NEW 40gal VERT VIVARIUM! converted from my old Paludarium
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NEW 40gal VERT VIVARIUM! converted from my old Paludarium
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  #1  
Old 03-13-2009, 03:08 PM
raimeiken raimeiken is offline
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Default NEW 40gal VERT VIVARIUM! converted from my old Paludarium

Well, I'll start off by showing what the tank used to be, a Paludarium. (w/ a few fish, cherry shrimps and cories in the water)







Here it was way back maybe a year ago.

I decided to convert it into a vertical tank since I didnt have much vertical space with this 40gal breeder. So I tore it down several months ago and threw most of the plants away especially that creeping fig. That thing covered my tank! I saved the broms and tillys and put them in a separate tank.

After a lot of reading, research and planning. I Started on the conversion.


I sketched it out on Google's sketchup software. First, I had to tackle the cabinets that I had to build to fill both sides of the viv and the top. I didnt want all that extra space to go to waste.

With my excitement and busy schedule I forgot to take construction pics of the cabinets and the viv itself

The two on the sides are regular cabinets made from plywood. Cut them with a circular saw, sanded, glued and nailed together, painted and stained them.

The one on the top is where I mounted my AHsupply lights from the old Paludarium.


So here's what the viv looked like after it was all done.

I siliconed tree fern panels on the background along with some cork barks. I filled the gaps with Great stuff and covered that with concrete binder mixed with peat moss. Oh and i smeared some mushed up aquasoil mixed with sphagnum moss on the fern panels. That's what that brown mud is on the back wall.

I decided to go with a Euro style vents at the bottom. I used Lexan to make it since it's easier to drill holes through it for my drain and so I can run my misting and fogger underneath the false bottom. (I have a more close up pics of the vent if you scroll down some more)

The driftwood in the center is from the old Paludarium, I just had to saw off some of it's branches since they were too long.











I ran the misting tubes under the false bottom and behind the tree fern panels, then I silicone it to the top of the viv. I just used regular misting nozzle from homedepot. I dont need the more expensive nozzles to water the plants. I also installed a valve so I can control how much water is getting pumped out of the nozzles.

The tubing for the fogger also went underneath the false bottom and up the right side of the viv, behind the cork bark and tree ferns. Then I siliconed it behind the black trim of the tank in the front. It's hard to see it. I'll show you more pics of it later. I also installed a shut off valve on this so I can control the amount of fog coming out of the tubes.


So here's the viv back on the stand with all the cabinets on it.




Here's a more close up pic of the vent with all the tubes and fans(the fans arent point straight forward, they're tilted up, I just put the covers on the back like that to prop them up) hooked up.




Here's some close up pics of the top just incase you were wondering on what I did with the top vents.

I didnt like the look of the screen door type of ventilation. It didnt look 'clean' enough for me. So I cut a piece of Lexan, grab my boring bit and bored five 1 3/4" holes. I cut out some screening in circles, went and got some black rubber gaskets and siliconed them on the holes. Im really pleased on how it turned out





The front of the viv is one big piece of glass I cut out. I didnt want to use Lexan since I scratches so easily. I drilled two small holes on the sides and screw in small piece of lexan to lock the glass door in place


The substrate I used is a mixture of peat moss+perlite+sphagnum moss+orchid bark











Here's a close up pic of the misting system.








And as promised, a close up pic of the fogging tube I silicone in the inside of the viv.


Fogger is on


after about 5 mins


pic of the cool mist humidifier i rigged up (i got the idea from of the users in here)


pic of the whole set up
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  #2  
Old 03-13-2009, 03:12 PM
raimeiken raimeiken is offline
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The pics above were about a month or so ago. I had this whole thread posted in another forum and I just decided to share it to you guys over here.

Quote:
Originally Posted by raimeiken View Post
**UPDATE**

First batch of plants I got from the mail. Tillandsias


These plants are simply stunning. I didnt expect some of these to be that big


Tillandsia aeranthos miniata


Tillandsia andreana


Tillandsia brachycaulus miniata


Tillandsia concolor


Tillandsia fuchsii forma gracilis


Tillandsia ionantha-Guatemalan Form


Tillandsia neglecta x stricta


Tillandsia "Houston"- Stricta x recurvifolia


Tillandsia stricta-"J.R. Hybrid"

_________________________________________________

Pics inside the viv after I planted them in there












I placed them up in the top where they wont get misted much + more light.
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  #3  
Old 03-13-2009, 03:14 PM
raimeiken raimeiken is offline
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UPDATE

This was when I received the first batch of Miniature Orchids


Schoenorchis fragrans (this thing is about the size of a freaking quarter! It's so cute ahaha!)


Sophronitis cernua (this one looked like it got a bit of frost damage from shipping)


Aerangis fastuosa


Gastrochilus Japonicus


Phalenopsis Mini Mark 'Holmes (bigger than what I expected)

Other than minor frost damage on 1 or 2 leaves, overall they are in great shape.

Next step was to unmount them from the cork bark they came in, put some more sphagnum moss on them, tied them up and mounted them in my Vivarium










as you can see, I did a bit of rearranging. I'll continue to do so the more plants I get, so I can put them in their ideal spot.
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  #4  
Old 03-13-2009, 03:17 PM
raimeiken raimeiken is offline
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**BIG UPDATE**

I finally got some Neoregelias! WOOHOO!

after researching, going through lots of bromeliad pictures on the net and long hours of picking and choosing... I got what I wanted!

I got 9 Neoregelias in total. Lots of small ones, a few medium size ones and 2 big ones (which I'll grow outside the Viv)

I'll post top and side views of the plant so you can get a good idea on the size of these plants.

(CLICK ON THE PHOTOS FOR BETTER QUALITY)



Neo. Blueberry Muffin


Neo. Blueberry Muffin


Neo. Datanion


Neo. Datanion


Neo. Domino


Neo. Domino


Neo. Fanfare


Neo. Fanfare


Neo. Close of Day


Neo. Close of Day


Neo. Morona


Neo. Morona


Neo. Tigrina


Neo. Tigrina

_________________________________
.....annnnddd the big ones


Neo. Kawika x Hawaiian Rainforest


Neo. Kawika x Hawaiian Rainforest


Neo. Takemura Princeps


Neo. Takemura Princeps


_____________________________________________


































The pics look a bit dim because I turned down the brightness in the camera. They were turning too bright so I had to tone it down a bit. maybe I'll retake some shot with a bit more brightness next time.

It took about an hour arranging all the plants in there, yet Im still not satisfied with it. I think the stump in there is taking too much space...Im thinking of taking it out what do you guys think?

I had to move the Tillandsia Brachycaulus Miniata again since it was getting wet from the old spot and it's losing some of it's redness now
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  #5  
Old 03-13-2009, 03:19 PM
raimeiken raimeiken is offline
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***UPDATE***

As I noted before that I was still not completely satisfied in the way I the viv looked.
I toyed around with the idea of taking the stump out...I didnt like it either, so I turned the stump upside down. Now with it's root system facing up, I have more place to put the broms on and the orchids and still have room at the bottom to plant more plants.

Oh by the way, I also got some new plants in there.

Dischidia sp. ALJ-12068
Hoya Retusa
Hoya Darwinii
and a few Pennywort growing at the bottom.

Here's the results. tell me what you guys think:

















this Tilly is in full bloom now!


I still have 3 more miniature orchids coming. They're delayed for the 3rd week now because of the cold weather over there in CT. I also just ordered 3 mini ferns. I'll post pics when those come in.
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  #6  
Old 03-13-2009, 03:20 PM
raimeiken raimeiken is offline
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here's the recent update of it...

..::UPDATE::..
(click on the pictures to zoom in to see a better picture)

I got a few plants in the mail. I finally got the last batch of orchids I ordered 3 weeks ago. They were delayed due to cold weather over where they came from.

First here's some pictures on what they'll look like when they're in bloom. (these aren't my pics)


Aerangis luteo-alba var. rhodosticta


Angraecum didieri


Pleurothallis grobyi


then I got a few mini ferns from a board member also

Lemmaphyllum microphyllum
Microgramma vaccinifolia
Davallia repens
Polypodium polypodioides


______________ORCHIDS________________



Aerangis luteo-alba var. rhodosticta


Angraecum didieri


Pleurothallis grobyi




______________FERNS________________


Lemmaphyllum microphyllum


Microgramma vaccinifolia


Davallia repens


Polypodium polypodioides



______________VIVARIUM SHOTS________________


Fogger on




Tillandsia in full bloom








I like how this shot turned out


brighter shot




Close up shot of Angraecum didieri




Davalia repens


full Viv shot


_______________________________________


I got a hold of a carnivorous plant enthusiast and the guy is nice enough to offer me this plant I've been looking for. I should get it by next week

Cephalotus follicularis

the same guy might have a cutting of Nepenthes ampullaria 'speckled' for me


if he doesn't then I'll be getting a Nepenthes ampullaria 'Harelquin' and have a carpet of pitcher on the bottom of my Viv
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  #7  
Old 03-14-2009, 01:03 AM
soobie soobie is offline
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Wow, that looks great!
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  #8  
Old 03-16-2009, 12:40 AM
MuscleGirl'sHobby MuscleGirl'sHobby is offline
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What an awesome viv! You've got such a variety of things in there. I love the neos! Where did you get yours? I bought some for my sister for Christmas, but the vendor isn't taking orders right now
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  #9  
Old 03-16-2009, 02:14 AM
raimeiken raimeiken is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MuscleGirl'sHobby View Post
What an awesome viv! You've got such a variety of things in there. I love the neos! Where did you get yours? I bought some for my sister for Christmas, but the vendor isn't taking orders right now
I got them all from Michael's

www.michaelsbromeliads.com: Home

He has a few on sale on his website but there's a ton more on his catalog. Go to the link called "Our Collection" he has a big list there, just email him what you want and he'll sort everything out for you
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  #10  
Old 03-16-2009, 02:17 PM
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Tindomul Tindomul is offline
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Ok, AWESOME VIV!!!!!!!
Is the cool mist humidifier the same as the fogger? If not, I would like to know how you hooked up the fogger, plus what kind you used. It looks like a real cloudforest in there. Congrats and thanks for all the pictures.
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Who knows upon what soil they fed
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