Grimm's Vivarium "Build"

[spacefrog]

nice viv i love the sand in the pond

[Adam Kenny]

Hey Grimm,

How did you apply the silicone? I'm currently doing a build, and was trying to do some pre-covering up with black silicone, but I found it PAIN-STAKING to squeeze some out then use a credit card to smear it, repeating the process as it dried. Is there some trick?

Unfortunately I've got past the point of being able to apply it where I needed it, but I'd like to know for future builds....

Great build by the way. Really love the originality of the water-devider. Great idea and worksmanship!

Are you planning on planting the land plants, or are you gonna leave them plotted?

-A

[Grimm]

Um, as for the silicone application try and use one hand with a glove to smeer it on, and use your other hand to squeez the tube, aswell as put the co-co onto it. I usually work in about 4x4" sections to avoid the silicone skinning over. Also make sure that the co-co is 100% bone dry.

I honestly dont think I'll be doing the silicone/co-co method again though. Ive noticed is has slowly started to flake off and fall into my water section (from the waterfall). It isnt a huge deal since a lot of it is still intact but if it continues to degrade I may have to redo it.

As for the potted plants, I had bought them without thinking about where I was gonna have them planted. I love pitcher plants so when I saw them I needed to buy them! When I redo this tank I may end up putting one of them in the land area, and put the other in my 2nd viv.

[Grimm]

Here is my new purchase from the weekend...I believe it was the only RETF at the show I was at, so I got lucky.

I asked the seller if he knew the sex, he said he had no clue since it did not call or anything....Second night in my viv and HE is already doing his song and dance I must be doing something rite haha. I was watching tv and I kept hearing this wierd higher pitched noise, turns out it was Fred (Yes I named him Fred, wanna fight about it lol?)

And might I say, what a little chunker he is!

[beckdg]

that second pic is pretty sweet, grimm.

[Grimm]

SPREAD EAGLE caught in the act! lol

[froggsong]

I just can't get over how healthy he looks! I've never noticed before, but the way their colors are (where the blue is in comparison to the green), makes them look like transformers, lol... From frog to leaf!

I'll be working on a bigger tank for my newt soon, and I think I'm going to make her water/land barrier the way you did. I bet it keeps the water MUCH cleaner!

[Grimm]

You should of seen how bright the colours were when I woke him up during the day to put him in the viv...INSANE! The blue was super dark yet bright, and there was no green colour anywhere past the yellow stripes on his side. Next time I need to wake him during the day, I'll be sure to snap a quick pic before he goes back to sleep.

The odd thing is that the owner said he only fed him 3-4 crickets every 2-3 days...I'll be tossing in a bunch of gutted and dusted crickets every 2 days to make sure he stays this chubby and healthy.

Yeah it definately does stay clear...I get comments all the time on the other forum I'm on asking how I keep my water so clean. My filter, my shimp/snails, and my natural waterfall filtering all help, but the main reason is that there are no tannins from the soil getting into my water.

Because of my leaking barrier I syphon out the land area every 5-7 days, then fill the water section up to the top again. It is a pain but at least it ensures fresh water being added to the tank every week. I do syphon out waste and fallen co-co, clean out my filter spong, and add new carbon every month or so, but thats about it

Edit: The fine sand helps a lot aswell. It is consistent in colour, and all unwanted particles stay ontop of its surface making them easily syphoned out.