New question--Taricha torosa setup

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kate

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Hello everyone. I'm trying to spiff up the setup for my two Taricha torosa, Merry and Sam. I found the instructions on Blackjungle that they gave for the big terrarium, and I LOVE it, but I'm sure it would have to be altered somewhat for newts, as it's meant for a tropical environment. Does anyone know what I would have to change? (Plants, lighting, etc.) I appreciate the help.
 
I can help, but don't go by my advice alone. I know exactly the vivarium your taking about. I once tryed to make one just like it. Not as easy as it looks. First of all, you would need a lot more water. Another thing is that the background is hard to put up, and the cocofiber might come apart and fall into the water and cause problems. Something i might suggest instead is underwater mortar from www.vivariumconcepts.com . Good luck, and do a lot more research! Later
 
Thanks for those links--I think I've got some good ideas now. I'm going to keep researching and probably blend a few ideas together. I just know that I want to have the back of the tank covered (like with the cork bark or the foam covered in CoCo bedding) with a waterfall, and I want to have the water area look "natural" like a pond, rather than a divided section like what I've got now. I think I should be able to pull it off, thanks for your help.
Oh, and by the way--does anyone have suggestions on a good powerhead? I'm looking for something fairly inexpensive, and I only have a 10-gallon tank, so it doesn't have to be huge. Thanks.
 
What will the powerhead do? Is it for an undergravel filter? If not, then maybe you should consider a submersible filter instead; some of them can be used to create a waterfall or cascade.
 
I'd planned on having a false bottom made from eggcrate (like in the link spanky posted above) with the powerhead under that, and a tube running up to make the waterfall. But if you think the filter would work better, I'm open to suggestions.
 
Hey again, You ideas sound really good, but all i can advise is to trail and error, play around. Thats what i've done for the longest time (lost lots of money doing it too). For the False bottom, i still recommend the gravel, the eggcrate stuff never worked for me. Go with an undergravel or underwater (sumbmersible) filter. Good luck

P.S. Is my avatar a Red eyed tree frog?
 
You can use a small sumbmersible pump for the waterfall it would be better then a powerhead.
 
I think we just have a difference in vocabulary. The thing in that setup is a submersible pump, not a powerhead. A very small submersible filter would work too.

As mentioned on your other thread, though, these newts may do better with a mostly-aquatic setup. The setup at that link doesn't look ideal for a mostly-aquatic animal. With a 10-gallon tank, you don't have a lot of room to work with; any space you spend on an elaborate land area is space you don't have for water.
 
Yes, Mark, it is! And yeah, I think I'm just going to play around with it and see how it goes. I'm definitely going to get the undergravel filter. And I'm going to alter the setup to be more aquatic than the ones I've got links to--but thanks for your opinions everyone. They're very helpful, I'm a bit of a beginner (although, funnily enough, when I was a kid I had a CFB called Gingrich who lived for 5 years in a regular old goldfish bowl :p)
 
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