12x12x18 Exo-Terra: Build Log with Pics.

[Waterkeeper]

The background is cool.. very cool.. you did an awsome job painting it!

[froggsong]

I did like the root better when it was black... It still looks good though! Wait until you get the plants in.

[heartagramtc]

thank you all for your support! im trying to make this tank the best ive built so far.

I have a question for you PDF owners out there. whats my best option for my tanks floor. im going to give options by how they will be layered.

1. False floor, leca, screen, subsrate, moss.
2. False floor, leca, screen, substrate, moss with pump to circulate water.
3. leca, screen, substrate, moss
4. Leca, screen, substrate, moss with pump to circulate water.

ive been looking around and i see ppl that build the tanks both ways. i just want to know whats best? or simplest. im not sure if its ok to just have 3&4 because there is no moving water, so wouldnt it stagnate? or is that just with ponds or water features?

again thanks for all your support and help! will begin process after i get a reply or two. lol.

[Austin]

I have a pdf.

My floor is just like this...
Leca,screen, substrate.

It works fine, because I find I never really water my plants. Heavy misting works for the tropical plants that i use in my tank.

[heartagramtc]

*UPDATE*
YAY! lol.
Ok, so i have been a busy bee and kinda impatient. lol. ive already put in my substrate and just planted my plants. im still undecided on some parts, i will get to those when i show pics. I decided to go with a LECA, Screen, Substrate. i chose this because i didnt have very much room for a small pump. it would have taken away from plant space. also i saw a bunch of PDF tanks that were done this way. for my substrate i chose Sphagnum Peat Moss.

ok so now onto the pics!



This is the other end of the piece of wood from my corner tank build.






Here we have the frog bath. lol


Now for the plants. For my plants i chose a philodendron(sp?) Prayer Plant, Spider Plant, and two Brom shoots that i just pulled off an old Brom i had. and here is how i put them.



Here you can see i took apart one of my spider plants and planted them in the holes i had in the wood.


here is a pic of the philo, i made a hole in the BG and stuft it in with some SPM. hopefully this will grow along the "root"


here are the two Broms. i decided to plant one into my planter on the mid level.


i also took parts of the Philo, and planted them around, one other at the base of the branch, and another in the back left corner. im ping i can get these to grow up the wall and wrap around the branch.





the next thing i need is the moss. i wanted to get Java moss but i dont like how tall it grows. so i might go with Riccia Moss. by the way dose anyone know how to say it? is it like Re-sea-a? or Rick-e-ah?

Again thanks for looking and Any comments are appreciated. I like to know what people think. if you think i need to change something or just leave it.

[froggsong]

I like the way the "root" looks now, with those chips in it. It looks more natural with the chips in it.

The spider plants are going to get huge (I assume you know that already), so if you aren't planning to prune them constantly, you'll have to remove them eventually.

I like it so far. The top is a little bare, though... maybe figure out something to plant up there, or try to cultivate some moss on the BG (that would look GREAT).

[heartagramtc]

yeah i kinda noticed that as well. the top shelf will be where i put the coco-hut.

as for the spider plants i know. i bought the smallest ones i could find! thats why im hoping the Philo takes off so it will cover part of the BG.

as for the moss, im trying to find the riccia moss, then i will put some all over the tank! that stuff grows very well! plus my tank i re-did the top, and replaced the screen with plexi. my tank hold humidity VERY well. almost too well. lol. id say its up close to the 85-90 range. i'd have to put my hydrogemer(sp?) in there to see.

[froggsong]

Thread title changed to reflect preferred format.

[heartagramtc]

thanks again!

[heartagramtc]

ok so i got my coco hut in and it looks good! now my question is, hw long should i let the tank run for before i get my frogs?

here are the choices i liked best:
D. auratus blue
Dendrobates tinctorus.
D. ventrimaculatus

if you think these are not good choices or maybe you think they all are, please let me know so i can start planning.

im hoping to get just two of one type and maybe try breeding.

my tank is at ~85% humidity, and the temp is about 75 degrees. now with these frogs do i need to have a moss floor, or can i just leave my SPM and give some ground cover leaves? again thanks for all your help!