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Thread: I'm looking to make a walk in vavarium with large water feature, and multi levels.

  1. #1
    Tyson
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    Default I'm looking to make a walk in vavarium with large water feature, and multi levels.

    Anyone know how to make them and can give me some advise? overall area will be 100 square feet, and have its own exaust fan for summer. Any help would be great, thanks

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  3. #2
    Super Moderator flybyferns's Avatar
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    Default Re: I'm looking to make a walk in vavarium with large water feature, and multi levels.

    Quote Originally Posted by Tyson View Post
    Anyone know how to make them and can give me some advise? overall area will be 100 square feet, and have its own exaust fan for summer. Any help would be great, thanks

    Hi Tyson,
    This is a dream of mine.
    I have actually looking at small glass greenhouses .
    My dream plan would be to actually install it in the basement of my home.

    check it out:

    my favorite
    Mini Greenhouses, Start, Grow Plants in Small Glasshouses
    4ft x 6ft Greenhouses - Greenhouse Warehouse
    Halls Supreme 4ft x 6ft Greenhouse

    below - just a page of images-- some are huge--- but you can get the idea

    small glass greenhouses - Google Search

    Pipe dreams!
    Current Collection
    Dendrobates leucomelas - standard morph
    Dendrobates auratus “Costa Rican Green Black"
    Dendrobates auratus "Pena Blanca"
    Dendrobates tinctorius “New River”
    Dendrobates tinctorius "Green Sipaliwini"
    Dendrobates tinctorius “Powder Blue"
    Dendrobates tinctorius "French Guiana Dwarf Cobalt"

    Phyllobates terribilis “Mint”
    Phyllobates terribilis "Orange"
    Phyllobates bicolor "Uraba"

    Oophaga pumilio "Black Jeans"
    Oophaga pumilio "Isla Popa"
    Oophaga pumilio "Bastimentos"
    Oophaga pumilio “Mimbitimbi”
    Oophaga pumilio "Rio Colubre"
    Oophaga pumilio "Red Frog Beach”
    Oophaga pumilio "Rio Branco"
    Oophaga pumilio “Valle del Rey”
    Oophaga pumilio "BriBri"
    Oophaga pumilio "El Dorado"
    Oophaga pumilio "Cristobal"
    Oophaga pumilio "Rambala"

    Oophaga “Vicentei” (blue)

    Oophaga sylvatica "Paru"
    Oophaga sylvatica "Pata Blanca"
    Oophaga histrionica “Redhead”
    Oophaga histrionica "Blue"
    Oophaga lehmanni "Red"
    Oophaga histrionica "Tado"

    Ranitomeya variabilis "Southern"
    Ranitomeya imitator "Varadero"
    Ranitomeya sirensis "Lower Ucayali"
    Ranitomeya vanzolinii

    http://www.fernsfrogs.com
    https://www.facebook.com/ferns.frogs

  4. #3
    Tyson
    Guest

    Default Re: I'm looking to make a walk in vavarium with large water feature, and multi levels.

    nice! one guy in another forum said to use a shower bottom, because it will contain the water really well if its done right, I think I will be using two of them, with a plexi seperator that goes only a little way up. That way I can keep both my pixie's in there, going to make the water a about 3 feet deep, and have a large area with coconut for him to dig in, and a ramp to easily get out of the water

  5. #4
    Super Moderator flybyferns's Avatar
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    Default Re: I'm looking to make a walk in vavarium with large water feature, and multi levels.

    Tyson,
    What a great idea!
    Two entire shower stalls could be rigged up?
    Create a screened top.
    I wonder if they could be joined corner to corner? ( instead of stall to wall)
    Sump pump! Plumbing and all-- for drainage!
    How exciting !!!
    Current Collection
    Dendrobates leucomelas - standard morph
    Dendrobates auratus “Costa Rican Green Black"
    Dendrobates auratus "Pena Blanca"
    Dendrobates tinctorius “New River”
    Dendrobates tinctorius "Green Sipaliwini"
    Dendrobates tinctorius “Powder Blue"
    Dendrobates tinctorius "French Guiana Dwarf Cobalt"

    Phyllobates terribilis “Mint”
    Phyllobates terribilis "Orange"
    Phyllobates bicolor "Uraba"

    Oophaga pumilio "Black Jeans"
    Oophaga pumilio "Isla Popa"
    Oophaga pumilio "Bastimentos"
    Oophaga pumilio “Mimbitimbi”
    Oophaga pumilio "Rio Colubre"
    Oophaga pumilio "Red Frog Beach”
    Oophaga pumilio "Rio Branco"
    Oophaga pumilio “Valle del Rey”
    Oophaga pumilio "BriBri"
    Oophaga pumilio "El Dorado"
    Oophaga pumilio "Cristobal"
    Oophaga pumilio "Rambala"

    Oophaga “Vicentei” (blue)

    Oophaga sylvatica "Paru"
    Oophaga sylvatica "Pata Blanca"
    Oophaga histrionica “Redhead”
    Oophaga histrionica "Blue"
    Oophaga lehmanni "Red"
    Oophaga histrionica "Tado"

    Ranitomeya variabilis "Southern"
    Ranitomeya imitator "Varadero"
    Ranitomeya sirensis "Lower Ucayali"
    Ranitomeya vanzolinii

    http://www.fernsfrogs.com
    https://www.facebook.com/ferns.frogs

  6. #5
    Tyson
    Guest

    Default Re: I'm looking to make a walk in vavarium with large water feature, and multi levels.

    if you used the entire encloser, would be easy to put a layer of imitation rock on the serface, for the water to fall down off of or, just use the bottom treys, and build them into part of the room, ect. either way would work great.

  7. #6
    100+ Post Member IrishRonin's Avatar
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    Default Re: I'm looking to make a walk in vavarium with large water feature, and multi levels.

    Well first off, what are you planning to keep in there? How do you plan to view it, is it gonna be walk in only or is there gonna be a glass/plex front? So i have built a few LARGE vivs, for monitors and large snakes. If its gonna be permanent the you can go buy this stuff at home depot called resin, in black or grey, you can make a foam buck and then roll it on and when it dries pop it out or you can coat the floor itself in it. Once its dries its non toxic and water proof. As far as the ledges go I've used fake rock pavers cause there flat and light as well as grape wood trunk pieces, also I go out and hunt for unique pieces of wood all the time so... then of coarse clean it (bleach,burn,boil the 3 B's) and then I use butterfly bolts (tugger bolts) to anchor them to the wall. Id be glad to give you more advice but again it all depends on what you plan to keep in there.

  8. #7
    Tyson
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    Default Re: I'm looking to make a walk in vavarium with large water feature, and multi levels.

    wow! that stuff sounds great! I"m going to keep my two pixies in there, and fish in the water feature also. and lots of plants, and a waterfall going down the back wall, and a digging area for him to hide in coconut with. if I could make it non-permanent then the wife will be happier, esp if it sits on the ground, but we shall see sounds like you have done a lot like this IrishRonin. I'd love any more advise you have! is plexi easy to work with? I altered a plexi tank once, but never made one. I've also concidered building one in one of those big plastic water storage things, then cut the top off

  9. #8
    100+ Post Member IrishRonin's Avatar
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    Default Re: I'm looking to make a walk in vavarium with large water feature, and multi levels.

    I have built a few, I do it for a living, im an animal curator at a rept/amphibian museum. Right now Im making one for a breeding pair of timor monitors its 6' long-6' high-by 5 1/2' wide. I'll post pics when its done. Ok to clarify you said a walk in viv. with multi levels right? Are you talking about like a water tank? Like the ones that hold a few 100 gallons? Plexi can be a pain until you get the hang of it, but i wasn't talking about building the whole tank out of it just about putting in some sort of window for viewing. The only other thing is if you build all of the multi levels will they even be utilized, cause pixies dont really climb, right? (never owned one). Don't get me wrong if its built with all kinds of plants and vines it will look amazing but again your focus will be on the ground so... Another thing i can say is once you wire all the logs/vines together cover the wire in silicon and press spag. moss on it, it looks really good. if you have anymore ?'s let me know. Building BIG vivs is so much fun! I hope i helped

  10. #9
    Tyson
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    Default Re: I'm looking to make a walk in vavarium with large water feature, and multi levels.

    helped lots actually! as far as the multi level, kinda had the idea of a plateau thing with grasses, ect and a dig in area where he could bury himself, then the water underneath that way if he fell in two feet, wouldn't hurt him, but he could swim, dig, and have multi level, thats kinda what I was imagining, but if I made one portable, the wife sure will be happier LOL but man, this stuff sounds great!

  11. #10
    100+ Post Member IrishRonin's Avatar
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    Default Re: I'm looking to make a walk in vavarium with large water feature, and multi levels.

    you know I have wanted to put a nice grassy area in a viv for a long time, but I have come up with 2 problems. 1- grass usually needs to have a lot of soil to root in, which is a lot of weight. Though I did find some "super grass" that will pretty much grow any and every where. 2- keeping it manicured, I like long grass but at a certain point it will need to be cut and unless you've got a tiny mower... Anyway what you've got in mind sounds really cool. For the multi level thing you could make it like a terraced hill with the grass on top and pond at the bottom that way he couldn't really fall, maybe tumble but not fall. Well keep me posted on what you decide to do, you've got my brain running a mile a min. now LOL

  12. #11
    Tyson
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    Default Re: I'm looking to make a walk in vavarium with large water feature, and multi levels.

    some grass only needs 4-6" of soil, if its made with a wood frame for the upper level, would be very light, very strong, and plenty of grass for the little guy to stretch out on you could even use an organic seaweed based fertilizer on it when you take him out for a bit, stuff is really good, and no pesticides. Got this info from working at a hardware store. Grass seed is something I couldn't get the info out of my head if I tried lol.

  13. #12
    Tyson
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    Default Re: I'm looking to make a walk in vavarium with large water feature, and multi levels.

    I think I know what grass I'm going to use now. Going to go for Wheat instead hard red wheat, tossed around in clumps so its more like in nature. The other grass is too much work, I know that the wheat will work good. now to autocad the layout for the lights, ect. This thread sure is a good one! people are going to get a lot of ideas for there projects.

  14. #13
    Tyson
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    Default Re: I'm looking to make a walk in vavarium with large water feature, and multi levels.

    I picked up a mini cattail plant, so its tops will only be a foot above the water. I have it in the 70 gallon tank water feature right now. But when I get my other tank done, I'll transfer it over.

  15. #14
    100+ Post Member IrishRonin's Avatar
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    Default Re: I'm looking to make a walk in vavarium with large water feature, and multi levels.

    Well Im glad I could help, I cant wait to see what you come up with. Did you settle on what your gonna build it in? I like the wheat idea, especially in random clumps just keep an eye on the seeds when they appear or else you'll be over run before you know it. Thanks for the info on the grass, Im gonna have to look around again. I hope this can help a lot of people, everyone should get to have this much fun.

  16. #15
    Tyson
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    Default Re: I'm looking to make a walk in vavarium with large water feature, and multi levels.

    I"m thinking I'm going to build it tank style, with the back piece being twice as long as the rest, thinking square in shape, open on top, with 3 lights hanging down over the grass area, and going for plexi on the hill shape, because if I do, I can hide filtering material under that hill, and drill holes into the water area, so it draws underneith, and I'd have that entire area filled with filter media and ceramic chips. giant sump kinda, hidden away under the hill he sits on. with a tub coconut for him to dig into. This way I can still take it apart and move it and the wife wont be upset then LOL. Not sure of the footprint, but it wont be tiny,,, if it was a fish tank, Id say maybe 300-500 gallons, but not sure yet on that part. Going to make two of them, side by side, and they can share the 3 light bulbs hanging down. and then they can talk to each other if they want

  17. #16
    100+ Post Member IrishRonin's Avatar
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    Default Re: I'm looking to make a walk in vavarium with large water feature, and multi levels.

    Well it sounds like you've got quite the nice set up idea going on. If you use the hill as a hiding point it should give you plenty of room for filtration. Are they both the same kind of frog? If they are you can make it to where the ponds are actually one big pond, separated in the middle with screen or holes drilled into the wall, so you only have to run one filter and keep both clean. Just a thought. If making it portable keeps your wife happy then that's the way to do it I cant wait to see some more updates.

  18. #17
    Tyson
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    Default Re: I'm looking to make a walk in vavarium with large water feature, and multi levels.

    ok, materials are going to cost 405 bucks, so I'll have to wait a few months before doing it its going to be 3' by 4 or 4x4 if I decide to half it for both with a divider. cut sheets x 6 if for one frog, x 7 if seperating it out. need 12 feet of plexiglass 1" thick rod. this is for support of the plexiglass hill with sump built in underneith. either way, would be the most awsome tank for this kind of frog, he could sit in his waterfall feature, or in the water, or in the grass, or in his deep tub of coconut stuff going to save every penny, and make this happen! might even make it a bit longer, 6 foot, if I do put the deviding wall up for both frogs I'm jealous that Irish gets to do this stuff for a living, its so fun!

  19. #18
    Tyson
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    Default Re: I'm looking to make a walk in vavarium with large water feature, and multi levels.

    Almost forgot! the type of grass with short roots is Kentucky Blue. though many companies are making ones that go deeper, true unaltered blue has only about 2" to 4" roots, nice and short for this kind of thing and wheat grass of course is still an option.

  20. #19
    NatureLady
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    Default Re: I'm looking to make a walk in vavarium with large water feature, and multi levels.

    This build sounds amazing! Can't wait to see your dream come to life!!!

  21. #20
    100+ Post Member IrishRonin's Avatar
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    Default Re: I'm looking to make a walk in vavarium with large water feature, and multi levels.

    Right on, it sounds awesome! I definitely got lucky on the job, it is too much fun. Thanks for the info on the grass I am actually gonna try and get some for the timor monitor build im in the middle of. Definitely keep us posted!

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