# Planting up an old fish tank



## lewy (Nov 27, 2007)

Okay finally got all the things I needed together and started the viv build.

This is by no means the only way to plant up a viv and depending on the inhabitants the plants may vary. 

For this set up I started with the aim of adding a Horned Frog. (which to be honest only need a few plants which they like to bury in the substrate next to) The planting will probably be dug up by the pacman when he's introduced. But I enjoy the planting side of this nearly as much as the inhabitants[].

Okay here we go!

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Firstly get yourself the right size tank for the animal you want to keep, I'll be adding a pacman frog (Horned Frog) which don't need too much space as they normally just sit around waiting for food, even in the wild. 

Here's my tank, about 30cm wide 60cm long and 40cm high, the light in the top is a lowish UVB tube, mainly designed for plant growth but should give enough UVB for the frogs needs:










What you'll need for this first part:

Some coco Husk Background, I got a pack of 4 50cm sheets from CornishCrispa.co.uk:











A blunt pencil:











Some Aquarium sealant: 











Some sharp sissors:










Once you have all these handy, get your coco background and place it against the back of your tank, use the pencil to draw a line where you need to cut:











A blunt pencil will give a thicker line that's easier to see when cutting:











Because I have a rather large lip on the top of my tank I'm going to cut about 1cm under the line so it will fit the tank exactly, like so:










Once cut try your background in the tank to see if it fits...very nice![]:











Do the same again using the excess from the last cut:











To get the two pieces to fit together nicely place the smaller piece under the larger and draw a cutting line using the larger piece as a guide:










This one needs to be cut on the line:


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## lewy (Nov 27, 2007)

Once you have both pieces cut to size, use the silicon sealant to roughly cover the back of the tank, this needs to be quite thick so the coco background will stay in place:











Align the large piece first against the side of the tank, push down firmly onto the silicon base:











Squeeze the smaller piece into the gap and again push down firmly.
I've used a smaller tank to fit on top and fill with heavy books until the silicon goes off (I left it until the next night):










Since my frog won't be climbing the sides of the tank like tree frogs, I decided to cover the sides as well as the back of the tank.
Just repeat the same steps for the sides as for the back.

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Pacman frogs like quite high humidity and so do the plants I'm going to be adding. I decide to use clay balls (Hydroleca) under the subatrate, this means I can add water and the plants can soak it up from the Hydroleca layer below when they need it. With the heatmat under the tank this will help to raise the humidity as the water also evaporates.

For this next part you will need: 

enough Hydroleca for a 2-3 inch layer, I got mine from dartfrog.co.uk :










Some weed barrier (you can get it from most garden centres) I had some in the shed anyway, I got mine from Wilkos for £3.99 although this lot could be used for over a hundred similar sized tanks: 










Okay after washing your Hydroleca in a bucket to remove any clay dust, you need to soak it in dechlorinated water for 10 minutes, Once you've done this add them to your tank, and top up with spring water or more treated water. The water is for the plants so I've used bottled spring water just in case plants don't like the reptisafe, normal tap water can over a period of time kill amphibians so it's better to be safe:










Cut your weed barrier to fit the size of the tank and place this over the Hydroleca










Next comes the fun part... Planting!


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## lewy (Nov 27, 2007)

What you need for this part:

Plants (these first feware from a garden centre) A lot of garden centre plants can be used in a vivarium, large leaved plants and climbers do well.

I've found Peace lilies do well in humid conditions and don't mind most light levels. The other plant here is mind your own business... to be honest I'm not sure how well this one will do, but it looked nice [:I] :










You we need some kind of substrate, Cocohusk or humus as it's sometimes called is a great substrate as it holds moisture well and isn't toxic in any way. Cocohusk comes in compressed bricks - stick them in a bucket and add treated water and they make 8ltrs of substrate (I'll miss photos for this bit) :










Get some moss to add around your plants - this will also help with humidity. Pacman frogs can ingest this while eating so I'm only going to be using it as a base for some other rooted live moss. This moss you can get at garden centres, I got this big bag for £2.99 Great stuff []










Here are the specialist frog safe mosses from Dartfrog - Everything for the Amphibian Keeper - I was really happy with these guys they delivered everything out more or less the next day in ice and snow! I'll be using them for plants again! They even added a free Pillow Moss! I was happily impressed!










Okay to add the climbing plants we'll need some fine wire - I had some in the shed:










With the wire you need to make small staples to hold the climbers in place until they take root on the coco background:










Place all of your plants in the tank to see how they will look, it's easier to move them about if they are still in the pots, I've got a small cutting from my cheese plant (I know these get massive but hopefully I can trim this back if it does... they are quite hardy plants and it should survive a bashing from the pacman once it's in):










Once all your plants are where you like them you can change your mind completely like I did once you start to plant things up. Add all or your cocohusk substrate. After washing the mojority of the soil from the garden centre bought plants and spraying the leaves with a white vinegar and water solution (to kill any nasties and get rid of anything on the soil) cover with a deep layer of substrate and firm around the plants.

For the climbers push the roots into the soil and use the staples to hold them against the coco background until they take root: 



















Next for the mosses, cut a small hole in the coco background:










tease out with your fingers and cut some more:










Fill this with the cheap Sphagnum moss... this will hold moisture in for the good moss to soak up, then add some of the good moss (I've used a small piece of the free pillow moss from dartfrog.co.uk) This moss will grow and spread... hopefully










I've used some more of the pillow moss in the corner, along with some of the sheet moss. The rest of the moss I've spread around the tank across the floor to take root.

The Java moss needs to be kept moist, so I'll be misting the tank regularly to keep it moist:


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## lewy (Nov 27, 2007)

I've planted all of the live moss, on both the background and across the substrate here is a view from above... and the last secret (or not so secret) ingredient Kyoto Moss Spores! [] this powdery substance gets a light coating over all of the soil, and a lush fine moss should coat wherever sprinkled in around a month to 6 weeks. At the same time as sprinkling in the tank I've done a few trays with some of the left over coco background soaked in water and put them in various lights just in case this lot doesn't take:










And the finished tank, all planted up! All I have to do now is wait a few months for it to grow in... I've got the light on a timer so there is 8 hours of light per day (hopefully some of the moss will take, if not there's always the trays in the shade to fall back on)


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## chondro13 (Aug 18, 2008)

Thats wonderful!! truly stunning!

The only thing i would recommend is check the big plant at the back - it looks like a peace lilly which is great for humans (and frogs) for cleaning the air, however if you feed crickets AT ALL, EVER, it is not a good idea to have that plant in as it is toxic, i.e. if the cricket eats the plant and then the frog eats the cricket its not a good idea.

However if you only ever feed fruit flies or something that will never nibble on the plant (or im wrong and its not a peace lilly!) then ignore me completely : victory:

Beautiful viv, great advice thank you :no1:


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## lewy (Nov 27, 2007)

Thanks for that - Yes it is a peace lilly, But I'll be feeding only one at a time and not just throwing a load of crickets in at once. So they should never have chance to eat the plant. This is good to know though so thanks!

Will be varying the diet as well with meal worms, earthworms, hoppers, maybe even roaches, and the occasional pinkie.


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## chondro13 (Aug 18, 2008)

lovely! what you gonna be keeping in it?? :flrt:


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## lewy (Nov 27, 2007)

I know the setup is a little elaborate but will be adding a horned frog - he'll probably did up the plants straight away anyway. But I enjoy the planting side just as much as the 'phibs. 

They do like to dig in the substrate under the leaves of plants so it's nice and deep and should be okay. I've not seeded all of the tank with the moss spores so he can dig in where the plants are.

Will be adding water bowl when it's grown in not getting him until after Christmas.


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## chondro13 (Aug 18, 2008)

lol!! WOW that is officially the LUCKIEST pacman frog in the world!!

He'll probably just sit under the substrate and glare at you - but at least you wont think its because he's unhappy in his home!! That does have to be the best setup for one ive ever seen! :lol2: :no1:


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## lewy (Nov 27, 2007)

lol! Thanks, 
I know myself it was very elaborate. 

When I started setting it up I was unsure which new amphibian to get. I was thinking Mantellas at first - But a pacman frog has been on my wishlist for a while. So I thought set it up then decide.

Leaving it for a few months to grown in anyway so I can still change my mind if I spot anything nice that would suit a terrestrial setup.

I set up a similar tank for my square marked toads and they love it, although they are a lot more active than pacmans so this one is much bigger:


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## chondro13 (Aug 18, 2008)

awww thats another lovely one! Both setups would suit darts down to the ground :flrt: and although they are expensive you seem experienced enough to give them such an amazing home :whistling2:


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## Punchfish (Jun 13, 2008)

Excellent tank and your pacman will look great in it. Makes a nice change to see such a nice tank for one, as mine is in auch a boring RUB with earth and a water bowl.


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## lewy (Nov 27, 2007)

I would love darts - but I'm not as experienced with amphibians as I am with snakes yet... I don't want to run before I can crawl, hence the pacman.

Cliff and Richard (the square marked toads) are the first amphibians I've had - I've had them since July but they seem to be doing really well, and have such character. Maybe get some matellas first then move up to darts eventually... they're really gorgeous but I'm scared they're too delicate to get things wrong so don't want to take the risk, just yet

Punchfish are you the same Punchfish that has just joined over on theamphibian? Thanks I'll post some pics when The Mighty Alberto take up residence lol:2thumb:


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## chondro13 (Aug 18, 2008)

lewy said:


> I would love darts - but I'm not as experienced with amphibians as I am with snakes yet... I don't want to run before I can crawl, hence the pacman.
> 
> Cliff and Richard (the square marked toads) are the first amphibians I've had - I've had them since July but they seem to be doing really well, and have such character. Maybe get some matellas first then move up to darts eventually... they're really gorgeous but I'm scared they're too delicate to get things wrong so don't want to take the risk, just yet
> 
> Punchfish are you the same Punchfish that has just joined over on theamphibian? Thanks I'll post some pics when The Mighty Alberto take up residence lol:2thumb:



LOL i absolutely adore your pet names...

Good on you for your attitude towards creatures! Id like to be a froggie in your care :lol2:

I request pics of this setup in a month or so's time complete with walking mouth!! hehe


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## lewy (Nov 27, 2007)

Will post some pics as soon as the walking mouth is added! :2thumb:
I think the names add to their character, You need a good name for a good pet I think


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## Punchfish (Jun 13, 2008)

LOL The Mighty Alberto nice. Lewy I am indeed the same Punchfish. I liked your sig so joined and still need to give it a proper look.


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## cubeykc (Aug 8, 2008)

nice set up m8


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## lewy (Nov 27, 2007)

Punchfish said:


> LOL The Mighty Alberto nice. Lewy I am indeed the same Punchfish. I liked your sig so joined and still need to give it a proper look.


Thought I recognised the name. 

It's only been live a few weeks - Still building things up on there.

Thanks cubeykc!


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## Janine00 (Sep 20, 2008)

Yay.... go Lewy.... great DIY advice, as ever... J :notworthy:


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## jampot (Mar 14, 2008)

Thats a very lucky horned frog thats going to be living in there!

This has given me loads of ideas for the half water half land setup im going to be doing for my crabs, Thanks! :notworthy:


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## Corsetts (Dec 8, 2008)

I've gotta be honest, I've no real interest in amphibians, or setting up a habitat for them (yet :whistling2

But, that set-up is stunning :notworthy:. Your attention to detail is very inspiring : victory:

I'm trying to get idears for a realistic, but attractive backdrop and scaping for my beardie when I get it, but it's never going to be a patch on that :notworthy:

Cheers

Chris


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## lewy (Nov 27, 2007)

Thanks people!! I can't wait until the moss starts growing and the climbers get start to cover the coco panels - I shall keep you updated with photos in this thread when things start growing : victory: Thanks again!


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## DLM1 (Dec 26, 2008)

hi 
Excellent Tank for Pacman just wondering how will you heat tank 

thanks


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## lewy (Nov 27, 2007)

A heat mat covering 1 3rd of the back of the tank and one underneath on a lower heat to up the humidity a little (won't heat the frog due to the layers of substrate) the one on the back will be for the frog.


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## lewy (Nov 27, 2007)

As promised here's a quick update of the tank grown in nicely. The live moss has taken well and is a nice green.

The plant's are growing well... the climbers on the right really grow well, they're called an inch plant because they can grow a inch a day... when they climb too high I just cut the top off and push it in the soil, the cutting takes root quickly and grows just as fast!

The only disappointment was the mind your own business plant. I don't think it likes the humidity very much. 

Before:









Now:









Here's a few of the occupant - The Mighty Alberto... 

When I got him (about two weeks ago)









And now 2 weeks later (he's starting to loose his baby greens):


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## chondro13 (Aug 18, 2008)

wow thats filled out really nicely!! and what a fat happy froggie he must love it in there! im amazed hes not destroyed all your hard work lol! :2thumb:


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## jennlovesfrogs (Jan 22, 2009)

That is truly amazing, you have inspired me greatly! what a fab job you have done, and the pics are great!!


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## exoticsandtropics (Mar 11, 2007)

really nice tank, shame the plants haven't taken- gotta say thats one amazing tank for a horned frog!! bit of a waste get something cool like some dartfrogs for a cool tank like that though!!!


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