Dart Frogs!!! Man... i have to say, having someone of similar age(by asumption) on Canadas west coast is a great thing to find! Im just starting out on vivariums and aquariums this month. I have purchased my first exoTank and im rearin to go!!! Thanks for ever single one of your videos, i love the content!
Thanks dude! Im 21 :D My apartment doesnt have too much room so i wont be able to have as many awesome tanks as you do but hey!!! A persons got to start somewhere right?
Hey! Thanks so much for this video! I've been working on converting a 55 gal into an arboreal tank and couldn't have done it without your video! I appreciate you being so thorough!
Dart Frogs. Great advice throughout, a bunch of your little tips have really changed how my wife and I were going to start on our first custom background. Thanks for doing this video, watched quite a few leading up to this trying to figure out how I ought to go about this, had I found yours first I wouldn't have had to watch any more.
Great build, nice fast paced and not boring. I might use some of these background tips on an orchidarium I am planning in a used hutch with glass and mirrors.
Dart frogs!! Awesome video dude, been trying to find a good tutorial video for ages now and this was the best, helped a lot so thanks, all the work you put in was much appreciated!!
I have watched a lot of videos on how to do this and yours is one of the best. I just did my first viv foam background today! Thanks for the great videos.
I finally got the viv planted, bioactive substrate mixed in, detritivores, mosses, and the lights on! Super happy and addicted to the process! Your videos have been super helpful overall. I will try to post a video later showing the setup. Thanks again!
I've followed your method step by step for my new 12X12X24 and it looks awesome! However, I shone a light through the back and I can see a few spots where the light is coming through. Will the foam be ok or do I need to pull it all off and start over?
Dart frogs. I'm just starting out on vivariums with my kids. My daughter is so pumped on keeping dart frogs. I just picked up our first exo. I watched the waterfalls one, too. Great video.
+SebHopwoodPK What hole was added in the top of the tank? in the middle of the foam.. Is that for a plant or for some kind of waterfall? And why do add Isopods and springtails?
+SebHopwoodPK I'm glad you are enjoying the hobby! And that's for a film canister. Isopods and springtails are the clean up crew, I have another video on my channel that explains it.
Dart frogs. Very nice tank. Dart frogs are very addictive, right now I have 4 bumble bee's, and trying to aquire a couple Regina's, but first need to set up my tank, I like to watch what other people do to get ideas and your tank is one of the nicer ones. Good job.
Bro, you are the man! Great vid! This is probably going to be my next long-weekend project. You're super knowledgeable already. Keep up the awesome vids! I bet in like 5-10 years you're going to be a huge player in the repti-community! subbed!
Hey Mike, would you be able to explain in a little more detail about how you placed the substrate with regards to the pill bottle idea you used? I noticed that you covered the pill bottle with substrate?
great video dude. ur pretty passionate about doing this stuff and really helped me alot collecting new ideas to do something beyond standard looking tanks. i appreciate your creativity. keep going!
Hey Mike, great video. I'm new to your channel and you may have touched on this but have you used clear silicone or Gorilla glue on top of the carved foam? I'm seeing different styles. TY
I have used both for different purposes. Gorilla glue is literally the same as the foam just in a different form... it expands and doesn't tend to look the best IMO. The clear silicone works great, but if anything detaches from the silicone it shows the colour of the foam behind it. Both have their up sides and down sides.
Dart frogs for the 2nd time. I'm about to start my build in a week or two in a 36 gallon bow front. I'm planning on drilling a bulkhead to keep my water level the same and draining it into a reservoir where I will house my pump for the water feature. I figured it wouldn't be all hidden and I could get to it. As long as I make sure it doesn't ever start pumping outside the tank for whatever reason I should be alright with that right....? Then I could just drain my res to make up for the case of my misting system dumping it would never flood the tank.... I've never seen this in my research and wondering what your thoughts were before I started this.
hey mike just wondering if you have ever had any issues with the foam actually coming off the glass? i built a tank last weekend and most of my foam has somewhat expanded completely off of the glass. any idea?
do you by chance sell your springtails? i am in kelowna and would pay for shipping but I'm having a hard time finding anybody to sell them to me. i just got my new viv done yesterday and need to add a culture or two! i have isopods but not sure how they lasted in my substrate through the tank construction. its for a crest! thanks mike!
This is great work. Thanks for the info. Two questions: 1.) Did you silicone the driftwood to the glass? Saw a ton of videos where they did but maybe the foam holds it up just the same? 2.) What's that song at the 27 minute mark?
Dart frogs! Fantastic build! (I have a small unused exo terra that I've had for a year just sitting around gathering dust, and now I think I know what I want to do with it!)
most foam backgrounds that ive seen like this they put the background mix while the foam is still wet, that way you dont have to silicone the whole thing, is it just preference or is there a benefit to either method?
Lol good thing u post this today because I'm getting dark Frogs tomorrow and I wondering how to build somthing like this,thanks for posting man good job!!
Would this background be ok to use in a chameleon habitat? If I used the coconut husk substrate to stick to the silicon would it not mold since it's in there permanently?
Thanks Mike, your video helped alot. Have you ever incorporated _living_ moss in a dart frog habitat? I'm considering a dripping moss wall feature when I build mine.
Im doing my second vivarium but first with the foam background. Seen a bunch of videos where they dont cut the foam and i cant tell the difference. Maybe hard to see the detail in the video or does it not really matter? My viv is 5' wide 6' tall 2' deep. So if i dont have to cut it up im not going to. Enough work as it is. Thanks. Also what is the yellow roll of tape thing on your viv?
It does matter, when you don't cut it the silicone has a harder time adhering, and when you trim it, it looks a lot better because you can make it the way you want it to look not just the crappy looking blobs that the foam normally makes.
Hi Mike, Very helpfull video :) Thank you for that. Was wondering something so to sum it up it is super important to have a good idea of they layout in your mind before starting right?. Is all that you done in the video also possible with material like styrofoam?. Why i am asking this i own a Borneo biotope tank and thinking about adding a planted part to it so without the animals that you guys own.
It would be possible yes! And honestly normally I just go with the flow and make it turn out decent haha! However I do recommend having a plan in mind!
For the background, did you glue the wood in place and then foam around it? or does the foam alone give the wood enough support? planning on doing something like this soon when i get my dart frogs, and want to make sure i do it properly aha! Thanks :)
And what kind of dart frogs are you putting in that tank? One more question am I considered a reptile keeper I only have a veild chameleon is that considered a reptile keeper
How long does this kind of set up typically last? do I have to worry about materials that are permanently set into the background rotting? Is it possible to remove all this and do over down the road? I'm trying to get a sense for how I want to do my own Vivarium and can't decide between a removable separate background piece and one that is set up like this.
I've had mine setup for well over a year, and theres people that have theirs for a decade! As for removal, yes you can remove this, it takes some work but it's not too bad
Nice video. The drainage tip was clever. I have a similar sulotion in my exo terra. I use the gap behind the oem background and take a long straw down and in to the drainage layer and suck the water ou😊
If you have covered up the drainage hole in the pill bottle's lid, with soil, how do you keep the soil from filling up the bottle and preventing you from draining the water?
Do you keep an air hose in the drilled hole all the time? It looked like you poured the dirt in without putting anything in or over the drilled hole in the top.
Dart frog.. That's a awesome vid Mike.. Loved the way u created it.. thanks a ton as it helped me a lot to make my first live vivarium.. Keep the good work going on and waiting to see lot more videos from you..
+Mike Tytula ok :) im getting a russian tortoise. my substrate is half timothy hay, half cocofiber and sand mix. (no alive plants) What is your opinion on how often i should be changing it? ill add plants in the future :)
+Mike Tytula no its okay, the ratio from dirt to sand is not even 6:1, also they are desert tortoise from the middle east. this combination is perfect for burrowing and wont get in its eyes
Everyone seems to have the same size planters for vivariums when the foam is used... what is the size of it? I am not sure when I go to the garden store
Hey Mike! Awesome videos, I have been checking out all the videos on your channel. I have Tokay Geckos, which as you may know are primarily arboreal Geckos. Currently they are in the exo terra crested gecko cages, i believe the smaller of the 2 options they have available. Pretty sure they are the 12x12x24. The only thing i dislike is the Large ventilation screens at the top that makes it hard for humidity levels to stay high, aside from that they are decent tanks. With these Exo Terra cages what do you recommend for humidity other than that cool Mist King device in one of your other videos?
Awesome tank man! One of the nicer layouts I've seen on RUclips. Looking forward to the plant video. (Dart frogs - I made it to the end as always) hope you had a good weekend. Clem
This is the Type of Video i searched for ! Thank you for this great Tutorial. Can you recommend Backgrounds with those Materials in a Vivarium with tropical Conditions ? I would like to build something like this for my Linothele Megatheloides. Greetings from Germany ✌🏻
I would love to so something similar once I get around to making a tank for the ackies monitor I wanna get but how exactly would you make a rocky texture sense ackies live in rocky areas of Australia and a more tree based back round wouldn't really fit
DartFragsThanks for the video and supply list! I plan on getting my new little guys in a few weeks so that gives me time to try my hand at this! I wasn't gonna go all out but I think this is within my skill set! you are a big help bud keep it up!
Hey Mike just got interested in dart frogs and found your site. Great Video can't wait to watch your other ones. DART FROG! Do you have to cover all or the sides with sub-strait? I was thinking of doing the shelf part and possibly a little of it but wanted to be able to sit at my desk or other parts of my office and be able to look in the vivarium and see the frogs (not just from the front. Or would this be too much exposure for them? Thanks Again -- John G
I would make a compartment for the filter and the tube because you need to do maintenance on the pump and tube so sealing it in the tank would be a bad idea haha
+Mike Tytula Dart Frog!!! Hey Mike what kind of siphon do you use to get the drainage out of the drainage layer? I will be doing a Crested Gecko tank so the more tips and tricks I get the better.
i have been trying to make my own background based on this video, the shape of it is complete with wood and all, its just that when i started on the silicone part i got kind of irritated. the peat wont stick to the silicone and i can just peel the silicone off the foam (doesnt stick very well). do you have any idea what the problem might be?
i had made some test samples to see which silicone would be the best to use and how the peat would stick to it once it has been fully cured. and i was glad to see that with my test samples the peat would stick to the silicone perfectly and i couldnt even rub it off. but then i was wondering how it would be if the peat got wet, and well once it soaked up some water i could just gently rub all the peat off the silicone. is there some way to prefent this from happening or is it just one of those cases in which if it sticks keep your hands off of it? :p
Dart frogs. Great video. I've got a little tank from when I used to have a praying mantis. Been thinking about getting some more use out of it and this looks like A good plan. Love that trick with the pill bottle too. Thanks!
A really helpful thing i think you should do is list all the links to the products you use when you make vivarium builds and other types of builds. Hope you see this :)
@Mike Tytula i got a problem with my background, the dirt just won't stick to the silicone. i made a first layer. than shook and brushed it off, but more than 95% came of. (i used more than enough silicone and really pressed it into the silicone.) what should i do, wait until everything completely dry and put on a new layers of silicone and dirt on top of the dirt that is already on??
+Mike Tytula btw, the cocopeat brick substrate was still kinda moist. probably that's the problem... what would you recommand to do? just wait till it's all dry and do a second layer with dry cocopeat? do you think the silicone will hold on the forst layer?
that's up next. then see what happens if i put over a new layer of silicone...and substrate. hope the new silicone sticks to the old, first layer. Do you think it will work?
Dart frogs :) love your videos, I'm currently foaming up a 90x45x90 o.O flipping that over to fo each side has been fun xD Tip if you leave the foam for a couple hours and then carve it, it goes spongey rather than solid to make carving easier
Dart frogs my brotha! Keep up the good work. I will be buying all the essentials I need to build a vivarium of my own. I appreciate what you do man. Just one quick question! How often you mist your vivariums? Thanks!
Dart Frogs!!! Man... i have to say, having someone of similar age(by asumption) on Canadas west coast is a great thing to find! Im just starting out on vivariums and aquariums this month. I have purchased my first exoTank and im rearin to go!!! Thanks for ever single one of your videos, i love the content!
How old are you?? haha And ya it's not all that common haha. Glad to hear! Good luck man!
Thanks dude! Im 21 :D My apartment doesnt have too much room so i wont be able to have as many awesome tanks as you do but hey!!! A persons got to start somewhere right?
Dripping_Faucet Ya I'm 20 ahah. Exactly start somewhere and you never know what will happen in the future!
Totally! The future is open yet both predictable and unpredictable.
Mike Tytula hey mike question can I use maple leaves for my leopard gecko tank?
Watching your recent videos and then these older ones, crazy how much you and your set up have changed
Hopefully for the better??
Thanks for uploading this! Going to setup a tank for my crested gecko!
Dart frog
+Garrett White No problem!
Same
Hey! Thanks so much for this video! I've been working on converting a 55 gal into an arboreal tank and couldn't have done it without your video! I appreciate you being so thorough!
Glad you enjoy!
You sound exactly like michael's kid in GTA V
True
He looks like him too 🤣
LMAO
Dart Frogs. Great advice throughout, a bunch of your little tips have really changed how my wife and I were going to start on our first custom background. Thanks for doing this video, watched quite a few leading up to this trying to figure out how I ought to go about this, had I found yours first I wouldn't have had to watch any more.
haha thanks for watching! Glad that I could help!
Dart frogs! (a year and a half late - don't judge me lol)
Great build, nice fast paced and not boring. I might use some of these background tips on an orchidarium I am planning in a used hutch with glass and mirrors.
That would be really cool! I would love to see what orchids you are keeping!
dart frog 2019!
Thanks for watching!
Dart frogs!! Awesome video dude, been trying to find a good tutorial video for ages now and this was the best, helped a lot so thanks, all the work you put in was much appreciated!!
DartFrogs :D
Dart frog. Great tutorial! Thanks for all the info, nice tip about the pill bottle for the siphon. Another great video!
+Julie cook Thanks! Glad you liked it!
Fartdogs
yes, fartdogs
That's not nice
Ha😹
agito makishima me?
it was a dyslexic pronunciation of Dart frogs… a joke
I have watched a lot of videos on how to do this and yours is one of the best. I just did my first viv foam background today!
Thanks for the great videos.
I'm glad to hear that it helped man! Good luck!
I finally got the viv planted, bioactive substrate mixed in, detritivores, mosses, and the lights on! Super happy and addicted to the process! Your videos have been super helpful overall. I will try to post a video later showing the setup. Thanks again!
am i the only one who felt slightly uncomfortable during the silicone process
and just wanted to know if i could also put the background substrate on the spray fome without using the silicone. You have some awesome DART FROGS
+Righteous Reptiles You can push it directly into the spray foam but it looks like shit.
+Mike Tytula oh ok
+Mike Tytula just because the fome expands and the background substrate doesn't fully cover the fome?
+Righteous Reptiles Basically ya. Like not that much really does anything!
Dartfrogs!! Great video. Love the pill container drainage idea!
haha it works :)
I've followed your method step by step for my new 12X12X24 and it looks awesome! However, I shone a light through the back and I can see a few spots where the light is coming through. Will the foam be ok or do I need to pull it all off and start over?
Dart frogs. I'm just starting out on vivariums with my kids. My daughter is so pumped on keeping dart frogs. I just picked up our first exo. I watched the waterfalls one, too. Great video.
Awesome! Glad there are some younglings getting into the hobby :)
Yes! so happy right now.. I found the channel that will inform and inspire me towards continuing my new hobby! Thank you! I will watch all your videos
+SebHopwoodPK
What hole was added in the top of the tank? in the middle of the foam.. Is that for a plant or for some kind of waterfall?
And why do add Isopods and springtails?
+SebHopwoodPK I'm glad you are enjoying the hobby! And that's for a film canister. Isopods and springtails are the clean up crew, I have another video on my channel that explains it.
Alright! why do you have a film canister in there then?
SebHopwoodPK The the frogs to lay eggs and raise tadpoles in.
Dart frogs. Very nice tank. Dart frogs are very addictive, right now I have 4 bumble bee's, and trying to aquire a couple Regina's, but first need to set up my tank, I like to watch what other people do to get ideas and your tank is one of the nicer ones. Good job.
+Dakota's Ride Thanks bud! I appreciate it! And yes they are extremely addicting haha
DARTFROGS. Looks supreme man. kudos.
Bro, you are the man! Great vid! This is probably going to be my next long-weekend project.
You're super knowledgeable already. Keep up the awesome vids! I bet in like 5-10 years you're going to be a huge player in the repti-community! subbed!
Thanks buddy! I really appreciate it!
Hey Mike, would you be able to explain in a little more detail about how you placed the substrate with regards to the pill bottle idea you used? I noticed that you covered the pill bottle with substrate?
great video dude. ur pretty passionate about doing this stuff and really helped me alot collecting new ideas to do something beyond standard looking tanks. i appreciate your creativity. keep going!
Glad you enjoyed! thanks for watching! I hope you found some inspiration to make some awesome creations of your own.
Hey Mike, great video. I'm new to your channel and you may have touched on this but have you used clear silicone or Gorilla glue on top of the carved foam? I'm seeing different styles. TY
I have used both for different purposes. Gorilla glue is literally the same as the foam just in a different form... it expands and doesn't tend to look the best IMO. The clear silicone works great, but if anything detaches from the silicone it shows the colour of the foam behind it. Both have their up sides and down sides.
Dart frogs, this is quality video I’m so happy to finally find a good step by step video on backgrounds, now have so many ideas for my tank!
Glad I could help! Have fun :)
Hey again, I was wondering how deep you made your substrate and drainage layer. I am working with a 12x12x18 like you were. Thanks!
drainage is probably1.5-2 inches. substrate is another one
some really great advice, you have inspired me to do my own custom build. are the film canisters just for planting?
No they are for frogs to house their tadpoles
Dart frogs for the 2nd time. I'm about to start my build in a week or two in a 36 gallon bow front. I'm planning on drilling a bulkhead to keep my water level the same and draining it into a reservoir where I will house my pump for the water feature. I figured it wouldn't be all hidden and I could get to it. As long as I make sure it doesn't ever start pumping outside the tank for whatever reason I should be alright with that right....? Then I could just drain my res to make up for the case of my misting system dumping it would never flood the tank.... I've never seen this in my research and wondering what your thoughts were before I started this.
Basically you want an exterior chamber to hold the water for the feature. Basically starts in the bin goes through the feature and back to the bin?
Hey, nice videos! Question, are you ever nervous about cracking the glass or popping your seals with the spray foam.
Never once has been a concern with me honestly!
dartfrog... great video .. just what i needed. i just bought the same size tank.. looking forward to trying this project
Awesome! Good luck!
Mike Tytula thanks man.. i will need it. taking my sweet time gathering stuff. been watching videos like crazy
hey mike just wondering if you have ever had any issues with the foam actually coming off the glass? i built a tank last weekend and most of my foam has somewhat expanded completely off of the glass. any idea?
Maybe it wasn't clean enough? I have never had that problem
do you by chance sell your springtails? i am in kelowna and would pay for shipping but I'm having a hard time finding anybody to sell them to me. i just got my new viv done yesterday and need to add a culture or two! i have isopods but not sure how they lasted in my substrate through the tank construction. its for a crest! thanks mike!
This video was great. I plan on making one for dart frogs and this helped me so much!
Glad I could help :)
Dart frog🐸! Thanks for all the tips and tricks! It looks amazing and you did a really good job! I'm looking forward to setting up my own 😊
Good luck Kaitlynn! I'm glad you enjoyed the video :)
Hello! Just wanted to ask what music did you use while putting some foam? Great channel by the way!
This is great work. Thanks for the info. Two questions:
1.) Did you silicone the driftwood to the glass? Saw a ton of videos where they did but maybe the foam holds it up just the same?
2.) What's that song at the 27 minute mark?
Enless it's a HUGE piece of driftwood the foam should hold it without issue.I don't remember sorry man
Dart frogs!
Fantastic build! (I have a small unused exo terra that I've had for a year just sitting around gathering dust, and now I think I know what I want to do with it!)
+Silver Fox That's awesome man! Go for it :)
Do you have to glue to corkbark/driftwood ect to the back or does the foam hold it in place?
You don't have too!
Thanks for the reply, Much appreciated!
Dart frogs! Excited to practice my first build on a slightly smaller exo terra! These look so neat!
They are super fun to make! :)
dart frogs. That was totally cool. Thanks for the how to video
Dart frog! Is the substrate you've used for the background okay for a crested gecko?
CrippyQuay yes
How do you attach bromeliads to the walls? Since they dont have that strong attaching roots or something, or do you plant them in soil?
+exowlad You can use wire or just wedge them into place!
Dart frog.. That's a awesome vid and helped me a lot in making my first living vivarium.. Thanks a ton Mike.
Glad you enjoyed!
what foam did you use? where do I get black ?
You should be able to find black at most home improvement stores
most foam backgrounds that ive seen like this they put the background mix while the foam is still wet, that way you dont have to silicone the whole thing, is it just preference or is there a benefit to either method?
It doesn't stick as well from what I've seen and you end up getting a ton of the foam showing through
Larry says dirt frogs x at least 5 times !!! Obviously enjoyed it. Thanks man.
What?
Lol good thing u post this today because I'm getting dark Frogs tomorrow and I wondering how to build somthing like this,thanks for posting man good job!!
+Idk Idk Right on! Enjoy!
dart frogs!!! love your videos. new to terrariums here but keep up the great work
i hope you enjoyed!
Dartfrogs***** great video. Really inspired me. Im in the process of making my first vivarium background with waterfall
That's awesome! Good luck!
Would this background be ok to use in a chameleon habitat? If I used the coconut husk substrate to stick to the silicon would it not mold since it's in there permanently?
Katie Ellison some air circulation will prevent mold
You are sooo good at this!!😍
+casper sjölander Haha thanks!
Dart frogs! Awesome build Mike!
Thanks Mike, your video helped alot. Have you ever incorporated _living_ moss in a dart frog habitat? I'm considering a dripping moss wall feature when I build mine.
Best video out there! Well done Mike
+FrogRides Thanks man I appreciate it!
Im doing my second vivarium but first with the foam background. Seen a bunch of videos where they dont cut the foam and i cant tell the difference. Maybe hard to see the detail in the video or does it not really matter? My viv is 5' wide 6' tall 2' deep. So if i dont have to cut it up im not going to. Enough work as it is. Thanks. Also what is the yellow roll of tape thing on your viv?
It does matter, when you don't cut it the silicone has a harder time adhering, and when you trim it, it looks a lot better because you can make it the way you want it to look not just the crappy looking blobs that the foam normally makes.
Ok cool cool thanks for the tip. Didnt think about the silicone not sticking.
The cut foam in the video looks a lot better than my cut foam. You just pick at it a ton with your hand to make it rough or what?
Hi Mike,
Very helpfull video :) Thank you for that. Was wondering something so to sum it up it is super important to have a good idea of they layout in your mind before starting right?. Is all that you done in the video also possible with material like styrofoam?.
Why i am asking this i own a Borneo biotope tank and thinking about adding a planted part to it so without the animals that you guys own.
It would be possible yes! And honestly normally I just go with the flow and make it turn out decent haha! However I do recommend having a plan in mind!
For the background, did you glue the wood in place and then foam around it? or does the foam alone give the wood enough support? planning on doing something like this soon when i get my dart frogs, and want to make sure i do it properly aha! Thanks :)
If it's a huge piece of wood I would silicone it first, but for this size I would just foam it into the background.
Thank you!
AKPETS no problem
And what kind of dart frogs are you putting in that tank? One more question am I considered a reptile keeper I only have a veild chameleon is that considered a reptile keeper
Yes
+Shay Weber Are you keeping reptiles? yes, there's your answer. And secret for now!
How long does this kind of set up typically last? do I have to worry about materials that are permanently set into the background rotting? Is it possible to remove all this and do over down the road? I'm trying to get a sense for how I want to do my own Vivarium and can't decide between a removable separate background piece and one that is set up like this.
I've had mine setup for well over a year, and theres people that have theirs for a decade! As for removal, yes you can remove this, it takes some work but it's not too bad
Nice video. The drainage tip was clever. I have a similar sulotion in my exo terra. I use the gap behind the oem background and take a long straw down and in to the drainage layer and suck the water ou😊
+Mr2Mk291 Ya pretty much the same thing haha :)
If you have covered up the drainage hole in the pill bottle's lid, with soil, how do you keep the soil from filling up the bottle and preventing you from draining the water?
Theres a lid on the pill bottle
Do you keep an air hose in the drilled hole all the time? It looked like you poured the dirt in without putting anything in or over the drilled hole in the top.
Dart frog.. That's a awesome vid Mike.. Loved the way u created it.. thanks a ton as it helped me a lot to make my first live vivarium.. Keep the good work going on and waiting to see lot more videos from you..
There will be another video coming out shortly for them!
Hey! A little of topic, but I was wondering how often you change the substrate in sheldons enclosure
+Csgo Latte I haven't yet! It has springtails and isopods in there so I just add more too it
+Mike Tytula ok :) im getting a russian tortoise. my substrate is half timothy hay, half cocofiber and sand mix. (no alive plants) What is your opinion on how often i should be changing it? ill add plants in the future :)
Csgo Latte Do not put in any sand! Like none at all. So I would change it now haha, and then again in probably 2-3 months? Depends how dirty it gets!
+Mike Tytula no its okay, the ratio from dirt to sand is not even 6:1, also they are desert tortoise from the middle east. this combination is perfect for burrowing and wont get in its eyes
Csgo Latte Okay if it's that low then yes you're good!
very nice mike! awesome work!
Awesome build..Dartfrog🐸🌿👍
Thanks for watching!
Everyone seems to have the same size planters for vivariums when the foam is used... what is the size of it? I am not sure when I go to the garden store
Hey Mike! Awesome videos, I have been checking out all the videos on your channel. I have Tokay Geckos, which as you may know are primarily arboreal Geckos. Currently they are in the exo terra crested gecko cages, i believe the smaller of the 2 options they have available. Pretty sure they are the 12x12x24. The only thing i dislike is the Large ventilation screens at the top that makes it hard for humidity levels to stay high, aside from that they are decent tanks. With these Exo Terra cages what do you recommend for humidity other than that cool Mist King device in one of your other videos?
Exoterra doesn't make a 12x12x24 lol. They will need a much larger tank than that. Zoomed repti fogger would work!
Dart frogs.
Thanks dude. Awesome video, thanks for putting in all the effort!
No problem! Thanks for watching :)
Did you foam the coconut coir to the sides or did you silicone them??
Siliconed them! Foaming them straight in doesn't work
Awesome tank man! One of the nicer layouts I've seen on RUclips. Looking forward to the plant video. (Dart frogs - I made it to the end as always) hope you had a good weekend.
Clem
+Clement Le Pelley Thanks man! Glad you enjoyed!
Awesome video. Thanks much! Very helpful *Dart Frogs*
I started this project today but in an exo tera large wide enclosure but with the silicone adhearing to the foam do I have to cut the foam first?
Yes foam must be cut
ok thanks :)
+Mike Tytula what size is the tank?
This is the Type of Video i searched for !
Thank you for this great Tutorial.
Can you recommend Backgrounds with those Materials in a Vivarium with tropical Conditions ?
I would like to build something like this for my Linothele Megatheloides.
Greetings from Germany ✌🏻
I'm not quite sure what you mean, I reckon I put everything in the video
Awesome build Obi Wan! Thanks for all of the hard work. Love watching your creativity. How many frogs can you put in one of these anyway? DartFrog
This size isn't good for dendrobates but if you want to do Ranitomeya that would be good for 2-3
dart frogs. great video. researching natural living vivarium ideas as getting Amazon milk frogs and looking for ideas. keep up the good work.
I have a new one on my channel! If you are interesting.
Mike going to each it now 🐸🐸🐸
Meant watch lol
getting inlove with the vivariums. great video again mike!
+NickWillems Thanks for watching man!
+Mike Tytula "dartfrogs" almost forgot to say that :s
I would love to so something similar once I get around to making a tank for the ackies monitor I wanna get but how exactly would you make a rocky texture sense ackies live in rocky areas of Australia and a more tree based back round wouldn't really fit
You would use grout on the foam.
Do you have to leave some holes for the planting pot?
Ya you can punch a whole in the bottom.
dart frogs love it man great lookin setup!!
DartFragsThanks for the video and supply list! I plan on getting my new little guys in a few weeks so that gives me time to try my hand at this! I wasn't gonna go all out but I think this is within my skill set! you are a big help bud keep it up!
Glad you enjoyed the video! Good luck :)
Hey Mike just got interested in dart frogs and found your site. Great Video can't wait to watch your other ones. DART FROG! Do you have to cover all or the sides with sub-strait? I was thinking of doing the shelf part and possibly a little of it but wanted to be able to sit at my desk or other parts of my office and be able to look in the vivarium and see the frogs (not just from the front. Or would this be too much exposure for them? Thanks Again -- John G
You don't have to cover all the sides! it really doesn't matter whether you choose too do 1 or the other.
dart frogs! thanks for sharing :D trying to see as many as i can before attempting my own
Right on! Go for it man!
if I wanted to do a waterfall, would I press the tube into the foam while it's still wet?
I would make a compartment for the filter and the tube because you need to do maintenance on the pump and tube so sealing it in the tank would be a bad idea haha
+Mike Tytula Dart Frog!!! Hey Mike what kind of siphon do you use to get the drainage out of the drainage layer? I will be doing a Crested Gecko tank so the more tips and tricks I get the better.
+DiGiTaLM4N I just use air line tubing
+Mike Tytula Thanks I will give that a shot also would eco earth work as the background dirt to put on the silicone ?
DiGiTaLM4N Sure does!
i have been trying to make my own background based on this video, the shape of it is complete with wood and all, its just that when i started on the silicone part i got kind of irritated. the peat wont stick to the silicone and i can just peel the silicone off the foam (doesnt stick very well). do you have any idea what the problem might be?
Wet media? and or not enough silicone?
the media has been drying in the sun for the past 3 days so it should be 100% dry, i could try to use a thicker layer of silicone
i had made some test samples to see which silicone would be the best to use and how the peat would stick to it once it has been fully cured. and i was glad to see that with my test samples the peat would stick to the silicone perfectly and i couldnt even rub it off. but then i was wondering how it would be if the peat got wet, and well once it soaked up some water i could just gently rub all the peat off the silicone.
is there some way to prefent this from happening or is it just one of those cases in which if it sticks keep your hands off of it? :p
Would you recommend clay pebbles over hydroballs?
Same thing lol
Alright thanks. I'm just learning all about darts and am about to start my first vivarium. Your videos are really helpful!
That's awesome! I should have a new video out in the next couple weeks of a build
Did U ever do coco fiber & Foam all in One step? I saw nother guy did that way? he said its same result & never fell apart over 4 years.
the items used for this build, this could work for a crested gecko right?
ya
nice video big dog, tank looks awesome, baller over there with that harman/kardon speaker...
+fishmanglass Hahaha christmas man! I know you could get one as well ;)
How many bottles of silicone did you use on the tank?
I built this tank years ago but maybe two?
Great video, very helpful!
I was wondering - What's a good beginner dart for a 12x12x18? And how many can fit there? :)
+Kristof's Reptiles Ranitomeya imitators would be good in their and max would be something like 3
Mike Tytula Thanks so much! I'm excited for May Madness! haha
Dart frogs.
Great video. I've got a little tank from when I used to have a praying mantis. Been thinking about getting some more use out of it and this looks like A good plan.
Love that trick with the pill bottle too.
Thanks!
That's awesome! Good luck man!
Mike where’s the video on planting this tank? I can’t find it? Nice work by the way 👍☺️
Found it ☺️
Glad you found it!
A really helpful thing i think you should do is list all the links to the products you use when you make vivarium builds and other types of builds. Hope you see this :)
I think I am going to incorporate that in the my next build!
@Mike Tytula i got a problem with my background, the dirt just won't stick to the silicone. i made a first layer. than shook and brushed it off, but more than 95% came of. (i used more than enough silicone and really pressed it into the silicone.) what should i do, wait until everything completely dry and put on a new layers of silicone and dirt on top of the dirt that is already on??
What substrate are you using and is it wet or dry? And how much silicone are you really putting down?
+Mike Tytula i used the brick kind of substrate, cocopeat. i used the same amount of silicone as u did in your movie.
+Mike Tytula btw, the cocopeat brick substrate was still kinda moist. probably that's the problem... what would you recommand to do? just wait till it's all dry and do a second layer with dry cocopeat? do you think the silicone will hold on the forst layer?
Jerry.Can You can bake it in the oven for a while until it's all dry.
that's up next. then see what happens if i put over a new layer of silicone...and substrate. hope the new silicone sticks to the old, first layer. Do you think it will work?
Dart frog. Nicely done!
Thanks!
Dart frogs :) love your videos, I'm currently foaming up a 90x45x90 o.O flipping that over to fo each side has been fun xD
Tip if you leave the foam for a couple hours and then carve it, it goes spongey rather than solid to make carving easier
Awesome I'll have to try it sometime!
Dart frog, great video. This has been very helpful. Thank you for making this.
Glad you enjoyed!
Dart frogs my brotha! Keep up the good work. I will be buying all the essentials I need to build a vivarium of my own. I appreciate what you do man. Just one quick question! How often you mist your vivariums? Thanks!
+MetaGeckos Currently I am using just a big hand held mister, but I have a mistking that I will be setting up in the future!