Living Vivarium (Step by Step)

[Kioka]

1) Introduction

Myself and Andrew (frogO_Oeye) have been sharing, discussing and brainstorming ideas for vivariums. Both of us have decided to do a few terrariums for the 2008 TARAS show. He taught me how to use resources efficiently and the basics to building a living vivarium.

The art of naturalistic terrarium is under appreciated in North America for some reason. The concept is not new, nor is it revolutionary. I think the reason why it is seen more often in Europe is because of the minimal requirements outlined in the mainland European animal welfare laws saying how reptiles and amphibians should be kept over there, and people decided to elaborate on those requirements or it could had stemmed from the introduced centuries-old naturalistic Asian style of aquaria and arts of bonsai and penjing. In Asia, attempts to replicate nature have not gone unnoticed with the Japanese art of bonsai, the Chinese art of penjing and recently the Amano style of aquarium design. Perhaps the whole concept of living display come from that varanid keepers and amphibian keepers noticed their animals breed more readily in a natural environment. Either way, mankind's attempts to recreate nature is not new, and the concept of living vivarium should not receive such negative reactionary responses from many people. Yes, people can breed animals in artificial environment, but the challenge here is get a functioning ecosystem in a box that is comfortable enough for the animals to one day breed in it.

A living vivarium does not have to compose of several different species of animals. The whole concept is already popular with Gopher Snakes (Pituophis spp.), Garter Snakes (Thamnophis spp.) and other similar marsh snakes, African Egg-eating Snakes (Dasypeltis spp.) and many Milksnakes and Kingsnakes (Lampropeltis spp.) to name a few. Almost every keepers of dart frogs (Dendrobatidae) and Mantella have living vivariums for their specimens; many of which are not mixed. Just keep in mind, the more room and the more hiding places there are, the better it will be for the inhabitants.

The whole goal of a living vivarium is to recreate localized ecosystem from our world and maintain a self-sufficient system short of adding food and trimming plants. If the miniature ecosystem is functioning well enough, all of the inhabitants should readily breed and have offspring. When that is achieved, I would say that we reached the pinnacle of our hobby and we should be proud of what we have done. I think where people go wrong is that they mix or pair up the wrong species that would normally otherwise have hundreds of acres of space. Many skinks, geckos and amphibians are very localized to their surrounding occupying a small territory. Most of them seem to prefer to stay in their optimal micro habitat as long it will continue to exist before venturing out to find new micro habitats.


My project for this thread? I will be picking a region in Papua New Guinea: Bouganville of the Solomon Islands chain. Throughout this thread, I will be borrowing concepts and techniques from zoological establishments, amphibian keepers, especially dart frog and mantella keepers, aquarists and bonsai practitioners.

[FrogO_Oeyes]

Hm. That fiberglass screen has its uses, but if it's for what I THINK it's for...aluminum screen can be shaped and folded a tad better.

[Kioka]

2) TOOLS AND SUPPLIES

Canadian Tire
14lbs of "Lava Rock" - $2.14
The Solomon Islands is littered with volcanic rocks, mainly basalt, pumice, andesite, and rhyolite and other types of rocks. Obsidian have also been found in the Solomons. I will be using porous rocks to encourage aquatic microorganisms and algae in the event I choose to use specialized feeders that relies on micro-fauna in the aquatic section of the terrarium. I suspect that scoria and trachyte are common place based on analysis of rock compositions in Queensland, Australia, New Zealand and numerous east Indo-Pacific islands.
Home Depot
4'x2' Light Diffusor (Eggcrate) - $9.40
Eggcrate is an easy way to create an elevated level called a “false bottom” to allow for a water table to be created without constantly soaking the substrate. If you buy eggcrate, watch out for the edges and corners, they snap really easily when bumped. Although $9 for 4'x2' sound too much, I won't be using all of it for the project, and will still have plenty left over for other projects that I decide to do.
4 GE Silicone I (Clear) - $9.99
It doesn't say "aquarium-safe," however it doesn't say it's mildew-resistant either and a lot of hobbyists and professionals use this in bulk for putting together their aquariums and aquascape. I have used it before with no ill effect... just wish there are cheap safe ones that come in black, brown or almond though. Although I suspect that the bio-seal in the Silicone II is not all that harmful to fish and other vertebrates.
16oz Great Stuff Insulating Foam Sealant - $8.37
Great Stuff or any of the other spray foam brands can be used to give the vivarium a textured background and hold a few décors in place.
Fibreglass Insect Screen 3'x7' - $9.57
Insect screen is used to separate the substrate from the egg-crate or can be laid upon a layer of gravel or hydroponic LECA balls or terra-cotta balls.
Nature's Corner
Prime 100mL - $6.99
Every mL of Prime should be good for 10 gallon of water. Since Edmonton uses EPCOR as their water supplier, uses chloramine which does not evaporate quite readily and can remain in water for a long time. It is important to remove chlorine and chloramine for fish and amphibians.
Reptile Show and Sales
6 bricks of coco fibre - $12
Coco fibre or "coco coir" can be used to create texture with expanding foam as well as silicone in various parts of the vivarium. It also make a good plant-growing substrate that hold water well and drain water well. Brand names include “plantation soil,” “eco-earth,” and “gro brix” at the local petstores or pet suppliers. I am a big fan of coco fibre since I never know what plants pop out of them! Most of them seem to be some kind of bean spouts though.
2 piece of cork bark - $15-30
I forgot how much I paid for this, but I think it in the $15-$30 range. The previous seller would know if he remembered which one I bought from him at the Edmonton Mice & Things Show in 2008. I will be using this as either background or one of the décor.
From private sales and barters
2 pieces of driftwood - $5
I think I paid for $40 or so for a bunch of stuff, and the two pieces happened to be included. I might be using the driftwood for various purpose as defining the water boundary, creating a second level or giving the terrarium a rugged look. I am not entirely sure what I will do the driftwood at the planning stage of the project.
2 pieces of driftwood, half log, fir bark substrate- Nil
Got these with a glass open-front Exo-Terra 18"x18"x18", and its ceramic décor and artificial plants, which I will be trading for animals with a certain someone in Calgary.1 33g Aquarium 36"x12"x18" Donated
This enclosure will be used in the Bouganville project, and it was donated by one of Ollie's friends. I realize it is a bit narrow, but the extra height will make up for it.
Collected
Some quartz-embedded rocks
These rocks will be used to create accents in the vivarium.


http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd293/Souggy/livingviv/solomons.jpg
The materials

Shopping/Collecting List
Andesite
Fir bark or orchid bark
Flourite
Gravel
Leaf Litter
Nozzle
Obsidian
Pool Filter Sand
Powerhead
PVC pipings
Scoria
Rhyolite
Trachyte


http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd293/Souggy/livingviv/solomons1.jpg
The enclosure

I am in the process of getting more plants such as small orchids, aquatic and semi-aquatic plants, scrubs and aroids. Also, also I will be purchasing gravel, sand, fir bark, and leaf litter as substrate. I am in the process of getting small pieces of driftwood to silicone to the back of the setup, and getting flat rocks for the terrarium.

Tools of Trade
5 U.S. gallon Bucket
A valuable tool to clean out gravels, sand and rocks. This can also be used to make a do-it-yourself trickle filter or a wet/dry filter. If I choose to make my own filter, I will show how to do it in one of the posts below.
Lemon
Lemon can be used to break down the hard mineral deposits is built up on the glass of the aquarium. Just slice a lemon in half and rub it. Another alternative is to use lemon juice or vinegar. Some people use CLR, but that is overdoing it in my opinion.
Pliers
I will be using this to break the eggcrate, some people use a screwdriver, snip, scissors et cetera.
Razor blade
I will be using a razor blade to scrape the hardwater (calcium and mineral buildups) from the the aquarium's glass.
Scissors
Always handy to have...
Whiteboard Marker
To mark my plans on the aquarium itself such as water level, placement of PVC et cetera.

[Kioka]

3) PLANNING

Steps I will be taking:

1) Silicone the small pieces of driftwood, cork bark and rocks to the side and back of the aquarium
2) Use expanding foam to produce a backdrop
3) Press about an inch of sand or coco-fibre to the Great Stuff for texture and allow for epiphytes and semi-epiphytes to grow on; I might install a few big pieces of cork bark in the process.
4) Lay the foundation for the “river manifold”
5)Break the egg-crate for a false bottom to draw the the boundary of the water table
6) Lay the fibreglass screen down ontop of the egg-crate
7) Fill in gaps with expanding foam
8) Add some large rocks
9) Add a layer of coco-fibre
10) Add a layer of flouirte and a layer of pool filter sand for the aquatic section of the vivarium
11) Plant the vivarium
12) Add the animals

The mechanics behind the vivarium NOT TO SCALE
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd293/Souggy/livingviv/solomons2.jpg
I concocted this idea from a few river aquaria from the North American Fishes Association and the dripwalls from a few dart frog setups such as Amphibiancare, Black Jungle and Vivaria Projects.

River Manifold
I hope to achieve the desired effects in the videos:
Setup 1 Video 1 (YouTube) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xX7peTD4_hQ) Video 2 (YouTube) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8A_b4Qf69o) Video 3 (YouTube) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dc0emu3JN3c)
Setup 2 Video 1 (YouTube) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tu0QHNAYa60) Video 2 (YouTube) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xsQqgVaPHY) Video 3 (YouTube) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ym7UZkO-1y0) Video 4 (YouTube) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7WF1XNHgxU)

It should be fairly obvious what's going in the videos, but if needed I will explain how and where it is all happening.

Basically I will have two powerheads controlling the current of the water section, turning it into a stream. One powerhead will pull water in into the PVC pipings, while other will push water out out of the PVC pipings on the other side, which will create a river- or stream-like current. I will place rocks to break up the currents and produce eddies along the rim of the land section. There will be a tubing from a third outlet in the PVC pipings which will take some of the water and drip it down the wall for irrigation of the plants, and prevent the land from becoming stagnant, as well provide nutrient, from the waste produced by the aquatic inhabitants, and extra filtration for the water.

There is several ways of doing it... I will add more to for you guys to model after as I go through my old bookmarks.

An example of a design with a stream-like current in Aquatic Predator's "A how to session In exhibit quality Tank design, Vandellia Biotope tank" (http://aquaticpredators.com/forums/i...howtopic=27956). I realize you guys can't see the pictures, but the original threads on the other forum by the same user were removed or archived.

Another design, but it is not as efficient as the previous example, is shown in "Creating a Stream Aquarium" (http://www.nativefish.org/articles/stream.php) by Konrad Schmidt.

Here's an article by Martin Thoene sent to me by Chris: "River-Tank Manifold Design" (http://www.loaches.com/articles/river-tank-manifold-design)

Another article by another native fish keeper named Todd Crail: "System Design for the Ultimate Native Fish Aquarium” (http://farmertodd.com/pdfs/native_fish_tank.pdf)

[PacMan]

any new progress? even better pictures? Im starting up a project myself. Always great to get some new ideas. Oh and that first reference is AWESEOME!

[Kioka]

I will be editing the thread daily, adding items and reference links, however I haven't done anything today so no progress, except for the fact I identified my mystery plant as Hoya, which will be sweet once I get started on my Sulawesi biotope. However I am doing a different biotope, which will be updated on this thread, for the TARAS competition and ERAS display. I might get both done in time for the ERAS Show. Who knows?

My favourite links are FishBase and WWF Ecozone Search. However I am reading the MFK's DIY section daily.
4) FRAMEWORK

Alright... what I did was break one of the corkbarks into pieces for siliconing onto the back of the aquarium. I took the silicone, put on some gloves and smeared it across the back of the wood pieces and stuck to the back. It should take about 12-24 hours to cure properly, then I can prop it upright to put in PVC pipings and such.

I have the aquarium on its side facing down so that the silicone won't drip down the glass and the item can stay stationary while the silicone is being "cured." I will check up on it in about 10-14 hours and make sure no one messed with it since it is currently in a communal storage room.

Oh... and USE LATEX GLOVES. I was using those plastic ones, and some of the silicone got into the gloves and I am still peeling off pieces of silicone from my fingers.
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd293/Souggy/livingviv/solomons3.jpg
THE SILICONE! Yes, it's superblurry.
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd293/Souggy/livingviv/solomons4.jpg
The starting process of the backdrop. I will be adding rocks to fill in some gap, then fill in the surrounding areas with Great Stuff.

[PacMan]

Ya, i love that first link because of the plants they have listed, with pictures and everything...i am horrible at remebering the names of plants. since there are so many of them. So i always make a list and that helps out huge.

You arent making a false bottom are you? just use the "egg-crate" for a divider?

Keep up the good work and keep us post!

[Kioka]

5) ARTIFICIAL CONSTRUCTION

The steps will be out of order since I decided to speed up the process by doing two or three different tasks at once. I sprayed some expanding foam along the back and on the right side of the aquarium. I also siliconed some lava rock to the back of the aquarium. I am using lava rock as part of the water table to encourage micro-fauna growth for pipefish and filter-feeders. Just too bad they need a few months in advance to plan for.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd293/Souggy/livingviv/solomons5.jpg
Wee dirt lil' thing

I apologize for not cleaning the the front of the vivarium. In this picture, the left side is the right side. I took this picture when it was standing vertically, so that's why the picture is reversed.

I decided to chuck the idea of a river manifold for now, and just going to put a powerhead filter behind the cork bark. I placed the false bottom ontop of the rocks and placed the insect screen on top of the egg-crate for the coco fibre to sit on. Then I siliconed the false bottom in place to the back. Afteward I finished up the spray foam construction. It should be ready for a layer of coco fibre and brown silicone. Surpsingly it is pretty sturdy with the foam in place, so I don't think extra weight is going to be a problem here.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd293/Souggy/livingviv/solomons6.jpg
Looking at it from the top on the floor.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd293/Souggy/livingviv/solomons7.jpg
Looking at it at the front from above.

[Kioka]

6) ORGANIC CONSTRUCTION

[Greg West]

Where did my post go that was in this thread? Was it deleted?

[Kioka]

See this thread: http://www.edmontonreptiles.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1956

Forums went down last night, and I guess it wasn't backed up in the MySQL database, where it contain all the forum information.
7a) CULTIVATING PLANTS (PART 1)

Because I will not be able to grow the plants out within the vivarium until a few weeks before the TARAS Show, I have to cultivate plants before settling them in the enclosure. However I will not be listing every single plant you can find for terrarium purposes. I wish could list all the plants, but it would be extensive and some people may struggle finding so many of the plants listed below can easily be found at your local grocery stores. Your local Home Depot, Rona, landscaping centres, garden centres, zoological establishments and greenhouses will have more variety. However beware that some of the plants are known to be toxic to chameleons, iguanas et cetera.


Bonsai techniques can be used to keep the plants limited to a certain size in an established vivarium.

Orchids are popular and can make a beautiful addition to any tropical or neo-tropical vivarium. Phalaenopsis are popular and common in garden centres and can be found throughout Southeast Asia. Dendrobium and Cymbidium are popular as well and are widespread throughout South Asia and throughout the Indo-Pacific as far south as New Zealand. Cattleya can be found throughout Central America and South America. Bulbophyllum can be found throughout most of the tropical world including New Guinea, Australia, Southeast Asia, Africa, Madagascar Central America and South America.

Succulent plants like Zamioculcas zamiifolia (ZZ Plant), native to east Africa and southern Africa, is a popular choice of plant for terrariums with heavy boids and South American-style greenhouses and exhibits. Aloe and Sansevieriacan be found throughout Africa and part of the Middle East. Crassula ovata (Jade Plant), Gasteria and Haworthia can be found in southern Africa. Similar looking Agave can be found in North America and South America, while its relative Yucca can be found in dry parts of North America, Central America and the Caribbean and all catci are found throughout the Americas.

Viney plants and groundcover plants such as Epipremnum (Golden Pothos) can be found throughout Malaysia and the rest of the Indo-Pacific; while a similar looking plant, Hoya can be found throughout Southeast Asia and Oceania. A similar plant, Philodendron, can be found throughout tropical Americas and Caribbean. Aglaonema (Chinese Evergreen) can be found throughout Southeast Asia and the Philippines. Traescantia (Wandering Jew) can be found throughout the Americas extending from southern Canada to Argentina. Peperomia is native throughout all of the tropical and subtropical world with high concentration in Central America. Along the Atlantic coast of Brazil, Aphelandra squarrosa (Zebra Plant) can also be found. Hedera helix (English Ivy) is native to Europe and Southwest Asia. Chlorophytum comosum (Spider Plant) and Asparagus “ferns” are common in southern Africa and is considered as invasive weeds throughout much of the world. Ipomoea (Morning Glory) can be found throughout the world.

Scrubs and trees can be used in vivarium for a long period of time using bonsai techniques. Pachira aquatica (Money Tree) can be found throughout swampy Central America and South America. Preferring to be root-bound, Beaucarnea recurvata (Ponytail Palm) is a slow-growing native to Mexico. Majority of the Ficus (Fig Trees) found in garden centres are found throughout Southeast Asia. The most common of the Hibiscus can be found throughout Southeast Asia and the Indo-Pacific. The most common cycad in stores, Cyacas revoluta (Sago Palm) is native to Japan and is cultivated throughout most of Southeast Asia and Indo-Pacific for flour. Although the Aaucaria heterophylla (Norfolk Pine) is endemic to Norfolk Island, much of its relative can be found in Australia, throughout the South Pacific, Argentina, Chile and parts of Brazil. Spathiphyllum (Peace Lily) can be found in Southeast Asia and Latin America. Widespread throughout eastern Africa, Saintpaulia (African Violets) are commonly found in stores.Dracaena sanderiana (Lucky Bamboo) is native to West Africa and is fairly cheap, while Dracaena fragrans (Corn Plant) can be found throughout West Africa, Tanzania and Zambia and the most second popular Dracaena of all, next to the Lucky Bamboo, the Dracaena marginata (Madagascar Dragon Tree), can be found in Madagascar.


Most fern genera are cosmopolitan. The most commonly available Nephrolepis (Sword Fern or the cultivated Boston Fern) can be found throughout South America, southern North America, the Caribbean, Africa and Indo-Pacific with many of its members being weed plants for other members of the same genus.


In the Solomon Islands, Malaxis (Adder's Mouth), Dendrobium (Den Orchids) and Cymbidium (Boat Orchids) are both native and commercially available. Many of the Epipremnum species that are cultivated are originally from the island chains and is the most dominant plant in the region. The Hibiscus tilaceus (Mahoe Hibiscus) is commonplace on the islands, and was thought to be introduced by the Polyensians thousands of years ago, would make a nice scrub in the vivarium using the bonsai technique, and hopefully some beautiful yellow follows can be initiated. If the Mahoe Hibiscus cannot be found, then the more commonly cultivated H. rosa-sinensis (Chinese Hibiscus) can also be used as a valid substitute. Polytrichum commune (Hair Moss) is widely distributed throughout the northern hemisphere and the South Pacific along forest streams. Although Vesicularia dubyana (Java Moss) is not native to the Solomons, it is easily to grow, colonize land quite readily and its range of distribution is closer to the Solomon Islands than some of the other common grass-like aquarium plants. Riccia fluitans (Crystalwort) is a valid addition since it can be found anywhere in the world, and colonize land quite readily. Another widespread genus is Selaginella (Spikemoss) that can enhance the appearance of the the vivarium and serve as an accent. Pteris (Table Ferns) is a widespread genus, and many of the mislabeled genera sold under Pteris are widespread as well. I simply picked a variety of different Table Ferns to increase plant variance in the enclosure, but at the same time is too much variation for the average person. Ideally, Ipomoea batatas (Sweet Potato), introduced by early European settlers, would be the best species of Morning Glory of the climbing vine variety to choose from, however I do not have time to experiment with prolongating a Sweet Potato from the tubar. Instead I will use Ipomoea tricolor cv. Heavenly Blue (Mexican Morning Glory) and hopefully the animals will not destroy them. Any of the Morning Glory should produce nice looking flowers.

[Apryl]

Don't worry Greg, I was on last night and *I* read your post :)

[Kioka]

7b) CULTIVATING PLANTS (Part 2)

Home Depot
5 4" ferns (Pteris and others) - $11.35
They were sold as Pteris, or "Table Fern," but they could be any type of ferns. Most of the genera are widespread throughout the world anyway, and identifying specific species could be difficult. I have them soaking in a Rubbermaid tub in front of the window and fluorescent light above.
Superstore
Golden Pothos (Epipremnum aurem cv. unknown) - $9.99
Fairly hardy plant representative of genus Epipremnum, which the genus is native throughout Indonesia and some of the east Indo-Pacific islands. It is an invasive plants in many parts of the world, and if nothing else it make a fairly hardy plant and a decent biological filtration for any aquarium or vivarium.
Trades and Barters
Mexican Morning Glory (Ipomoea tricolor) - No value
I got these seeds with some Impatiens, Podocarpus and Araucaria heterophylla alongside an exchange with frogO_Oeyes regarding one of the specimen below.
Java Moss (Vesicularia dubyana) - No value
I got these free along with some Malaysian Trumpet Snails from corrosionjerry
Wal-Mart
Golden Pothos (Epipremnum aurem cv. unknowns) -$3.38
Got two different cultivators of Golden Pothos; they were on sale for $1.69 each.
Ferns - $1.98
Got some interesting ferns; they were sold as Pteris, but I highly doubted them.
Stocklist
Cymbidium sp.
Dendrobium sp.
Hibiscus tilaceus or Hibiscus rosa-sinensis
Eleocharis sp.
Epipremnum sp. Check
Ipomoea sp. Check
Malaxis sp.
Polytrichum commune
Pteris spp. Check
Riccia fluitans
Selaginella spp. Check
Vesicularia dubyana Check

Excessive Plants
Araucaria heterophylla - Going toward my New Caledonia, Paleo or Queensland project
Cycas revoluta - Going toward my Sulawesi or Paleo project
Dracaena marginata - Going toward a future project involving Madagascar
Ficus benjamina - Going toward my Queensland or Sulawesi project
Ficus elastica - Going toward my Sulawesi project
Hoya - Going toward my Sulawesi project
Sansevieria - Going toward one of my African projects, probably Victoria Basin
Podocarpus - Going toward my Paleo, Queensland or New Caledonia project
Impatiens - Can be used anywhere in the northern hemisphere and the tropics
Ipomoea tricolor - Can pretty much be used anywhere
Zamioculcas zamiifolia - Going toward one of my African projects

Edmonton-based Stores (that carry plants), Garden Centres and Greenhouses
Covered by Kioka

Home Depot (Claireview)
13304-50th Street N.W.
Edmonton AB T5A 4Z8
(780) 478-7100

Home Depot (Skyview)
13360 - 137th Avenue N.W.
Edmonton AB T5L 5C7
(780) 472-4200

Home Depot (Sherwood Park)
200, 390 Baseline Road
Sherwood Park,AB T8H 1X1
(780) 417-7875

Home Depot (Strathcona)
6725 104th Street N.W.
Edmonton AB T6H 2L3
(780) 431-4725

Home Depot (St. Albert)
750 St. Albert Road
St. Albert AB T8N 7H5
(780) 458-4026

Home Depot (South Common)
2020-101 Street N.W.
Edmonton AB T6N 1J2
(780) 433-6500

Home Depot (Westend)
17404-99th Avenue N.W.
Edmonton AB T5T 5L5
(780) 484-5100

Home Depot (Whitemud)
4430-17th Street N.W.
Edmonton AB T6T 0B4
(780) 577-3575

Nature's Corner
9082-51 Avenue N.W.
Edmonton AB T6E 5X4
(780) 443-3474

Calgary-based Stores (that carry plants), Garden Centres and Greenhouses
Covered by frogO_Oeyes

Golden Acre Garden Centres
620 Goddard Avenue N.E.
Calgary AB T2K5X3
(403) 274-4286Greengate Garden Centres Ltd.14111 Macleod Trail South
Calgary AB T2Y-1M6
(403) 256-1212
(403) 256-4420Home Depot (Beacon Hills)
11320 Sarcee Trail N.W.
Calgary AB T3R 0A1
(403) 374-3860

Home Depot (Chinook)
6500 MacLeod Trail S.W.
Calgary AB T2H 0K6
(403) 258-3800

Home Depot (Country Hills)
388 Country Hills Boulevard
Calgary AB T3K 5H2
(403) 226-7500

Home Depot (McKenzie)
5125 126th Avenue S.E.
Calgary AB T2Z 4E7
(403) 257-8750

Home Depot (North Hills)
1818 16th Avenue N.W.
Calgary AB T2M 0L8
(403) 284-7925

Home Depot (Marlborough)
343-36th Street N.E.
Calgary AB T2A 7S9
(403) 248-1222

Home Depot (Shawnessy)
390 Shawville Blvd. S.E.
Calgary AB T2Y 3S4
(403) 201-5611

Home Depot (Tuscany)
5091 Nose Hill Drive N.W.
Calgary AB T3L0A2
(403) 241-4060

Paramount Orchids
1060-101 Street S.W.
Calgary AB T3H 3Z5
(403) 686-7021 (Phone)
(403) 686-6270 (Fax)
info@paramountorchids.com

Pisces Pet Emporium
#10, 5220-4 Street N.E.
Calgary AB T2K 5X4
(403) 274-3314
contact@piscespets.com (pisces@piscespets.com)

Quick Grow Indoor Garden Center (North)
#1, 1204 Edmonton Trail N.E.
Calgary AB T2E 3K5
(403) 276-5156 (Phone)
(403) 276-5773 (Fax)
877-426-4769 (Toll Free)

Quick Grow Indoor Garden Center (South)
#102,7500 Macleod Trail South
Calgary AB T2H 0L9
(403) 255-5329 (Phone)
(403) 255-5349 (Fax)

Riverfont Aquarium
417 Riverfront Avenue
Calgary AB T2C 0C2
(403) 265-8157 (Phone)
(403) 264-7229 (Fax)

Sunnyside Greenhouses Ltd.
Corner of Sarcee Trail & 34 Avenue N.W.
Calgary AB T3B 2J8
(403) 288-3006
info@sunnysidehomeandgarden.com

[Kioka]

8a) CULTIVATING AND CHOOSING LIVE ANIMALS AND CULTURES (Part 1)

Although I did plan for this back in Stage One and Two, it is not necessary until later on and here I have to consider their compatibility with the plants and the tankmates. By now, you should had chosen a specimen for your vivarium. With a wide variety of fish, reptiles and amphibians available, it should not be too hard to research and figure out what reptiles and amphibians you want along with the desired fish.

Amphibians
There is not a whole of of amphibians to choose from for the Solomon Islands biotope. In term of the commercial trade, only the Burrowing Frogs (Platymantis spp.) and Solomon Islands Leaf Frog (Ceratobatrachus guentheri) seems to be readily available. The most obvious choice here would the Solomon Islands Leaf Frog since the species is endemic only to the island chain and is readily available at this time of the year..

I got a Solomon Islands Leaf Frog brought up by Andrew (frogO_Oeyes). She wasn't doing well the night she brought up, but she bounced back within a day. Now she is merrily eating crickets.
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd293/Souggy/Others/leaffrog.jpg
Hi, I like my hidey-hole.

Reptiles
There's some fairly common commercially-available geckos that are native to the entire Indo-Pacific area that can be find on the Solomon Islands. They are Striped Gecko (Gekko vittatus), Oceanic Gecko (Gehyra oceanica), Pacific Geckos (Gehyra mutilata), Common House Gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus), Mourning Gecko (Lepidodactylus lugubris). Possible skinks includes: Green Tree Skink (Lamprolepis smaragdina), Pacific Blue-Tailed Skink (Emoia spp.), and Green Tree Skink (Prasinohaema virens). Now, the Solomons is home to more than half of the Crocodile Skinks (Tribolonotus spp.), but only two non-native species are readily available in the pet trade: Dusty-eyed Crocodile Skink (Tribolonotus novaeguineae) and Red-eyed Crocodile Skink (Tribolonotus gracilis).

Now, the Crocodile Skinks are unique in itself and the genus is largely unique to almost exclusively to the Solomons, so they would be a must-have for the Solomon Islands biotope. What I have at hand is a pair of Red-Eyed Crocodile Skinks that would be suitable for the purpose of representing their presence on the islands.

All of the geckos would be common enough to find. However I would like to have a common species to provide contrast to two unique species, and the most common ones are the Striped Gecko and the Common House Gecko. While the Common House Gecko would probably be big enough, I do not want to risk anything and would rather have a Striped Gecko or two as precaution. Emoia, Prasinohema, and Lamprolepis are widespread genera of skinks. All of them are extremely beautiful, but would be more suitable to the other biotopes that I am planning, for instance the New Caledonia biotope for the Emoia spp. Beside, having two Crocodile Skinks would be sufficient enough for a small vivarium anyway.

As of March 20th, 2008, I received bad news that the female Crocodile Skink passed away due to refusing to eat for about more than a month. Hopefully a postmortem will reveal what's wrong with her. I got a male Crocodile Skink to increase the possibility of the Crocodile Skinks been seen in the vivarium and hopefully breed them, however since she passed away, I am back to one.

Fish
I have a few potential candidates for a Solomons biotope and they are: Banded Archerfish (Toxotes jaculatrix (http://fishbase.com/Summary/speciesSummary.php?ID=8229&genusname=Toxotes&speciesname=jaculatrix)), which can be found in freshwater streams and rivers as well as brackish mangroves, Mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis (http://fishbase.com/Summary/speciesSummary.php?ID=3215&genusname=Gambusia&speciesname=affinis)), which is an invasive species found in many of the tropics and subtropics including New Guinea and Solomons; and a related species of native Pipefish, which numerous species are found and although the Gulf Pipefish (Syngathus scovelli (http://fishbase.com/Summary/speciesSummary.php?ID=3306&genusname=Syngnathus&speciesname=scovelli)) and its genus does not belong to the Indo-Pacific, it is readily available in the aquarium trade.

There are other candidates for the Solomons biotopes such as Celebes Goby (Glossogobius celebis (http://fishbase.com/Summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=22501)), found in clear coastal streams, or the Loach Goby (Rhyacichthys aspro (http://fishbase.com/Summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=4435)), that is found in hilly or mountainous streams.

Now rather than going by gallonage, I will be using a new method that is rising in the aquarium hobby -- dimension. Although this is not a new concept of housing fish, more and more people are realizing that gallonage doesn't means a thing as long there is proper filtration and space. Now my aquarium is going to be 36"x12"x18" making it undesirable for any fish over 12" if I choose to use a high false bottom. So that means the Archerfish barely squeaked by at 12". The pipefish is at 7"-8", Mosquitofish at 3", Celebes Goby at 6", and the Loach Goby at 10".

Now this is not accounting for the flexibility of the fish to turn around and tolerate shallow water. Ideally, Mosquitofish and Pipefish would be the best candidates due to their ability to be in small aquariums. The Celebes Goby could theoretically live in a small 10g as well. For authentic purposes, the Loach Goby would be favoured, but for interesting "centerpiece" the Archerfish and Pipefish would prove to be popular specimen.

However when in doubt in a tropical biotope, you can't go wrong with Gambusia (mosquitofishes) or Poceilia (mollies and guppies) since they are highly invasive genera.

Now for fish, one need to keep in mind their toleration for space, other inhabitants and shallow water. The less water you have in the vivarium, the more filtration is needed to properly maintain the bio-load. This also means more tasks at hand such as doing water changes. In full aquariums, a lot of the advanced fish keepers do 30%-70% water changes weekly. Now, in a shallow pool that is being shared with terrestrial inhabitants, one would have to do water changes more often or figure out a good filtration. I suggest a natural filtration such as growing aquatic plants, and letting Java Moss conquer the wall of the terrarium as well as the décor. My own filtration will be assisted in that I will have a dripwall and hopefully the terrestrial plants will benefit from the ammonia and nitrate from the water.

I am thinking of getting two garbage cans and setting up a 24/7 continuous water change.

[morphman]

Hello :)

I am new & in the process of starting a very similar project. I just wanted to say that your project is an inspiration to me. I will be glad to help however I can. In the 24 hrs or so that I have been a member I've already recieved a warm welcome & plenty of helpful information. The wealth of knowledge is very comforting. You guys are all great & I am way too exited about this:eek::D:cool:

Thanks

[Kioka]

8b) CULTIVATING AND CHOOSING LIVE ANIMALS AND CULTURES (Part 2)

Invertebrates
Invertebrates can be extremely helpful in creating a bio-active environment. A lot of people use cockroaches, snails, millipedes, slugs, shrimps, springtails, and woodlices in their vivarium. However since we live in Canada, possessing terrestrial herbivorous invertebrates is not something the government is in favour of.

Springtails and woodlices are isopods that break down decaying terrestrial matters and animal byproducts into nutrients for the plants. Often they appear in vivariums, as stowaways on plants, by themselves after a certain time period. However many dart frog owners and some suppliers do sell live cultures of tropical or temperate springtails and woodlices.

Shrimps can make your aquatic section looks lively and kept clean of algae and decaying matters. If prolific enough, they can provide a great food source for semi-aquatic or aquatic amphibians and fish. Caridina and Neocaridina shrimps can be found throughout Asia and Indo-Pacific, and they are often sold as “Cherry Shrimp,” “Bumblebee Shrimp,” “Crystal Shrimp,” and “Algae-eating Shrimp” in the aquaria hobby. Macrobrachium (Long Arm Shrimp) can occasionally be found in aquaria with worldwide distribution and most of the species sold are found in Southeast Asia with a few from Central America and Africa. Natantia (Ghost Shrimp) can be found throughout the Americas and is often sold as feeders. Atyopsis (Fan Shrimp) can be used in established aquarium and terrarium centered around Southeast Asia or Africa. There is a few shrimps that can be used for any vivariums.

Crayfishes are more visible, but unfortunately they are not prolific enough to maintain a steady supply of feeders. If you do choose to add crayfishes, make sure they are not big enough to prey on the other inhabitants or are small enough to get eaten and provide plenty of hiding spaces. Remember that you can get into trouble if you are possessing crayfishes near a body of water. Cherax (Yabby) are sometimes found in aquarium and would make excellent addition to any vivariums featuring Australian, New Guinea or Indo-Pacific streams and rivers. Cambarellus (Dwarf Crayfish) can be used in any southern United States, Central American or Caribbean biotopes. Procambarus clarkii (Red Swamp Crayfish or Louisiana Crayfish) is considered as highly invasive and is replacing the native crayfish and can be used to add in any European biotope, as well as North American and parts of Africa and Asia. The popular Procambarus alleni (Electric Blue Lobster) can be used for a Florida biotope as well. The only problem with crayfishes is that most, if not all, are opportunistic feeders and will eat anything they can grab.

[Kioka]

8c) CULTIVATING AND CHOOSING LIVE ANIMALS AND CULTURES (Part 3)

Aquatic snails can keep decaying flesh, decaying plants and algae in check. Some species of snails, such Melanoides (Trumpet Snails) can prevent the substrate from becoming stagnant and keep the plants' roots healthy. Melanoides tuberculata (Malaysian Trumpet Snail) are one of the most prolific snails and are now considered to be cosmopolitan in tropical and subtropical freshwater and brackish water. Pomacea (Apple Snail or Mystery Snail) are popular in aquaria as one of the biggest freshwater snails, can grow to be same size as a baseball, and come in a variety of colour. The Apple Snail is native to Latin America and can be found as naturalized invasive pests in Southeast Asia, Indonesia, and Australia. Marisa cornuarietis (Giant Ramshorn Snail) can be used for any South American or Caribbean biotopes and is desired, unlike the true Ramshorn snail. Neritina and Clithon (Nerite Snails) can be sold as either genus in petstores and can be found on Atlantic coasts and in the Indo-Pacific. Many of their relatives such as Clypeolum of the Pacific, Fluvionerita of Jamaica, tropical cosmopolitan Neritilia, Neritodryas of Malaysia, Septaria of South Pacific, India and Madagascar, and Theoxodus of Europe and Southwest Asia can also be sold as Nerite Snails. Snail population size can also be a great indicator if too much decaying matters or overfeeding is occurring in the vivarium.

Freshwater clams and mussels are filter-feeder that are great for removing suspending algae. However they only seem to do best in moving water that are already established with numerous micro-organisms present in the water. Mussels can be found in any body of water anywhere in the world. Corbicula fluminea (Asian Golden Clams), originally from Asia and parts of Africa, are readily available and is now considered as cosmopolitan as invasive species in Europe, the Pacific and the Americas originally as food source, and later as discarded aquarium pets. There are other freshwater bivalves available, but only occasionally. Keep in mind most of the aquarium clams and mussels are parasitic in the early part of the life cycle and occupy the gills of amphibian larvae and fish.

Since my vivarium is based on the Solomon Islands in the Indo-Pacific, I will be using Caridina and Neocaridina shrimps, and Melanoides tuberculata. I might add some Clithon or Septaria Nerite Snails and Long-arm Shrimps if I can find them. I will be adding Asian Golden Clams once the vivarium is established.

Stocklist
Caridina spp.
Ceratobatrachus guentheri
Gambusia affinis
Gekko vittatus
Melanoides tuberculata
Neocaridina spp.
Springtails
Tribolonotus gracillis
Woodlices

[A&J Decals]

I must say, one of the better posts on here in some time. Very well thought out and informative. This should prove to be a worthwhile project.

Scott

[lizardkings_daughter]

if you haven't already.. A really easy way of getting calcium off is white vinegar.. I had a little ten gallon that I had let sit for WAY too long and I tried scraping, that didn't work. So I put some vinegar in a spray bottle and used a sponge!

[Spankenstyne]

Looking forward to seeing how this progresses.

[Kioka]

9) BIOACTIVE SUBSTRATE AND VIVARIUM PLANTING

I filled most of the land section with coco fibré. I also filled every bore with coco fibre as well. Then I planted ferns, spike moss, three cultivator styles of Golden Pothos. I wanted to use some Hibiscus, Sweet Potato or Taro and orchids; however I don't think I have any room left! I seeded some Morning Glory, Water Cress, ormental grass of the Carex genus. They won't be ready in time for the TARAS show, but they should so some signs of growth in time for the ERAS show and should look pretty well grown in by the end of the summer.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd293/Souggy/livingviv/solomons10.jpg
Had to stand on the coffee table.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd293/Souggy/livingviv/solomons12.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd293/Souggy/livingviv/solomons13.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd293/Souggy/livingviv/solomons14.jpg

[Kioka]

10) REFERENCES
General
Amphibiancare.com's articles (http://www.amphibiancare.com/frogs/articles.html)
AmphibiaWeb (http://www.amphibiaweb.org/) – A fairly good database on amphibians
Aquatic Predator's "A how to session In exhibit quality Tank design, Vandellia Biotope tank" (http://aquaticpredators.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=27956) by Brooklamprey - Stream/river concept
Black Jungle (http://www.blackjungle.com/)
Cichlid-forum.com's DIY articles (http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/diy_list.php)
eFloras.org (http://www.efloras.org/index.aspx) - Extensive database covering a few areas of the world; not perfect, but extremely useful.
FishBase (http://fishbase.org/)
FrogNet's "Making Artifical Trees and Vines for Naturalistic Vivaria" (http://www.bbrock.frognet.org/Making%20artificial%20trees%20and%20vines.pdf) by Brent L. Brock - PDF
IUCN/SSCG's Global Invasive Species Database (http://www.issg.org/database/welcome/)
JSTOR (http://www.jstor.org/) - Post-secondary access only
The Krib (http://www.thekrib.com/)
Loaches Online's "River-Tank Manifold Design" (http://www.loaches.com/articles/river-tank-manifold-design) by Martin Thoene
Monster Fish Keepers' DIY section (http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=30)
The Native Fish Conservancy's "Creating a Stream Aquarium" (http://www.nativefish.org/articles/stream.php) by Konrad Schmidt
TARAS's "Does 'terrarium' describe your landscapes properly?" (http://www.albertareptilesociety.org/forum/showthread.php?t=901) by FrogO_Oeyes
Farmertodd's "System Design for the Ultimate Native Fish Aquarium" (http://farmertodd.com/pdfs/native_fish_tank.pdf) by Todd D. Crail - PDF
Vivaria Projects' guides (http://www.vivaria.nl/vivarium/guides.html)
World Wildlife Fund's Ecoregion Search (http://www.worldwildlife.org/wildfinder/searchByPlace.cfm) - Not all inclusive, but it gives pretty good idea for specimen; it can be frisky with the binomial name but I guess it is not always possible to include every synonyms
Specific
FishBase's Aquarium Fishes of Indonesia (http://fishbase.org/Country/CountryAquariumList.cfm?country=360&CFID=4908991&CFTOKEN=45084141)
FishBase's List of Freshwater Fishes for Solomon Islands (http://fishbase.org/Country/CountryChecklist.php?c_code=090&vhabitat=fresh&csub_code=&CFID=4908991&CFTOKEN=45084141)
Charles Hedley's "On the Relation of the Fauna and Flora of Australia to Those of New Zealand" (1893) (http://www.wku.edu/%7Esmithch/biogeog/HEDL1893.htm)
G. Marquet, N. Taiki, L. Chadderton, P Gerbeaux's "Biodiversity and Biogeography of Freshwater Crustaceans (Decapoda: Natantia) from Vanuatu, a Comparison with Fiji and New Caledonia" (http://www.onema.fr/BFPP/bfpp/Article/364/364p217.pdf) - PDF
Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries's "Solomon Islands: Country Report to the Fao International Technical Conference on Plant Genetic Resources" (http://www.fao.org/AG/Agp/AGPS/Pgrfa/pdf/solomoni.pdf) - PDF
Nationaal Herbarium Nederland's "Orchid Genera of the Malesian subregions" (http://www.nationaalherbarium.nl/pubs/orchidweb/orchid_genera_of_malesian_subreg.htm)
Pacific Biodiversity Information Forum's " (http://www2.bishopmuseum.org/natscidb2/?w=PBIF&explst=r&cols=10&rpp=1000&pge=1&id=-200210502)Ceratobatrachus guentheri Boulenger, 1884" (http://www2.bishopmuseum.org/natscidb2/?w=PBIF&explst=r&cols=10&rpp=1000&pge=1&id=-200210502) - Nothing really to read, but it's an interest list of references for one of the specimen in the biotope
World Wildlife Fund's " (http://www.worldwildlife.org/wildworld/profiles/terrestrial/aa/aa0119_full.html)Solomon Islands rain forests" (http://www.worldwildlife.org/wildworld/profiles/terrestrial/aa/aa0119_full.html)
World Wildlife Fund's "Species found in Northern New Guinea lowland rain and freshwater swamp forests (AA0115)" (http://www.worldwildlife.org/wildfinder/searchByPlace.cfm?ecoregion=AA0115&orderBy=3&sortType=ASC#results)
World Wildlife Fund's " (http://www.worldwildlife.org/wildfinder/searchByPlace.cfm?ecoregion=AA0116&orderBy=3&sortType=ASC#results)Species found in Northern New Guinea montane rain forests (AA0116)" (http://www.worldwildlife.org/wildfinder/searchByPlace.cfm?ecoregion=AA0116&orderBy=3&sortType=ASC#results)
World Wildlife Fund's " (http://www.worldwildlife.org/wildfinder/searchByPlace.cfm?ecoregion=AA0119&orderBy=3&sortType=ASC#results)Species found in Solomon Islands rain forests (AA0119)" (http://www.worldwildlife.org/wildfinder/searchByPlace.cfm?ecoregion=AA0119&orderBy=3&sortType=ASC#results)
Yixiong Chai and Shingemitsu Shokita's "Report on a Collection of Freshwater Shrimps (Crustacea: Decapoda: Caridea) from the Phillippines, with Descriptions of Four New Species" (http://www.aseanbiodiversity.info/Abstract/53005457.pdf) - PDF

[Kioka]

11) INVOLVEMENT (DIRECT OR INDIRECT)
-Andrew (FrogO_Oeyes (http://www.edmontonreptiles.com/forum/member.php?u=372)) for rekindling my interest in establishing biotopes. He showed me a way how a terrestrial biotope with reptile and amphibian can work; he also broadened my mind to the possibility of unique reptiles and amphibian outside the scope of my intended focus area and sharing the same taste in amphibians as I do. He is also my mentor and consultant in this project. Thank you for supplying the Ceratobatrachus guentheri and numerous sources for me to read to incorporate into my biotope.
- Apyrl (Apyrl (http://www.edmontonreptiles.com/forum/member.php?u=56)) and her boyfriend Corey (Yeroptok (http://www.edmontonreptiles.com/forum/member.php?u=55)) for inspiring me with her dart frog collection.
- Clint (Alberta Bred Geckos (http://www.edmontonreptiles.com/forum/member.php?u=81)) for rekindling my childhood interest in amphibians with Tiger Salamanders.
- Danny (kitchengod (http://www.edmontonreptiles.com/forum/member.php?u=31)) and his family for lending their hands in the project.
- Ian (joeysgreen (http://www.edmontonreptiles.com/forum/member.php?find=lastposter&t=2205)) and his wife for temporarily housing my reptiles until I find a new place or sort out the idiotic situation.
- Jerry (corrosionjerry (http://albertaaquatica.com/index.php?showuser=1276)) for donating Vesicularia dubyana and Melanoides tuberculatus for the project.
- Lyndsy (bean (http://www.edmontonreptiles.com/forum/member.php?u=39)) for supplying me with pieces of driftwood.
- Ollie (Ollie (http://www.edmontonreptiles.com/forum/member.php?u=189)) for dropping off the aquarium, and his friend, Al, for donating it.
- Neil T (rhacodactylus (http://www.edmontonreptiles.com/forum/member.php?u=13)) for supplying some of the décors and substrate outlined in the thread, well as feeders.
- Neil W (Neil (http://www.edmontonreptiles.com/forum/member.php?u=20)) for convincing me to continue collecting unusual specimen on Family Day at Londonderry in 2008.
- Scott (A&J Decals (http://www.edmontonreptiles.com/forum/member.php?u=19)) for taking interest and having the same eclectic taste in reptiles.
- Steve (majesty (http://www.edmontonreptiles.com/forum/member.php?u=88)) for supplying Tribolonotus gracilis for the biotope.

[Kioka]

Well... on March 20th... I have been informed by the temporary caretaker that the female Crocodile Skink passed away... she refused to eat for about more than a month. I should had never moved her out of my place. She showed NO signs of her health declining except for the refusal to eat. However she HAD refused to eat for more than a month before about 2 years now.

Hopefully the postmortem will reveal what's wrong with her. I will ask Ian to publish the results. If the executives wish to make this a public event, please ask Ian. She is in his hands now. I want her death to be meaningful by being educational for everyone.

I am thinking that she might had been carrying parasites from one of the feeder items, or perhaps the original trio of Crocodile Skinks that were sold as "captive-bred," will turn out to be wild-caught since all three of them refuse to eat for weeks at times. I already got the second one of the original three. The third one died a year ago under the original owner's care apparently due to ovary cancer or being egg-bound.

Or maybe the trio were just plain... fussy.

[FrogO_Oeyes]

First and more complex "demo" project now in breaking-in period. North Vietnam:
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg46/FrogO_Oeyes/Vietnam%20Terrarium/PICT0156.jpg
Plants:
Radermacchia sinensis China doll - Native
Podocarpus macrophyllus Yew pine - Probable native
Murraya paniculata Orange Jessamine/Chinese box tree - Native
Jasminus sp. Jasmine - Native or related to Vietnamese native
Ficus pumila Creeping fig - Native
Dendrobium parishii Dendrobium orchid - Native
Dendrobium lodiggesii Dendrobium orchid - Native
Doritaenopsis sp. Phalaenopsis orchid - Related to Vietnamese species
Pteris sp. Fern - Related to Vietnamese species
Adiantum sp. Maidenhair fern - Related to Vietnamese species
Microsorum pteropus Java fern - Native
Vesicularia dubayana Java moss - Native
Selaginella kraussiana Scotch moss - Related to Vietnamese species.

Animals pending:
Paramesotriton deloustali Vietnamese warty newt - North Vietnamese
Theloderma corticale Vietnamese mossy frog - North Vietnamese
Hylarana erythraea Red eared frog - Native, widespread
Gekko ulikovskii Golden gecko - Related species, Central Vietnamese
Japalura splendida Splendid tree dragon - Native, widespread
Tanichthys micagemmae Cardinal minnow - North Vietnamese
or
Tanichthys thacbaensis Thac Ba minnow - North Vietnamese
or
Tanichthys albonubes White cloud mountain minnow - Native, widespread
Sewellia sp. Butterfly loach - Vietnamese
or
Beaufortia sp. Butterfly loach - Native, widespread
Schistura sp. Hillstream loach - Native or related to Vietnamese species.

Animals likely:
Theloderma asperum Bird dropping frog - Native [might hold back due to small size]
Polypedates sp. Blue gliding frog - Native
Leptobrachium sp. Litter frog - Native or related to Vietnamese species
Megophrys sp. Leaf frog - Native or related to Vietnamese species
Bombina maxima ssp. Giant firebellied toad - Native
or
Bombina orientalis Oriental firebellied toad - Related to Vietnamese species
Tylototriton sp. Crocodile salamander - 4 or 5 species native.

Excess plants:
Jasminum sp. Jasmine - destined for Yunnan biotope [Native]
Pseudotsuga menziesii Douglas Fir - destined for Yunnan biotope [Related to P.sinensis]
Coffea arabica Arabica coffee [introduced, related natives] - destined for Masoala biotope [introduced, related natives]
Pteris sp. Fern - destined for Yunnan biotope [Related species]
Dendrobium compactum hybrid Dendrobium orchid - destined for Yunnan biotope [Native]
Selaginella kraussiana Golden Scotch moss - destined for Yunnan biotope [Related species]
Microsorum pteropus Java fern - destined for Yunnan biotope [Native]
Microsorum musifolium Crocodile fern - scattered occurence. Uncertain use, but it's awesome :>
Vesicularia dubayana Java moss - destined for Yunnan biotope [Native]

Honestly, it looks FAR better than the photo, probably because the flash gives it harsher lighting than actual.

[Ollie]

Can you give us a picture from the top? It is hard to visualize the topography with just the front view. Thanks,

Ollie

[FrogO_Oeyes]

At this point - probably not. That would require pressing the back of my head into the ceiling while balancing on my toes from a lightbulb and another terrarium.

However, from the left side during final trimming and shaping of the foam:
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg46/FrogO_Oeyes/Vietnam%20Terrarium/PICT0055.jpg

From the top prior to "landscaping":
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg46/FrogO_Oeyes/Vietnam%20Terrarium/Pict0003.jpg

And from the top right during sand application:
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg46/FrogO_Oeyes/Vietnam%20Terrarium/PICT0066.jpg

From the top [turned on its side], also during sand application. Sand had to be applied to six sides, making this the trickiest process:
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg46/FrogO_Oeyes/Vietnam%20Terrarium/PICT0073.jpg

[FrogO_Oeyes]

Here it is landscaped, taken without flash. Two flourescent lights, a pane of glass on top to boost humidity [very well]. There are issues of declining water flow. This seems due to various degrees of clogging. There is minor clogging in the spray nozzles [especially the fine spray head, due to sand], and possibly in the 1/4 inch water lines due to fragments of coco. The pump itself has been impaired by coco in the intake. To some degree, this is expected at this point, and I can add a pre-filter to the pump, close three of four lines, remove the fourth, and force-flush them one by one. Right now, flow rate is somewhat steady, and I shut the pump off briefly now and then to backflush the lines.
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg46/FrogO_Oeyes/Vietnam%20Terrarium/PICT0158.jpg

I may have some epiphyte-covered west coast alder which I can replace those bare branches with. If not, the moss I have will eventually grow in, or I will collect better branches in the next month.

[Greg West]

How is the sand applied? Is it silicone over the foam and then stuck on, or is something else used. I would think it would be hard to get full coverage over the foam using silicone, but I have never tried it myself.

On another note Andrew I need to get a hold of you. Give me a call at 807-0168. Have a cheque for you and want to go over 2 possible terrariums I would like to do up for the fall show if the spring one is a success.

[FrogO_Oeyes]

Silicone is the trick, lots of it. It tends to tack up in about 30 minutes, and on a large rough surface it can be hard work to get enough on in time latex gloves are used to spread and to reach the nooks and crannies. Some surfaces can be reached simply by piling your surface material deep enough, others have to be reached by multiple applications - tilt to remove excess substrate from bare surfaces, apply new silicone, spread, tip, bury. Coco and peat can be pressed on, as can sand and gravel. Silicone will tend to come through sand and gravel when pressed. Due to size and complexity, sand areas required multiple applications and several touch ups for a number of bare pockets which didn't show until after cleanups. Coco areas were done in a single application and touch up. There was only one large surface and a bit of a second, but the amount of silicone used in one step made it hard work. Done over, I would have divided it further, using peat on some surfaces. Some future projects will be done at least partly as components built outside the terrarium, then trimmed to fit, coated, and siliconed into position. Because silicone doesn't stick to cellophane, the combination of cellophane-silicone-polyurethane can be used to mold or otherwise construct external components. External components can also be coated quickly on up to four sides before dipping or burying in substrate. Repeating the process can give you a 3D object [I created a fake rock this way, to hide the pump access]. This further allows multiple coverings to be done all at the same time.

Colored silicone is used [I have a use for just about every shade at this point], black or colored to more or less match what will be glued on. Colored silicone, so far as I have seen, is not "aquarium safe". It doesn't appear to be an issue however. Sometimes lack of such certification will just mean they didn't pay for testing, and for silicone it often means it contains fungicides which MIGHT actually be more benefit than liability. Live plants and water changes, plus having most such silicone above the water should also reduce the possible harm. In any case, black silicone is something of a widespread standard for terraria and ponds. This project used black and brown. Upcoming projects will use almond, gray, black, and white.

Have a cheque for you and want to go over 2 possible terrariums
I've also got sample plaques and a couple receipts in the car.
I would like to do up for the fall show if the spring one is a success
Given the interest in fall and next year, plus entries in all categories thus far, I'd say the best bet is to assume it will carry one. Worst case, you have nice display tanks! This tank is my largest and most difficult, and only required a couple week's work. From surfaced foam to jungle was less than a day. How well it thrives in the next month remains to be seen, but I've killed enough plants over the years to know what works and what doesn't.

Part 1 - sand, round one of 64523
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg46/FrogO_Oeyes/Vietnam%20Terrarium/PICT0064.jpg
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg46/FrogO_Oeyes/Vietnam%20Terrarium/PICT0065.jpg
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg46/FrogO_Oeyes/Vietnam%20Terrarium/PICT0066.jpg

[Ollie]

[quote=FrogO_Oeyes;23909]At this point - probably not. That would require pressing the back of my head into the ceiling while balancing on my toes from a lightbulb and another terrarium.



Oh, I'd like to see a picture of that as well.:)

Seriously, the pictures you posted have answered my questions. Thanks,

Ollie

[FrogO_Oeyes]

Part 2 - sand - external forms
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg46/FrogO_Oeyes/Vietnam%20Terrarium/PICT0067.jpg
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg46/FrogO_Oeyes/Vietnam%20Terrarium/PICT0061.jpg
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg46/FrogO_Oeyes/Vietnam%20Terrarium/PICT0062.jpg
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg46/FrogO_Oeyes/Vietnam%20Terrarium/PICT0063.jpg

[FrogO_Oeyes]

Part 2 continued - silicone peeled and flipped over, bare side towards the foam
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg46/FrogO_Oeyes/Vietnam%20Terrarium/PICT0068.jpg
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg46/FrogO_Oeyes/Vietnam%20Terrarium/PICT0069.jpg
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg46/FrogO_Oeyes/Vietnam%20Terrarium/PICT0074.jpg

[FrogO_Oeyes]

Part 2 - continued [photos not uploaded yet]

[FrogO_Oeyes]

Part 3 - coco
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg46/FrogO_Oeyes/Vietnam%20Terrarium/PICT0092.jpg
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg46/FrogO_Oeyes/Vietnam%20Terrarium/PICT0093.jpg
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg46/FrogO_Oeyes/Vietnam%20Terrarium/PICT0094.jpg

Note that small water lines, branch holders, and plant pots were foamed into place, sometimes by cutting existing foam first and then foaming over. Everything was checked for fit before landscaping. Spray nozzles were removed before silicone application. "Branch holders" are pinched sections of 3/4 inch vinyl hose. I thought these would work well to hold replaceable real branches. It works.

[Kioka]

Posted some massive revisions for the project..

[Spankenstyne]

I can't help but wonder of there isn't a spray-on silicone available that may make the covering of the foam much easier & less time consuming?

This is looking very cool.

[Kioka]

I can't help but wonder of there isn't a spray-on silicone available that may make the covering of the foam much easier & less time consuming?

This is looking very cool.

That would be a sticky mess!

[Apryl]

And if gel silicone already smells... could you imagine what an aeresol or even slightly airborne spray would smell like? USE IN WELL VENTILATED AREA!!!

[Neil]

I can't help but wonder of there isn't a spray-on silicone available that may make the covering of the foam much easier & less time consuming?

You can get spray contact cement,that may work.It drys to basicly rubber.

[Greg West]

Is this vivarium going to be setup and then brought down to Calgary, or the animals removed and then put back in once it is setup in Calgary? I would think this would be a pretty delicate move to make sure nothing is damaged, or harmed during the trip.

[FrogO_Oeyes]

The addition of Mopane, rock, or water can greatly increase weight. I would recommend purchase of a large collapsible water tank from Canadian Tire, MEC, etc, and pumping most water into that before transport. Fishes can be transported in the water tank, other animals in the terrarium.

My largest tank, even with water, is remarkably lightweight, and also quite solid. The way it is set up, I can disconnect my water manifold and connect an external line to pump into a holding tank. The step pools can be left full, and for that matter, I can actually wedge filter foam over them to prevent the minor slopping or jumping of fishes. My travel distance is about 1/5 that of the Edmontonians [ie, within the city!].

Mishaal's tank is similar in size, but much heavier. The mopane and thick glass are the cause of that. It will be hard to pump out excess water with the small pump, but the actual amount of water may be small. As it is a top-opening tank, sloshing won't be a big deal, nor stranding of any fishes. Should be good to go, but two people to carry it might be prudent.

Andrew's setup is larger, and will certainly need two people to carry. However, weight for size shouldn't be bad. The size will mean a fair amount of water to slosh, so carrying water and fishes in a water tank would be prudent. A couple large pieces of filter foam would make good baffles to reduce movement of any water or fishes in the tank. The size of the tank also means that sloshing could upset plants and land areas more.

[Kioka]

It shouldn't be a problem. I will drain the aquarium, put the fish and shrimps in a cooler. I will only leave a minimal amount of water for Java Moss and the Hairgrass to soak in and keep the glass lid on to hopefully keep the humidity during the 4 hours drive. I just run a battery-operated airstone in the cooler, and put in enough water in there that any buildup of ammonia or nitrite will be insufficient.

No biggie. :D I have moved aquariums before.

Regarding plants, most, if not all the plants on the list are hardy. And the animals can be carried in deli-cup or in a Rubbermaid.

[FrogO_Oeyes]

Welcome to Vietnam...

Two days after checking connections, adding water, and running the pump. Water lines spliced to make clearing blockages easier and to add outlets, filter and clogs removed from the manifold...
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg46/FrogO_Oeyes/Vietnam%20Terrarium/PICT0167.jpg
Outflow of the lower step pool, at normal water flow rate. Maximum flow floods the whole ledge at lower left.

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg46/FrogO_Oeyes/Vietnam%20Terrarium/PICT0168.jpg
Outflow of the upper step pool at normal flow. At full flow, water pours over the lip.

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg46/FrogO_Oeyes/Vietnam%20Terrarium/PICT0169.jpg
The waterfall, which is more of a seepage at normal flow rates.

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg46/FrogO_Oeyes/Vietnam%20Terrarium/PICT0170.jpg
The rock face seepages.

Remember - there are NO natural rocks in here, apart from two buried inside foam, where they are invisible weights

[Alberta Bred Geckos]

Looks pretty cool Frog! I like your idea of the slow moving pond sections as well as righer rate flow sections. Got an overall pic (from furthur away) to get the whole picture in?

[FrogO_Oeyes]

Post 28 without flash, and a bit earlier with flash.

[TrogMan]

Cool, I hadn't thought about using sand for a substrate... I used ground coconut fibre for mine... http://www.edmontonreptiles.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2445&page=3

[FrogO_Oeyes]

Sand is part of it, coco fiber is other parts. Other projects will use additional materials, and each one entails developing new innovations. This one had parts which were a pain to complete, and I'm still clearing bits of sand and coco out of the waterlines periodically. The entire things seems to me movable WITH water, although I would minimize water content due to sloshing. The Masoala project took much longer to start; due to some planning difficulties, but once those were overcome, the rest should go more easily. Framing Sunday; foam Monday and Tuesday, and with luck, on display Saturday. The construction is easy. Starting and finishing are tricky.

[Kioka]

Updated Section 5 or Post #8

[Kioka]

Updated section 9. Will update a few other sections sometimes soon.

[TrogMan]

I didn't read every bit of this thread, but noticed you were unsure of:

1. where to get cheap, safe black silicone - answer: Canadian Tire has the GE Silicone II in other colors, and even though it doesn't say so, it is safe. However, it is not recommended for aquariums because it is NOT strong. I use it for my terrarium backgrounds too. Although GE Construction Silicone 1200 is much better, it is very hard to find. Creative Aquariums won't sell it to me because I am not a pet store, but I can buy it at Paradise Pets here in St. Albert - but they want an arm and a leg for it.

2. The Bio-Seal version of GE Silicone II is NOT safe for aquariums or animals as it contains Arsenic I believe - to ward of molds.

3. There is a version of the GE Silicone I that does say Aquarium Safe on it in really small lettering.

[dogstar]

Hmm, I was wondering about the GE Silicone II tonight... I remembered reading this, but got your info confused Trogman.

Andrew and Andrew, both your biotopes looked great at the show, great enough that I am doing one, or multiples.

[Kioka]

Actually, I used the coloured silicone anyway after reading that a lot of dart frog and fishkeepers found out that the bio-seal is bulk since it is already present in Silicone I.

Tetras (friend dropped them off recently) are doing fine so far... my canaries in the coalmine...

I didn't read every bit of this thread, but noticed you were unsure of:

1. where to get cheap, safe black silicone - answer: Canadian Tire has the GE Silicone II in other colors, and even though it doesn't say so, it is safe. However, it is not recommended for aquariums because it is NOT strong. I use it for my terrarium backgrounds too. Although GE Construction Silicone 1200 is much better, it is very hard to find. Creative Aquariums won't sell it to me because I am not a pet store, but I can buy it at Paradise Pets here in St. Albert - but they want an arm and a leg for it.

2. The Bio-Seal version of GE Silicone II is NOT safe for aquariums or animals as it contains Arsenic I believe - to ward of molds.

3. There is a version of the GE Silicone I that does say Aquarium Safe on it in really small lettering.

[Kioka]

Well. Thanks everyone for supporting me in this project. This one is on my list of enclosures to be redone, along with 10 other ones. I originally started this project planning for at least a 24"x18". However as the project progressed, it was modified into a 36"x12". It's great for a reptile that JUST need surface area, but not so great for water features. At the time, I couldn't just say no to a free bigger enclosure. All I had at the time was an 18"x18"x18" exo-terra.

To be honest, 12" width is not much to work with, even in aquascaping. I am sure it will work for some fish and reptiles out there, but along every step of the way most of my goofs were because I didn't have enough elbow room. It was just a pain in the back to tell the truth. If I was keeping a daly log, then my fustration would been vented. However when I saw how great it looked planted, my intention to redo the aquarium disappeared... until I saw the Crocodile Skink crawling all over the cliff portion yesterday.

In this project, I have about 8"-10" width of land; I want the land to be at least 14" wide.

[joeysgreen]

I agree with you Andrew. If I saw a flaw with the enclosure it was that it didn't accommodate the terrestrial activities very well. It'd probably be great for a variety of darts, tree frogs ect. I"m at a loss at the moment, but any smaller lizards with the habits of the basilisk or water dragons would suite it as well.

[Kioka]

I got two projects going on. If the Zilla I am picking up from Brother Nature is good enough for the Sulawesi, I will make the 90 gallon I got from majesty terrestrial rather than vertical and redo the Solomons in that.

The 90g is easier to carry horizontally... than vertically... so the Zilla would be better in that sense.

[FrogO_Oeyes]

Solomon Islands herps are currently available, including Eugongylus and Gekko vittatus complex [neither seen locally]. In addition, other suitable New Guinea substitutes are available Acrochordus (Chersydrus) granulatus, which is is very difficult to keep alive]

Thanks to Kevin at J&J Reptiles, here are a couple juicy temptations:
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg46/FrogO_Oeyes/Solomon%20Islands/Pict0412.jpg http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg46/FrogO_Oeyes/Solomon%20Islands/Pict0411.jpg

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg46/FrogO_Oeyes/Solomon%20Islands/Pict0417.jpg http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg46/FrogO_Oeyes/Solomon%20Islands/Pict0414.jpg

Tribolonotus sp., from New Guinea. Possibly T.novaeguineae, which lacks the orange eye-ring, but I can't be sure of the other traits. Both species are available in the trade right now. The Solomons are home to most of the recognized species, none of which I have ever seen available: T.ponceleti, T.blanchardi, T.pseudoponceleti, T.schmidti.

[Kioka]

Gotta wait for the next export season...

Stop tempting me! I need to pay bills!

[FrogO_Oeyes]

And a couple more...
Lamprolepis smaragdina, the green tree skink. At one time, three species were recognized in Dasia. Now the three are considered separate genera with multiple species each: Apterygodon vittatus [plus others], Dasia olivacea [plus others], and Lamprolepis smaragdina [plus others]. The last is geographically variable, with consistant differences in local color phases. Some may be entirely green, some may only be green in front and brown to the rear. The color phase with the speckled hind limbs is a Solomons form. Likely, multiple local species are actually involved here.

Next is Tribolonotus gracilis, also from New Guinea.

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg46/FrogO_Oeyes/Solomon%20Islands/Pict0425.jpg http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg46/FrogO_Oeyes/Solomon%20Islands/Pict0422.jpg

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg46/FrogO_Oeyes/Solomon%20Islands/Pict0432.jpg http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg46/FrogO_Oeyes/Solomon%20Islands/Pict0446.jpg

Then we have a small Pacific mangrove monitor, Varanus indicus. Although multiple species have been split from this taxon, including a Solomons endemic, animals in this name are still widely distributed and variable and probably include multiple species.

Last are the Solomon Islands eyelash frogs, Ceratobatrachus guentheri. As you can see, this is an incredibly variable species. Several other Solomons species of Platymantis will probably be transferred to Ceratobatrachus, as the Solomons species are close kin. Top - plain female. Mid left - deep red smooth male with mirrored eye patches. Mid right -ridged dead leaf male. Bottom left - ridged lichenose male. Bottom right - smooth light red male with white frosting.

[Badger]

Darn you, FrogEyes! Just when I feel I've reached the critter limit you find the coolest lizards - I've seen the eyebrow frogs and tried to ignore them before too. I barely have room for my tank and already I may need a larger one. . .maybe I could sneak one in at the Dracos' new place, I'm not sure Vic knows what's there anymore anyhow.

[Kioka]

Darn you, FrogEyes! Just when I feel I've reached the critter limit you find the coolest lizards - I've seen the eyebrow frogs and tried to ignore them before too. I barely have room for my tank and already I may need a larger one. . .maybe I could sneak one in at the Dracos' new place, I'm not sure Vic knows what's there anymore anyhow.

They (Crocodile Skinks) DO look cool; keeping them ain't so cool. They like it cooler than most reptiles and are pretty picky eater... and only come out during dusk and dawn. Not really a display animal, and you probably would end up tearing apart the cage looking for it. Then if they ARE out in the open, your guests would think they died.

[Badger]

Sweet, kind of like my very expensive mantellas I haven't seen since the ERAS show.

[Kioka]

Bump.

I got interest in this thread, and I might do another project now that my situation has stabilized.

[FrogO_Oeyes]

I've had a variety of kinks to work out with Vietnam. I installed a second pump exclusively for the drip lines, and have converted the manifold at the top of the waterfall to a straight flow-through system. The result is a strong steady flow of the waterfall. The greenback frogs, Hylarana erythraea, seem quite at home, though the Calluella yunnanensis is rarely seen and only after dark.

Anything fully aquatic has been lost. I suspect this might be related to leaching of chemicals, but really don't know. I am erring on the side of caution, first by doing a full water change , and second by avoiding any Silicone 2. Whatever the package may say, silicone 2, by definition contains anti-mildew compounds. These are likely to leach into the water and could thus be harmful to aquatic organisms. As mildew is a fungus, and many plants including orchids, depend on fungi in order to survive, it could also be harmful to plants. Consequently, I don't intend further use of silicone 2 in wet habitats. That's inconvenient, since GE Si2 comes in about eight colors, and I consider this essential to making realistic terrain. Brown and almond are important for my purposes, and even aluminum has its place. GE Si1 comes in about a half-dozen colors, including black, white, clear, and bronze. Only white and clear are common, and All Glass is only readily available black or clear, at 2-3 times the price of GE.

That said, I finally got [I]Sewellia lineolata [one only for now] as well as S.albisuera, who entered the tank after the water was changed and topped up. They seem right at home, probably moreso than any other aquarium they are likely to go into. In fact, after introduction, the S.albisuera [unidentified at that point] disappeared. I found it - on the glass of the terrarium, halfway up the side next to the waterfall, where it stayed for hours. Once identified, I learned the this species is typically found in waterfall zones. Right at home :> If they do well, I'll add to them. If not, they'll be moved. It will be a good excuse to create another waterfall habitat. No "river manifolds" for me :P

Fortunately...
Masoala uses a granodiorite landscape. This is largely white and I was already suspicious of the Si2. Standard clear silicone on top of white foam was quite suitable.

Okinawa will be a limestone landscape. I will be using either white or clear with a fine light colored sand, and this is mainly an aquatic habitat.

Calgary will be light colored sandstone, and is mainly terrestrial. This may be a combination of almond Si2 and an undecided Si1 in wet areas. This is pending texturing and installation.

Great Basin Desert is done and pending installation. Brown and black Si2 were used, but this amost exclusively land.

After these, Isalo is a likely project. This is a desert canyon and will require almond and brown Si2 in the dry areas, probably with clear or white Si1 along the stream bed.

Yunnan, one way or another, is likely to be black Si1, as this is envisioned as a tropical rainforest mountain stream in the largest of the Exo-Terras. I still need to double check the rock types, but much of SE Asia is quite diverse in surface geology.

[Rachel]

theres some guys that work around food industries that get silicone from Gregg Distributors because they have to becareful incase it comes in contact with say drinking water etc that is super non toxic and I know Walmart use to carry silicone that was aquarium safe

[dogstar]

You can probably mix coloring in with the clear Si1 without messing with the bonding or curing. Latex paints would probably be a good place to start.

Give it a try on some test pieces, worst thing that will happen is it doesn't work.

[FrogO_Oeyes]

Getting safe silicone isn't the issue, it's getting safe silicone in the right color ;)
I didn't think of checking Gregg, although I have seen another reference to Walmart. Certainly a cheaper source of colored Si1 would be helpful.

I hadn't thought of mixing pigments into the silicone, though I don't relish the idea of having to get it all out of the caulking tube first. Might be worth trying though.

[dogstar]

Getting safe silicone isn't the issue, it's getting safe silicone in the right color ;)
I didn't think of checking Gregg, although I have seen another reference to Walmart. Certainly a cheaper source of colored Si1 would be helpful.

I hadn't thought of mixing pigments into the silicone, though I don't relish the idea of having to get it all out of the caulking tube first. Might be worth trying though.

http://www.toolbarn.com/category/pneumatic-caulking-guns/
:D :D

Goop the silicone into a yogurt tub or one of those disposable lunch containers and it should give you enough room to work it without being too small, and once you are done, put the lid on and toss it.

[Frogsnbugs]

Must be Great to be so creative, Beautiful job. Didn't realize so many people were doing this kind of thing. Really pretty and well thought out. Love that Green tree skink!