New 29 Gallon Tank

what species have you considered?
 
Well, I have considered moving my H. orientalis into it once its cycling and there's more plants. I want water lettuce to float on the surface.

It really depends on availability.
 
but I've very briefly considered a single axolotl.
 
You could put P. waltl, or a couple Triturus sp. in there. For an axolotl, you would probably want to remove those stones, to prevent them from eating them.
 
Sad news. While preparing to introduce the new resident (a 2 inch melanoid axie named Ragnar) the rock formation came loose and started floating. I had noticed that there was a bit of space in the back, and while trying to see if it were enough for the axie to get into, I guess I put too much pressure and the whole thing just broke off.

I guess I'll just strip and clean the tank and save it for when the axolotl's a good bit larger. For now, it's a ten gallon for him and the plants.
 
I think your problem is that there is nothing to stick the expanding foam to the tank (I think).
I would reccomend applying silicone to the tank walls before adding expanding foam.
Hope this helps a bit.

Stuart
 
Expanding foam should stick fine, I have never heard of this happening. From what I have read/seen you just spray the foam, paint it, seal it, and then you are done. It might be that the gaps that were in between the foam and the tank let water in behind the foam, breaking the seal a bit. Besides that, if water does get behind the foam it defeats the purpose of sealing it because then the harmful chemicals can get in the water :)
Sorry that it did not work out. I am right now painting mine, and am hopeful it will work, but who knows....wish me luck!
 
I am going to put my juvenile Cynops ensicauda popei in it.
 
The expanding foam is incredibly buoyant, so it takes a lot of force to hold a big chunk underwater. The bigger the piece, the more force needed. Have you ever tried to push a large piece of styrofoam underwater?

Expanding foam does adhere to glass well, but not well enough to keep such a large piece underwater. You might do better, if you ever want to try it again, with smaller pieces sprayed onto a silicone backing.
 
All the vivarium builds I've seen put silicone on the back before adding the expanding foam, the fish tank and vivarium builds I've seen that don't use silicone to stick the foam down always ended up dislodging and floating or even crumbling.

Stuart
 
Would you mind linking me to these sources? I didn't silicone mine in completely, so if what you say is true than I could be in trouble! If you link me than I can probably fix the problem :)
 
I didn't bookmark them, I just found them when through Google and when I had read them I just went off without bookmarking. So, sorry I don't have them but if I come a cross any of them I'll make sure to post them here.

Stuart
 
Alrighty, since the expanding foam did not work, I had to go a different direction. So while the axie was chilling in a smaller ten gallon, the redone 29 gallon was sitting and cycling.

But he's moved in now and he seems to be doing well.

tumblr_nik471RqHj1qc6zzyo1_540.jpg
 
Looks nice. It's a shame that your expanding foam one didn't work. Next time if you put silicone on the tank before putting the expanding foam on you shouldn't have any problems with it detaching. Expanding foam is notorious for detatching from glass, I knew someone who mad vivarium planters by creating them with expanding foam on glass then removing them, because it is so bad for sticking to glass.

Stuart
 
Mine also failed. The paint didn't work for some reason, even with the sealer sprayed over if it just leaked through. It probably wasn't all the way dry when I sprayed the sealer on, or it just didn't adhere to the foam very well. Ah well, now it houses my Bombina orientalis. Off to the next project with expanding foam ( the possibilities are endless ), I will be posting about it in the next few weeks probably.
 
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  • Thorninmyside:
    Not necessarily but if you’re wanting to continue to grow your breeding capacity then yes. Breeding axolotls isn’t a cheap hobby nor is it a get rich quick scheme. It costs a lot of money and time and deditcation
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  • stanleyc:
    @Thorninmyside, I Lauren chen
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  • Clareclare:
    Would Chinese fire belly newts be more or less inclined towards an aquatic eft set up versus Japanese . I'm raising them and have abandoned the terrarium at about 5 months old and switched to the aquatic setups you describe. I'm wondering if I could do this as soon as they morph?
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  • sera:
    @Clareclare,
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