Quik homemade tank question?

[MatthewM1]

Would a tank constructed with plexiglass be safe for a big homemade tree frog enclosure?

[deranged chipmunk]

the short answer would be yes. if constructed properly, a plexi tank would be safe. the long of it is that while it is a perfectly safe and inert material to make a tank out of, the thickness you would need, if would be comparable, if not cheaper to go with glass. for one, the thicker you go with plexi, the more hazy things appear, as well as distorted. you could go with lexan, but that costs more than glass. unless of course, you are looking at low iron glass, which is actually more costly than lexan.

i guess my first question to you would be how big is big? that would really determine what materials you would build it with. second question would be how much is cost a factor? i'm sure you realize that a large enclosure is not going to be cheap to construct, but there are ways to do it on a budget.

[MatthewM1]

I'm thinking 24x24x36, maybe a little bigger or smaller. its going to be a long term project, and just coming up with some ideas at this point. I figured plexiglass would be easier to cut and drill. Budget is not a huge concern but I don't have loads of money to drop on it, but I was going to investigate the cost of some materials and go from there. I want to make a really nice detailed display tank I'm thinking for a group of Grey tree frogs

[deranged chipmunk]

you can do plywood covered in marine epoxy with glass front doors. it's just as easy to work with as plexi is in the respect of drilling and so forth. and unless you wanted a multiple view enclosure (which can still be done), you'll already have 3 sides enclosed to make the frogs feel more secure. it's also easier to modify to ventilation, lighting, heat. and you can hide everything from view. not to mention you can finish the outside to match any decor......lol

[MatthewM1]

Awesome idea! I think that is probably how I'll do it. can anyone recommend a brand or brands of silicone/sealant safe to use in the tank? I plan on trying to build a water feature and some other thank decorations with polystyrene and great stuff so I need something that can be used to water proof those as well.

[deranged chipmunk]

You have many options there. Marine epoxy, two part epoxies, ge silicone i or ii, drylok paint.

[NatureLady]

My 2 cents on this is...I have lexan and pelxi cages/tanks at work and they show wear. If you do not clean them properly they will scratch. I had an intern who decided to use the (state purchased) brown paper towels while I was on maternity leave two years ago to clean the displays and I had to purchase a 3 stage polishing set to buff the scratches out.

Also, keep in mind the amount of water you plan to keep in the enclosure and the strength of the thickness of whatever you decide. Thin pelxi will only hold so much water weight...

[deranged chipmunk]

Good point amanda. As far as scratching goes, acrylic is the most durable, but still scratches easily. The ol brown paper towels huh? We use them at work and they suck. I would rather use copier paper that that stuff........lol

[UncleChester]

I'm a fan of glass, but the biggest I've made so far are about 16"x16"x26". It's not that hard to cut or drill once you have the proper tools and a little practice. You can also buy it precut to the sizes you want. I use a generic 100% silicone to hold things together, Home Hardware - 300mL White Silicone Sealant, but the 'clear' version. This brand unfortunately won't be available in the states but I'm sure you could find something similar.

My latest version is a "eurostyle' tank with sliding front doors, similar to http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/par...step-step.html but with way more ventilation on the top (mine's for a north american treefrog). If all goes well with the sliding door part I want to try a larger version, probably something in the 16x26x36" range if I can find a spot for it.

You do want lots of ventilation for Gray treefrogs. Standard window screening on the top works if it doesn't need to be load bearing. I use perforated sheet metal as I have cats that sit on the top of my tanks.

For interior bits, you can cover polystyrene with cement for a fake rock look. It needs time to cure to be safe, especially for a water feature (it raises the pH), but once it does it is invincible. Great stuff covered in titebond III + peat is also a nice way to go for an earthy look, but I don't think its usually recommended to be submerged.

[deranged chipmunk]

Yup, like brian said, you can use cement, but you're looking at a couple weeks of curing time and another couple weeks of flushing the system until the ph stabilizes. Another option would be unsanded grout. I am a big fan of grout. You just need to make sure you have a thick enough covering or it will crack and peel.

Are we missing anything else Brian? I bypassed clay intentionally since we're discussing water features.

[MatthewM1]

Thanks for the help ill probably go with the sealed wood, im sure ill have more questions when I eventually start collecting materials and building

[MatthewM1]

Oh and could someone point me in the right direction to find a list of frog safe plants, and I would like ones that don't require uvb lighting if that's possible