# Planted Tanks > Vivariums >  my mini vivarium

## EvolutionZ

hi guys
heres my tank specs
tank size: 36cmx22cmx26cm(LxBxH) its a M size five plan tank with cover
substrate:aquaclay for the land area and white gravel for water area
lighting: 13watt PL light
filteration: None
ferts: none
flora: unkown species of fern took from mother nature, emmersed xmas moss and emmersed hc look alike plant all took from mother nature.
fauna: 3 fire bellied newts 3 white cloud minnows 
comming soon are cleaning crew like croys or pleco.
heres some picture i took using my hp camera..
xmas moss on both wood. left and right. right wood xmas moss are now grown half submersed and top part emmersed.

what spiecies of fern is this?

one of my newts hiding

cute~!

should i layer some gravel over the white gravel? looks kinda fake like this.. maybe lapis sand? and maybe a layer of GeX substrate over the aquaclay area?

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## EvolutionZ

and heres a question..
i am think which position should i put my 13watt pl lighting?
option 1

option 2

option 1 is placed furthur away. thus, lesser light and did not produce as much heat as when the lighting is place like option 2.
is vivarium a set up that requires strong light for the plants?

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## oblivion

the aquaclay and white gravel together looks a bit unnatural
and the contrast between the land area and water area too obvious
may be you should try stack more gravel in the water area so that it looks like its slopes downwards from land to water

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## EvolutionZ

yea bro.. i'm changing the white gravel.. or rather.. i'm placing lapis sand on top.. and then GeX substrate on the aqua clay.. going to make a sloping effect.. and will either put black oyama behind or styrofoam backing.

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## Merviso

Hi Bro, nice job!  :Jump for joy: 

I'm now planning to do one too.. been wanting to do it for quick some time, hopefully i can still get the newts after i've tranfered my 1ft cube tank to a 2ft.  :Smile: 

How about making the divider into a moss wall ? It will then cover the aquaclay and make it look natural.. Have fun!  :Grin:

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## EvolutionZ

how to make the divider into moss wall? lol.. not sure how to do it though... thinking of getting the styrofoam back ground.. but don't know where got sell small piece one..

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## Merviso

I'm planing to do the moss wall using the method as shown:

http://www.aquamoss.net/How%20to%20create%20a%20moss%20wall/How%20to%20create%20a%20moss%20wall.htm

I'm also planing to use cork bark to do up the background and maybe the front side of river as well... think it should look more natural than styrofoam. I have seen the cork bark selling at keong seong lfs at havelock. Styrofoam Aquastar should have, but small one not very sure. I have seen it at Sam Yick lfs at Marine Parade thou, but price a bit ex..  :Grin:

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## Justikanz

There's slightly too much clay and substrate...

ADA soil or peat would be good to cover the clay pellets and give nutrients to the plants...

As for the white substrate... I would suggest changing it totally to either soil or river sand...

When creating the divider, you could have siliconed pieces of styrofoam background or cork bark to make it look more natural... Easier for the newts to climb up also...

Watch out for heat trapped in the tank... The newts will not appreciate heat...

The fern will grow BIG... So, you might want to trim off the bigger leaves once in a while...

Oh, the tank looks too small for more fish... You might want to not include cories but rely on zebra snails for clean up...

Have fun!

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## EvolutionZ

> There's slightly too much clay and substrate...
> 
> ADA soil or peat would be good to cover the clay pellets and give nutrients to the plants...
> 
> As for the white substrate... I would suggest changing it totally to either soil or river sand...
> 
> When creating the divider, you could have siliconed pieces of styrofoam background or cork bark to make it look more natural... Easier for the newts to climb up also...
> 
> Watch out for heat trapped in the tank... The newts will not appreciate heat...
> ...


changing the white gravel to lapis sand.. and today tried went to a few lfs finding peat.. but all not in the form i want..
for the corkbark. c328 and NA selling big size only...




> I'm planing to do the moss wall using the method as shown:
> 
> http://www.aquamoss.net/How&#37;20to%20c...oss%20wall.htm
> 
> I'm also planing to use cork bark to do up the background and maybe the front side of river as well... think it should look more natural than styrofoam. I have seen the cork bark selling at keong seong lfs at havelock. Styrofoam Aquastar should have, but small one not very sure. I have seen it at Sam Yick lfs at Marine Parade thou, but price a bit ex..


tried a few placed.. but all selling big piece of corkbark.

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## Merviso

> tried a few placed.. but all selling big piece of corkbark.


 
hahaha.. IMHO just buy the whole piece, cut out the size that you need and keep the rest for the next project  :Razz: 

People like us who like to play around with different ideas will not stop after doing once.. Keep it in your storeroom and it will come handy very soon  :Grin:

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## Justikanz

Yes, you can cut the cork pieces... But anyway, you can't silicone it down now as the tank had been set-up... One thing you can do is to wait for moss to grow along the acrylic sheet to disguise it...  :Smile: 

You can use soil instead of peat... ADA soil is good for the plants...

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## EvolutionZ

hi guys.. now i think thats not a need to soil or peat above the aquaclay.. i took alot of emmersed singapore moss under my block.. i covered the whole land area with the moss... it looks much more nicer and natural!..

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## BFG

Add some small floating plants to absorb the nutrient in the water.

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## EvolutionZ

don't think i will want to add any floating plants...

you guys think i should plant hair grass or some plants in the water?
anyway, heres the update.

heres the update.
i'm so desparate for lighting... seems like option 2. lighting was put to far away. the wood on the righht dosnt seems to have any light. 

took a 5watt FL lamp and placed there. anyone selling 18watt and above Clip on light? only clip on.. so that i can put the position like now how im puting.


before:

moss as forground plant. pasted 3 side with oyama and change gravel to lapis sand. added a type of fern

went to walk around searching for moss or better still. emmersed fissiden. found a mini type of singapore moss..
fronds are smaller then the sg moss i used for my forground.

im worried that after placeing the moss like this. wonder if the newts can climb up to land. but after seeing this. im glad.

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## Cacatuoides

NIce setup....makes me want to do one....good improvement from the previous too!!  :Well done:

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## EvolutionZ

thanks bro =)

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## fireblade

where did you find so many moss!!
looks better and better liao..  :Smile:

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## EvolutionZ

hi guys.. due to some family problem im facing now. i have no chose but to sell away the vivarium tank set.. need to clear by latest wednesday.. anyone interested can kindly pm me  :Surprised:

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## oblivion

the changed setup is not bad
although personally i think the water area is too big
i would think a bigger land area and a smaller water area would be a nicer ratio
then no worries about what to plant in the water area - just leave it bare
and of course if a slope from land to water could be done it would be great
and fine sand for the water area instead of lapis

but its a moot point since he's dismantling it for sale (after barely setting it up!  :Shocked: )
well, i guess his parents are not approving of it  :Grin:

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## EvolutionZ

no choose... my parents went over seas when i set up. i asked them. they allowed.. now they are back. they complain and complain.. forcing me to sell.. sorry guys. i really like this vivarium lor..

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## TBoss

thats the problems with parents. Faced with problems too over my aquariums. A pity.  :Crying:

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## uklau

> thats the problems with parents. Faced with problems too over my aquariums. A pity.


Don't blame on your parents. You'll understand when you grow up. I used to say the same thing about my parents & now I couldn't thanks them enough for being "bad guys" & nurture me the right way  :Smile: .

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## Reginald Ho

Hey bro, where did you get the newt from?

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