29 Gallon PDF Build! - Page 3

Ellylove · #21 01-20-2011, 05:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ma77hew7

No, I meant it will look even better when it's overgrown

Oh.

Grimm · #22 01-20-2011, 10:15 AM

Looks pretty good. Nice selection of plants. You may need to get supplemental lighting if you want to keep the brom and earth stars colour. Also those 2 neo brom above the earth stars will need to be moved if they are planted in the substrate. They will rot if the base stays moist. Since you bought some springtails, I would suggest putting a bunch of leaf litter in the back section. Just dig out a little substrate, and fill it up with leaves. I regret not adding a lot more leaf litter. My leaves are only 2 layers thick and my springtails need to be replenished on a regular basis.

Ellylove · #23 01-20-2011, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grimm

Looks pretty good. Nice selection of plants. You may need to get supplemental lighting if you want to keep the brom and earth stars colour. Also those 2 neo brom above the earth stars will need to be moved if they are planted in the substrate. They will rot if the base stays moist. Since you bought some springtails, I would suggest putting a bunch of leaf litter in the back section. Just dig out a little substrate, and fill it up with leaves. I regret not adding a lot more leaf litter. My leaves are only 2 layers thick and my springtails need to be replenished on a regular basis.

I just got my 6500K light yesterday and everything looks so vivid! I'll try to get pics up today. My camera cord is missing and my husband's camera is suddenly angry about its battery for no reason.

The upper brom just has sphagnum at the base and is tucked into the grapewood. The striped one is in the dirt only because the guy I bought it from said it should be and there was dirt in the roots. I thought they were epiphytes, but he said they would die... I mostly just planted the roots. Maybe I'll go move it.

1/2 of my substrate is leaf litter. The entire section behind the grapewood is covered in lots of leaves and the back left hand corner with the "heart fern" has lots of leaves too. I loved how they looked in your tank so I made sure to add a lot.

What kind of moss did you use in your tank? i know I've asked you before, but I can't remember your answer or what thread its in...

Ellylove · #24 02-04-2011, 06:09 AM

Update! I have taken the large grapewood piece and the 2 broms on it as well as one of the earth stars and the creeping fig and put them all in a 10 gallon Zoo-Med tank for some mourning geckos I got. They love it!!!! The frogs are in the 29 and like the floor space, but are not happy with the substrate. I really need to get some moss to put down for them. I also got a leopard gecko and will hopefully be giving it a more awesome home instead of the ten gallon with cookie cutter hide and water dish from petco. Everybody seems fat and happy. I've been meaning to post pics, but my husband's camera died so I'll have to bug him to charge it so I can share. I think I'm actually more pleased with the gecko tank than the 29. I like the 29, but the gecko tank looks awesome, IMHO.

SobaTales · #25 02-04-2011, 12:40 PM

Awesome build Ellylove! Quick question though, approximately how much of the spring tail culture did you use to seed the viv?

Ellylove · #26 02-04-2011, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SobaTales

Awesome build Ellylove! Quick question though, approximately how much of the spring tail culture did you use to seed the viv?

Josh's frogs sent me a culture that had 2 live springtails in it and resent me one with 10 springtails. I got a culture from Darren @ the Portland reptile expo and there were more springtails than substrate! I poured all of that culture into the 29 and it had 5 days to seed into it before I put the frogs in it. I took out some of the soil from the 29 and put it in the gecko tank and there are wood beetles and springtails in it. I also took some of the soil from the 29 and mixed it with the cultures from Josh's frogs in a small rubbermaid to keep a side culture going just in case. Both tanks and the rubbermaid are crawling with springtails.

Cocofibre works so much better than charcoal.

SobaTales · #27 02-05-2011, 10:59 AM

Cool thanks for the useful info!

Ellylove · #28 02-11-2011, 01:32 AM

UPDATE!!!!!!!!!!

Here's the tank before I took out the wood piece and before the moss:

And here's after!

The jewel orchid is perking up really well. 3 new leaves starting and a root emerging at the base!

What a show-boater

Mourning Gecko tank. I have 3 of them currently and I am planning on getting 2 more next month at the reptile expo.

Hard to see, but a small palm occupies the back corner

Our newest addition who will be getting a tank upgrade soon

SobaTales · #29 02-11-2011, 11:19 AM

Looks good! What kind of moss did you put down?

Grimm · #30 02-11-2011, 04:05 PM

Looking good. Hopefully the riccia stays alive for you. All the riccia I've ever had died on me...Then all of a sudden it started growing in one of my tanks. Seems to like shallow moving water and bright light. Ive seen it used as a ground cover also, but I've never been lucky enough.