• Why not take a moment to introduce yourself to our members?

brandon4291

Advanced Reefer
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
--
 

Attachments

  • 1-2reefbowl.jpg
    1-2reefbowl.jpg
    43.3 KB · Views: 2,953
  • 1-25-02.jpg
    1-25-02.jpg
    16.1 KB · Views: 2,961
  • nexttoapencilreef.jpg
    nexttoapencilreef.jpg
    50.9 KB · Views: 2,975

brandon4291

Advanced Reefer
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
and:
 

Attachments

  • handmini.75.3.jpg
    handmini.75.3.jpg
    31.5 KB · Views: 2,954
  • ivytubeaquarium.2.jpg
    ivytubeaquarium.2.jpg
    15.1 KB · Views: 2,944
  • milkjugreefs.33.jpg
    milkjugreefs.33.jpg
    28.2 KB · Views: 2,935

brandon4291

Advanced Reefer
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
These dart-frog terrariums and dwarf from planted bowls are in the same bowls as the reefbowl, a 2 gallon vase from WalMart: the real DIY scientific supply house<---- Carolina Biological takes a close 2nd.


The other is a soft coral reef model made inside a Lee's Dual Betta Hex. Soon SPS was installed.

The square cube reef is plumbed and made from plastic 4" acrylic boxes from Michael's crafts, shares nutrients in between the two cubes via minijet 14
 

Attachments

  • fwplantedandterrarium.2.jpg
    fwplantedandterrarium.2.jpg
    22.5 KB · Views: 2,927
  • femtoside9-7-02.aaa.jpg
    femtoside9-7-02.aaa.jpg
    41.7 KB · Views: 2,935
  • reefcubeone.jpg
    reefcubeone.jpg
    29.2 KB · Views: 2,945

brandon4291

Advanced Reefer
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
A rear shot of the Mini75. Note the rear 12% is designed as a baffle refugium, so the shared space of the tank becomes a reverse-lit or constantly-lit refugium. The black acrylic prevents nightly refugium lighting from interfering with the dark cycle of the main tank.

Display sign for the reefbowl, displayed at various schools and places around town.
 

Attachments

  • terrariumbowlfwbowl9-15.2.2.jpg
    terrariumbowlfwbowl9-15.2.2.jpg
    23.8 KB · Views: 2,921
  • reef 0021 sign.aaa.jpg
    reef 0021 sign.aaa.jpg
    58 KB · Views: 2,920
  • rearmini75.2.jpg
    rearmini75.2.jpg
    21.5 KB · Views: 2,866

brandon4291

Advanced Reefer
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Nah but they are ready for them, especially since I found a cheap place online last month, think it was kingsnake.com

A herp shop down here has stunning specimens, but they charge too much. The standard yellow and black DFs go for roughly $75, if I had that much free dollar I would try another tridacnid. Do you keep them? I am planning on feeding mine point-injected pinners. I have a home-made protein recipe and some diabetic syringes to inject the baby crickets with, we can keep steady supplies down here. Sometime this summer...

As in corals, I would not usually keep full-grown specimens inside a reefbowl. I would experiment with smaller species and sizes, keeping the humidity and conditions perfect along with an analyzed diet. it would be a fun experiment anyway...
 

skylsdale

Advanced Reefer
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I don't keep them, although I was pretty close. The did quite a bit of research into their care and handling, but with newborn twins on the way at the time I just didn't want to get locked into producing constant cultures of fruit flies and microworms--missing a couple feedings can be detrimental and I didn't want to chance it if things got too busy with the twins. It's still an option down the road, and I managed to get ahold of some private breeders over in Seattle that I'll probably buy from when the time comes.

I assume the yellow/black ones you're referring to are D. leucomelas? A pretty standard one, and I think one of the largest species. The prices of different dendrobates can actually shift depending on availability (breeding season) and popularity at any given time. Just as a reference, most of the "leucs" I have seen offered are around $40-45, so it sounds like your local herp shop is asking quite a lot for theirs.

I would be hesitant about keeping all but the "thumbnails" (e.g. D. pumilio, etc.) in a small enclosure like the bowl due to the fact that they like to have plenty of room to roam. Many of the larger ones actually spend more time on the substrate or close to the ground (expecially the luecs) than the smaller ones, so they need plenty of surface area to roam. The problem is the smaller the frog, the harder it can be to feed unless you have a good culture system going.

Regardless, all a very fascinating hobby, and something I think many reefkeepers could get into. If you want some links to other sources or website I have, just drop me a line and I'll send them your way. Keep me updated if you end up going through with it!
 

bdelaney

Experienced Reefer
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Pretty neat stuff. Thanks for sharing those pictures Brandon.

The LFS around here has a 60 gallon hex tank set up as a terrarium for frogs. They have some device that fills the tank with "fog" every few minutes to keep humidty up. It's a pretty neat looking setup.

Do you have any details on the small freshwater planted vase? Does it contain any pumps for circulation? any fish in it?
 

brandon4291

Advanced Reefer
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I know of that fog machine! It is awesome, it utilizes a small vibrating disk that induces water vapor as water is fed to it (ultrasonic)

many companies make them, the one I know of is from Azoo and found at

www.aquaticeco.com

The planted bowl is by far the most stable pico I have. It goes 3-5 months in between water changes and uses absolutely no circulation. Nitrogen and nitrates are provided by one single dwarf frog, fed bloodworms regularly. This system is over two years old now, the oldest pico I have. It houses about 10 species of common aquatic plants and also a few malaysian snails for added diversity. Convection is induced in the substrate bed (flourite) via a small candle warmer, the vase sits on it and this acts like cable heating commonly found in the large planted tanks. I drip fertilizer in it once a month, and it is fully capped with a lid and also has no evaporation.

Not every planted system needs mechanical circulation... tiny amounts of fertilizer become equally ditributed in time from action of the frog, and from complete dissolution into the water. The single frog is an ideal character because he is not reliant on water column oxygen, so the night cycle is no problem. His protective barrier skin is unharmed by nightly pH fluctuations caused in dark phase photosynthesis, so the bowl stands alone in support. He does contribute to tiny motions in the water column, everything works together and is easily maintained.

One tunes a pico reef by distorting biological ratios, thats what I always say.

The terrarium has a substrate zone that catches water percolating through the mudbed, and then feeds it back up to a small driftwood waterfall via a minijet pump hidden under the soil. Space for air is accounted for in the drip zone to keep the water clean and oxygenated. This system is fed water out of my 75g every once in a while to refresh the nutrients.

Gracias Brian thanks for checking them out
 

Attachments

  • terrariumbowldrainagecanal2.2.jpg
    terrariumbowldrainagecanal2.2.jpg
    18.3 KB · Views: 2,866

reefann

Advanced Reefer
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I can only imagine the "plants" being grown in the closet.
Seriously, great tanks you work is awsome. I have kicked around the idea of keeping dartfrogs.
Good work
JJ
_________________
Mercedes Benz W114
 

brandon4291

Advanced Reefer
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Juvenile stinkpot turtle, an avid snail eater and 99% aquatic (as opposed to the average turtle that likes to come out and sun on a rock)
 

Attachments

  • turtleplantedt.jpg
    turtleplantedt.jpg
    21.1 KB · Views: 2,861

skylsdale

Advanced Reefer
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
many companies make them, the one I know of is from Azoo and found at

ACtually, you can pick up ultrasonic humidifiers from just about anywhere: Walgreens, Lowes, Home Depot, Wal-Mart, etc. Just make sure you can attach PVC or some pool hose to the base of the humidifier and you'll be good to go.
 

brandon4291

Advanced Reefer
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
neat, I thought it had to be specialty shops to carry the small devices. I guess these places also sell them for fountain displays etc?
 

brandon4291

Advanced Reefer
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Oh I see, thats an external humidifier where you route the tubing into the tank. I was meaning a tiny one that is the size of a medium powerhead, and you install it under or near a waterfall inside the terrarium or standing water dish and as it vibrates it creates clouds of smoke water. I bet the external humidifer would be cheaper, these tiny ones run about 40-50$ I think.

heres the azoo ones:

http://www.aquaticeco.com/aquatic1v1/it ... temid=7089
 

skylsdale

Advanced Reefer
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I see. I was flipping through the new TFH today and see in the back that Zoo Med has something called teh HabbaMist. This one has four programmable spray interval settings (every hour, 3, 6, or 12 hours) and four spray duration setetings: 15, 30, 45, or 60 seconds. Not sure on the prices (Aquatic Eco may have them...I didn't check) but I thought you might be interested.
 

Sponsor Reefs

We're a FREE website, and we exist because of hobbyists like YOU who help us run this community.

Click here to sponsor $10:


Top