Another 10g Vertical..... [Picture Heavy}

[Shibumi]

Hey FF
After reading through multiple forums over the last month or two, every chance I got, I decided to take the plunge and build. I love doing this kind of stuff. At first I was going to buy a Zoo Med 18x18x24 (I like how the whole front door swings out) for a red eyed leaf frog viv, but a co-worker of mine told me about a free 10g in her building laundry room. She actually said it was a terrarium so I didn't think plain old 10g. At that point I decided to save the zoo med idea for now and practice my first build on a free 10g. I carried it home on 3 subways from Manhattan to Queens and then walked 1/4 mile to my tiny studio apartment. Ok, so here it is....... BTW I rarely order anything online so I had to hunt everything down.

My first was finding egg crate. Not so common, even in Manhattan. Right next door to my work is a business that closed down. Their front awning had egg crate (Light Diffuser) so I asked the landlord for some and he told me to take what I wanted. It was getting ripped down eventually. I love FREE.

Showing the false bottom with my siphon porthole.






This is my tool bench


I tried to cut my own glass from scraps I had, but it was too thin to use.......


So I had it cut for $20, 1/8" thick. I also had trouble finding the "Living Hinge" for the door, so I ordered it from a local pet store. He couldn't get it though. a few days later i left my apartment to walk the dog and I saw a huge 40-55 gallon tank out in the trash. Way to big for my studio, but it had a nice glass lid with the hinge I needed. Score! I should call this the "lucky build". BTW, I also made a glass lid for Burt, my pacman's 10g, with the left over hinge and it's original glass that I cut to size and sanded.


Less talk more build.....




My free planter pots. Urine specimen cups from work with drainage tube attached






Second run with the GS foam.




I left some other build pics on my camera and phone, so I'll cut to the chase Gravel around the false bottom, coco fiber substrate, fake vine from petland.....




ReptiFogger $42 Amazon....



Why the last 3 are sideways, I don't know. I can't seem to fix it.

Thanks for watching.

Let me know what you guys think? Good or bad.

[greene]

I think its great. I wish I could do something like that

[J Teezy]

nice build. Building your own from scratch is much more rewarding. I love building the tanks that when i finish one i'm itching to build another just to try a new background technique. My first one i used styrofoam insulation. The build i'm working on now i used styrfoam again plus GS foam to foam in my pots. I did my drains a little different than you though. I orginally had straws in there as drains, but then took them out and just bored the hole out bigger with a grinding stone attached to my drill. I was afraid the tiny hole of a straw may get clogged too easy.

[BadKat]

J, If you put a few packing peanuts into the bottom of your planting pots it can help to improve the drainage. It may help to keep the plants from becoming pot bound also. If they seem too big just break them up a bit.

[J Teezy]

J, If you put a few packing peanuts into the bottom of your planting pots it can help to improve the drainage. It may help to keep the plants from becoming pot bound also. If they seem too big just break them up a bit.

Good idea, i may try that i don't know, i kind of don't like the idea of loose styrofoam like that though in case some of it happen to brake off some how and make it into a frogs mouth

[Shibumi]

Thanks for the kind words. JTeezy, I saw your build thread. I like that wall and I'm watching your other build. I also saw the straws, it was a good idea. I was actually thinking of that at first. But I was thinking big fat bubble tea straws. I had the plastic tubing lying around so I used that. I think the whole process is a learning experience. I will change a lot on the next build. It definitely is rewarding. When I finished the project I looked around and thought, now what? I want more!! I'm going to use this temporarily and then get the Zoo Med and try my hand at a styrofoam, removable background. I'll put the Red-Eyed Tree Frog in that and maybe get a Mossy Frog for this one. Then I'm done. No more room, unless I get rid of my microwave oven??

Here are some more pics from my camera. I'm using these blue pill dram containers to plant in, they fit perfectly in the urine cups. ;p Then i'll be able to switch all the potted plants around. Take some out, put another in... interchangeable plants.













I just got back from the florist and they had some nice air plants and I think It's a Pink Starlight Brom (id from google). I'll post a pic a little later.

[BadKat]

Good idea, i may try that i don't know, i kind of don't like the idea of loose styrofoam like that though in case some of it happen to brake off some how and make it into a frogs mouth

Cutting up nylons (yes women's leg wear) and making bags for the styrofoam is one idea. I don't know why I didn't mention it in the first place. I don't think it would harm anything as long as it has been rinsed thoroughly. This works great for houseplants also, though it does look a bit funny when you stuff a pair with the peanuts.

[Heatheranne]

Looking great!

[Jon]

Hey FF
After reading through multiple forums over the last month or two, every chance I got, I decided to take the plunge and build. I love doing this kind of stuff. At first I was going to buy a Zoo Med 18x18x24 (I like how the whole front door swings out) for a red eyed leaf frog viv, but a co-worker of mine told me about a free 10g in her building laundry room. She actually said it was a terrarium so I didn't think plain old 10g. At that point I decided to save the zoo med idea for now and practice my first build on a free 10g. I carried it home on 3 subways from Manhattan to Queens and then walked 1/4 mile to my tiny studio apartment. Ok, so here it is....... BTW I rarely order anything online so I had to hunt everything down.

My first was finding egg crate. Not so common, even in Manhattan. Right next door to my work is a business that closed down. Their front awning had egg crate (Light Diffuser) so I asked the landlord for some and he told me to take what I wanted. It was getting ripped down eventually. I love FREE.

Showing the false bottom with my siphon porthole.






This is my tool bench


I tried to cut my own glass from scraps I had, but it was too thin to use.......


So I had it cut for $20, 1/8" thick. I also had trouble finding the "Living Hinge" for the door, so I ordered it from a local pet store. He couldn't get it though. a few days later i left my apartment to walk the dog and I saw a huge 40-55 gallon tank out in the trash. Way to big for my studio, but it had a nice glass lid with the hinge I needed. Score! I should call this the "lucky build". BTW, I also made a glass lid for Burt, my pacman's 10g, with the left over hinge and it's original glass that I cut to size and sanded.


Less talk more build.....




My free planter pots. Urine specimen cups from work with drainage tube attached






Second run with the GS foam.




I left some other build pics on my camera and phone, so I'll cut to the chase Gravel around the false bottom, coco fiber substrate, fake vine from petland.....




ReptiFogger $42 Amazon....



Why the last 3 are sideways, I don't know. I can't seem to fix it.

Thanks for watching.

Let me know what you guys think? Good or bad.

This looks amazing, well worth the effort .

I am in the process of making my own viv. What type of moss did you use? How did you ad the moss to your branches? Does it stay on there naturally or do you have to add a little silicon?

Thanks
Jon.

[Shibumi]

This looks amazing, well worth the effort .

I am in the process of making my own viv. What type of moss did you use? How did you ad the moss to your branches? Does it stay on there naturally or do you have to add a little silicon?

Thanks
Jon.

Thanks for the compliment, I used the dried out frog moss you find at petsmart. I think the company is T-Rex that packages it. So far mine has stayed green for about a month, but I soak it down 2x a day. It's just pushed in a crevice between the wood and background. No adhesive. I hope it will grow there. The mass on the floor will most likely get covered with leaf litter at some point. They say that it's hit or miss. So far so good!

[Shibumi]

I have a major design issue. Hopefully you all can help me decide. The pot in the front, on left wall? Seems a little "in your face" to me. It hides the whole left side of the viv. It almost blocks out 2 of the other pots in the back, which I also have trouble accessing. Should I scrape it off the wall?? Will the thumbnail dart even use it? It would probably take me 2 second. lol
So what do you think, rip it or leave it?? I just don't want to make it look worse or mis-utilize space.

Thanks
Jeff