Newbie, Vivarium Build? Help Appreciated!

[cruentusanima]

Hello to all,

I just joined this forum today because I'm a proud owner of three Fire Belly Toads that I have had for the last 8 months and I think it's time to start a vivarium build with help of course. This whole venture originally started when my daughters obsession with reptiles and amphibians finally got the best of me and I broke down and bought her some Fire Belly Toads. My setup right now is very mainstream for lack of a better word and I would like to start to build a custom one for my daughter. I can't believe this started as a hobby for my daughter and now myself and my wife are completely obsessed with these creatures! What I have in mind is a half water half land type of vivarium and I want to start with a 24x18x18 Exo Terra Glass Terrarium. These are the following items I'm planning on using and please guide me if I'm wrong. 2 Exo Terra Compact Tops (Day Top - 2 Repti-Glo 2.0 and 1 Repti-Glo 5.0 bulbs, Night Top - 3 Exo Terra Night Heat Lamp), Zilla Digital Timer Power Center, Exo Terra Digital Hygrometer and Thermometer, and a Fluval 206 Eternal Canister Filter. Basically I want to not worry about the day time lights and night time lights and that's the reason I want two compact tops and the Digital Timer Power Center will control this so I don't have to worry about forgetting to turn of the day lights and night lights. I also don't want to worry about cleaning this vivarium very frequently and I think the Fluval 206 should help out with this unless there is other suggestions. From what I read the best way to start a vivarium is a false bottom vivarium and that is definetely the route I want to go, the problem I'm having is finding something specific to my frogs needs. I really want to do the whole custom thing but honestly I don't even know where to start. Any suggestions or ideas would be much appreciated and since this is something I'm really interested in creating for the family money is not really an issue I just want to do this right once and then move on to another species, possibly a tree frog. Thanks to all in advance.

[DonLisk]

Welcome to the forum.

Your selection for materials has been well thought out and should work great in your build. Your first task will be to design your bottom to have both a false bottom on one part and a water area on the other.
You will have to decide if you want the water area completely separate from the water in the drainage area of the land mass, or if the water that gets to the false bottom under the land mass is going to have the ability to filter into the water area. There are many pros and cons here but the biggest is that the filter system will work harder to keep clean water if the drainage water from the land mass mixes with the water area.
If you keep them separate then you may have to drain off excess water from under the land mass.

Are you going to be using live plants in your build?
I have seen some builds with large stones as the land mass and then soil, moss, and plants on top of the stone work. Some looked pretty impressive. There was also a recent image posted by someone where cork bark was used to create an island and the land inside the cork island area. That was one beautifully designed work.

If I find the pics I'll link them here for you.



I would look through some of the members photo albums and see if something catches your eye.

[DonLisk]

Here is a link to a thread on a build and the picture show where the individual used cork bark flats and siliconed them together to create a land area and had the water from the filter system flow over the land mass and back into the large water area.
My though would be to have it lower so it would be easier for your frogs to gain access to the land.

http://www.frogforum.net/vivarium-te...n-terrain.html

[DonLisk]

And another link to some of what gave me inspiration when starting new builds. These are by Brian (UncleChester) and some pretty cool vivariums here.

UncleChester's Album: Vivariums

[cruentusanima]

Thanks Don for the response. I am going to use live plants and really don't know what plants I should use but the direction I want to go is good looking plants, low maintenance, and compatible with FBT's. The build that I'm thinking of is to somehow create a background that covers the back and right and left sides only leaving the front exposed for our viewing pleasure. I want to start with the false bottom but I also want the land mass and water to be connected since I'm going to be running a fairly decent external filter. I'm planning on using screen printing mesh for the section that connects the land and water mass to stop any large debris from clogging the filter as shown in the illustration provided. In theory this seems like it would work but I'm no expert any additions or revisions will be appreciated.

[DonLisk]

That will work well and using the egg crate to form the wall will help hold the screen material.

Just keep in mind that the water level will have to be below the height of the egg crate so the soil on the egg crate is not soaking in water.

[cruentusanima]

Don! I just looked through your albums and you sir built exactly what I had in mind. I love the back and sides you did for the 12x12x12 ZooMed Mini Build and also the look of the 20 Vertical Build. If I combine these two ideas that you created I will have exactly what I wanted with the addition of a waterfall. I guess the next question if you don't mind is what is needed material wise and skill wise to perform something similar to your vivariums? Thanks in advance.

[cruentusanima]

Alright after a month or so of planning I finally got the build started. So far right now I have the false bottom done but without the mesh laid out and also started working with the Great Stuff foam and created some rocks and also a rock border for my pond to separate the substrate from the water. Here is what I'm thinking so far I'm going to have the pond in the middle with a waterfall and also I'm going to have false bottom sides with Great Stuff molded that way it will be easier to clean if I ever have to. Below is also a drawing of what I'm thinking as far as the complete build, any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Supplies Bought
• Zoo Med 18x18x18 Terrarium
• 2 Sheets of Egg Crate
• Zip Ties
• 2 Cans of Great Stuff
• Acrylic Paint
• Eco Earth
• Zoo Med 501 Canister Filter
• Bark
• 3 – 9.8OZ GE Silicone 2 Window and Door Black
• Weed Block Mesh
• Extra Tubing
• Gravel
• ABG Mix
• Jiffy Pots

Tools Needed So Far
• Cutting Pliers
• Gardening Pruner
• Caulking Gun
• Nitrile Disposable Gloves

Steps to create this not finished project
1. Use silicone to cover the back, left, and right side of glass. (currently curing will update pictures ASAP)
2. Create design with egg crate (shown below)
3. Create foam border and sculpt as necessary (shown below)
4. Create back, left and right egg crate sides (in process will upload when I have molded foam on each side)
5. Work with foam on each side and add Jiffy Pots (will get to do this hopefully by end of week if not the weekend)
6. Route tubing for waterfall (in the works)
7. Blah
8. Blah
9. Blah
10. This project has taken more time out of me than anything I have ever worked on including my car.
11. I need to complete this ASAP since I just bought an Eastern Collard Lizard for my daughter and it needs a new home as well.
12. I have a feeling this will turn out pretty cool.

[J Teezy]

if money is not an issue and you want to make your life even easier, check this out

EcoZone Vivarium - Vivarium Controllers provide Naturalistic Habitats for Reptiles and Herps. Programmable proportional Temperature, Lighting, and Mister Control (if i had the money this is the one i'd get)

there's cheaper ones that do some of the same but the EcoZone is above and beyond these following

Spyder Robotics
Digital Aquatics Online Store
Vivarium Electronics VE-300 - Reptile Basics Inc

[cruentusanima]

I finally had enough time to finish the vivarium. Check it out, I think it looks good for my first build.

[DonLisk]

Nice work. Sorry I missed your question above but I started school at that time and really laid off most of my online activity since the classes had my head spinning for the last 4 months.

You will enjoy watching the plants grow and fill in the tank. Just make sure you have enough lighting and mist often.

[cruentusanima]

I have a reptisun 5.0 running in the day and a zilla black bulb at night and the temperature doesn't exceed about 82 and doesn't dip lower than 75. The frogs seem to like it and enjoy the daily misting. Thanks for the inspiration Don. The problem I'm having now is that I can't wait to start a new build.

[DonLisk]

An addiction I know :-)

everyone gets it.