07-08-2012, 05:31 PM
Hey everyone, I'm new to the hobby, and have just built my first vivarium. I have a bunch of questions and was hoping you guys would be able to help. First off, I'll give you some details and pictures of my vivarium so you can get a better idea of what I'm working with.
It's a 20 H tank, with a kitty litter clay background, small water feature, and currently planted with Neoregelia 'Chiquita Linda', Neoregelia 'Eoz', Neoregelia 'Fireball', Button Fern, Dischidia ruscifolia, Philodendron scandens, and Selaginella kraussiana. I'm planning on hopefully housing a group of 4 male Auratus. Will this be enough room to house that many darts, and is it fine to house auratus in all male groups?
The lighting I'm using is an exoterra hood, housing two 5000 k cfl bulbs, which sits directly on top of an aquarium glass lid. I'm worried that the bulbs sitting on top of the glass lid will heat up the vivarium too much, and potentially damage the plants or frogs. Is this enough or too much lighting?
Here is a pic of the light set up,
As far as ventilation, this was a topic I was a little on the fence about. The humidity and temperature are currently steady at 85% and 80 degrees. I put a small screened strip at the front of the vivarium lid to allow some fresh air to enter and keep the front glass from fogging up. Will this be enough ventilation? and is the current temp. and humidity good enough for the plants and auratus?
Here is a pic of the ventilation screen and lid,
As far as the current plants that I have, I bare rooted them, and planted them directly into NEHerp vivarium substrate mix, and as far as the broms, two are in potters with substrate mix, and one is planted in a hole directly in the clay background. I also have NEHerp moss that I put around the water feature, and also directly onto the vivarium floor and parts of the wood. Will this planting method work for the moss and the broms? and do you guys have any further tips or input into care such as watering and lighting levels?
Here is a pic of the left section of the clay background,
That just about covers some of the main questions I've been wanting to ask. If you guys could help, that would be amazing. Hope to hear form you soon.
It's a 20 H tank, with a kitty litter clay background, small water feature, and currently planted with Neoregelia 'Chiquita Linda', Neoregelia 'Eoz', Neoregelia 'Fireball', Button Fern, Dischidia ruscifolia, Philodendron scandens, and Selaginella kraussiana. I'm planning on hopefully housing a group of 4 male Auratus. Will this be enough room to house that many darts, and is it fine to house auratus in all male groups?
The lighting I'm using is an exoterra hood, housing two 5000 k cfl bulbs, which sits directly on top of an aquarium glass lid. I'm worried that the bulbs sitting on top of the glass lid will heat up the vivarium too much, and potentially damage the plants or frogs. Is this enough or too much lighting?
Here is a pic of the light set up,
As far as ventilation, this was a topic I was a little on the fence about. The humidity and temperature are currently steady at 85% and 80 degrees. I put a small screened strip at the front of the vivarium lid to allow some fresh air to enter and keep the front glass from fogging up. Will this be enough ventilation? and is the current temp. and humidity good enough for the plants and auratus?
Here is a pic of the ventilation screen and lid,
As far as the current plants that I have, I bare rooted them, and planted them directly into NEHerp vivarium substrate mix, and as far as the broms, two are in potters with substrate mix, and one is planted in a hole directly in the clay background. I also have NEHerp moss that I put around the water feature, and also directly onto the vivarium floor and parts of the wood. Will this planting method work for the moss and the broms? and do you guys have any further tips or input into care such as watering and lighting levels?
Here is a pic of the left section of the clay background,
That just about covers some of the main questions I've been wanting to ask. If you guys could help, that would be amazing. Hope to hear form you soon.