Vivaria's vivarium set up

For your vivarium system, you need to have a water area large enough for the water to be gathered and redistribute. The 'aquarium' you will create is perfectly suited for Killy fish. The formation of the land part, through using eg peat bricks, is equally important; it has to be higher than the water level and looks best if made with various outcroppings, giving it a wild and natural look.
 

Filter inlet and heating element

Bearing your landscaping in mind, you have to install the filter inlet and connect it to the pump. Glue the tubing together with water resistant PVC glue. The filter inlet has to be under water at all times, otherwise the pump will run dry.

If you plan to heat your vivarium you should place a special heating element along the side of the filter.
 

Landscaping with peat brick

The next step is to do the landscaping. To make the land part we suggest to use peat bricks; they can be easily shaped into any shape, provide nutrients for swamp plants and have an antibacterial / fungal function.
Be aware though that the peat you use is suited for this purpose. You will need soft peat for easily molding; the peat that most garden center carry is unsuitable for this task and will not enhance the look and feel of your vivarium.
You can order this special peat at Vivaria.

Before placing the peat in the vivarium they have to be soaked in water for a day - otherwise they will immediately float to the surface once you add water. Allowing for a large enough water area to let the water freely flow, arrange the peat bricks anyway you like. Now you can hide the filter from the eye by placing peat bricks to the sides and above.
It is important to allow enough room between the peat and the filter for unrestricted water flow and for easy cleaning or replacement.

See also “Landscaping your vivarium”
 

Creating a waterfall

Having created land you can now make a waterfall. Place a piece of suitable wood (for best results use oak) or other suitable material of your choice on your land area and make sure that the top rests just underneath the water outlet.

Place rinsed sand or gravel on the glass of the water area and especially under the heating element (or else it will eventually heat the glass until it cracks)

Fill with pure water and plug in the power. We suggest placing the lights on a timer (± 14 hours light a day). At this stage, it is not necessary to plug in the heating element. It is time to fine-tune the waterfall. The water outlet is fitted with a controllable tap. By opening and closing the tap, you can control the amount of water that flows down the waterfall and the Cocos Panels. By opening the tap, more water will flow over the waterfall and less will moisturize the Cocos Panels. Tune to your liking.

See also “Landscaping your vivarium”

 

Planting the vivarium

At this stage, you can start adding plants: place epiphytes such as orchids, ferns and bromeliads on the Cocos Panels and plant swamp plants in the peat. The spores in the plant and peat will start to develop and algae will appear on the wood. These algae will eventually provide a base for a wide variety of mosses, which will start to grow spontaneously on the wood and peat. You can also place moss of your choice on the peat to facilitate faster moss development and enhance the green look of your vivarium.

Our advice is to let the vivarium rest and find its biological balance. After two to three months, the vivarium is ready for the animals. Do not forget to plug in the heating element and set the temperature for 24-26°C.

See also “How to stick plants on Cocos Panel”