55 gallon Vivarium project

[deranged chipmunk]

For heating, with the false bottom, i would plumbed in an aquarium heater. It does 2 things, heats the water, which heats the air, and it also creates humidity. For lighting, you really only have 2 options, t5ho or led. The t5's are out since there are no 18" fixtures available. You could use led conversion bulbs if you already have the fixtures. Ne herp has what would work. Led lights with incandescent bases. But they are not cheap, about $40/bulb. The height and depth are what are going to be the killers of the light.

[deranged chipmunk]

I know somebody else who is building a 55 vert conversion. He went through light your reptiles, $275 for the lights. YIKES!
Check post #41. 55 Gal vert build! - Page 3

[deranged chipmunk]

It just dawned on me. Are you still going to run a sump? If so, heat the sump and you heating issue should be resolved.

[Eric and Stitch]

I fell off the wagon with this lately. I've been done and the frogs moved in since March. Ill upload pictures when I'm home. Lighting I use 2 x 18in t5 lights. One is a naturalistic plant light. The other an exoterra rainforest tube. Heating I put a beta tank heat pad in the false bottom and used aluminum tape to put a reptiheat heat cable on the back wall externally. I have no humidity problems. The waterfall creates plenty.
I've gone through 3 different forms of bottom so far. False bottom with soil to grow plants, the waterfall saturated that and any plants got root rot. Then I did a false bottom with aquarium pebbles and just had a potted peace Lilly. My current bottom is just aquarium pebbles with bamboo and standing water.

Pictures soon I promise.

[Eric and Stitch]

So here are pictures, most are self explanatory.

Under tank storage and Water feature pump

Here are details of my clock house, the side opens, the clock come out, and the top screen is removable for access to lights, heaters, climate controls, and my water feature manifold.My current pump is too small to run more than one item at a time but the manifold can accept up to 4 separate outputs. currently i only have the waterwall/waterfall or a bypass recirculate tube.
Upper half where the water flows down the wall to a 'tree branch' pond
Lower portion where water free falls with the guidance of a string from the Tree branch.
My current bottom consists of an aquarium like bottom with fake plants to prevent any fallen frogs from drowning.

for more pictures, they are in my album titled Grandfather Clock.

[RichardA]

Very cool build! Very creative!