11-19-2012, 09:08 PM
11-19-2012, 09:54 PM
pic didn't make it....
11-19-2012, 10:08 PM
try it again ,here it is
11-19-2012, 10:13 PM
looks good. I always use wood/cork in the background but I must say, the rock looks really cool.
11-20-2012, 01:13 AM
Looking great! What light fixture did you use?
11-20-2012, 01:06 PM
just bought LED light at pet store, wasn't sure what to get, probably will change once I figure out what to get.
11-20-2012, 03:03 PM
...my unsolicited .02 on your waterfall / water feature. I'd set it first and run it for at least 3 weeks or more and observe it. See how it works and where the water goes. See if any frogs could squeeze into or behind it - make sure it's frog proof.Then, I'd introduce plantings around it taking care not to get them close or in water logged or spray areas. Waterfalls are actually...pretty hard to get right.
11-20-2012, 06:51 PM
Actually not a waterfall., kind of a drip fall lol, its been running 3 days now and there was a few minor problems but easy fixes.I will post some pictures later.
11-23-2012, 10:30 PM
My vivarium build so far.
11-24-2012, 12:50 AM
Looks awesome, do you have a build thread? Are they fake rocks?
11-24-2012, 01:54 AM
those are fake rocks, Universal Rocks,the big one on right i turned upside down so the hollow part was facing up, then drilled a bunch of little holes in bottom for drainage, filled with substrate, now a planter lol. Didn't do a thread, because wasn't sure what i was doing and being my first build figured would have lot of mistakes. But actually went easy, so maybe do one on my next build. Oh God, did I just say next build, haven't even got my first frogs and talking about another build. Is there a support group, "My name is John, I am an addict"
11-24-2012, 11:21 AM
Haha I know how you feel.. I don't have darts yet and I'm already planning my next tank. That looks really good.. those rocks are sweet!
11-24-2012, 01:15 PM
This is shaping up nicely! I like the idea of turning the Universal Rocks structure upside down and using it as a planter. How did you end up attaching the Universal Rocks to the back of the viv?
11-24-2012, 01:22 PM
Can you make a thread on 'Universal Rocks" sometime ? The website is kinda lacking, pics aren't great and I didn't see prices...
11-24-2012, 01:53 PM
Echoing other comments - the ledges look great! Great idea and I too would like to see a thread on them.
11-24-2012, 02:01 PM
I'm not sure I have enough to do a thread, but here's what little I know -
They're kind of an odd outfit -- at least when I visited them, the pet trade was a minor part of their business. Their big focus is (or was) large stuff for zoos, public aquariums and landscaping. They mold these pieces out of a heavy-but-flexible plastic (not sure, but think it's a polyurethane) that's outdoor stable, and do the coloring (or the coloring over the base color of the plastic) by embedding rock dust. They did do sales off their website for awhile, but I can't find any way to purchase off it now either; they may have gone to only selling through one of the distributers or something. I'm sure a person could call or email them to find out where to buy.
A few years ago they invited one of our local reef clubs in for a tour; at that time they weren't selling any pieces colored/shaped appropriately for marine tanks; we gave them some suggestions, and when they started offering the stuff they bought a table at one of our frag swaps and sold quite a bit, but I haven't seen them at one since. I've got a marine background from them in one reef tank, and a "rock cliff" looking background in my (sadly now seam-split) mbuna tank.
I don't know what the more dimensional stuff like Boss Frog is using runs, but a 48" x 30" (ish) piece of "flat-ish" (molded in features maybe an inch or so deep) background seems to go for $100 - $125 in fish stores around here (or did the last time I looked). More dimensional backgrounds (pieces with molded in large rocks, tree stumps, etc.) tend to run more.
They're kind of an odd outfit -- at least when I visited them, the pet trade was a minor part of their business. Their big focus is (or was) large stuff for zoos, public aquariums and landscaping. They mold these pieces out of a heavy-but-flexible plastic (not sure, but think it's a polyurethane) that's outdoor stable, and do the coloring (or the coloring over the base color of the plastic) by embedding rock dust. They did do sales off their website for awhile, but I can't find any way to purchase off it now either; they may have gone to only selling through one of the distributers or something. I'm sure a person could call or email them to find out where to buy.
A few years ago they invited one of our local reef clubs in for a tour; at that time they weren't selling any pieces colored/shaped appropriately for marine tanks; we gave them some suggestions, and when they started offering the stuff they bought a table at one of our frag swaps and sold quite a bit, but I haven't seen them at one since. I've got a marine background from them in one reef tank, and a "rock cliff" looking background in my (sadly now seam-split) mbuna tank.
I don't know what the more dimensional stuff like Boss Frog is using runs, but a 48" x 30" (ish) piece of "flat-ish" (molded in features maybe an inch or so deep) background seems to go for $100 - $125 in fish stores around here (or did the last time I looked). More dimensional backgrounds (pieces with molded in large rocks, tree stumps, etc.) tend to run more.
11-24-2012, 03:08 PM
Chuck Lawson Wrote:This is shaping up nicely! I like the idea of turning the Universal Rocks structure upside down and using it as a planter. How did you end up attaching the Universal Rocks to the back of the viv?
attached with silicone
11-24-2012, 03:41 PM
I have a call into them so may get an order in. I will kept you posted.
06-01-2014, 02:41 PM
How's the Viv coming?
06-01-2014, 09:22 PM
Hello All
For all you locals and anyone else that wants to know Universal Rock is open to the public, in Garland Texas off of Forest Lane. They have a new store, been open for about a year, the owners name is Stewart, great guy, they sell small grapefruit size rocks and up to as big as you want in several different kinds of rock, branches, stumps, etc. They are not cheap but they are light and can be adhered to anything with silicone.
Didn't mean to get off subject!! Sorry!!
Great looking tank!
Regards Jerry A
For all you locals and anyone else that wants to know Universal Rock is open to the public, in Garland Texas off of Forest Lane. They have a new store, been open for about a year, the owners name is Stewart, great guy, they sell small grapefruit size rocks and up to as big as you want in several different kinds of rock, branches, stumps, etc. They are not cheap but they are light and can be adhered to anything with silicone.
Didn't mean to get off subject!! Sorry!!
Great looking tank!
Regards Jerry A