# D. diadema Tank



## Goliath (May 24, 2004)

Just thought I would share some pictures of my D. diadema tank.  It is a fully planted 55 gallon tank housing three mature females and one mature male.

Mike


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## Lasiodora (May 24, 2004)

Goliath,
How long have you had the D. diadema in that set up and how long has it been since you set up the tank itself?
Mike


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## Steven (May 25, 2004)

NOW that's a beautifull set-up for whipspiders  :} 

nice job


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## Goliath (May 25, 2004)

Lasiodora,

I have had these adults for about a year.  They went in this tank as soon as it was set up which was in December 2003.  The picture is from the end of February.  I have attached some pictures that I took today.  The plants in the tank are mostly dwarf or minatures, so the only maintainence is pruning the creeping fig.  There is also a sundew in the tank to help keep down the fungas knats.  They have molted many times in the tank, and I have also witnessed courtship and mating.  Nothing succesful yet, but they were courting again this morning, so we will see.

Gongyles,

Thanks.

I have also attached a picture of one of my mature males and females to show the difference when sexing them.  

Mike


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## Scorpiove (May 26, 2004)

Wow very impressive site.  Can that work with Tarantulas too? Don't see why not.  Also what are all those different types of plants in there?  Are there any sites dedicated to showing how to setup tanks like this? Thanks in advance   You have a beautiful enclosure there.


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## Deliverme314 (May 26, 2004)

hey Dave,
try blackjungle.com


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## Lasiodora (May 26, 2004)

Thanks Mike, beautiful tank btw. One more ques. What type of lighting and how many bulbs. I have a frog tank planted up but would like to hear what you use for comparison. I'd like to set up an invert tank like that in the future.

Scorpiove,
Most of the plants in there are bromeliads and air plants (tillandsia, spelling?). Plus moss.

Mike


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## Goliath (May 27, 2004)

Scorpiove,
Thanks.  You could do that for tarantulas, it may just be a little more nerve racking while doing routine maintence on the tank.  Black jungle is a great site for information on these tanks. This is also a good site to get ideas on what type of setup you may like to do.
http://www.wildsky.net/vivarium/evivariu.htm

The plants are the following:

Tillandsia (air plants) species are:
concolor, stricta, ionatha, pseudobaileyi, edithae, neglecta, duratii, funckiana, arhiza, caput medusae

Rhipsalis baccifera (mistletoe cactus)
Ficus pumila (creeping fig)
Guzmania sp. (another bromeliad)
Prismatocarpa Begonia sp. (miniature yellow flowered Begonia)
Selaginella (club moss)
Sinningia sp. (miniature slipper plant)
Drosera spatulata (small leafed sundew for fungus gnat control)

Orchids:
Dendrobium aggregatum var. Mendenhall
Epidendrum porpax
Paphiopedilum sp.


Mike,
Thanks.  For lighting I use a Aqualight lighting fixture made for saltwater reef tanks.  It contains four 65 watt power compact bulbs, the bulbs are 10,000 K super daylights. This was the only lighting fixture that would give me enough light to grow the miniture orchids and allow them to bloom.  The Tailless whipscorpions don't seem to mind the bright light.  The light is set on a timer, coming on at 7:30 am and shutting off at 9:30 pm.  The hide during most of the day, and come out about an hour before the lights go off and stay out for about an hour after the lghts come on.   

Mike


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## Scorpiove (May 27, 2004)

Wow thanks Everybody! I greatly appreciate it.


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## alex (May 29, 2004)

Terrific tank!


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## Spiderbilly (May 29, 2004)

great tank!!!


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## Silver.x (May 29, 2004)

Spiderbilly, get rid of that picture in your sig.


Aidan


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## Brian S (May 30, 2004)

WOW!!!!!! That is a nice tank. That gives me some ideas.


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## Goliath (May 31, 2004)

Thanks everyone.

Mike


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## Deliverme314 (Jun 1, 2004)

You ever think about making your own background instead of using a photo backdrop?  Not that it doesnt look nice... but for interactivity and all.  I just got finished this weekend with a new fish tank project where I made a gorgeous background... I will take some pics and show them... the principles would be the same with your terrestrial setup and Its pretty simple to do... just very time consuming and patience trying.  I will try and get some pics done tonight...


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## Goliath (Jun 1, 2004)

Deliverme314,
Thank you.  I did think about putting a background on the tank.  I was going to put either coco panels or cork bark along the whole back, the two choices I liked due to the constraints of high humidity and what the plants and inverts could handle.  Getting the supplies for that was the hardest part, most places I called were out of stock and those are not available locally.  It would have been nice to put more tillandsias and orchids on the background, along with some epiphytic ferns.  It would give alot to the tank along with giving the tailless whips more places to crawl on.  I liked the photo background because alot of the plants that are in the tank are also in the background.  The background is starting to get covered as the creeping fig is growing up the glass, which the tailless are starting to use to climb on.  I am planning on doing a 125 gallon for some tailless and that will have a cork or coco background.  The freshwater tank sounds nice, I would like to see some pictures of that.
Mike


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## Deliverme314 (Sep 17, 2004)

Im telling you blackjungle.com is great and I believe they even have a page on how tod o really cool backgrounds... you should ceck it our for some inspiration.


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## Goliath (Sep 17, 2004)

Deliverme314,
Thanks, I am very familiar with Black Jungle.  I have dealt with them many times, the quality of their plants is excellent.  They do have a very good procedure for setting up a terrarium and when I make a bigger tank I will do it that way.
Thanks,
Mike


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## Cpt.nemO (Jan 20, 2005)

Man in this same thread there is someone that used a cork background, this background mould very ferosiously in the whole panel.  Beware of using cork for too humid environments.


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## galeogirl (Jan 20, 2005)

Wow, that is one gorgeous setup!  Reminds me of the vivaria that I used to build when I was keeping frogs.


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## Goliath (Jan 20, 2005)

Thanks!  
Mike


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## looseyfur (Jan 21, 2005)

it takes alot these days to get me to even post but that tank is farking awsome and deserves props.

rock on -

loosey to the fur!~


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## Goliath (Jan 21, 2005)

Thank you very much!  
Mike


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