Design of Vivaria at www.poison-frogs.com

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Vivarium - Design

Vivaria can be designed in many ways and with many different products and systems. The items mentioned in this section are certainly incomplete but can provide some help in starting your own system.

Back wall panels

The back walls can at best be made from a water absorbing material, This serves the purpose for air plants and other plants to connect. The important thing is that these panels remain in shape while doing so. The best and highest quality option is fern root panels, however the collection of fern root is not friendly and durable and there is no lable available for environmentally durable harvested fern root. Also the material is protected.

Pressed panels from coconut fibre also serve the main purpose. Although they are advertised as the best alternative for fern root, the truth is dissapointing. I personally experienced the deterioration of a vivarium when the back panel, including plants collapses and falls down after 2 years service. Just when the plants are stable, the panels are grown with moss, they collapse due to rot, the large weighth of the water. One can repair the panels with new silicone kit and new panels, but at the end you want something else. I am personally testing an improvement idea to first impregnate the panels at the back with regular wood cement ( the white cellulose based glue ) and then stick the panel to the glass back wall with abundant silicone kit. Hopefully this will provide longer lasting results. I will keep you posted ( just wait 2 years ).

Less suitable for natural vivaria but still widely used for breeding vivaria because of hygienic purposes are polystyrene, polyester, polyurethane foam. They are very durable and sterile, but do not collect water and therefore do not provide a very good wall for plants to grow on. These materials can be used effectively to provide some sculpture a 3 D form that can serve as a base for air plants or waterfalls.

The back wall panels are glued to the glass with silicone suitable for aquaria, use abundant silicone to kit the panels to the back wall or each other, otherwise they will fall off after a while. One needs the special aquaria grade due to the fact that the bathroom grades have anti bacterial and anti fungal additives that can be detrimental for plants and frogs

Bottom material

As the main bottom material i used peat bricks, they are easy to sculpt when immersed in water overnight. And provide a good acidity and filtering ability for the water. Due to some colourants in the peat the water water will turn red ( like tea ). This however is no problem for the animal life. Also the moderate acidity from the peat is natural and provides no harm for the frogs. The peat is relatively light ( but will sink in water ), Therefore one should build at least 5 centimeters above the water level in the tank to keep it from floating. About 1 peat brick per 100 square centimeter is used.

Tree roots as eye catcher

Tree root strcutures form an excellent way to provide a 3D effect in the tank. Since the back panel and the bottom follow the form of the tank a dramatic and organic shape like a tree root does very well in a vivarium. This tree can come to live with the help of some epiphitic plants like orhcids and bromelias and the job is done. Try to use a few or only one large root instead of several smaller ones. One large one is much more dramatic than a few smaller ones. Oak roots provide a good balance between durability ( no fast rotting ) and shape. Shape is most important here, and better search a while longer than deciding too quick and be sorry later.

The roots are glued to the back panel ( at the top ) and rest on the bottom material. one can use thge pump to provide a dripping stream along the root, to give a waterfall effect. After some time mosses will grow on the root and which will add extra colour to the vivarium.

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