06-09-2012, 03:41 PM
Just finished doing some preliminary planting on my newest viv, a 33 gallon Exo-Terra, and thought I'd post a couple of not-very-good cell phone shots.
This is my first try at a "shattered cork mosaic" background, and I kind of like the way it came out; hopefully some of the sphag stuffed between the cork pieces will eventually green back up and start spreading across the background. I also embedded a tree fern root section and a piece of mopani driftwood into the background as ledges, as well as a cork tile ledge towards the upper left. Substrate is 2/3 "Pro League Red" Turface and 1/3 ABG mix, separated off a hydroton bottom with just a "plate" of screen wrapped eggcrate. The piece of malaysian driftwood on the bottom is anchored to the eggcrate with aluminum bonsai wire. The tank is drilled with a 1/4" bulkhead fitting (which I'm still not terribly sure of, but I put a strainer on it covered with fiberglass screen, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed). The lighting is just temporary; LEDs will be installed next week, and I've still got to mount misting heads on the tank, and work in a circulation fan.
This is my first try at a "shattered cork mosaic" background, and I kind of like the way it came out; hopefully some of the sphag stuffed between the cork pieces will eventually green back up and start spreading across the background. I also embedded a tree fern root section and a piece of mopani driftwood into the background as ledges, as well as a cork tile ledge towards the upper left. Substrate is 2/3 "Pro League Red" Turface and 1/3 ABG mix, separated off a hydroton bottom with just a "plate" of screen wrapped eggcrate. The piece of malaysian driftwood on the bottom is anchored to the eggcrate with aluminum bonsai wire. The tank is drilled with a 1/4" bulkhead fitting (which I'm still not terribly sure of, but I put a strainer on it covered with fiberglass screen, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed). The lighting is just temporary; LEDs will be installed next week, and I've still got to mount misting heads on the tank, and work in a circulation fan.