species, where could I get some of those?
One anole authority once said that Anolis sagrei could just as easily be called the "Ground Anole" as the "Brown Anole". Anolis sagrei is the most common anole in the Universe. They are in all Petcos, etc. At one time I had pretty much decided upon A. sagrei, but in the last 48 hours I have been hedging a bit and looking at more "exotic" species. Unfortunately they are very expensive in most cases. Some VERYVERYVERY expensive!.

Cheers, Breck[/color]

[RecycledAgain]

I have to say I disagree about the Ficus pumila ( I appreciate the common names) on the left . It hid a focal point of the set up, but a focal point changes with opinions and the scope of the view. Try that ficus in that cleft of the wood on the left side under the leaves of the Ardisia elliptica (Shoe button), That way you get that neat texture in the wood and it frames the selaginella (spikemoss). lol Just an opinion .. Ohh and that Red text on green is a nightmare to read,

Dan

[gasteriaphile]

Originally Posted by RecycledAgain

I have to say I disagree about the Ficus pumila ( I appreciate the common names) on the left . It hid a focal point of the set up, but a focal point changes with opinions and the scope of the view. Try that ficus in that cleft of the wood on the left side under the leaves of the Ardisia elliptica (Shoe button), That way you get that neat texture in the wood and it frames the selaginella (spikemoss). lol Just an opinion .. Ohh and that Red text on green is a nightmare to read,

Dan

Hi Dan. I don't understand. If you "disagree" about the ficus, what would you prefer? Leave it where it was? If "it hid a focal point" then removing it would be good, no? Yeah, the red was bad. I wish we didn't have these colored backgrounds at all.

[RecycledAgain]

Just an opinion .. on the back side of the cleft..The V in the branch. that way you can still see the wood and have the backdrop.

Dan

[greenery]

Your set up looks nice. Although I don't have anoles,I did want to say that I completely agree with "less is more." I've seen people swamp their setups. It ends up looking hideous. So minimal and necessary is attractive.

[gasteriaphile]

Originally Posted by greenery

Your set up looks nice. Although I don't have anoles,I did want to say that I completely agree with "less is more." I've seen people swamp their setups. It ends up looking hideous. So minimal and necessary is attractive.

Thank you for your compliment. This is a good opportunity to up-date the look and composition. These kinds of terraria are often a work in progress. Especially if one has not done one before. So what plants do work and those that don't is uncertain.

In the present instance, the Maranta ("Prayer Plant") did not work. It wanted to grow towards the wrong side of the tank, and for whatever reason, was not really healthy. Whether that was from too much or too little water (I think probably too much), and/or from too much light, I can't say. But in the past, outside of terraria I have not had much luck with this plant. It was a gamble that did not pay off.

So, although it is hard to see in the attached photo, I replaced the Maranta with a Pilea nummulariia. I think some call this "Creeping Charlie" but this common name has been applied to an entirely different species. It is much lower growing but I am hoping that it will grow high enough to take over the design chore for the Maranta. It is a much more fool-proof plant.

The vivarium itself has been populated. I now have a pair of Anolis coelestinus in it. See second photo. This is a much larger anole species than I expected, and I am not happy with the proportions, but for now this must do.

Cheers, and Huzzay! for anoles!!
Breck

[SergeDoctr]

nero cd software download
frre software
best photography software
motorolla q software
traffix software
verizon dsl installation software
buy adobe
stone design software
stone design software
JSCAPE Secure FTP Server