My first viv build.

[JoeG]

Hi, I'm new to the site and I thought I would like to share my first viv build. I gained a fair amount of knowledge from this site in particular so I would love to get some feedback... good and bad!

Its a 45 gallon tall tank. The back of the tank was skim coated in Silicone then the drift wood was positioned, 1/4" tubing positioned for a drip wall and filled around it with GS foam. After it cured, I did a bit of trimming and coated it with silicone and pressed in the coco fiber.

The left side corner of the background is actually hollow from the top to the bottom, this is where I have full access to the pump and the 6 head distribution valve. The valve itself has a flow control for each line so I can tailor the flow rate.

I used egg crate for the false bottom, wrapped in weedblock fabric, pea gravel for drainage, more weedblock and finally a layer of cocofiber mixed with orchid mix and some sphagnum moss.

I ran the system for 4 days before putting in the plants. At this point I have:

Spanish Moss (Tillandsia usneoides)
Lobster Claw (Vriesea carinata)
Dendrobium

I have yet to ID the bigger Brom which came in a generic assortment at Home Depot. I also plan on adding Ball Moss (Tillandsia recurvata). This is currently sitting on my patio waiting for me to kill off the ants which actually have a colony in the ball moss. I live in Florida, so I just walk out to a tree and pluck the stuff off.

I have been running the system for 3 days now with the plants and after a while, not sure how long I need to run it, I am considering a rescue of a skunk gecko from a local petco.



Well, thats it, hope you like and any advise around keeping it alive, when to add animals etc is most welcome.

[Vivweaver]

That's not bad for a first build. You should have seen my first build. I have it posted some where on here, but it went very wrong. I grew algea and mold, but killed every thing else except my CWD. I like it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[JoeG]

I just installed a ceramic heat bulb (100 watt) and a red bulb for nighttime viewing; tied them both to a Zilla 24/7 Dual Analog Timer Power Center. I'll cycle the heat and flor bulb for day time and have the red powered for nighttime. On the secondary timer I have the drip wall running at odd 15 minute intervals. Hopefully I get close on the first shot.

I am looking to play around with these settings to get around 80 degrees F and around 75% Humidity. Right now, I am at 45% humidity and 72 degrees F. Bring on the trial and error!! lol

My biggest question right now is around pill bugs/wood lice etc.. I think I understand that they help clean the tank so I wont need to do it so often. Some people seem to 'turn' the soil every so often? Whats the reality on this?

[beckdg]

i'd say air is escaping somewhere... probably up top. close that in and you should get higher temps and humidity.

a fogger would probably also help but closing that in should be your priority.
turning the soil is kinda like composting. if you don't turn it it can be deadly. if you do it can benefit you. it keeps the soil from being anarobic... like rotting food or poo.

[JoeG]

Thanks beckdg. When you say seal it up, do you mean completely? Dont I need to have some opening for ventilation? I also have a ceramic heater from above. If I use glass to seal the top, can I safely lay the ceramic heater on the glass? I would think id would dissipate the heat, like a radiator. Maybe just seal it off except for where the heater is?

[beckdg]

sounds like you got it... "Maybe just seal it off except for where the heater is?"

of course uneven or extreme heat will crack glass. the better you seal your top off though the better off you'll be.

[eos]

JoeG... First off.. nice tank! Secondly, you can get a culture of Springtails and some pillbugs to act as your tank's 'janitors' ... and with that setup I wouldn't waste it on a skunk gecko (just my opinion)
I would get something nicer to look at to compliment the tank. Maybe a day gecko or something?

[JoeG]

I did consider a lot of Geckos... Tokay...and Day were tops on my list but I had to go with Crested in the end for a lot of reasons. Main one, this is my first time with reptiles so Geckos, in particular cresties, made the top of the list for care and were a good fit for the tanks setup. I also thought the nocturnal nature was ideal because I work and don't really get home till 7pm...then I work in my den till around 10 most nights... so I get to enjoy them.

That being said, its beginning to feel a bit like a crack addiction.. lol I think i want more!! lol

[eos]

Cresties are cool. Kudos!

[JoeG]

Here is one of the cresties, Puff. I'm not handling them right now so I took this with my phone so better pics are in the future.


Coco is a Flame but is a bit less active so i could not get a good shot, yet.