# How to build a Dart Frog viv....



## chondro13 (Aug 18, 2008)

How to build a Dart Frog viv (properly this time...)

1. Take a freshly cleaned and disinfected viv








(i have three bulbs in this one, one full spectrum bulb so the plants don't die, one sun glo bulb to make sure the 'room temperature' is a friendly one! Also a night glo bulb so the temp doesn't get too low in winter nights)

2. Put a thermometer and hygrometer on top of your viv, put the leads through now so you dont forget them or get them tangled later.... (she says from experience...)









3. Put a thin layer of ceramic water ball thingys at the bottom of the viv so the soil doesnt get all water logged this time.. (these can be found in bags for a couple of quid from B&Q)









4. Put in a nice thick layer of Orchid soil (make SURE this does not have any fertilizer in it!!!) you can also put a layer of orchid bark on top of this so that the frogs don't trapse soil all over the viv...









5. Water feature time - i use the Exo terra medium waterfall as its simple and easy to clean and cheap if you get it from the right place... if your careful with the wire you can hide this nicely : victory: i always use water conditioner in any water within my viv - aquatize is my personal fav...









6. Landscaping!!









7. Insert pretty orchid into orchid corner and put in some pretty logs









8. Put in pretty twisty vine and wrap a vanilla orchid around the vine









9. Put lots of suitable (non poisonous!) plants in, (it is now you decide you hate the positioning of everything you've put in already...) hide the leads for the thermometer/hygrometer behind the nearest convenient chunk of wood, add some living sheet/sphagnum/tropical moss, fill up bowl full of water, (put some pebbles in the bowl so they dont drown as their silly..) put pebbles in holes in waterfall so they dont fall in...









10. Add froggies and there you have it! :Na_Na_Na_Na:


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## cubeykc (Aug 8, 2008)

very nice thanks for that


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## chondro13 (Aug 18, 2008)

can you tell i had a free day for once :no1: cheers hun


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## cubeykc (Aug 8, 2008)

lol well this helps and i was planing on gettin some and was wondering how to set it up and this helps thanks


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## gecko_steve (May 14, 2008)

what size exo is that?


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## Bradders100 (Feb 3, 2008)

Set me one up :flrt:

Such a pretty enclosure!!!

I need some of them ball thingies for my asian tree froggies!!!

xD Now I know where to get them from AND how to set up a dart frog enclosure! (one of my goals for next year is to have some :flrt


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## chondro13 (Aug 18, 2008)

glad i can help :2thumb:

its a 60w x 45d x 60h exo terra, with the amount of stuff i have in there it should comfortably house 4 - 6 dart frogs :mf_dribble:


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## Bradders100 (Feb 3, 2008)

ooooooo very nice!!!

Darts are amazing arent they :flrt:

So colourful!!


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## chondro13 (Aug 18, 2008)

i know id wanted some for aaaaaages and finally got my hand on a pair of azureus about a month back <3

looking to keep another two species, hopefully getting these in a couple of weeks from dartfrog.co.uk - mark is a great breeder who conveniently lives a 5 min drive from my parents home in the midlands :no1:


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## Bradders100 (Feb 3, 2008)

Wow!!!! Nice


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## jesuslovestheladies (Apr 30, 2008)

chondro13 said:


> mark is a great breeder who conveniently lives a 5 min drive from my parents home in the midlands :no1:


flippin lucky...

nice viv.


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## Mark75 (Jan 21, 2007)

Nice set up.

This should be made a sticky because I was looking for a post just like this last month : victory:


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## chondro13 (Aug 18, 2008)

cool glad it helps :2thumb: was childish fun taking pics as i was building it lol!!


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## m4rc (Mar 20, 2008)

Great set-up!


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## Pliskens_Chains (Jun 8, 2008)

very nice!!!!
ive been thinking about doing a live vivarium for ages and maybe when i get around to getting some darts, i will definately do it now.
thanks for sharing.


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## chondro13 (Aug 18, 2008)

thank you ^_^ come on guys i wanna see some pics of your set-ups :whistling2:


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## exoticsandtropics (Mar 11, 2007)

looks good. if you wanna see an eeeeemazing dart frog tank step by step see black jungle terrarium

also see pollywogs one as well


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## Ellis (Jul 27, 2008)

Hell,fancy selling something so i can come buy it and have a look? :no1:


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## chondro13 (Aug 18, 2008)

haha hi hun!! if your in town gimme a buzz your welcome for another gander! :no1:


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## matt020593 (Oct 10, 2006)

Not sure if im allowed to do this(if not mods feel free to delete) but if you want to have a look at some great build diarys and vivs take a look on Dendroboard.com and dendroworld.co.uk. There are some amazing vivs on each.

Here's one of mine but looks a bit different now and needs to grow in a bit.


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## chondro13 (Aug 18, 2008)

pretty!!!!!!!!! :no1:


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## omegaskeleton (Nov 24, 2008)

Is it eally as simple as that to set up?What about temps and misting.I also see that alot of peeps go for a false bottom.Is this to hold exess water instead of it sitting in the substrate and soaking it up.Im looking in to setting up a viv but i see so many ideas and hear so many different sugestion hat i jst dont know where to begin really.Give me a marine fish tank and i have no problem but this is a totally different ball game to me lol.


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## chondro13 (Aug 18, 2008)

omegaskeleton said:


> Is it eally as simple as that to set up?What about temps and misting.I also see that alot of peeps go for a false bottom.Is this to hold exess water instead of it sitting in the substrate and soaking it up.Im looking in to setting up a viv but i see so many ideas and hear so many different sugestion hat i jst dont know where to begin really.Give me a marine fish tank and i have no problem but this is a totally different ball game to me lol.



pretty much! darts only need room temperature ( so long as your room isnt riddiculously warm or cold) and i spray them morning and night.

thats literally it - mine are healthy and happy so all this complex false bottom malarkey isnt necessary IMO : victory:


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## omegaskeleton (Nov 24, 2008)

Ha ha,i went to a local garden center tolook at there selection of reptiles and to speak to a guy who keeps frogs that i know off.Despite sounding rather knowledgable he said darts and red eyes are extremely hard to keep???He tried to get me to look in to keeping whities but i just didnt like the look of them as they were too big for my liking.I thik the red eyes and darts also look good as there pretty small and they look in preportion to the vivs.Anyways he was saying i would need false bottoms,foggers heat lamps and made it sound really hard and very expensive to keep.


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## chondro13 (Aug 18, 2008)

omegaskeleton said:


> Ha ha,i went to a local garden center tolook at there selection of reptiles and to speak to a guy who keeps frogs that i know off.Despite sounding rather knowledgable he said darts and red eyes are extremely hard to keep???He tried to get me to look in to keeping whities but i just didnt like the look of them as they were too big for my liking.I thik the red eyes and darts also look good as there pretty small and they look in preportion to the vivs.Anyways he was saying i would need false bottoms,foggers heat lamps and made it sound really hard and very expensive to keep.



well he is right in that they arent really a 'beginner' frog in the normal sense but if their requirements are met theres no reason why not!! they are VERY sensitive to temperature and humidity.

basically DONT get too hot or cold (70-80 F i.e. room temp is perfect)! and mist twice a day!! 

i have a fogger in there too but its more for looks than upping the humidity lol. 

do not use heat lamps with darts. RETF's are different. but if you get your darts too hot you WILL kill them. im happy to answer any other Q's you have about darts, feel free to PM me if you like but in my opinion the guy in the shop was probably trying to make a buck or two.


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## 955i (Aug 17, 2007)

Here is mine after it has had a while to grow in following on from my thread here: http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/amphibians/105967-starting-new-dartfrog-viv-picture.html



Nice viv OP, but if I may offer some constructive advice, I would remove the ExoTerra background as they are very hard to get plants to survive on and replace it and the sides with coco fibre panel or cocos panel so you can plant on the back and sides enabling the frogs to use the whole of the viv space.

Would also put weed matting between the leca and compost to stop it all washing down into the leca and getting waterlogged.


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## carisma02uk (Sep 14, 2006)

looking good you two..
chris ive just started mine lol.. got your pm after id bought all the kit... so i might aswell..
what moss would you say is best for ground cover... ive seen some on ent and df.co.uk but cant decide which to go for?

well mine looks a messa t the moment as im going for an expanding foam background with custom planters and engulfed mopaini wood...lol

i will post some pics with my progress as soon as ive got somewhere other than cover in ex foam..
Jon


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## chondro13 (Aug 18, 2008)

Frogeye 1050 said:


> Here is mine after it has had a while to grow in following on from my thread here: http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/amphibians/105967-starting-new-dartfrog-viv-picture.html
> 
> 
> 
> ...



your vivs are gorgeous but i just wanted to put a thread up about the most basic of dart frog vivs - without any extra planting on the sides etc. although yes this is definately a good idea and very pretty indeed! provides lots of hides etc for the frogs and i would recommend it to anyone! and yes i did realise once id put the soil over the leca that i should have put a membrane down but ive not had any problems just yet but it WOULD definately be a better idea :lol2:


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## omegaskeleton (Nov 24, 2008)

See this is the problem i have lol.Knowing what plants to use and what wood to use and...and ...and aghhhhhh brain overload :bash:.I just want to have the best viv i can provide for the frogs without making school boy errors which are pretty inevitable when first starting out.I wasalso thinking about using some of the expanding foam and sinking a couple tiny peet plant pots in to the sides for hides.Also i could carve a waterfall anyway i wanted using this stuff but what do you then cover it with to make it look naturel?I have the plus of having a sump with my tank and being able to drill the bottom out myself so i have no problem topping up the water feature i intend to include.I guess i just use a half inch false bottom made of egg grate then just tube it in to the sump and return it using a small return pump with adjustable flow rate.I best get some mock drawring up for everyone to critisize lol.look ive taken over the thread lol.Is there a particular thread dedicated to members tank diaries.It would be a very good idea if one of the mods could make a sticky in each of the main threads Amphibs,Spiders etc so people can easily sieve through an follow peeps custom builds....ill shut up now.


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## Sean the Prawn (Nov 25, 2008)

This is a great thread for someone like me who is planning their first dart frog viv. Some lovely set-ups there.

Daft question: Where do you put the heatmat? I know some people would not need them but my house can get cold when no one is home. When I kept a boa I had the heatmat under an inch of substrate but would a heatmat do the same job under a couple of inches of leca and soil?


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## omegaskeleton (Nov 24, 2008)

It would go under the tank id have thaught and heat the tank.Thats what ive done with all my reptiles inclining my snakes.I agree its a great thread to have some ideas thrown around.I guess you and me are in the same boat mate..hope it dont sink too fast.


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## carisma02uk (Sep 14, 2006)

up the side would be best, but i am also using waterproof under soil heating cable...

well tbh its not my first time using ex foam but its my first small enclosure.....
so it not going so well....

covering it usuall consists of brown or black silicone with bone dry peat packed onto it!

i will post pics of my progress as i go on...

Jon


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## omegaskeleton (Nov 24, 2008)

Ahhh i see.I didnt think of covering with peet
Check out these finds therey make top reads for noobs
Elements of Vivarium Design
Front-Opening Showcase Vivarium How-To


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## chondro13 (Aug 18, 2008)

i dont use heat mats for dart frogs as my room is always between 70 and 80 degrees F all year round so is perfect for them : victory: if i did use a heat mat it would definitely be put on the side on a stat.


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## toxic (Jul 1, 2008)

I was thinking about heat mat's Im going to be setting up my new tank soon. And im going to be using coco matting on the back and sides but will the heat come through the coco mat ?.

Ps good looking vivs and chondro13 I think you viv looks good for what you have done simple and easy to make.


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## Sean the Prawn (Nov 25, 2008)

So up the side would be best. On the inside or the outside? Either way it will have to be hidden behind the coco panel or whatever is up the side or it will just look pants, right? What kind of size heatmat are we talking for a darts exo terra viv?


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## toxic (Jul 1, 2008)

Sean the Prawn said:


> So up the side would be best. On the inside or the outside? Either way it will have to be hidden behind the coco panel or whatever is up the side or it will just look pants, right? What kind of size heatmat are we talking for a darts exo terra viv?


Out side the tank m8 and the mat size is down to the viv 
I have a 60 x 45 x 60 cm exo viv with a large Heat Wave Rainforest mat witch is 28 x 43cm


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## Sean the Prawn (Nov 25, 2008)

toxic said:


> Out side the tank m8 and the mat size is down to the viv
> I have a 60 x 45 x 60 cm exo viv with a large Heat Wave Rainforest mat witch is 28 x 43cm


Thanks. Things are getting clearer all the time. I want to have things perfect before I even look at livestock. This place has been a big help.:2thumb:


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## toxic (Jul 1, 2008)

Im the same my friend I spent over £200 on my tank befor I had my frogs lmao. Then ended up putting them in a £30 setup till thay got bigger lmao


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## chondro13 (Aug 18, 2008)

sounds ok guys but please remember most dart frogs need ROOM TEMPERATURE.. i.e. between 70 - 80 degrees F - too hot will kill them a lot faster than too cold!! dont boil your froggies if your room temp is within the limits : victory: and if you do put a mat on please make sure it is on a stat so it doesnt get too hot :no1:


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## Sean the Prawn (Nov 25, 2008)

chondro13 said:


> sounds ok guys but please remember most dart frogs need ROOM TEMPERATURE.. i.e. between 70 - 80 degrees F - too hot will kill them a lot faster than too cold!! dont boil your froggies if your room temp is within the limits : victory: and if you do put a mat on please make sure it is on a stat so it doesnt get too hot :no1:


No worries, I'll have a habistat on it. It's just because I know the temperature in the room will be too cold for them occasionally. My house ain't the tropics that's for sure!:2thumb: 

I still can't get my head round the idea that the mat will work through coco panel on the side:banghead:


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## chrism (Jul 5, 2007)

Got several premade dart-frog vivs for sale if anyones interested?!

From small 12x12 cubes, to a full rack of 4 tanks, with 3 planted ready for dart frogs. Also baby mantella to fill them!


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## Joe1507 (Aug 11, 2008)

Flippin amazin


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## sup3r_k (Dec 23, 2008)

great stuff  really nice looking viv, thanks for posting it up


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