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Old 11-13-05, 11:31 PM   #1
-okapi-
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Join Date: Aug-2005
Location: Kentucky
Age: 37
Posts: 261
Question Vivaria idea

I plan on making a shoreline vivarium for my bull frog (Rana Catesbeiana) out of a 55 gallon aquarium. I plan on having two thirds of it water, and one third land. Heres how i plan on doing it:
First i plan on putting down an undergravel filter. Then i plan on laying down a layer of pea sized gravel, about 2-3 inches thick. On top of that i plan on having a rising layer of larger river rock that will create my land area. Half way up i will have a piece of driftwood to keep the bank stable and to plant java ferns (Microsorium Pteropus) on. At the top of the land area i will use a half stump to hide a filter. Opposite of that (the front side of the land area) i will have a log-like piece of drift wood. Around the land area i will plant Acorus Gramineus. In the shallow area of the water above the java fern i plan on planting a Nymphoids Aquatica. In the shallows i also plan on growing some java moss (Vesicularia Dubyana) on the rocks. Where the slope stops i will plant an Anubias Nana, and some Echinodorus Tenellus. In the far back corner of the aquatic part i plan on planting some Ludwigia Glandulosa. Between this and the Anubias i will have Bacopa Caroliniana and some Vallisneria Tortifolia. Along the tank's side on the deep end i will have some Elodea Densa. In front of the Ludwigia i plan on having an Aponogeton Crispus. In the shallowest part of the water i plan on planting a Spathiphyllum Wallisii. Floating in the water i plan on having some Duckweed (Lemna Minor).
Heres a picture i drew in paint:
[IMG]frog[/IMG]
In the water i plan on having 3 fish species:
1.2+ swordtail (Xiphophorus Helleri)
0.0.12 Guppy (Poecilia Reticulata)
0.0.3 Corys (Corydoras spp.)
The swords, corys, and guppies will produce ammonia and CO2. The ammonia will feed the "good" bacteria, which will produce more CO2 and Nitrates. The plants will utilize these as a source of nutrients. The corys will also help by keeping the substrate free of debris.

When i set up the aquarium, if i plant it heavily, add the fish (all 3 species are very hardy), and add some good bacteria from a filter from another tank, then the aquarium should stablize quickly. Then after about 2 months, the plants roots should be spread enought that i can add my frog. If i put in the frog too soon, all the plants will be bulldozed as the frog swims around.

Now for the questions:

What kind of lights should i use in the tank to keep the plants alive?

I plan on hooking up a power filter to the undergravel filter (basically the same idea as a powerhead), with the power filter above the land area behind the stump, hooked up to the the undergravel filter plate on the deep end via a 4 ft long tube that goes along the bottem of the tank, under the gravel, then makes a 90 degree turn up to the power filter's intake. Will this idea work? Or is it too strong of a suction to give the bacteria time to work on the ammonia and wastes? Also what kind of a power filter should i use? (like a normal 55 gallon powerfilter or something smaller?)

Should i use a CO2 bubbler, or do you think the fish, frog, and bacteria will produce enough CO2 during the day?

Thanks in advance!
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