55 gallon Vivarium project

[deranged chipmunk]

Looks good so far. Since i'm a hardcore aquarium guy, i'm curious to see the sump setup.

[IrishRonin]

I really like this build, I love turning regulatie house holding items into terrariums. In the past over done a China cabnet, and a few coffee tables. I also have an old console tv in my garage that's in the works. Keep us updated can't wait to see more.

[arielgasca420]

I am excited to see how this turns out and learn a few things from this progressive build.
I did want to add that maybe it would be cool to have pothos coming from the top of the enclosure to hang down on one side and a Sansevieria trifasciata on the bottom to grow up on the other side? just a thought since sansevieria get aa good height for an enclosure.

[IrishRonin]

Man looking at my post makes me think I need to have some one look at my auto spelling. It's all over the place!

[Eric and Stitch]

Update. A little behind the project. Last weekend the girlfriend and I both had Saturday and Sunday off so we built the base cabinet that this whole system will sit on. I also put the bottom screen in under the door and fit the door in place. I then removed the door as I have no stop or latch for the door yet. I don't know how well picture uploads work via smart phone so I'll add photos in the next post if it works.

[Eric and Stitch]

So time for an update with pictures as my last 'photo post' didnt work.


This is the location i plan on keeping this big thing, maybe move it to the other wall where the other terrarium in this picture currently. This also shows the base we made about a month ago, the door we ordered for it will be in next week. then stain and finish before mounting. The door will help hide the clutter.



and here it shows the back siliconed and my 'trees' in location but not attached yet. they are constructed of Egg crate tied together with forest tile cork backgrounds attached to the crate.

I plan on having one 3inch pot at the top of each tree(pothos like plants), one in the cork round branch mid tree on the left(something colorful and perky) and one attached to the underside of the egg crate where it attaches to the right tree(Big green leaves), along the back wall between the trees I want vines to climb up. I want to grow something from the ground near the front corner of the tank maybe bamboo, even though that isnt really Central American but something the frogs can climb besides glass. My water feature will flow down the back, right of center onto the "branch" I'm building that will have a small pool/soaking area, then free fall off the corner of that to the bottom where there will be a small stream to the edge of the tank. the back wall will not be as foamed and textured for moss growth as I believed before. we will instead be attaching blue-green glass pebbles to the back wall above the branches, I still want to foam, add a pot, and moss the wall under the branches.

Would that be adequate vegetation? how much would should I have for something this size?

[Eric and Stitch]

One more question I failed to post, What gph is a nice steady stream of water about 2 inches wide just flowing down a wall? I know how to calculate to account for head pressure of four feet, Or should I just have a valved 'y' and dump excess flow behind one of my trees back to the false bottom?

[Eric and Stitch]

So I siliconed in the trees and a couple pots, then did the bulk of the foaming, I'm electing not to foam the entire back since we have other ways of adding character.


here you can see detail of the bottom half, I added a half pot near the base of the left tree under the Branch dish as well as a pot in the joint of the branch to the tree.


Here is detail of the top, the two pots atop each tree are evident as well as a third I added against my girlfriend's design wishes. You can also see the shallow dish I am molding out of foam for the water to flow into, pool and free fall out of. the glass pebbles illustrate the intended flow path of the water along the wall, we are are thinking of spreading the pebbles around the rest of the background with moss growing between them. brings me to my question for Bill.

Would I be able to securely silicone these glass jewels over the titebond method you describe? or should I attach them straight to the back wall then paint between them? and is the Titebond grow-able for mosses?