Exo terra 24x18x24 Project

[eric048]

Hey my fellow frog fans, I stumbled upon a great Exo terra 24x18x24 at a garage sale. I am planning on setting it up as a red eyed tree frog tank. I want to make a custom background but I want it to look like a log, on Josh's frogs they have a how to make a rock background but I was wanting something that looked like wood that I can put pots and plants on (preferably bromeliads) I read that the styrofoam and the insulation foam method is hit and miss and I don't want my red eye to die, so does anyone know how I can do this in a safe way, I need a material list, brands that are safe, etc. I want to start building it soon, there's a reptile expo in 2 weeks I want to pick up some frogs for the tank he is in right now , I will update my progress as I go with pictures and questions.

[thadmy]

I used styrofoam backing which I sprayed GS on and I haven't had a problem with it, only thing you have to do is let it air out before putting frogs in it. What did you pay for the tank just wondering

[eric048]

What's gs? And it was $40 the top won't stay in place though it should a frog but not anything that can push it off

[Sunshine]

GS is Great Stuff brand expanding foam. Some people use it to create backgrounds for their vivs. They cover it with silicone and coco fiber or peat moss since it is an unsightly yellow color.

[DonLisk]

You can actually get GS in black now but the more expensive Tetra Waterfall Foam is also in black.

There are a pile of construction journals also titled build logs in the vivarium, terrarium section of the forum that give you a complete listing of materials and how to use them.

[Sunshine]

Sorry I only mentioned the yellow stuff because the black pond foam is like 3 times as much $ as the cheapo yellow ones.

[eric048]

So what's the link to the build logs and is there a way for it to not ruin the glass? And what silicon can I use

[thadmy]

The GS wont' ruin the glass it comes off with a sharp blade as for silicon use GE II that is for doors and windows you need to make sure it DOESN'T have anti-microbial in it. Just search fake backgrounds or something like that..... Easiest way is to go to google and type in how to make a fake background.

Here is my build log.....http://www.frogforum.net/vivarium-te...ackground.html

JesseAKASlick's Channel - YouTube

[eric048]

So do I silicone the foam to the glass then gs it and silicone the gs? Also I have an h2o pump I want to make into a waterfall because of the humidity and to hel the plants, also would a coral sun or 10,000k flourescent bulb work for the plants?

[Sunshine]

You can apply silicone to the glass to help the GS adhere better. Then silicone the GS once it has dried and put coco fiber or peat moss on the wet silicone to cover it. From what I have learned, 10,000k is equal to the light at dawn. 5,000k - 6,500k is best for plant growth because it is like the midday sun. Someone correct me if I am wrong.

[eric048]

So I'm still confused on the background, do I styrofoam board to the glass, silicone that to the glass, then gs the foam then cover it in silicone is that how I should do it? And how should I encorporate the pump and make it so it's easy acess ? Any ideas ? I'm not very creative I'm a science major so yeah... Also I want to make a little river that flows into the pond how do I do that? Won't the water just soak through before making it to the pond? How do I do this I feel really dumb, I'm probably over thinking this...

[Sunshine]

I think you should read Thad's build log. It has some good info in there. And pics!

[eric048]

I did its awesome but I still don't know how to do the water feature I kind of know how to the background just the water feature

[thadmy]

Water features are tough and most of the time especially the water falls they work for a week or so then stop working and you have to take apart the tank to fix it... My first tank all I did was raise the land up higher than one section of the tank where I left it shallow for a pool....

If I was going to do a water fall, I would place the pump under a false bottom made of egg crate, then run a hose from the bottom of the tank in the corner for a waterfall then GS the side of the tank with the hose and pieces of rock or wood in place so that they will hold them. Then from the hose at the top I would cut into the GS so that there would be a river running down the back side of the GS which would allow the water to go over the wood/ rocks like a stream.

This sounds easy but I'd say for your first build to pass up on the waterfall and stream for the simple fact that the frogs won't really use it much its only eye pleasing...

But it is your undertaking, I would say before you do it to read up on all the blogs you can and then draw up plans and work them through. Old saying would apply "Measure twice, cut once"....
Just what ever you do make SURE you leave an easy access to the pump and waterfall in case something happens

[eric048]

So instead of sticking coco bark or moss to the river part I should use gravel? Is the gs waterproof

[thadmy]

If you run the GS all the way to the bottom of the tank I would cover it with small rocks so that the dirt doesn't wash off the wall into the water. And yes once the GS cures and dries it is waterproof. It is used to seal cracks in basement walls to keep water out.

[eric048]

alright I think i can do of get what to do, it is still a little confusing but I hope to start building it sometime next week, also where is a good place to buy plants, places that don't use fertilizer and other nasty things, only places by my house are the usual home improvement stores and an ACE. Any ideas?

[thadmy]

There are TONS of places you can order from only, but I buy most of my plants from Lowes. I just come home rinse off the dirt real well then plant them in substrate outside the tank for a week so that any fertilizers in the plant can come out.

[DonLisk]

Below are a few helpful link to build logs, misting systems, and false bottoms that I have posted over my time here, hope some of them help you.
Oh, and one note on GS and Silicone: GS can be sprayed right to the glass and I do this often. But if using other than black the unsightly white and yellowing GS is visible so some will use black silicone the glass where they want to put the GS first.
GE Silicone II window and door has been the standard for doing vivs my many keepers and it is not advisable to use the kitchen and bath version due to the Bio Seal used in kitchen and bath versions of the GE II.

http://www.frogforum.net/vivarium-te...d-journal.html

http://www.frogforum.net/vivarium-te...se-bottom.html

http://www.frogforum.net/vivarium-te...cal-build.html

http://www.frogforum.net/vivarium-te...valuation.html

http://www.frogforum.net/vivarium-te...viv-build.html

http://www.frogforum.net/vivarium-te...pic-heavy.html

[eric048]

thanks, also what can i mix into the coco fiber to make it have more nutrients for the plants without harming my frog? so Don I can spray the black gs on the back end with no worries? and then coat it with silicone and add the coco fiber or whatever to the silicone?