View Full Version : Vivarium build **lots of pics** sorry!
I finally had a chance to build a terrarium so I did.
its a 65 gallon breeder tank. Its big.
I have a filtered pond side(about 30% of tank) and a the rest a 100% live plant land side.
I made the partition using 3/16" acrylic plexi glass.
1" of pea gravel
3/4" charcoal
canvas to keep the soil from mixing with the charcoal
100% fertilizer FREE potting soil/top soil mix. its a 50/50 mix.
ok so I tried to take step by step pics, but I got excited at times and forgot. SO - here are a few snap shots start to finish.
testing the partition for leaks
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j231/98frontier/IMG_5243.jpg?t=1224027185
some supplies
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j231/98frontier/IMG_5453.jpg?t=1224027264
layed 1 inch of pea gravel and pre-cut canvas
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j231/98frontier/IMG_5455.jpg?t=1224027309
Charcoal
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j231/98frontier/IMG_5466.jpg?t=1224027432
ready for soil... dont mind the cloudy water
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j231/98frontier/IMG_5468.jpg?t=1224027496
complete with tenants and plants!
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j231/98frontier/IMG_5479.jpg?t=1224027570
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j231/98frontier/IMG_5480.jpg?t=1224027692
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j231/98frontier/IMG_5481.jpg?t=1224027729
shorty(he has a small piece of his tail missing)
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j231/98frontier/IMG_5482.jpg?t=1224027765
Far left feeding plate over hide away and basking rock on left
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j231/98frontier/IMG_5484.jpg?t=1224027836
shorty's older roomate
"Thanks for the new crib bSol!!!"
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j231/98frontier/IMG_5486.jpg?t=1224028053
jitami
10-14-2008, 06:05 PM
Wow, wow, and wow.... oh... wow... I'm so impressed...it's not often I'm speechless!
haha thanks Tami!!!
here's a shot from the right
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j231/98frontier/IMG_5490.jpg?t=1224028117
Stefan-A
10-14-2008, 06:10 PM
Looks very nice. :)
ssssnakeluvr
10-14-2008, 06:15 PM
yes, very nice!!!!
Garter_Gertie
10-14-2008, 06:17 PM
(swoon) I'm so envious! I just love it! The water, the plants - how natural it is! It's GORGEOUS!
When the those plants grow, you are going to have a STUNNING viv on your hands!
I really, really like. It may end up being a bit of work but I would think well worth it as it's really fantastic.
Really good job!
I know its going take some extra love on maintenance, but its very tranquil and with the water pump running producing a light trickling sound its soothing too!
more importantly my wife loves it!
Lori P
10-14-2008, 06:28 PM
Oooooh. I just keep looking!!!!! I LOVE it. Ok, so, did you glue the rocks to the acrylic slope into the water? I want to come live in it. LOL REALLY nice job!!!!!!
Thanks
yeah I used aquarium sealant, smoothed some over the slopped piece and placed some gravel on it!
NetBSD
10-14-2008, 06:34 PM
very nice. wish i had the time to take care of live plants for my project. i really like the little water hole you put there, i might have to get me a small pump like that and toss one in my enclosure.
Lori P
10-14-2008, 06:35 PM
I just LOOOOOVE this pic!!!!! This could be a calendar pic if we did a calendar!!!!!!
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j231/98frontier/IMG_5486.jpg?t=1224028053
He is about 7 inches verticle right there... straight up!
reptile3
10-14-2008, 06:40 PM
I just love that picture too!! totally awesome!! You did an awesome job on that vivarium. Sooo jealous!!! :D
I just LOOOOOVE this pic!!!!! This could be a calendar pic if we did a calendar!!!!!!
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j231/98frontier/IMG_5486.jpg?t=1224028053
Charlet_2007
10-14-2008, 09:40 PM
Oh my gosh I've wanted to do this to my 125g for my turtles FOREVER!! thanks for the pics and all that i think I'm actuly going to start working on it now.. thank you sooooo much!!!
Great job on the viv, Brandon. Turned out very nice.
Snaky
10-15-2008, 04:17 AM
Nicely done:)
olive oil
10-15-2008, 06:34 AM
It's beautiful Brandon! I want to add some plants-what kind did you use?
I'll get you the list as soon as I get home today!
olive oil
10-15-2008, 08:47 AM
Thank's :)
Snake lover 3-25
10-15-2008, 10:10 AM
wow that's an AWESOME cage!!!!!:D
jitami
10-15-2008, 10:25 AM
Ok, now that I've regained my composure I wanted to say thanks so much for putting up pictures Brandon! I absolutely love it and it has given me some great ideas once I find a permanent location for the 55 gallon I have. Can't be moving that sucker around much, especially if I add water!
Sputnik
10-15-2008, 05:20 PM
That's beautiful, Brandon!
How did you secure the top? And what kind of heating did you use?
I'm getting on the plant list for you guys... I cant find the stack I had.
I purchased the 65 gallon aquarium and dual light hood for $100. The lighted hood is set up off the zilla-rules screened top. The hood produces a lot of head and coupled with the pond side it makes for a nice mix. average temps stay around 72-76 degrees. I have an optional lamp I can place over the basking rock but I dont want to increase the temp too much. Both snakes seem ok and are very mobile throughout the cage and eating well.
Garter_Gertie
10-15-2008, 07:28 PM
What a beautiful piece of art work. You will be keeping that in a very prominate place in your house, won't you? Just stunning! I AM SO ENVIOUS!
yeah its in my spare bedroom in my house! hehe
dashnu
10-16-2008, 01:14 PM
dude, you kick arse. That is super cool.
here is the list of plants I used
creeping ficus
philodendron(in the pot)
asparagus fern
scindapsus aureus(devils ivy)
miniature palm
Steven@HumboldtHerps
11-07-2008, 02:15 AM
Great set-up! Very inspiring. I am planning on making a similar environment for my highly aquatic and very active Oregon Garter. The challenge will be to create a fast-moving traversable waterfall (2 pools) to resemble the serpentine rock, rough-river terrain Oregons prefer. Ahh, the time to do such things. Where is the time?
Steve
prattypus
11-07-2008, 02:56 AM
As echoed before, very nice home for the lads. I will definitely be stealing some of your ideas when I go to build my own.
anji1971
11-07-2008, 03:15 PM
Still catching up on threads from October.........
Just saw this. VERY impressive! The partitioned off water area is a fabulous idea.:cool:
drache
11-07-2008, 04:17 PM
that's really beautiful, Brandon
thanks for the photos
Sitting_duck
11-10-2008, 11:30 PM
Hey man, how did you run the cable out from the filter without making a gap for the snake to escape from?
GarterNovice
11-13-2008, 05:46 PM
That is simply amazing. How long did it take you to finish that? And what adhesive did you use on the partition to make it watertight and safe for the snakes?
I used small tube of aquarium sealant I picked up from Lowes.
Here's how I was able to pass the cord through the screened lid. I cut a hole in the lid the size of the plug then I cut out a piece of lexan and...
here's the pic!
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j231/98frontier/IMG_6166.jpg?t=1226704044
Sitting_duck
11-18-2008, 10:51 PM
oh okay, that helped, made it much more clear.I've given up on that idea for my tank, It'll be my first snake so I'll make it nice and simple.
GarterNovice
11-19-2008, 11:59 AM
What did you use to filter the pond side?
GarterNovice
11-19-2008, 08:17 PM
Brandon I hope you don't mind, but I'm attempting to replicate your idea in my ribbon snakes terrarium. I just have to say congrats again. I knew you're tank took a lot of work but the full weight of it didn't quite dawn on me until I got underway on my project. I hope mine looks half as good as yours when it's done.
Garter_Gertie
11-20-2008, 07:15 AM
Patrick, I'm thinking of doing the same thing with my 90 gal. And I just can't seem to get going because I'm so intimidated by the huge amount of work! I doubt my efforts will even look 1/2 as good as Brandon's.
His is just stunning.
oh okay, that helped, made it much more clear.I've given up on that idea for my tank, It'll be my first snake so I'll make it nice and simple.
Thats a good idea... I dont think your snake will love you any more or any less as long as he/she is well fed/watered and kept clean!
What did you use to filter the pond side?
I pretty much made it from pvc tubing and fittings and made the bends that I liked to make a mini water fall. I need to re run the pvc and clean it up some. The pump is filterless so I used some fittings and made the filter set up with a Fluval carbon pad and a Fluval water polishing pad. It works too well...
Obviously using pvc cement would be a no no. I didnt use any for my joints. I just tapped the elbows and tubing together with a rubber mallet to get a nice seal.
Thanks for the compliments yall! Its completely odorless, well if you stick your nose in the cage and breath in it does smell like being in the woods.
GarterNovice
11-20-2008, 04:35 PM
How did you put your filter pads in there? Did you just lay them in there? Or did you put them in something?
I cut the 2 pads down to size to fit inside the end fitting then I screened it off. It catches everything...
Justinviper
11-23-2008, 09:59 PM
simply amazing
misskris
02-04-2009, 11:03 AM
Hey, Can I ask some questions about your viv? :)
How much more maintenance is it?
What kind of lighting do you have? I'm assuming grow lamps for the plants?
How are the plants doing?
I have a 55g I'd like to do something similar with and then add a friend or two for Simone.
bkhuff1s
02-04-2009, 11:58 AM
I was getting ready to do the same thing for my Green Tree Python, where did you get that tank divider?
Sorry for the delay guys!!!
Hey, Can I ask some questions about your viv? :)
How much more maintenance is it?
What kind of lighting do you have? I'm assuming grow lamps for the plants?
How are the plants doing?
I have a 55g I'd like to do something similar with and then add a friend or two for Simone.
I used Plant grow lamps. The plants pretty much went nuts and grew like crazy. At first maintenance ok, but then it got tough with the plant growth. Any terrarium builder will tell these enclosures thrive on neglect, but when you introduce a snake(or any other animal) making it a vivarium, you break stems, leaves and disrupt things when you clean.
Another issue was a foreign visitor. A small fly nested in my soil and produced a bunch of flies and that was the end of that.
I was getting ready to do the same thing for my Green Tree Python, where did you get that tank divider?
I used lexan plexi glass that I cut with my band saw and aquarium sealant.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.2 Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.