New to the hobby- starting from square 1.

[spro65]

Hi all, im from illinois- new to frogging.
I havent a clue how to go about contructing a vivarium for PDFs. I need help yes. I dont plan on keeping more than a couple frogs- anything from 10 gals to 20gals would be best so i can keep it manageable.
First off, is there a place to buy a vivarium? (prices, websites, etc would be great)
If building one, is it best to get a standard glass fish tank and go from there or is there a better starting point?
(i would like it to be as matainance free as possible- i really like how some people have auto misters on timers)
Im looking for a natural habitat- plants, moss, waterscape, auto misting. Nothing huge.
If this has been posted prior I apologize as I didnt find more than bits and pieces using the search function-
Al

[fknighton]

I'd start with a 20 gallon high tank. Don't bother to buy the lid, just get the tank. Have a glass lid cut. If you read through the previous posts on tank construction you will probably get all your questions answered. There are a lot of choices to make that only you can decide on. Only you know your skill level and budget and preferences. Fran

[myelbuh2]

Hey,
if your looking to buy a new tank, id recommend ebay or craigslist. They both are good for finding sweet deals on glass tanks. Typically any aquarium tank will do so find one you like. They come in tons of shapes and sizes. Id say start off with a 20g like you said. In terms of maintenance, you will need to put at least 20 min a day in. I try to spend at least an hour a day, between my food cultures, misting, feeding, cleaning etc. I wouldnt recommend automatic misters. Typically they are a pain to set up in smaller enclosures, and they will cost quite a bit more than they are worth. Simply buy a cheap spray bottle at walmart and hand mist the viv 2-3 times a day. you should purchase a digital temp/hum gauge and keep your humidity as high as possible (at very least 85%, preferably 95%). For plants, bromeliads are excellent plants for dart frog vivs, they suit the temp and humidity requirements, look really cool, and are often used as a location for the eggs when breeding.
Theres lots of great info out there for beginners and I hope you get everything you need. Good luck and have fun!

[DartAddiction88]

If I were you I would research first what species you plan to keep. If you only plan on keeping a few a 20g should do fine but further information should be found on what species you want because some require more space than others. Personally, I'd recommend either D. auratus, or D. Leucomelas. both are pretty easy to care for. For supplies and more information, try www.blackjungle.com, they have all the supplies and plants you'll need to set up a dart tank.