My firebelly vivarium

[ben]

Well, I've been taking a look at everyone else's terraria, and noticed that mine was considerably different from all others, so I guess I'll post and let you take a look.

It's a 10g that uses two 27w screw in cf, a rigged computer fan for cooling, and a plumbed humidifier (that I got from Wallmart) to maintain 100% humidity. The back is just black slate and GS, and I covered any exposed foam with silicone and peat. The water section is (despite appearances) just under 5 gallons, and I siliconed plexiglass in place to provide a watertight separation between the land and water sections. Next, I just put coark bark over that and just used GS/silicone to fill the gaps. There's no filter, but I do daily 90% water changes, and it keeps my inhabitants (and the plants happy.)

For aquatic flora, I have dwarf hairgrass, aluminum plants, micro chain sword, a mixture of christmas/taiwan/java moss, Hemianthus micranthemoides, and banana plants. The land section consists of live sphagnum moss, java moss, taiwan moss, club moss, christmas moss liverworts, unknown mosses, baby's tears, earth stars, several tillandsia, and a bromeliad. Plus, my fat little buddha. Anyway, that's enough talk, so take a look at the photos.

Newt's Eye View
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u303/Agrippa01/IMGP0188-1.jpg

Overview (water section only 1/3 full here)
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u303/Agrippa01/IMGP0168.jpg

Buddha
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u303/Agrippa01/IMGP0181.jpg

A Look in the Water (again, only 1/3 full)
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u303/Agrippa01/IMGP0154.jpg

Land Overview
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u303/Agrippa01/IMGP0148.jpg

So, any comments or suggestions are welcome. Thanks for looking.

 

[michelle]

Hi Ben.
Welcome. I have to ask you what temp. the computer fan keeps your tank at? Maybe you have solved a lot of peoples problems including my own. Another MacGuyver has joined!

Dig into the forum discussions and you will see what I mean. Nothing personal, It may turn out to be helpful.
The plants look nice. Looks must be very deceiving because their does not look like there is 5 gallons of water honestly.
Is there anything in particular you are concerned about because you are comparing other peoples tanks to your own or are you just looking for suggestions? Please do not be afraid to ask you have come to the right place to lay you questions on the table and get honest opinions and answers from people who really know what they are talking about. My biggest concern is your 90% daily water change it seems like a lot.

 

[ben]

Well, in conjunction with the cold-mist humidifier, which I fill with refridgerated DI water, the tank stays about 65-70 on average as ambient temperatures fluctuate throughout the day; however, I cannot take a lot of credit for the fan, as this idea was confirmed by a poison dart frog forum I frequent.

As to the water volume, well, you're probably right- it's actually probably around 4 gallons, but I admit it looks like much less, due to the camera angles. The thing I am concerned about most is the fact that I know these guys like to swim a lot, and my terrarium consists of considerably less water than most others. In truth, I originally planned to house fire belly toads in here, but when I saw these guys, I couldn't resist- mostly because they seem so much more animated.

As for the water changes, what exactly concerns you? I actually have quite a few planted nano tanks, and I just do large daily water changes on them in the place of using a filter. If this, in anyway, might adversely effect the newt, though, I would be more than happy to just get a filter and cut back a bit on the water changing. Personally, I just use the plants as a litmus to the tank's health- if they're going under, something is seriously wrong. Anyway, thanks for the welcome

 

[michelle]

I am impressed with the fan idea, you plants look great. Have you read the Caresheets on you newt. I have an idea of what you will be hearing through out the day "add more water". Do you find having more land area than water has made them more terrestrial?
Don't get me wrong it looks like a lot of hard work to get your tank to look like that and for that I applaud you. It is very thought out in detail right down to Buddha.
It is misty in your tank and hard to see if you had any kind of filter. If you did plus 90% water changes was my concern. Take care, Michelle

 

[ben]

Actually, both of my newts do spend considerable amounts of time on land, but we're talking only about 30% of the day. Usually, they come up to eat the fruit flies I feed them (the flies tend to avoid the water) and they'll stay there for some time hunting. Then, later, when I feed them their bloodworms, they go back and spend the rest of the day swimming, although they may come out now and again to bask on the land. If everyone really thinks that I need more water, then I will be happy to take the tank down this weekend and modify it to give them more swimming space. I really like watching them in the water more than when they visit the land, so this is not troublesome to me. In truth, I've had this viv up and running for nearly 5 months now, and I was getting kindof bored, so a redo will be fine with me. Anyway, that's only if everyone concurs that there's not sufficient space yet. Thanks again for the advice!

 

[rodrigo]

nice tank man! i can see you took ideas from dart frogs tanks hehe
I´d go ahead with the increase of water volume...firebellies like water...they can actually live in a completely aquatic tank so i think yours will be happy to have more space to swim

btw..i wish i could find those bromeliads they look incredible.

 

[michelle]

Hey Rodrigo are we playing follow the leader? If so who's the leader?

Anyway, Ben do you really have to tear your tank apart to add more water because it is very nice looking or are you just like you said bored? If you do change your set up please post a picture of your set up you seem to be quite creative and it would be nice to see. Don't forget Buddha! I like the look of it in there.

 

[chris]

GS???

 

[ben]

Oh, GS stands for Great Stuff- an expanding polyeurythane foam.

 

[ryan]

Good looking tank.

 

[ben]

Well, I finished with my revisions today- I'll be posting shortly.

 

[laurent]

Great tank!
Really natural!
COngratulations!
One other good thing is that you don't have to feed Buddha, I guess he's meditating!