Dart Den
Serving the Dart Frog Community Since 2004...
Dart Den

Serving the Dart Frog Community Since 2004...

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Hello from Michigan
#1
hello all,
I am working on setting up my first vivarium for my first dart frogs. I gutted an old mac crt studio display and built a custom plexiglass tank. I picked up a few things form the local store, and ordered a few more things from joshsfrogs. So I should be able to pick up my frogs Wednesday Smile. not sure what kind I should yet. any suggestions? I will have to post some photos when I get it all set up.
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2 young leuc
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#2
VERY neat !!

Didn't someone attempt one of these - A Mac CRT, a year or so ago ? I thought I saw one on another forum.

Offhand, I would say a pair of thumbnails would be best in there, due to the smaller size.
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#3
looking good so far....hmmm most of the frogs that are going through my head are not really recommened for beginners. Do you have more pictures from different angles? How do you plan on drainage?

A more terrestrial thumb or pum was what I was thinking...escudo in particular but like I said, not really recommended for beginners.
"He that is slow to believe anything and everything is of great understanding, for belief in one false principle is the beginning of all unwisdom" LaVey
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#4
Interesting setup, they are on the shy side, but possibly some lamasis? I know mine seem to get down on the ground looking around quiet a bit...I'd like to see some pictures of the finished viv too. Where in Michigan are you? I'm over in the Grand Rapids area.
Derek
1.5 kids and a bunch of frogs
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#5
I'll post some more photos tonight. It holds at least 10 gallons. It's an old CRT 21 inch monitor case so it's pretty big. I am new to this so I am not sure what types of dart frogs you guys are mentioning. I'm in the UP. For 9 months more till I graduate school. Then I think I'll be working in grand rapids.
2 young leuc
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#6
Take off to da u.p. eh Smile
My inlaws are up there, couldnt tell ya where, once we cross the bridge i get confused, all i know is i go west and north.
Lamasis are a smaller frog (thumbnail), pretty available in the hobby. Easy breeders for the most part, but fairly shy. Do you have the length width and hgt of your tank? Phil posted a calculator for gallons a bit ago. 10 gallons will limmit you some on frog selection.
Derek
1.5 kids and a bunch of frogs
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#7
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Here is another photo of my tank. I should be getting my supplies to get the tank set up tonight or tomorrow. the base of the tank is roughly 18 x 15 inches. It is all plexiglass, in the photo you can see a cut out on the top. I am working on attaching the hinges so there will be a door there.
Will the fact that the tank is pretty much entirely air tight allow the humidity to remain fairly constant? I am thinking about getting an auto mister just to keep it consistent in case I am away for a night or whatever. I suppose I could put in a Hygrometer.. how often do you think they will need misting? (I am adding two plants and a small water dish)
I have looked at the proking starter and the Exo-Terra Monsoon. I think the exo-terra would look better because I would need a bucket of some sorts for the proking. I heard the proking is more quite but I guess that isn't a big factor for me, I dont care if I can hear it.. its only going to be running for a few seconds anyway.

any thoughts?
thanks!
2 young leuc
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#8
Thats a bit bigger than a 10 gallon. First thing id worry about is drainage, youll need a false bottom, some place for the water to get too and, a means to get it out. The easiest would be a hole in the back of the tank with some type of valve.
I think that would be my biggest concern with it. I have also run a 3/4" dia piece of pvc with a cap up a corner (center on your tank-it looks like there's an opening). I just pop off the cap, slide a hose down and syphon the water out, tastes nasty but it works...
It should retain the humidity fairly well if its air tight like you say. I would save your $$ on the mister for now, set up the tank, see how she does with the humidity, and add later (before frogs) if needed. The first thing i thought when you posted the pic of the monitor was how you were going to drain it...
1.5 kids and a bunch of frogs
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#9
I guess all the videos I've watched and pages I read said to use Hydroton balls with mesh to separate the dirt from the balls. I suppose I could drill a hole in the bottom and run some tubing out. there are a few places where there are holes in the monitor case where cords came out. Should I have water with my Hydroton balls or should it always be drained out? thanks for your help
2 young leuc
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#10
Leave some in there, it helps with the humidity, but, if you dont have a way to get it out it will just keep filling up and eventually, when it reaches the substrate start leaching up into the soil, makes for a mess. Hydrotons good, cant go wrong there. You never know how much research somebody's done, so i thought id throw it out there, youve obviously done yours. Just an opinion, i dont do hydroton on mine, i lay sections of pvc down to raise an area up and then put the eggcrate/light diffuser panels on top, the false bottom has more volume for the water then and i dont have to drain as often. On your tank, with the limmited lid, Hydoroton is the way to go. Ive seen some people too like hydroton as they say it gives a place for microfauna to grow...To me its a prefferance thing. Ill be here (work) late tonite, ask away, im easily distracted right now from what im doing...Smile
Derek
1.5 kids and a bunch of frogs
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#11
If it where me, I would make it front opening would make life much easier. Ditto on the drainage. where is the monitor going to be placed? If on a stand you could drill the bottom of the tank, use a bulkhead and strainer a inch or two of hydroton. Drill the top of the stand and run the drainage to a small bucket or somethign inside the stand.
"He that is slow to believe anything and everything is of great understanding, for belief in one false principle is the beginning of all unwisdom" LaVey
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#12
I wanted to make a door in the back because I wanted the front of the screen to be one piece. to look better.. more like a computer screen. I have a lot of room in the back of the case because the tank doesn't even go halfway to the back. So I am going to try to drill a hole in the back and attach some sort of valve with tubing out so I can drain some water out here and there. anyone know of this type of think available online? I don't have like a home depot or lowes or anything in my area Sad
thanks!
2 young leuc
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#13
would this be something good to try? http://www.aquacave.com/bulkhead-kit-as ... -1213.html
2 young leuc
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#14
I am pretty sure that would work, looks to be cheaper than where I get mine www.glass-holes.com Altho I love ordering from them because they include a handfull of candy in the box and their shipping labels have a pic of hypnotoad.
"He that is slow to believe anything and everything is of great understanding, for belief in one false principle is the beginning of all unwisdom" LaVey
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#15
Yeah, thats what i was thinking too. Half an hour of looking thru old posts for a picture and you pop up with it....
Derek
1.5 kids and a bunch of frogs
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#16
yeah. I knew what I wanted but I didnt know what it was called. D3Monic mentioned bulkhead. What size tubing would go with that? 1/2 in ID and 5/8ths OD? the description doesn't really say what size the elbow is..
2 young leuc
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