37 Column with Cork Tree

[Mike]

I posted this on another forum but figured I would share it here for anyone interested. Although it wasn't for a frog tank (Lygodactylus williamsi), I had some cork laying around and tried to see what I could do with it. I started with a Perfecto 37 gallon column tank, 20"x18"x24" and used over 50 pieces of cork bark, plus foam and silicone, to recreate a tree trunk. I blacked out the back of this tank from the outside, and left the sides open to make this tank viewable from 3 sides on my coffee table.

First I joined a few pieces to make them look like tree roots, right here there are about 20 pieces of cork bark.







Then I collected some tree roots to use as branches and sterilized them in the oven.











..and some of the inhabitants:

male


eggs


newly hatched young

[Ebony]

Wow! Mike, That's the most amazing set up Ive seen. Thanks for sharing.

[Tom Highum]

Mind if I kinda copy that idea?

[birdsflybackwards]

Mind if I kinda copy that idea?

I'm pretty sure he has it patented, but you would have to check.

[Mike]

Yeah sure that's why I posted it, although I'm going to do another method for another tank using carved foam (not expanding, something that water can pass through) and clay so I'll post that next when I'm done. I try to use a different landscaping method / design with each tank I make so they don't look the same and keep the collection diverse.

[Tom Highum]

Carved foam? what kinda clay/ do you have to bake it?

[Mike]

By carved I just meant I would take the foam and using a knife, carve it (into the shape of a buttress tree). I'll use a mixture of bentonite and red art for the clay coating.. no baking necessary, if the tank stays moist enough it will hold and won't crack, the bentonite is an excellent binder.

[JubJub326]

superb job! the tank looks amazing and the babies are so cute

[Tom Highum]

I hope it works well. So many new ideas.

[John]

Wonderful terrarium. How are your captive breeding efforts with these guys going?

[Mike]

I have one pair in the tank, they lay about 2 eggs every month or so (they hatch 3 months later). I've produced about 15 over the past few months but am giving them a break right now.

[SludgeMunkey]

Outstanding build!

That is the single best use of Great Stuff I have seen yet.

[Kurt]

I am blown away by the whole thing, the tank, the Lygodactylus williamsi, and more so by the captive breeding of this species.

[Amphibians]

What exactly is the foam that you used? and do you have a good vendor to buy the cork from in large amounts?

[Tom Highum]

Yes where does everyone get their cork?

[Mike]

I used great stuff expandable foam but you could have used any type of foam really. I buy my cork from here Virgin Cork and Cork Tube, Mayland Cork Co. .

[Tom Highum]

Thanks Mike