Viquarium
™
The Tetrafauna
®
Viquarium
™
will convert an ordinary aquarium into an aqua-terrarium, a combination of an aquarium and terrarium, which has a dry land part for terrestrial animals, a
water section for aquatic reptiles, amphibians and fish, and a divider part which allows amphibian animals to easily move from one section to the other.
A diverse group of animals can be maintained in Tetrafauna’s Viquarium. In the water section, fish and aquatic animals, such as African Clawed Frogs, will be at home. On the land
part, animals which normally live near water or those that require a high degree of humidity can be kept. Anoles and some species of geckos will do fine here, as will many tree frogs
and poison dart frogs. But the most interesting group of animals that can be kept in the Viquarium are those amphibians which divide their time between life in the water and life on
land. (i.e. aquatic turtles, newts, etc.)
Tetrafauna’s Viquarium will fit most aquariums that are at least 24” long, have a width of 12”-13, and a height of 16” or more. Most standard-sized 20 gal high, 29 gal, 40 gal and 55 gal
tanks can be used.
Filter box with filter chambers
(includes 2 chamber lids)
RepoFilter
®
medium cartridges (2)
Rubber spacers (2)
Pump chamber
80 GPH UL
submersible
pump
Riverbed
Waterfall lid
Waterfall
Riverbed extension
VIQUARIUM COMPONENTS
Place the outlet on pump
and then attach it to the
waterfall unit.
Tip–Lubricate
the pump outlet with water
to ease assembly. Place the
waterfall unit on top of the
pump chamber. Make sure
the pump lies in vertically in
the chamber.
Note–Make sure
the waterfall sits securely on
top of pump chamber. Do not
plug in the water pump yet.
Note–The waterfall has a built-
in fogger platform if you want
to use a fogger unit (fogger
not included). Follow fogger
manufacturer instructions.
LAND SECTION
1. Verify that the Viquarium
assembly has not shifted
position within the tank.
Then carefully fill the land
portion with washed, coarse
gravel (not included), with a
pebble size of about / ”–½”,
up to about ¼” from the
top of the filtration box and
the top of the walls of the
riverbed. Depending upon
the size of the land area,
between 45 to 65 lbs are
needed.
2. The gravel can be covered
with dried moss (available at
most dealers). If desired, you
can collect some patches of
live moss. Piece together to
form a continuous carpet on
top of the gravel; it gives a
more natural appearance.
3. For decorating the land area,
many species are available
in garden shops and flower
centers. Obviously only
plants that thrive in a very
humid environment should
be considered. Most ferns,
many types of ivy, pothos
and philodendron are fine
plants for the Viquarium.
Shake off most of the soil
and plant directly into
the gravel. For other
decorations, rocks, small
pieces of driftwood and
tree branches (cut to the
appropriate size) can be
used. Another option is to
use artificial plants. With
little imagination, very
striking set-ups can be
achieved.
WATER SECTION
4. As in an aquarium, the
bottom of the Viquarium’s
water section should be
covered with a layer of
gravel. Use fine or medium
gravel.
Note–Do not use the
coarse gravel used in the
land area, as it will trap too
many food particles.
5. Fill the aquatic section with
tap water. As the water
section is filled, water will
also seep through the
openings in the wall and
into the gravel of the land
area. This is normal. During
the operation, the water
will be drawn through the
filter cartridge in the filter
chamber. If there is a small
amount of water bypassing
the filter chamber, it will still
be filtered through the gravel
in the land area and will help
prevent stagnant areas in the
gravel. Fill the water section
using the min and max
water level lines marked on
the outer sides of the pump
chamber as a guideline.
6. Now you can plug in the
water pump.
7. Aquatic and bog plants
(available in most dealers)
can be planted here. In
addition, any decoration
which is safe for an aquarium
may be used.
Place the filtration box into the
tank (inserting sideways) and
place at the bottom of the tank
(or Viquarium) with the rock
facing the water section.
2
Place the pump chamber snugly
in the selected corner.
3
7
There may be small gaps
on each end of the filtration
box and the tank. Aquariums
differ in width depending on
the manufacturer. To bridge
that gap, use the appropriate
spacer(s) to seal and lock the
filtration box in place.
5
Using the alignment posts, position the riverbed section
between the pump chamber and the filtration box. Then turn
the filtration box to correctly position it in the tank.
Note–If you
decide to have a larger land area, add the riverbed extension.
Align holes and posts on both ends. Assemble the river section
as shown.
4
Remove the filter cartridges from the packaging. Rinse them
under cold tap water to remove carbon dust, and place them
into the slot of each chamber. Push the cartridge until it hits the
bottom and place lids to close chambers.
6
Decide whether the land portion of the Viquarium should be on
the right or left side of the aquarium as seen from the front. The
Viquarium can be assembled either way.
1
HOW TO ASSEMBLE TETRAFAUNA’S VIQUARIUM
*Replace filter cartridges
every four weeks or
sooner for optimal
performance.
8
Place waterfall lid.
3
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