# My first dart viv build



## KARLOS11 (May 8, 2009)

Hi folks, ive just about finished my first dart frog viv and thought i would share a few pics of how i did it all from start to finish!
I know there are many experienced keepers out there and as this is my first viv any advice would be welcome! 
Ok so here goes,
Firstly i wanted to source a suitable tank at a reasonable cost, looked in all my local pet stores and found them to be very over priced for what they were, so i trolled Ebay and eventually came up with this Exo terra, has a repair done to it but a bargain at 50 quid!!


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## my_shed (Jan 5, 2011)

Good size  i'll be interested to see how this comes along. So many possibilities for a dart viv this size

Dave


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## KARLOS11 (May 8, 2009)

Next step was sourcing the relevant materials i would need for a suitable base to build from,
I decided on a hydroleca base for drainage, followed by a layer of weed control fabric to seperate the final substrate from the drainage layer!


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## KARLOS11 (May 8, 2009)

As illustrated above, sorry about the poor pics, the hydroleca formed the drainage layer for the tank!


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## plasma234 (Feb 27, 2013)

Nice viv. remember to fruit fly proof the front vents, the sliding doors, the rear vents and the cable sliders though  

looking forward to see this coming along. 


oh and you may wish to sub out weed fabric for plastic mesh for something similar to Fine Mesh Netting for praying mantis stick insects spider inverts fruitfly | eBay plus you could use that to fruitfly proof it


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## KARLOS11 (May 8, 2009)

It has been fruit fly proofed, i have no pics of that step though, as i said above viv is now nearly completed, will update with more pics later on


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## plasma234 (Feb 27, 2013)

KARLOS11 said:


> as i said above viv is now nearly completed,



Yeh, i forgot to read that bit


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## KARLOS11 (May 8, 2009)

Oh i forgot to mention about the background! All i used was the fake rock exo background that came with the viv, and cut another one down to cover the repaired Side. 
The reason i did not use foam,pva, eco earth etc is that is rather messy and as i did the whole thing in our bedroom the missus would have murdered me had it gone all over the carpets!:bash:


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## KARLOS11 (May 8, 2009)

Next job was sorting out the substrate, i used the dry bricks of eco earth and soaked it in a bucket of 2.5 litres of warm water for around 45 minutes, whilst the soil was soaking i cut down a sheet of garden fabric slightly over size and laid it on top of the leca to form a separation layer and keep the two substrates from mixing together. Once the soil was ready, i filled the tank.


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## KARLOS11 (May 8, 2009)

These pics show the fabric covering the hydroleca, and the soil going in!


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## KARLOS11 (May 8, 2009)

So now for the decor, i ordered the plants from a guy on ebay, they were fairly priced, cheap postage and delivered a day or so later, i bought six mixed bromeiliad's and a mix of tropical foliage. 



















Once unpacked i proceeded to start planting them in the tank, but not before i had washed off the roots to eliminate any chance of fertilisers or any other contaminations from entering the tank!


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## plasma234 (Feb 27, 2013)

Was the eBay vendor terrworld tropicals? I was thinking of using them if it was them.


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## KARLOS11 (May 8, 2009)

Yeah it was i would highly recommend them too very very good service!:2thumb:


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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

I would think about mounting the broms on the back, branches or other decor, if I were you, mate- they will tend to rot off, planted in the soil.


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## KARLOS11 (May 8, 2009)

I have heard this about the broms but i have also heard planting in soil is fine too, with regards to mounting any advice on how to do it properly?


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## joe1981 (Dec 14, 2012)

KARLOS11 said:


> I have heard this about the broms but i have also heard planting in soil is fine too, with regards to mounting any advice on how to do it properly?


Jay is right those broms need mounting. I simply got some bogwood or cork and drilled a few holes shoved them in making sure the root is exposed so it doesn't stagnate. 

I like the rest of the build some lovely colours. I would add some Fittonia for ground cover and maybe some Ficus Pumila for the sides.


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## KARLOS11 (May 8, 2009)

Thanks for the advice guys, Broms now mounted!,
Will continue with the build pics later this evening,
Thanks again


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## joe1981 (Dec 14, 2012)

KARLOS11 said:


> Thanks for the advice guys, Broms now mounted!,
> Will continue with the build pics later this evening,
> Thanks again


Look forward to seeing them mate.


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## KARLOS11 (May 8, 2009)

Ok so a few more early decor pics, more planting, branches etc.....



















I felt i was slowly getting there with the decor but still wanted to do more, i added more plants and logs etc to try and fill space and create height.


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## KARLOS11 (May 8, 2009)

Few more pics of interior, before i get round to showing how i sorted the roof for keeping humidity in etc...




























As you can now see all broms are mounted now, and the viv is looking rather busy!
I also added some red fittonia today but not taken any more pics as yet!


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## KARLOS11 (May 8, 2009)

Ok so its been a while since i last posted, the pics i took of me sorting the canopy out have somehow been deleted for one reason or another, but all i did was order some 5mm clear acrylic cut to size of the meshed panels already fitted, once they arrived i laid them on top of the mesh and siliconed round them to hold them in place. Once dried i turned the canopy over, removed the rubber tubing and the mesh then siliconed the bottom of the acrylic as i did the top, the acrylic was rather cheap at around 20 quid for six pieces, 4 for this tank and two for another, and the sealant, aquarium safe! Was 3quid a tube on Ebay!


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## KARLOS11 (May 8, 2009)

And here are some pics of the tanks new occupants, a group of phantasmal dart frogs!


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