# Poison dart frog vivariums



## gex23

Thought i'd post this here as it may be of some interest to a few members (maybe) 

I shut down my planted tank a little while ago with the idea of getting back into the froggy side of life.

My plan is to start with this build, with the idea of keeping either a pair of Oophaga Pumilio Basimentos, or Ranitomeya Variabilis Imitator and eventually progress to building multiple setups.

Equipment list :

Enclosure

24*18*24 Exo Terra

Lighting

ATI Sunpower 6 x 24w T5HO dimmable

Misting

Rainforest Vivs misting system w/ 2 single nozzles and 25 litre RO 
reservoir, which will run for 60 seconds, 3 times a day in order to maintain humidity.

Substrate

Hydroleca drainage w/ABG substrate layer and leaflitter.

ABG comprises of :

Milled sphagnum moss, treefern (xaxim) granules, orchid bark (fine), peat moss, lumpwood charcoal.

Background / decor

Treefern / cork background with cork 'tree stump'

Circulation

DIY polycarbonate lid with vents covered in fly mesh (external air drawn in) and 40mm fan running on a fan controller (internal circulation).

Treefern background (will be cut up to make space to silicone the cork trunk)





20180310_111330 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

First test fit :



20180310_110059 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



20180310_110110 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



20180310_110415 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



20180310_110426 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

Drainage (may remove the cap and replace with cork round)



20180310_110639 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



20180310_110705 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

Fruit fly media (stocked for about a year I think!)



20180310_110803 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

Misting pump / reservoir (will be using RO water) :



20180310_110734 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

More to follow.


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## gex23

So my cat helpfully decided to deconstruct the modded lid I used - so I upgraded to 10mm twinwall polycarbonate.

This has a lower thermal heat loss than glass, but the flipside is a lower percentage of light transmission. From the datasheets i've gathered it goes (approximate figures) :

8mm low iron glass (optiwhite) - 90%

8mm float glass - 85%

10mm twinwall polycarbonate - 80%

Not bad, and coupled with the fact the ATI is pretty overkill for this tank anyway (usually used on SPS / LPS reef tanks), it should see some decent PAR numbers at all heights in the tank.



20180312_173528 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

5 x 75mm vents, wrapped in fly mesh to improve external circulation and decrease moisture buildup on the front:



20180312_173150 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

Back to the light - bought preowned from a reefer with a selection of 6/10/15k bulbs producing a very blue light not pleasing on the eye for its new purpose



20180310_110613 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

Replaced with the following :



20180312_100308 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

So that's :

6500k x 3
4000k x 1
3000k x 1
2700k x 1

Which looks like this :



20180312_103613 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



20180312_103620 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

Also cut out 3 x 16mm holes for misting nozzles.

Tomorrow will see me siliconing the treefern panels to the back of the tank.


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## gex23

Hardscape just about finished.

The xaxim was siliconed to the glass, 2 panels on the back pane, the main trunk siliconed in between them, and any bare glass filled in with a xaxim / cork mosaic



20180314_095022 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



20180314_095513 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



20180314_095537 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr


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## foxfish

You have some nice decor & some nice bit of kit, although I am not convinced the about twin wall.
Have you seen it used before?


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## Nigel95

Nice poison dart frogs


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## gex23

foxfish said:


> You have some nice decor & some nice bit of kit, although I am not convinced the about twin wall.
> Have you seen it used before?



I have on previous builds.

I know of a former breeder that constructed the entire vivarium out of twinwall with no issues!

Why do you ask?


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## gex23

Nigel95 said:


> Nice poison dart frogs



Cheers


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## foxfish

Well apart from the light loss I wonder if damp air gets in the middle, if it will condensate between the layers?
Also from my own experience, the plastic become opaque over time & restricts light even further.
I started off using Perspex on my viv but it warped and went really opaque within a year, I use glass now.
Of course I might be totally wrong


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## gex23

Light loss is approx 10% less than optiwhite and 5% less than float glass looking at the manufacturers datasheets.

PDFs don't need a lot of light they prefer diffused light, just the bromeliads will to retain colour plus orchids.

The ATI sunpower keeps the T5s in a specific temp range to promote max lumens output, coupled with the best reflectors on the market. So in terms of light I'm really not concerned.

The opaque issue may be a concern, however trying to get glass cut with so many holes in such a small dimension of glass proves tricky to impossible.

There shouldn't be much moisture ingress as I'm siliconing all openings in the corrugated construction.

Thanks for the input though, I appreciate it.


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## gex23

Continuing the build, I decided to cover the left hand side to prevent my Burmese kitten taking too much interest in the inhabitants.

Originally I bought some exo terra treefern panels along with the treefern from a local supplier - the quality difference is stark - the exo is the lighter variant, thin and general poor quality, too late as it's siliconed in place . 

I continued this theme with breaking up the remaining treefern and some cork to create a mosaic, while leaving a 1 inch gap in between which will be infilled with sphagnum moss. I'm still not happy with the bare glass left at the sides, so i've ordered some more dark tree fern panels to finish the job.

My jobs list

- Recut and redrill another lid, as the initial misting nozzle placement was too central and would have left 30%ish of the tank dry (i've also ordered 2 more misting nozzles, to increase coverage).
- Drill an 8mm hole on the rear glass panel towards the bottom and fit the mistking bulkhead (for drainage water runoff)
- Drainage layer - I purchased hydroleca drainage medium but am considering using an eggcrate setup for weightsaving.
- Mix substrate to simulate Atlanata Botanical Gardens substrate
- Start practicing with fly cultures, i'll stick with just melanogasters / turkish gliders.
- Plumb in misting system.
- Order parts for internal fan circulation, so far that comprises : 50mm brushless fans x 2, PC fan controller, 3 pin extension cables and power supply.
- Silicone Manzanita in place to finish off hardscape
- Order and install heatpad into cabinet to stabilise temps in there for optimum isopod / fly production.

Here, I think, is the finished hardscape (bar the treefern panels on the sides) :



20180317_171208 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



20180317_171346 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



20180317_171230 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

To be continued


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## gex23

It's been a little while since my last update, in no small part due to work but also things going wrong (and continuing to!)

Since the last update i've managed the following :

- Drilled bulkhead for Mistking 'value bulkhead' - this is only 6mm tubing but it does the job of draining the excess water from the drainage layer. Ryan from MK quoted me the wrong drill bit size, so had to wait for the correct one to arrive before proceeding. Once drilled and fitted I leak tested it, and found it was leaking badly even with an extra O ring on the outer glass. So I had to smear it in silicone and fingers crossed this seems to be holding up :



20180405_140912 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



20180405_140916 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

- False bottoms constructed, these cover approx 80% of the floor, to reduce weight. Finished around the edges and centre with expanded clay balls, topped with rigid plastic mesh and topped finally with horticultural fleece



20180405_131043 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



20180405_131445 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

- ABG substrate mix created (using sphagnum moss, tree fern granules, carbon granules, fine orchid bark and peat moss)



20180405_141057 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

- Topped with a thin later of oak leaves (I need a much thicker layer, prefereably a variety including magnolia and cattapa leaves)



20180405_141206 by 
DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

- Also plumbed in the misting system and drainage, all pretty tidy underneath the vivarium :



20180405_143354 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

The hollow cork tubes i'm thinking of filling with fine orchid bark to prevent the frogs from entering and acting as a large refugium for the isopods (shoutout to Pumilio for this idea)

Other things on the to do list :

- Hide the fan in cork to create a relatively hidden internal air circulation solution - this will be powered by a 2A PSU at set intervals during the day

- Add ventilation at the read of the lid

- Try and work out why both fans on my ATI sunpower unit have stopped working

- Plant!

- Decide what LED solution to go for, either a self build CREE solution, a couple of Kessil A160 Amazon suns or some GU10 track lighting (want a hybrid solution so when summer comes around the temperatures from the T5 can be eliminated)

- Also debating on wether to re-add the manzanita branches or leave them out for a 'cleaner' look?


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## GHNelson

One for the froggie lovers
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt-sh/amazon_discoveries


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## gex23

viv by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr


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## Aron_Dip

Looking great mate

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk


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## gex23

Aron_Dip said:


> Looking great mate
> 
> Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk



Cheers


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## gex23

A list of current plants :

Scaphosepalum Rapax
Restrepia Mohrii
Maxillaria Pumilia
Restrepi
Trichoglossa
Begonia Listada
Elaphogossum Crinitum
Pyrrosia Nummularifolia
Marcgravia Sp.
Neoregelia Memphisto
Neoregelia Hawaii
Neoregelia Hybrid
Chrismas Moss
Java Moss
Flame Moss

Plants on order :

Pleurothallis Jantae
Pleurothallis Luctuoasa
Pleurothallis Tripterantha
Peperomia Rotundifolia
Peperomia Hope
Microgramma Tecta
Ficus Panama
Neoregelia Fireball
Neorgelia Red Waif
Neoregelia Hybrid


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## Edvet

What do you plan to do with food? Buy/breed?


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## gex23

I've setup cultures of tropical springtails (Folsomia candida)  and dwarf white woodlice (Trichornia tomentosa), these are booming and have seeded the tank with them. 

The springtails will not only be for the bioactive substrate to keep the substrate healthy and for breakdown of waste, the frogs will also eat these.

I'll shortly be setting up cultures of Drosophila melanogaster fruit flies, these will be the staple diet.


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## gex23

A few photos with the new plants in :



Planting 2 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



New plants by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



Planting 3 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



Planting 5 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



Pleurothallis by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



Focus Panama by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr


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## foxfish

You have put a lot of thought and effort into your enclosure (money too), I hope it all grows well for you.


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## gex23

So progress is slow, and the breeder holding my pumilio on a deposit for the last 5 weeks is getting understandably frustrated.

However before I can finally add the frogs, I needed to replace the polycarbonate lid due to concerns about BPA and its connection to endocrine disruptors.

So I decided to replace with glass - I went for 6mm Pilkington Optiwhite (low iron) - which cost me £34 for a straight cut sheet.




20180803_180825 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



20180803_180757 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

Template mocked up - ventilation provided by 5 x 50mm holes, misting provided by 5 16mm misting holes, the last 16mm hole (rear left) is for a misting nozzle to attach a 50mm fan too for internal circulation.



20180810_174047 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

50mm and 16mm tile drills purchased along with plumbers putty, this is the end result :



glass top by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



Glass top 2 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

Hoping once the mesh is installed to have the frogs in within the next 10 days


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## DutchMuch

so cool


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## gex23

4 x Oophaga pumilio 'Rio branco' collected today - absolutely gorgeous - certainly won't be my last Oophaga


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## Wulfen

gex23 said:


> 4 x Oophaga pumilio 'Rio branco' collected today - absolutely gorgeous - certainly won't be my last Oophaga


Wow, just looked these frogs up. Very cool creatures


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## gex23

A few photos to show the variability in patterning and colours of this locale :



Riobranco1 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



Riobranco2 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



Riobranco3 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



Riobranco4 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

This is an unsexed juvenile group - 0.0.4


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## gex23

Added a 60mm fan for internal circulation and moved a couple of plants to see if they flourish elsewhere.

The fan's programmed to circulate air 15 minutes per hour, hoping this will crack the orchid nut, provide greater evaporative cooling for the frogs and just generally provide a healthier environment for the inhabitants.

I also plan on installing an exhaust fan into one of the ventilation tubes to actively draw fresh air in several times per day.

Struggling to culture Melanogaster - not managed a single culture yet and having to order - frustrating and such a needless expense.

Updated growth photo :



20180830_124205 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



20180830_124234 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



20180830_124221 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



20180830_122827 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr


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## dw1305

Hi all, 





gex23 said:


> Struggling to culture Melanogaster - not managed a single culture yet


I cultured vestigial winged _Drosophila melanogaster_ for about 6 years continuously, I used "Weeta-bix" (the Lidl "Bixie" version is cheaper) as the base medium, with a small dash of orange juice, banana and some <"wood wool"> in one litre pickle jars with a foam bung lid.

The wood wool is the secret. 

I didn't add any fungicides. I ended up with micro-worms in the cultures (via wild "Wild type" fruit flies getting into both cultures), but it wasn't disasterous. 

cheers Darrel


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## gex23

I should have mentioned, finally nailed the cultures using Repashy Superfly and have 3 cultures with 2nd instar larvae visible 

I've so far used coffee filters but have wood wool for future cultures.

A few other updates, more for my own records than anything.

- Repashy Vitamin A and Repashy Superpig (contains carotenoids) ordered, with the plan to supplement calcium plus daily, with the vitamin A and superpig supplemented once fortnightly on a rotating basis.

- Used 3mm neoprene to close the gaps between the glass lid and plastic rim to minimise melanogasters crawling all over the room...

- Added some Macodes Petola 'jewel orchid', hoping they take off  :



jewel orchid by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

- Hoping to place a large order for more orchids (been chasing Pleurothallis grobyii for a while now), some Brazilain tropical moss, creeping ferns and leaves to increase leaf litter depth.

Something to ask you UKAPS members - my T5 fixture currently has the following bulbs :

2700k x 1
4000k x 1
3500k x 1
6500k x 3

Now I was thinking of tweaking this for no particular reason other than i'm intrigued. How would a gro-lux bulb fit into the above combo or maybe a 5000k (replacing a 6500k).

Lastly - I still haven't even unwrapped the Kessil A360s I bought off a UKAPS forum member - thinking of using them in a 24"W x 18"D x 36"H tank with 4 x t5s as a kind of hybrid - thoughts?


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## gex23

dw1305 said:


> Hi all, I cultured vestigial winged _Drosophila melanogaster_ for about 6 years continuously, I used "Weeta-bix" (the Lidl "Bixie" version is cheaper) as the base medium, with a small dash of orange juice, banana and some <"wood wool"> in one litre pickle jars with a foam bung lid.
> 
> The wood wool is the secret.
> 
> I didn't add any fungicides. I ended up with micro-worms in the cultures (via wild "Wild type" fruit flies getting into both cultures), but it wasn't disasterous.
> 
> cheers Darrel



Cheers Darrel - see my reply after yours 

To add I will be storing these on anti mite paper to reduce the chance of culture clashes.


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## Edvet

About the T5's: i would realy go with the color you prefer, you find most pleasing. In general for a plant a photon is a photon, it will adapt. Specialy adapted "grow- bulbs" are more 'advertising mumbo jumbo" than you will notice in real life.


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## gex23

My Tropiscape Orchids order arrived today - very impressed with the service and quality. Now the species are the following :

- Masdevallia andreetana
- Masdevallia bulbophyllopsis
- Masdevallia mendozae
- Pleurothallis aveniformis
- Sophrontis cernua



20180906_130531 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



20180906_130602 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



20180906_130618 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



20180906_130631 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



20180906_130648 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr


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## gex23

Edvet said:


> About the T5's: i would realy go with the color you prefer, you find most pleasing. In general for a plant a photon is a photon, it will adapt. Specialy adapted "grow- bulbs" are more 'advertising mumbo jumbo" than you will notice in real life.



I thought as much - i'll stick with a range of bulbs from 2700k - 6500k then


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## Aron_Dip

Nice! How long do they take to come? Also any other charges on top of the price?

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk


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## gex23

Bar the additional €14 delivery, no additional import costs as they come from within the EU

Website here : https://www.tropiscape-orchids.com/


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## gex23

- Added some further cork brancing to bring the hardscape to the front and increase the useable area for the pums

- Bought two further exo terras, made a wooden stand to house the existing plus one new.

- New lighting on the way, minisun led battens (the kessils will be retired and used for a large show tank in the future)



viv update by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr


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## foxfish

Looking better with each update.


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## Aloe_Danielo

This is beautiful  and I really love the orchid mounts
Is it bioactive with clean up crew?


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## gex23

foxfish said:


> Looking better with each update.



Cheers Foxfish.

Hopefully have the new stands in the room this weekend, meaning I can start on scaping the next 2 tanks.


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## gex23

Aloe_Danielo said:


> This is beautiful  and I really love the orchid mounts
> Is it bioactive with clean up crew?



The orchid mounts are the stock ones the orchids arrived on - too bulky and unnatural for the tank so the orchids will be remounted using fishing wire / cocktail sticks and sphagnum moss - when I get chance.

It certainly does, it has dwarf white woodlice in there and springtails.

Also a few pests which I will ensure don't find their way into the other setups.


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## gex23

The tank's on it's new stand, and with new light setup.

The stand, by happy accident, will house the 24*18*24 exos on top, and 18*18*24 exos underneath, so 4 tanks in a fairly compact area.

New lighting system in place :

- 1 x 6500k twin LED light strip
- 1 x 4000k twin LED light strip
- 1 x channel T5 HO
- 1 x channel T5 HO

I've split the T5 channels in so much that instead of each bank / ballast powering one tank, I have each powering 'half' a tank, so it gives me an extra channel of control so as follows :

- 08:00 - 4000k LED - on
- 09{00- 6500k LED - on
- 11:00 - T5 bank one - on
- 13:00 - T5 bank two - on
- 14:00- T5 bank two - off
- 16:00 - T5 bank one - off
- 19:00 - 6500k LED - off
- 20:00 - 4000k LED - off

Heat may be an issue at certain times of year (such as the incredibly mild autumn we're experiencing here), so the T5s won't be used all that much, but are there if needed.

Now all these lights are on fairly basic and chunky timers, meaning the plug sockets next to then in the extension i'm unable to use due to the timers size and bulk, so i've ordered a 'smart timer'. It's a 4 channel timer which is wired inline meaning 4 plugs are cut down to one and no old clunky timers, with the benefit I can operate it via an app on my phone, or ,if you so wish, via Amazon Alexa.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fangfeen-C...81&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=sonoff+4ch+pro&psc=1

Also, noticed the current viv is littered with pests, ranging from snails, to centipedes and snails. I can only assume this is from the peat I used in the ABG soil mix as I didn't microwave it - unfortunately there's not a lot I can do with this regard, so i'll have to live and learn for the next setups, in terms of sterilising items (which will include bleaching the plant cuttings I transfer across).

I've placed another plant order with Bens Jungle, with the view that the bromeliads will be in this tank, and the orchids / climbers in the next one. The reason I placed the order so soon is with the view that when temperatures drop, most suppliers stop shipping plants entirely, and as we're approaching winter that will be the case.

The plant order is as follows :

- Neoregelia 'high red'
- Neoregelia 'red'
- Neoregelia 'fireball mini'
- Neoregelia variegated 'brasil'
- Begonia thelmae
- Begonia schulzei
- Pleurothallis sp
- Pleurothallis sp
- Pleurothallis grobyi
- Pleurothallis corniculata
- Marcgravia sp. 'Colombia'
- Marcgravia sp. 'Peru'
- Peperomia nummularifolia

A few photos with the new light in place :

4000k LED :



4000k by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

6500k LED :



6500k by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

4000k LED + 6500k LED :



4000k:6500k by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

LEDs + 1 T5 :



LEDs+1*T5 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

LEDs + 2 T5s :



LEDs+T5s by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

A quick photo of the light array :



20181021_182952 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

A shocking photo of one of the Rio Branco :



20181021_184134 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

Back to the lights - they're not as bright as the ATI sunpower 6 x T5 unit nor the Kessil  T5 combo, however the diffuse lighting from the LED battens should encourage the frogs out a little more and save startling them with excessive light.


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## gex23

No idea how i'm going to fit all this into the tank.

That variegated bromeliad in particular is a monster!




plant order by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr


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## Edvet

(where did you order them from?)


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## gex23

Edvet said:


> (where did you order them from?)



From here : https://bens-jungle.com/


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## gex23

20181027_120413 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



20181027_120422 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



20181027_120428 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



20181027_120435 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



20181027_120441 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



20181027_120446 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



20181027_120533 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



20181027_120542 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



20181027_120550 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



20181027_120555 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



20181027_120608 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



20181027_120623 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr


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## zozo

gex23 said:


> From here : https://bens-jungle.com/


Thank you..  He has an exeptional nice plant collection.. Bookmarked!.. 

And you an exeptional nice terrarium..


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## dw1305

Hi all, 
Quality, I like the _Ludisia._You might find it is a bit wet for the _Cereopegia. _

cheers Darrel


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## gex23

It dries out pretty well between mistings - especially with the increased ventilation area in the lid.

I'm planning on adding internal recirculation via a glass 'tunnel' covering the 3 x 105mm exits at the rear of the tank and a large PC fan with high CFN running low velocity so it's just moving the air within the tank.

The smart switch / distribution board was a time consuming / expensive / stressful failure -resorted to simple plugs and plug in timers.... but we have to try these things right?


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## PARAGUAY

Amazing, should be a journal, catching up here


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## gex23

Many thanks 

I have two others that i've just started on, i'm hoping to start scaping these before 2019


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## gex23

So i'll be adding another species of Oophaga pumilio (hopefully this year) to another vivarium, on my short list so far are :

Oophaga pumilio 'Escudo'



 

Oophaga pumilio 'isla colon'



 

Oophaga pumilio 'cristobal'



 

An interesting point about the escudo, they are one of the smallest species of dart frog to exist, with a fully grown adult averaging 15mm. They're also considered being re-classified by the scientific community away from the pumilio family.


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## Ysiatis

Wow, nice thread with lot of explaining pictures ! Thanks for sharing Gex !!!
It's beautifull !!!


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## gex23

Ysiatis said:


> Wow, nice thread with lot of explaining pictures ! Thanks for sharing Gex !!!
> It's beautifull !!!



I'm glad it's been a source of information for some, appreciate the comments 

In talks with a breeder to possibly purchase a 2.0.3 group of Oophaga pumilio 'escudo' and 0.0.3 group of Oophaga pumilio 'isla colon' in the near future.

I best crack on with these builds!


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## gex23

Paid a deposit to hold the 3 juvenile Isla colons for 4 weeks, so more updates as their build progresses if anyone's interested.


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## Fiske

gex23 said:


> Paid a deposit to hold the 3 juvenile Isla colons for 4 weeks, so more updates as their build progresses if anyone's interested.



Yeah, go on


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## gex23

Fiske said:


> Yeah, go on



Deposit also paid on 2.0.3 Oophaga pumilio 'Escudo' - lots of materials ordered to get the tanks ready in less than 6 weeks.

Will update regularly  !


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## gex23

Attempted a rudimentary internal air circulation system that's easy, simple and effective to implement for me and others.

This basically involves a food container, a PC fan, some blu tac and a 1A PSU. The air's drawn into the container from the top vent and then returns via the same vents.

You can see the air movement in the vivarium itself through the leaves moving, this will be reduced down with either a PC fan controller to reduce the voltage input or a slightly smaller fan (current one is 80mm).


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## gex23

Collected this from @Andrew Butler today - underestimated quite how much there was!



Wood by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

The rough collie's there as a unit of measurement..... lol.


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## Andrew Butler

I told you there was a lot!


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## gex23

Andrew Butler said:


> I told you there was a lot!



Haha I can't complain! 

My other half wasn't so impressed though - no idea why


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## alto

Take the Dog
Take the Wood

tough call 

though I’m thinking the Dog just might win 

Awesome wood collection!


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## Fiske

"Throw me a stick! Throw me a stick!"


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## gex23

alto said:


> Take the Dog
> Take the Wood
> 
> tough call
> 
> though I’m thinking the Dog just might win
> 
> Awesome wood collection!



What if the dog takes the wood?

*Mind blown*


----------



## gex23

Fiske said:


> "Throw me a stick! Throw me a stick!"



The irony is she's utterly useless at fetch and recall - I end up fetching them myself


----------



## alto

gex23 said:


> What if the dog takes the wood?
> 
> *Mind blown*


Never happen

My old working line Sheltie - that your dog put me so much in mind of - went utterly mad with joy for the hose (spraying) but sticks belong on the ground, resting for eternity


----------



## gex23

alto said:


> Never happen
> 
> My old working line Sheltie - that your dog put me so much in mind of - went utterly mad with joy for the hose (spraying) but sticks belong on the ground, resting for eternity



So so true, my parents have a 7 month old rough collie and she's the same, literally zero retrieval instincts 

The next tank is on its way :

- Mesh replaced with glass, ventilation added

- Bulkead drilled and siliconed in for drainage (lets hope it doesn't leak this time)

- Bottom ventilation covered in mesh to minimise fruit fly escapees

- Dark treefern panels siliconed in place

- False bottom in place (egg crate and plastic mesh)




20181117_170433 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



20181118_184239 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

Also attempted a couple of scapes :

Scape 1 :



20181117_201049 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

Scape 2 :



20181117_192035 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr


----------



## gex23

Well underway.

No adhesives used to secure the wood, fingers crossed it stays stable 



20181119_172633 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



20181119_172645 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



20181119_172649 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



20181119_172654 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



20181119_172747 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

Nice think layer of ABG soil mix, magnolia base leaf layer, followed by American and finally English oak.

Plants next


----------



## Edvet

Are you misting with RO water?


----------



## gex23

Edvet said:


> Are you misting with RO water?



Yes I am.


----------



## Aron_Dip

Looking good.. Where did you get you misting nozzle' s from?

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk


----------



## gex23

Aron_Dip said:


> Looking good.. Where did you get you misting nozzle' s from?
> 
> Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk



Right hand tank nozzles are from Rich at rainforestvivs, the left hand ones are from 'the frog cabin' on FB.

Mistking nozzles are by far and away the best ones, but we pay a premium over here in the UK 

Did you manage to get your build underway?


----------



## gex23

A small order of plants on the way for the escudo tank :

- Ficus montana
- Marcgravia sintenisii
- Marcgravia umbellata
- Microgramma reptans
- Microgramma tecta
- Neoregelia 'fireball'
- Neogregelia 'hawaii'
- Neoregelia 'hybrid'
- Neoregelia 'punctatissma'
- Neoregelia 'red waif'
- Philodendron sp.
- Pyrrosia nummularifolia
- Pyrrosia piloselliodes

Hoping to place an orchid order soon, but firstly i'll be collecting the Escudo next week


----------



## Aron_Dip

gex23 said:


> Right hand tank nozzles are from Rich at rainforestvivs, the left hand ones are from 'the frog cabin' on FB.
> 
> Mistking nozzles are by far and away the best ones, but we pay a premium over here in the UK
> 
> Did you manage to get your build underway?


Yes mate got it setup. I'm using exo terra nozzles at the mo. Ain't the best lol.











Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk


----------



## gex23

Looks good, yeah the exo terra nozzles aren't the best in my experience.

What have you done to the exo terra lid?


----------



## gex23

Test fitted the manzanita in the 18*18*24", again no adhesive.

Seems to flow pretty well to my eyes.



20181123_105052 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



20181123_105026 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



20181123_105037 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



20181123_105042 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr


----------



## gex23

Newviv5 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



Newviv3 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



newviv2] by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



newviv by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



Newviv4 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr


----------



## alphonse

amazing projects mate!!!
thanks for sharing


----------



## gex23

Added a trio of Oophaga pumilio 'escudo' at the weekend - bought a probable pair and one unsexed juvenile, one's been calling and wrestling with at least one of the others - could be establishing territory / heirachy, could be bullying a sub-dominant male.

Will post a detailed update in the future, had it's ups and downs.

A couple of photos :

Rio Branco viv -



Rio Branco Viv 1 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



Rio Branco Viv 2 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

A couple of interesting tropical liverworts added and flourishing :



Liverwort by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



Liverwort 2 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

Rio Branco :



DSC_0053 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

Escudo viv :



Escudo by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

A couple of random shots :



DSC_0050 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



Peperomia by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



Pleuothallis by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



Pleurothallis mittleamerika by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr


----------



## Steve Buce

Any updates?


----------



## Steve Buce

Great looking setups by the way


----------



## gex23

Steve Buce said:


> Any updates?



Not much happening really, i'll try and update with some photos tomorrow, see if you notice any differences 

Rio Branco viv - coming up to 11 months of age now, still an unidentified 0.0.4 group, no calling but seem to be on the floor in the leaf litter more now. Have a feeling they're all females.

Escudo viv - Still a 1.0.2 group, plenty of calling from the male and witnessed him wrestling with the other 2 escudo, which concerns me as it may prove to be a trio of males.

Third build - Fluval stratum ordered as a bit of a test, see how the plants / ispods / future inhabitants react to this.


----------



## gex23

Steve Buce said:


> Great looking setups by the way



Many thanks 

Looking forward to getting build number three under way.

Will most likely hold a Ranitomeya species of some description.


----------



## gex23

A few photos showing both tanks and growth.




Escudo 1 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



IMG_20190307_143830 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



IMG_20190307_143923 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



IMG_20190307_143934 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



IMG_20190307_144033 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



IMG_20190307_144039 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



IMG_20190307_144058 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



IMG_20190307_144113 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



IMG_20190307_144131 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



IMG_20190307_144234 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



IMG_20190307_144229 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



IMG_20190307_144416 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



IMG_20190307_144539 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



IMG_20190307_144553 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



Marcgravia by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr


----------



## dw1305

Hi all, 





gex23 said:


> A few photos showing both tanks and growth.


That is looking beyond lovely. 

You've got to stop posting these, or I'm going to end up <"poor, divorced and homeless">. 

cheers Darrel


----------



## Tim Harrison

Absolutely stunning...


----------



## mort

Really love these tanks. Please keep the updates coming. Would love to one day have something even half as good.


----------



## Steve Buce

Looks amazing


----------



## X3NiTH

Lucky Frogs!

Have you thought about adding any small Nepenthes in there, there's some really nice small lowland types out there to be had, highland varieties look even more amazing (Nepenthes Dubia) but the overnight 10 degree temperature drop they need probably not good for the frogs.


----------



## gex23

dw1305 said:


> Hi all, That is looking beyond lovely.
> 
> You've got to stop posting these, or I'm going to end up <"poor, divorced and homeless">.
> 
> cheers Darrel



I'm sure she'd appreciate a beautiful terrarium


----------



## gex23

X3NiTH said:


> Lucky Frogs!
> 
> Have you thought about adding any small Nepenthes in there, there's some really nice small lowland types out there to be had, highland varieties look even more amazing (Nepenthes Dubia) but the overnight 10 degree temperature drop they need probably not good for the frogs.



I have, unfortunately I believe they grow way too big for my terrariums, which is a shame.

The frogs appreciate a larger temperature drop than you expect, day time temps average 25c, night time temps average 18.5c


----------



## Edvet

Could you do a pic of how the terraria are situated, ''in situ"?


----------



## gex23

In what context - the room they're situated in?


----------



## Edvet

Yeah, just less of a close-up.


----------



## gex23

Edvet said:


> Yeah, just less of a close-up.



 A few photos - the tanks are situated in a north facing bedroom which helps reduce the likelihood of temperature spikes, though obviously the room is in need of renovation it's low on the list of renovation priorities the house needs!

Tanks and stands (stands will be replaced for powercoated steel stands in the future)



IMG_20190308_182716 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



IMG_20190308_182716 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

(Underneath the tanks, by happy accident I can fit two 18 x 18 x 24 tanks, so the reservoirs will be re-housed in the future)

Where the speakers are temporarily stored, i'll be making a custom 24 x 18 x 36 enclosure :



IMG_20190308_183426 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

Misting pump / reservoir / timers :



IMG_20190308_182837 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

Drainage layer runoff reservoir + isopod containers :



IMG_20190308_182828 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

Springtail culture booming (feed them brewers yeast) :



IMG_20190308_183332 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

Fly cultures, newest at the back, oldest at the front, they get destroyed and reset at 4 weeks to prevent mite explosions / culture collapses :



IMG_20190308_182814 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

The supposed female escudo :



IMG_20190310_121155 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



IMG_20190310_121112 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr


----------



## Edvet

You redo your drosophyla yourself?
I always wanted a paludarium but culturing insects might be a bridge my wife doesn't want me to cross
She already lived with snakes in the bedroom, mice breeding and orchids in the house ( in a humid cell) , so……………….. ( all in the past though, when i was still studying)


----------



## gex23

Edvet said:


> You redo your drosophyla yourself?
> I always wanted a paludarium but culturing insects might be a bridge my wife doesn't want me to cross
> She already lived with snakes in the bedroom, mice breeding and orchids in the house ( in a humid cell) , so……………….. ( all in the past though, when i was still studying)



Yes I make all my own drosophila cultures


----------



## gex23

A little progress with the 18*18*24 exo terra.

Scaping materials : Manzanita, treefern, hygrolon drainage layer and fluval stratum substrate layer.

Hardscape flows from right to left to mirror the next tank somewhat where hardscape flows left to right.



 



 



 

Misting nozzles needed next, but luckily I have plenty of broms producing pups (offshoots) in the other vivariums to get this one started


----------



## gex23

Little update.

2 x single mistking nozzles installed.

Springtails and dwarf tropical woodlice added.

Initial planting done using bromeliad pups (offshoots) and cuttings from my other tanks :



IMG_20190329_115941 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



IMG_20190329_115917 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



IMG_20190329_115922 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



IMG_20190329_115932 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



IMG_20190329_120006 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr

Orchid order will be placed in the next few weeks to finish off planting, also leaf litter isn't added at the minute as I want to maximise moisture on the substrate initially to enable cuttings to root.

The lighting setup will be changed in the near future also, just undecided on what to go for right now, as it's 18" wide I can't use T5HO bulbs like the other tanks as the smallest bulb lengths are 24" long...


----------



## Konsa

Hi
Regarding  lights pll lamps are good alternative to T5 if lenght is an issue.I run them on 2 tanks its quite bright light for the lenght of the bulb.
Regards Konsa


----------



## gex23

Konsa said:


> Hi
> Regarding  lights pll lamps are good alternative to T5 if lenght is an issue.I run them on 2 tanks its quite bright light for the lenght of the bulb.
> Regards Konsa



Good call there and cheers for the recommendation.

I'm actually going forward with a custom GU10 setup in mind using a combination of LED bulbs and, depending on ambient temperatures, some 35w GU10 halogens.

Some parts have been ordered.

Will update as I progress.


----------



## DutchMuch

wanting to turn my 40b eventually into a vivarium (rn just sitting in my closet from the move we just had about a week/2 ago)

this is very inspirational and cool.


----------



## gex23

DutchMuch said:


> wanting to turn my 40b eventually into a vivarium (rn just sitting in my closet from the move we just had about a week/2 ago)
> 
> this is very inspirational and cool.



The best advice I can give you is research, research, research.

Use Dendroboard, it might have minimal traffic nowadays due to people using social media groups instead, but it has decades worth of valuable information and builds to use as inspiration.

So I was taking photos of my frogs today, and noticed something odd in the photo :




IMG_20190331_122429 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



IMG_20190331_122753 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr


----------



## Barbara Turner

That's cool, looks like it was a male and female in the photo.  Do they normally lay only a pair or do you think there will be more hidden else where in the tank?


----------



## gex23

Barbara Turner said:


> That's cool, looks like it was a male and female in the photo.  Do they normally lay only a pair or do you think there will be more hidden else where in the tank?



Yeah, I bought a trio of a supposed group and unsexed juvie (1.1.1 group) but not seen all 3 in a while. At least I have a sexed pair, that's always the tricky part (my rio branco group of 4 I think is 4 females )

The lay clutches of 3 - 5 usually (there's 3 tads in that photo), the female will transport them into individual water pools and feed them unfertilised eggs, usually daily, until they morph out as froglets. They can lay multiple clutches, so i'm keeping a close eye on them.

There's a bit more emphasis to breed them as the country they originate from, Panama, have stopped all exports of such livestock - whether that's temporary or permanent only time will tell. But it means increased scarcity.

I would love some Oophaga Histronica or Oophaga Sylvatica for my next tank but they never come up for sale and the prices would be silly anyway (usually £800 + for an unsexed pair), with them it's now what you know, it's who you know and your level of experience (most are in Europe and US only).


----------



## gex23

Updated shots :



Escudo viv 1 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



Escudo viv 2 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



RB viv by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr



Escudo 2 by DEAF N1NJA, on Flickr


----------



## gex23

Added a group of 0.0.4 Oophaga pumilio 'Isla Colon' to the 18*18*24 today


----------



## Edvet

Been looking at a lot of vivarium builds online lately, contemplating building one myself, more for the plants actually.
Trying to find the right plants for a "" biotope/ecotope"" setup. Good fun.


----------



## zozo

Edvet said:


> Been looking at a lot of vivarium builds online lately, contemplating building one myself, more for the plants actually.
> Trying to find the right plants for a "" biotope/ecotope"" setup. Good fun.



Need some inspiration?

https://www.dutchrana.nl/

https://www.araflora.nl/

 Both have good quality plants. Recomend Araflora for the rareties. He also stands open for suggestions and willing to search his sources if you miss something in his catalogue.


----------



## Edvet

zozo said:


> https://www.dutchrana.nl/
> 
> https://www.araflora.nl/


Yeah know them already, thx. 
I like the idea of the "bio-active" setup. Not sure wether i would DIY a tank or buy aready made?


----------



## gex23

Two suppliers I use :

bensjungle.de
tropiscape orchids

Re: Vivariums - i'd recommend building a euro style vivarium or modifying an exo terra vivarium as I have, any help you need or further links i'll be more than happy to help.


----------



## zozo

A few years ago a friend of mine bought a complete terrarium, with plants frogs and all.

What i like about that terrarium it is custom build from hard wood by a cabinet maker. And very nicely done, it kinda looks like an old Chinese cabinet model.
Terrarium interior part is completely glass with 2 sliding panels at the front.


----------



## gex23

Wood / fibreglass / sealant is definitely another way to go.

Are you thinking of making a biotope specific tank @Edvet with the possibility of dartfrogs?


----------



## gex23




----------



## Edvet

Aye, Peru,  Loreto province, somewhere in the Allpahuayo reservation (ranitomeya amazoniensis biotope)
Trying to fond the correct plants now first


----------



## gex23

A nice surprise - Oophaga pumilio escudo froglet emerging from a bromeliad :


----------



## alto

I’ve lagged behind on this one 

But now get massively exciting updates all in one go


----------



## gex23

alto said:


> I’ve lagged behind on this one
> 
> But now get massively exciting updates all in one go



Thought it might be appreciated 

Didn't even realise they were breeding so a nice surprise. Now's the crucial part of raising the froglet.


----------



## gex23

Witnessed one of the Oophaga pumilio 'isla colon' - so a confirmed male making it a 1.0.3 group so far


----------



## gex23




----------



## JonRivers

Super nice setup,

i have pondered about keeping Dart frogs for years but have yet to do it!


----------



## gex23

Upgraded the stands to racking, along with the lighting to AI Prime Freshwater HDs :

Old stands and lights :



 
Rack installed - custom brackets on the AI Primes :


 


Installed :


----------



## gex23

Update.

A few frogs have gone, a few have arrived, a tank has been rescpaed due to cyano / algae issues (which are still there).

So the group of male Isla Colon 2 x froglet escudo and 2 of the 4 female Rio Branco were exchanged for a sexed pair of Bastimentois Red frog beach and, FINALLY, a proven male to Branco.

So my three tanks all have potential breeding pairs / groups in them.

Not all straightforward though, I have drainage issues with my substrate and one tank needed gutting and re-scaping, this time I kept it simple, retaining the treefern and using a few simple cork pieces, secured with expanding foam, and any joints covered with silicone and ground Xaxim - the nuisance algae has returned though, much to my annoyance.

Also my substrate / drainage is an issue with the moisture wicking up through the hydroleca and turning my substrate to mush - my  solution os to gut the tanks floor one by one, remove the hydroleca drainage and ABG substrate, to replace with koi filter matting and Akadama respectively.

- Freshly rescaped setup for the 1.1 pair of RFB bastimentos (note the mould on the left hand panel which has since aggressively spread again)






- The pair of RFB, still settling in










- Male Rio Branco (since confirmed as calling like crazy)





- My female Escudo transporting a tadpole


----------



## Steve Buce

Still loving these


----------



## gex23

Cheers Steve


----------



## Steve Buce

gex23 said:


> Cheers Steve



Where did you get the tree fern background from 
Ta


----------



## gex23

Steve Buce said:


> Where did you get the tree fern background from
> Ta



It's from a company called Rainforest Vivs - they no longer sell supplies or vivariums - just plants.

Have another 3 tanks planned in the pipeline, think i'm going for euro style vivariums with a sloping false floor to save the substrate drainage issues this time around.

Also decided to stick with the AI Prime freshwaters - this time they'll be the 16HD models.


----------



## gex23

Some updates to come, bad and good.

*Copied and pasted from dendroboard.com*

Firstly, I swapped frogs with a fellow keeper, with the deal being my 3 x escudo froglets, 4 x isla colon sub adult males and 2 of rio branco females in exchange for 1 x rio branco male (very rare over here) and sexed pair or ref frog beach.

Come swap day, I couldn't find one of the escudo, found a week later near death - I can only assume when I was rooting around the grow out tub I mistakenly hurt him when moving around hardscape etc 



So bar that bad news, the swap went well, with the male rio branco calling within moments of going in the tank, and the male RFB also calling.

Happy days - well not so much.....

The Rio Branco tank was desperate to be rescaped, the hardscape i'd done 2 years ago was ill conceived, ill thought out and the ABG saturated and mushy due to the hyroleca wicking moisture to it constantly. Thought i'd rescape before the male got too settled in, so they're currently in a large sterilite enclosure.

The tank was moved downstairs (no easy task), into the garage, with the background reworked and seemingly going without incident (if time consuming and messy). I spoke too soon, the tank (an exo terra) was left on it's side with the LH door open..... I walked into the dark garage the next morning and *CRUNCH* i i'd stepped on and shattered the door. Cue lots of expletives and wondering where I go next.

After some searching, i've ordered a new LH door off Amazon which *fingers crossed* will arrive next week.

False floor is now the classic egg crate and PVC while the substrate will be 'double hard line' Akadama (I did get a quote off glass box tropicals for turface shipped here - the turface was $40, the shipping was $255......lol).

6 big bromeliads on their way next week too, so fingers crossed the tank is back in place with the Rio Branco 1.2 group back in by the weekend.

I also have plans for the lower shelf, it will consist of either 3 x 60*45*50 cm or 4 x 45*45*50 cm euro style vivariums with false sloping floors, all lit by AI prime HDs to keep it consistent.

Most likely all for Pumilio or maybe even a couple of Ranitomeya (I have a soft spot for vanzolinii and reticulata).

Also have plans for a large display tank, dimensions of 80*50*100 cm for a pair of larger Oophaga (possibly histronica 'redheads')

To be continued I guess


----------



## gex23

RFB tank has good and bad so far as I can see :

- Bromeliads are colouring up nicely (AI Prime HD running 60%)
- Some epiphytes doing well, others not so
- Orchids doing badly across the board
- Substrate too damp, caused by the water wicking effect of the hydroleca 
- Male been witnessed calling, hoping the other specimen is female as promised, will leave to settle in, condition them with heavy isopod feeding and melanogaster feeding with new, well rated supplement regime and hope to see breeding activity this year


----------



## gex23

Progress today.

- New Exo door fitted
- Bromeliad order arrived, one of which was a Neoregelia Concerta 'XL' size - it's about as wide as the tank so that's relegated to a houseplant!
- False floor fitted, with Akadama substrate
- Hardcape is just a few simple cork branches, wedged into place with the idea of the bromeliads being the focal point.
- Bromeliads old and new have been secured with cocktail sticks, while cuttings from the original plant also used - mainly a small Marcgravia sp, various Microgramma and Pyrrosia cuttings too. A couple of orchids that survived at the back of the old scape too.

The plan will be to re-introduce the 1.2 group of Rio Branco this weekend, not ideal with it being so bare but hopefully it'll mature over several months.


----------



## mort

Really love these tanks. Can I ask where you order the bromeliads from? Quite interested in giving a simple setup a go.


----------



## gex23

mort said:


> Really love these tanks. Can I ask where you order the bromeliads from? Quite interested in giving a simple setup a go.



Drop me a PM if you like


----------



## Onoma1

mort said:


> Really love these tanks. Can I ask where you order the bromeliads from? Quite interested in giving a simple setup a go.


Dartfrog have an extensive collection for sale.


----------



## gex23

They certainly do, in fact that's where I got my RFB pair from - Marcs very nice to deal with.

So today I ordered a diffuser for one of my AI primes, which in essence blends the light, improves spread and softens / diffuses the stark nature of the LEDs - which will benefit the frogs as, coming from a rainforest with varying canopy densities - they prefer a softer / lower light output.

Stock photos for now until it arrives :


----------



## gex23

Another quick update

Pre-owned AI Prime HD 'won' via e-bay and a Mistking Advanced Misting System, brand new, at a 'too good to be true price', so we'll see how that pans out (70 nozzles + ability though!)


----------



## gex23

The 'rio branco' and 'red frog beach' have been calling non stop since they were added - to condition them, i've been feeding heavily with springtails daily, along with melanogaster fruit flies every other day.

With the RFB which are an assumed 'sexed' pair (and bought as such), while i've seen some signs of reciprocation from the female, she doesn't appear gravid, hopefully that will change.....

The rio branco, I witnessed definite courting earlier, and an hour later (after a heavy misting), I noticed these :











5 eggs on two seperate bromeliads - and this is with the most colourful female I held back specifically - fingers crossed they're fertile.....


----------



## gex23




----------



## Ed Wiser

The frogs sure like to sing


----------



## gex23

Upgraded misting system arrived - I don't think i'll be lacking for output with this system somehow 





Setup a growout container using Akadama as the base substrate, lit by an AI Prime with various sp. including Marcgravia, Begonia and Philodendron





Oppurtunistic photo


----------



## gex23

Random photos.

Marcgravia sintenisii fresh growth








Oophaga pumilio escudo tank








Orchid and pyrossia sp. in situ








Ficus quercifolia growth


----------



## gex23

Collecting two more vivariums tomorrow - these are 'Euro Style' vivariums with a new 'hinged' door - fingers crossed the hinge holds up long term.


----------



## gex23

Another build.

Standard materials :

- Treefern panels
- Cork and Manzanita branches
- Akadama substrate
- Various bromeliads / marcgravia / anthurium / philodendron and other epiphytes


----------



## Melll

That photo needs a sun glasses warning  It looks great 😃


----------



## Steve Buce

Great work, all looking good

Do you follow troy goldberg on youtube


----------



## gex23

Melll said:


> That photo needs a sun glasses warning  It looks great 😃



That AI Prime packs a punch for such a diminutive little light!



Steve Buce said:


> Great work, all looking good
> 
> Do you follow troy goldberg on youtube



I watch his videos occasionally - there's not a lot of choice with this hobby - compared to aquascaping or reefing channels for example!


----------



## gex23

If anyone remembers, last year I bought 4 unsexed Oophaga pumilio 'isla colon' which all turned out to be male.....

Well i've been offered a 1.1 proven pair that i'm collecting tomorrow .... along with tadpoles they're caring for in a bromeliad - fingers crossed that they'll continue that care in the new tank.

It's a bit too soon as the tank is very fresh, not grown in and a little unstable with regards humidity .... but it's an offer I couldn't refuse - just means they'll need a bit more TLC than the other tanks


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## gex23

Almost full


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## Melll

gex23 said:


> a 1.1 proven pair that i'm collecting tomorrow .... along with tadpoles they're caring for in a bromeliad - fingers crossed that they'll continue that care in the new tank.




Did you collect them, if so how are they all doing?


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## gex23

Melll said:


> Did you collect them, if so how are they all doing?



Yes I collected them, took some time to settle in but doing well now.

At least one of the tadpoles survived as I spotted a froglet amongst the leaf litter, while the adults have resumed breeding as I saw the female transporting a tadpole yesterday.


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## gex23

I was busy adding new bromeliads to the tank containing the suspected 2 x male Pumilio 'red frog beach' and removing / cleaning / replacing other plants at the same time.

One neoregelia in particular, whilst removed, was shook to remove the old water and loose algae and out this popped :





Bar constant calling from the male, i've seen relatively little interaction (with them staying on opposite levels of the tank), breeding behaviour  least of all eggs!

Suffice to say I was shocked!

I suppose I can now suggest I have a 1.1 pair of Oophaga pumilio 'red frog beach', meaning I now have :

- 1.1 Oophaga pumilio escudo / 2 morphed froglets / tadpoles
- 1.2 Oophaga pumilio rio branco / 1 morphed froglet / tadpoles
- 1.1 Oophaga pumilio isla colon drago / 2 morphed froglets / tadpoles
- 1.1 Oophaga pumilio bastimentos red frog beach / tadpole


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## gex23

The Oophaga pumilio red frog beach enclosure with a couple of new bromeliads :

- Neoregelia 'small talk'
- Neoregelia 'flaming lovely'









Orchid sp. blooming (unsure on the species)









Begonia 'thelmae' blooming :





Nice christmas moss growth :





Think it's about time I start a new thread for these tanks


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## gex23

The Oophaga pumilio red frog beach enclosure with a couple of new bromeliads :

- Neoregelia 'small talk'
- Neoregelia 'flaming lovely'









Orchid sp. blooming (unsure on the species)









Begonia 'thelmae' blooming :





Nice christmas moss growth :


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## gex23

In progress


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## gex23

Collecting 3 juvenile Oophaga pumilio 'almirante' tomorrow and, separately, a large order placed for orchids and climbers :

Climbers :

- Begonia listada
- Cissus discolor 
- Marcgravia spec. Costa Rica NEU 
- Marcgravia spec. Kolumbien 


Minature orchids :

- Diplocaulobium stelliferum 
- Masdevallia minuta 
- Masdevallia wendlandiana 
- Pleurothallis janettiae 
- Pleurothallis tribuloides 
- Pleurothallis spec. aus Mittelamerika 
- Pleurothallis spec. Mittelamerika 
- Pleurothallis costaricensis 
- Pleurothallis (Specklinia) corniculata
- Stelis spec. Kolumbien 

It's been an expensive day


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## gex23

Rio Branco enclosure freshly planted - June :





September :





Some areas struggling with damp / algae / too moisture retentive, but overall i'd say the growth is 'satisfactory'.

50/50 happy with it thus far.


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## gex23

A few residents..

Almirante sub-adult






Red frog beach male










Escudo froglet






Rio branco froglet






Isla colon female


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## gex23

This is now closed down if moderators want to lock the thread.


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## dw1305

Hi all,


gex23 said:


> This is now closed down


I'm sorry to hear that, I didn't know anything about Dart Frogs at the start and I've really enjoyed the thread.

cheers Darrel


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## mort

That's a shame I really enjoyed this thread as well.


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