# Planted Tanks > Vivariums >  Merviso's Vivarium updates 2010

## Merviso

Dear Vivarium buddies,


It's really great to see you guys with all the recent interesting setup!  :Well done:  

You guys have really inspired me to setup something decent for my 2 poor Fire-Bellied Newts, which has been living in the small 7 inch tank for the past few months.  :Opps:  

And here it goes:

*Tank Info:* Length 45cm Depth 18cm Height 21cm (Given by my office buddy)
*Filtration:* Eden 501, with Under Gravel Filter and Lapis sand as prefilter
*Lighting:* Hopar Rotatable Mini Light 9w (from 10pm to 7am)
*Gravel:* Lapis Sand and Gex Soil
*Fauna:*  2 Fire-Bellied Newts (with me for more than 2 years), 6 Kuhli Loaches, and 2 Horned Nerite Snail
*Flora:* Selaginella erythropus, Singapore Moss (Thanks to Uncle Robin for the generous supply) and some unknown plants






















 :Wink:

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## dkk08

Very nice update bro Merviso! 

What other substrate are you using on the right side beside Lapis sand? 

Is that a cave you made for the 2 cute fellas  :Grin:

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## Merviso

Thanks bro dkk08!  :Wink:  I'm using Gex Soil for this setup. Yeah! The cave is there for them to hide if they like to...  :Grin:

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## blue33

will the newtz crawl out since the hill is so high.  :Smile:

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## dkk08

> Thanks bro dkk08!  I'm using Gex Soil for this setup. Yeah! The cave is there for them to hide if they like to...


that's so cool! I want some newts!

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## Merviso

Hi Adrian, yes they will definitely will !!! That's why it will be covered all the time... 

Haha... I need to add a few more too! Loss 4 of them during the last 2 years due to illness... But seems like it is not available recently...  :Crying:

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## David Moses Heng

> Hi Adrian, yes they will definitely will !!! That's why it will be covered all the time... 
> 
> Haha... I need to add a few more too! Loss 4 of them during the last 2 years due to illness... But seems like it is not available recently...



they are available if you look close and careful enough. :Grin:

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## Merviso

haha... like in someone's toilet?  :Grin:

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## dkk08

shhhhh don't tell anyone I hid them in the toilet bowl  :Laughing: 

Anyway I'm looking for some too if anyone spotted any... I seriously think we should get them legalize too like White's treefrogs aka Green treefrogs

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## David Moses Heng

> shhhhh don't tell anyone I hid them in the toilet bowl 
> 
> Anyway I'm looking for some too if anyone spotted any... I seriously think we should get them legalize too like White's treefrogs aka Green treefrogs



i thought i told you where you can get them?

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## Merviso

> i thought i told you where you can get them?


bro... can I tag along?  :Grin:

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## blue33

hahaha... i was there too.... i know where to xxx it.  :Grin:

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## limz_777

nice set-up merviso , what sort of rocks is that ?

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## Merviso

Hi bro limz_777, I'm not sure of the name too...  :Embarassed: 

But I will post the setting up process later and you can take a better look at the rock. Actually, it is more like harden clay....  :Grin:  .... which is very suitable for this case because it will suck up the water, remain moist, and pass it to the moss...  :Smug:

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## davwong

> i thought i told you where you can get them?


Me too can pm me also....

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## Merviso

haha... maybe the few of us should meet up for coffee soon... not good to discuss too much here....  :Roll Eyes:

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## eddy planer

Hi 

Your sexy Newts palu indeed an awesome!  :Well done:  :Well done: 

Guys! I 'm so inspire by Avatar background themes! I thought of creating similar one with addition of 4-6 newts if possible.

Can we get them after CNY together?

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## cdckjn

Dear Merviso,
I have a question. How you construct the "land area"? 
I observe that you are using a cansister filter system.
As a result will not the land area always be damp? This is because the water will flow inside? Unless you have a "wall" which you have silicon on so as to prevent water from going in.

Thanks. Please enlighten me.

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## Merviso

Hi Eddy, Thanks! This is actually a very simple set up as compared to your 6 feet monster....  :Kiss:  I'm ON for the mass purchase...  :Wink: 

Hi cdckjn, my land area will be always wet! This is good for the moss too! 

The water is actually dripping from the rainbar (hidden inside the moss), into the rock and then the land/water area and down to the under gravel filter and back into the Eden filter. As such, the Gex soil also became part of my prefilter.  :Wink: 

I will post my simple set up journal soon....  :Smile:

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## Merviso

:Wink:

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## cdckjn

Thanks so much Merviso,

Your pictures have clearly explained what I need to know. Now I know and can go and build mine up. Thanks.

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## fotoudavid

Wow amazing setup.
Mind sharing where you got the back grounds? Looks great, never seen it before.

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## Merviso

Hi cdckjn, do take note that my set up for the land will not be suitable for plants that needs their roots to be out of the water... But I personally do not like to use silicon inside my tank as it will be more troublesome to rescape next time... Even my backgrounds is not secured by silicon...  :Roll Eyes: 

Hi fotoudavid, thanks! The brand is Juwel... Bought from Sam Yip at Marine Parade... The price is quite high actually... almost doubled the other brands, but it is definitely much better in quality and looks! There are various sizes and designs, and the piece I bought is 500x600 mm... The ones I used for this tank are the left over from my last project.

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## fotoudavid

Thanks bro, really appreciated. Nice tank, enjoy.
Notice that the plants you use also mixed, i actually did search brlow my block, see got ant hardy plants or not.

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## Merviso

No problem! It's more fun when there's more people doing it together...  :Grin:  
I'm trying to play around with different plants too... maybe we can go to those places with streams or small ponds to collect....  :Razz:

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## DanNiErSi

bro great job , that day went to your house is half done up , it is already very nice , now fully done up , is even more nicer !keep it up  :Grin:

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## Merviso

haha... Thanks! Hope it will not die on me...  :Razz:

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## cdckjn

Hey Merviso, I want to start something like yours, except that I need the tank to be open on all 4 sides, as I do not intend to have lights.
http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...ad.php?t=64363

I want the "land" area to be more dry, but land with moss if also ok for me. Maybe I will plant venus flytraps and pitcher plants instead and have fishes and shrimps in the water area.

Any suggestions for me. Thanks.

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## DanNiErSi

> haha... Thanks! Hope it will not die on me...


hmmm i think should add a mist maker will be nicer and prevent the moss from dry off

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## Merviso

cdckjn, one easy way to set up the land area, without using silicone, is to place another container (glass or ceramic) and put the soil inside. To make it look natural, you can coat the exterior with a layer of lapis sand or even build a moss wall around it.

For my water soaked land area, the most suitable will be aquatic and semi-aquatic plants... Cryptocoryne, HC and Downoi are a few examples. Venus flytraps and pitcher plants will not likely to survive water soaking their roots....  :Opps: 

Haha... Elgin, this tank is really too small to warrant a mist system... I just spray a bit of water every night...  :Grin:

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## unclerobin

> Thanks bro, really appreciated. Nice tank, enjoy.
> Notice that the plants you use also mixed, i actually did search brlow my block, see got ant hardy plants or not.


Bro, if you need the Singapore Moss just let me know, i got tons of that.




> No problem! It's more fun when there's more people doing it together...  
> I'm trying to play around with different plants too... maybe we can go to those places with streams or small ponds to collect....


Bro, you poison me, hope i can own 1 after cny  :Exasperated:  but still no permit

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## Merviso

haha... Robin, why wait? Do one for the coffee table just in time for CNY...  :Laughing:

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## fotoudavid

> Bro, if you need the Singapore Moss just let me know, i got tons of that.


thanks robin, will do so at CNY when visiting your mother, can PM address again? always forget, my father may want to go if he okay, or your whole family want to join in pasir ris??

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## fotoudavid

> haha... Robin, why wait? Do one for the coffee table just in time for CNY...


You don't know, Robin got many tanks committed already, no only his house haha :Laughing:

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## Merviso

Well... he is unstoppable.... hahahaha...  :Grin:

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## unclerobin

> haha... Robin, why wait? Do one for the coffee table just in time for CNY...


 Too late now will do it after CNY.. maybe you guys try to convince her during our gaythering over at my place, i will fix a date with buffet.




> thanks robin, will do so at CNY when visiting your mother, can PM address again? always forget, my father may want to go if he okay, or your whole family want to join in pasir ris??


 Bro, i will be away and will be back only on the 3rd day of cny will leave it with my mother( address pmed you) for you to collect. Hope you can join us at the gathering over at my place. 



> Well... he is unstoppable.... hahahaha...


 Thinks Mark got more than me  :Blah: .

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## unclerobin

> bro great job , that day went to your house is half done up , it is already very nice , now fully done up , is even more nicer !keep it up


 His BBA tank  ::smt023:  ::smt038:  :COOL!:

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## fotoudavid

> Bro, i will be away and will be back only on the 3rd day of cny will leave it with my mother( address pmed you) for you to collect. Hope you can join us at the gathering over at my place.


when the gathering, last year miss it, this year try to attend. :Jump for joy:

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## DanNiErSi

> His BBA tank


Mark's tank no longer BBA tank already , today got some plants for him and planted in , fully stock up already  :Blah:

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## DanNiErSi

> cdckjn, one easy way to set up the land area, without using silicone, is to place another container (glass or ceramic) and put the soil inside. To make it look natural, you can coat the exterior with a layer of lapis sand or even build a moss wall around it.
> 
> For my water soaked land area, the most suitable will be aquatic and semi-aquatic plants... Cryptocoryne, HC and Downoi are a few examples. Venus flytraps and pitcher plants will not likely to survive water soaking their roots.... 
> 
> Haha... Elgin, this tank is really too small to warrant a mist system... I just spray a bit of water every night...


spray very troublesome , get the smallest version of mist maker , me and mark that day we at sea view saw a few version of it  :Grin: 
hobby is to enjoy not be slave to it :Wink:

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## eddy planer

> Haha... Elgin, this tank is really too small to warrant a mist system... I just spray a bit of water every night...


Merviso,

You can try humidifier , those mosses required stay moist at all time to grow nicely. As for my palu i located my mosses placed on the corkbark background and i did spraying water 3x a day, and this method still doesnt work very well. My beloved mosses turning from bright green to dull green that indicated me that my mosses are dehydrated and i installed mister system together with my Norita humidifier can let it ran for 10mins 3x day....mosses grew more fronds and turning bright green slowly again.

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## feide

poison detected  :Evil: 
now I know what to do with my eden 501 which is lying around in my store  :Roll Eyes: 
Nice setup Merviso! I can't imgaine how you move around in your room. haha

OT a bit... Robin, let me know if you need help for the CNY gathering.

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## Merviso

Happy Chinese New Year to all the bros! I had been cleaning and water changing all my 6 tanks yesterday and plus a rabbit cage!  :Crying:  Lucky this vivarium is a new set up...  :Grin:  

Eddy, I observed that my moss are actually moist all the time. This is due to my rainbar hiding inside the moss on the top of the rocks, thus distributing the water down through the moss. My only concern is the Selaginella erythropus on the right back corner not getting enough moisture. BTW, my Singapore Moss is actually land moss, so I'm not worried about them..

Hey Felix, haha... Welcome to the dark side!  :Angel:  I just finished doing my room space optimisation program these few days.... and I'm already planning for another 4/5 ft tank to consolidate my tanks...  :Grin:

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## Merviso

:Wink:

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## Merviso

YouTube- The Mossy Forest 01

YouTube- My Mossy Forest 02

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## dkk08

Your Selaginella erythropus actually looks good and healthy and those singapore moss sure looks healthy too, toobad I can't make it to uncle robin's place, any bro can help me collect some Singapore moss from Uncle Robin?

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## Merviso

Thanks dkk08, the photos are actually taken around the first few days of planting. They seems to be curling up recently, not sure if it is supposed to be like this. Think maybe it's the light or heat that is affecting.

Here comes more videos:


 YouTube- My Mossy Forest 03 - Exploring New Territory


YouTube- The Mossy Forest 04 - Newts Feeding Time!


YouTube- My Mossy Forest 05 - Kuhli Loach Feasting


 :Angel:

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## limz_777

i notice a chiller wasnt used , can share whats the water temp ?

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## Merviso

Hi limz_777, the temperature is at the room temperature of 30 degree... My newts has been under this temperature since 2 over years back....  :Opps:

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## limz_777

nice , that means there are hardy ones which withstand higher temperature , just to confirm this is _C. orientalis ? as the skin appeared quite smooth
_

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## Merviso

Yes. But it will definitely be better for them if you can provide a lower temperature! This is one of my favorite photo of a previous set up.

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## Merviso

*Introducing
** The Crabby Wetland*



YouTube- The Crabby Wetland 01 - The Beginning


YouTube- The Crabby Wetland 02 - Mossy Upgrade


YouTube- The Crabby Wetland 03 - Closeup View


 :Razz:

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## Sword

Wow, very nice and natural feeling. If on the bigger tank, looks even best..... :Wink:

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## eddy planer

Hey merviso

How's your sexy vivarium? long time didnt see it! Please upload your sexy mature palu pictures !! will be blast to upload, agree?

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## Merviso

Hi Eddy,

It's been a while since I last took photo on this vivarium....
Unfortunately, I loss both my Newts during the last few months due to unknown sickness. The molding moss needed some attention too before I can start taking photo again.... *_*

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## cherabin

Hi Merv, I'm wondering with your vampire crabs tank with puddles of water around, would mosquitos be breeding in them?

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## Merviso

Hi cherabin, the mosquito lavas will not have any chance when the vampire crabs are around! They are very effective hunters!

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## redsuns

Hey bro! Very very very nice setup! Btw, what is the black coloured thing you used to make the hill and where you got that from? I might need something like that for my scape too! Thanks!! :Grin:

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## Merviso

That is the same white undergravel filter plate as in the second photo. I just cut to size and spray it with black acrylic paint. Bought it from Aquastar at Yishun.

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## redsuns

Ah..I see! Thanks! So you just conceal it by tying the moss on it?

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## vratenza

hi!

Have a few questions regarding your setup.



1) How do u attach the input tube of the external filter to the undergravel filter tube?

2) Is the clear cover piece made of acrylic or glass? Is it custom made? Where to get it?

I'm planning for my 2x1x1 paludarium project  :Smile:

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## Merviso

Hi bro vratenza, 

1. The undergravel filter tube is bigger in diameter than the input tube of Eden 501 filter that I'm using, so I basically insert the Eden input tube right into the undergravel filter tube.

2. It is a piece of acrylic. I bought a big piece from Art Friend, Bras Basah, and cut to my required size with a acrylic cutter... Penknife should be OK too...

Have fun!

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## vratenza

> Hi bro vratenza, 
> 
> 1. The undergravel filter tube is bigger in diameter than the input tube of Eden 501 filter that I'm using, so I basically insert the Eden input tube right into the undergravel filter tube.
> 
> 2. It is a piece of acrylic. I bought a big piece from Art Friend, Bras Basah, and cut to my required size with a acrylic cutter... Penknife should be OK too...
> 
> Have fun!



Thanks for the reply!

I'm thinking of using an unused Eheim Ecco pro 2234 instead of buying a brand new canister filter. I'm wondering if the inlet tubing (should be 12/16mm type) will fit into the undergravel filter tube?

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## Merviso

No problem! Different brands of undergravel filter may have different size tube, so you should be able to find a right match! Good luck!

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## Twigster

Hi Merv, lol sorry dig up old threads again. Your black divider in the middle did you silicon it there? 
If not how did you keep it in place?

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## Twigster

Oh and how come your GEX soil granules so BIG!

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## Merviso

haha.. No problem... I don't like to use silicon inside my tank. The divider touches both sides of the tank, and are secure by the rock and also the Gex soil pushing against it. There are different sizes to the Gex Soil, I remember red package is smallest . Think you can see the sizes from the packaging...

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## Twigster

Hi Merv, its me again. Did your vivarium glass always have heavy condensation? I can't even see into the tank unless i remove my acrylic cover.

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## Merviso

Bro, did you make any ventilation holes? Ventilation is quite important, else moulds might start to grow in your tank.. I only have mild condensation sometimes, especially in rainy days...

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## Twigster

Hey again Merv, Happy new year! Anyway i have two fbns that seem to have a knack for finding escape routes both escaped out of the filter inlet hole of space that i made. Wondering how you made yours secure.

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## delhezi

It just means one, you have either poor water quality, or two, the water temperature is not between 18-20 degrees celsius, or three, both.

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## Twigster

The curious thing is, I have 3 and one only stays on land, another usually stays in the water, and the last one is the one who likes to climb. 
Temp is about 22-24 though.

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## Merviso

Hi Bro Twigster, FBN are good escapee, the only ways to make sure they do not succeed is to block up all the holes... As all the tanks setup are different, maybe you like to post your tank setup so that we can help to give some suggestions... 

Each FBN may differ in their preference for land or water, and may change as they grow old... I had some that never like to go into water, and also some that never come out of the water... Just have to provide both option for them to chose themselves...  :Smile:

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