I did some spring cleaning this week, so I figured now would be a good time to make a thread about my big ass vivarium. The dimensions are 36x24x48. It currently houses 2 Ranitomeya imitator "Baja Huallaga." They've successfully raised at least one froglet, but I haven't seen him for a couple of months (not surprising given the size). The tank has been set up since June 2011.
Sure It's a Mist King setup. There's a reservoir and a pump connected to a timer below the tank. I've been using them for 6 years or so and they work amazingly well. The pumps can even run bone dry without getting damaged now, which is a huge plus.
I run it at at 2 one minute intervals each day. Once in the morning and once in the afternoon.
Very few people do that, it is frowned on for multiple good reasons. It can be done if the enclosure is large enough and set up well enough, and if the frogs you choose cannot breed. For instance, I would never consider having a tank with multiple forms of imitators, but I have and still am considering adding some Ameerega to this setup as they occupy different levels in the wild but are found in the same general area.
It is most definitely not something a beginner should consider.
It started as a paludarium until the bottom cracked 6 months after I set it up. I must have had a massive brain fart because I didn't even think to put a layer of foam under the tank to help level it, despite being into saltwater aquariums for years and years.
I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have!
I haven't had any issues with it at all. I do remember reading about that one case where a frog's leg got stuck in it, but after having this set up for 1.5 years (and another one downstairs that was smaller), I haven't had any incidents.
Just regular ole GE 1 I think, though I should note that the silicone was totally worthless at holding the ecoweb to the glass. Great Stuff works MUCH better.
I don't really understand how the plants stick to the wall... did you carve holes and ledges into the foam or what? I am seriously considering building a dart frog vivarium. Since you're only housing thumbnails, couldn't you put like 3 pairs, since it's so huge?
Most of the plants are crammed into crevices in the wood or pinned between the wood and the background. The others are held in place with toothpicks. Eventually the roots take hold and the toothpicks will rot away.
Nobody in the hobby combines frogs that can inter-breed. There are some very specific lines in the hobby, some with actual locale data so nobody mixes them to avoid blurring the lines. For instance, my imitators are from a very specific location in the Rio Huallaga river basin. Imitators from a mile away may look completely different than them.
I'm sure some people do mix the frogs, but it is very very heavily frowned upon.
Most of the plants are crammed into crevices in the wood or pinned between the wood and the background. The others are held in place with toothpicks. Eventually the roots take hold and the toothpicks will rot away.
Nobody in the hobby combines frogs that can inter-breed. There are some very specific lines in the hobby, some with actual locale data so nobody mixes them to avoid blurring the lines. For instance, my imitators are from a very specific location in the Rio Huallaga river basin. Imitators from a mile away may look completely different than them.
I'm sure some people do mix the frogs, but it is very very heavily frowned upon.
That is a beautiful set up!!! I was thinking of starting something like that in a front room, it's small and can get very warm. What do you use on the bottom for substrate?
I have aqua soil Amazonia in the bottom left over from when it was a paludarium. The second layer is called ABG mix (it's what they use in the Atlanta Botanical Gardens).
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