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Re: my hillstream viv journal

Posted: Sun May 15, 2011 3:05 pm
by Keith Wolcott
Great photos! I really like the fourth from last picture of the frog peeking out.

Re: my hillstream viv journal

Posted: Sun May 15, 2011 10:35 pm
by glenna
that is an amazing and lovely habitat!
and really an accomplishment... I am sure you know that already, since you did all the work.
If I lived there, I think I would never go to work!

I LOVE the little blue legged frog!

I am a gardener AND a fish keeper, so this is GREAT stuff.
Please continue to post updates!
Oh, BTW, how long did it take to design and implement the whole project?

Re: my hillstream viv journal

Posted: Mon May 16, 2011 7:29 am
by wimvanvelzen
Thank you both!

The initial idea was born around December 2007. Q1&2 2008 I built a first hill stream vivarium (somewhat smaller at 150x75cm; about the same height). The idea worked, but I learned quite a few things that should be done better. So September 2009 I started this new tank by preparing the room; Q1 2010 I built the actual tank and Q2 the interior. June 2010 I moved the plants and animals from the former tanks to this new one. So alltogether I spent a lot of time, but in a relatively small time frame.

Re: my hillstream viv journal

Posted: Sun May 29, 2011 6:47 am
by wimvanvelzen
Last week I visited an aquatic plant dealer and bought some plants. Most of it seems to do nicely. I am especially happy with the Lagenandra thwaitesii (green) and L. meeboldii (red).
Here some pics of the new ones, of course with what was already there:


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Re: my hillstream viv journal

Posted: Sun Dec 11, 2011 11:50 am
by wimvanvelzen
After way too long another update! No animal pics this time, but mainly the planted scenery. I used the camera I normally use for landscape photography, giving a shallow depth of field in the tank.


For starters an overview of the tank as it is now (and yes, I have to do some gardening...)
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Overview of the left side:
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Overview of the corner:
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Idem:
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Overview of the right side:
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some details:


Underneath the waterfall at the left hand side:
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idem, right:
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Ficus panama, back in the corner:
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Pogostemon helferi, in the waterfall high on the right side:
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idem, closer:
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Fern on the large branch on the right side:
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the same, close up
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the same, even closer up
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Begonia schultzei, close up
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near the back window
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Tillandsia sp.
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the same within its surroundings
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Re: my hillstream viv journal

Posted: Sun Dec 11, 2011 11:51 am
by wimvanvelzen
This week I tried to get some animal portraits as well. I used the same landscape camera and a studio flash. Bit of weird toolbox for making images of a viv, but the results are quite interesting.
Dirt, wet windows and reflections are all very well visible. The details the macro lens uncover are fascinating.

On land: de Mannophryne trinitatis:

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crop from same image:
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In het water:

Just behind the glass an Atyopsis molluccensis; in close up the fan hands are very easy to see:
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Nomorhamphus liemi, male:<br>
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same species, female:<br>
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same picture, crop:
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hunting just under the surface:<br>
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Rasbora kalochroma:<br />
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Rhinogobius portraits - they are so cute!
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Finally some Gastromyzon:
In the first there is also an Aphyosemion australe:
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Re: my hillstream viv journal

Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2011 6:55 am
by ClownLoachSharky
that is a beautiful setup. i like your hillstream loach too. how much flow do you have in that setup?

Re: my hillstream viv journal

Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2011 12:50 pm
by wimvanvelzen
Thanks!

The pumps add up to about 20,000 liter/hour (and a total amount of 800 liters), but that is of course nominal capacity. Compared to almost all fish tanks the flow is enormous, compared to nature it is only mild.

Re: my hillstream viv journal

Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2011 2:36 pm
by Jim Powers
That just gets better looking with each update!

Re: my hillstream viv journal

Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2011 3:49 pm
by ClownLoachSharky
agreed