My first viv, finally set up (25g, 9 nvv)

I can't figure out how to edit my post and now feel quite silly.

I've been away at school ever since I posted this, and today is my first day back (though sadly I'll only be staying a very short while).

Even with the minimum lighting the tank had, everything is doing great - it really surprised me!

The terrestrial moss I had laid down has started to grow up; that's not to say it's sending up stalks, which my juniper moss did, but the actual moss itself is growing into the air.. it's really neat.

My lemon button ferns (I believe) have about doubled in thickness, which surprises me, as the cocofibre has absorbed a ridiculous amount of water. The peperomia have done the same, and I'm not sure how they reproduce, but there appear to be mini peperomias buddind around the tank.

My spider plants aren't doing so hot, but I never had any idea if they would epiphytically - they've gotten larger, but very pale in color... I hope my new light which is arriving in several days helps.

The java moss I bought from a petstore and put in the waterfall has all died, but is starting to grow back out... however, the batch that was given to me by a local nursery has adhered to the log, and started growing every which way.

I ordered a shipment of ferns and climbers from blackjungle, and I'll be planting those later today. I'll take pictures whenever I get the chance, latest tomorrow.

Oh geez, and I was really caught be surprise: there were dozens of eggs all over the tank, roughly half of the size of a "mini m&m", I can't believe they hadn't been eaten. I would normally jump at a chance to raise them, but I cannot as I'll be at school.. we'll just have to see how they fare without being removed.

EDIT: I can edit this, but not my other posts. Any idea if it would be safe or wise to just throw my 150 pheonix worms into the tank? Or would they just burrow and turn into soldier flies.

EDIT: ... wow, one of the eggs that is half submerged in water is somewhere between day 13-17 of the development process.... though it's pure white. Very odd.

I had one of my family members send me a picture of the tank; this is a day after I planted some things I got from blackjungle... I'm back at school, so we will see how everything does.

Interesting to note that I was under the impression it was easy to kill ferns and they needed very good drainage... however, mine have already shot down roots into my water/hydroton and I was incapable of moving them.

Taken with a cellphone camera, Ill get REAL pictures in a week or so..




despite the terrible pic quality, you can see some of the eggs on the IN/OUT exit of the log; she's laid several dozen there.... and for the life of me, I could only find one of my efts, Im going to assume they wormed their way under my moss.

Nice setup you have there looks good.

edit: I also bought a really nice light for the tank, 55 watts or so.. according to some peeps at dendroboard, you really need the extra light to have the tank grow properly.

Click to expand...

Not nescaserily, it depends entirely on the species of plant your growing. If you know the species name a google search will usualy find you what you need. More important is the wavelength or colour and intensity of the light, you'll need a high lumen count around 6400k for good, lush vegetative growth.

I think spider plants(I'm assuming you mean the ones commonly sold as houseplants?) have quite high light requirements and prefer 'full sunlight' as it were(my mom used to grow them in the living room windows, which faced east), it looks to me like the other plants you have there would be full/partial shade plants.

Things like Hedera, Cotoneaster and 'Burning Bush' would do quite well in there, partial shade, damp, also quite cheap and easy to get hold of.

Nice tank.

very nice setup..
the white foam forming in the water is not poisonous, the foam forms due to the fact that the water is falling from such a high altitude that happened o one of my "streams". i raised the water level a bit and it disappeared. since you have a waterfall it will not disappear. The water will clear up after some water changes and through the filter its due to the tannins in the coconut fiber in the background. Good Luck with the viv.

The foam is most likely from decomposition of things like wood and microorganisms and harmless. Essentially they're releasing chemicals that maintain the surface tension needed to make the bubbles, and as long as you have a waterfall making a splash you'll end up with foam. This could go away in time once the whole thing cycles.

I still think the tanks looks great. I assume some water changes would get rid of the dirty bubble water.

Eggs you say? Hook me up