RETF Custom Terrarium background - Advice and tips needed/welcomed

[DigitalPunk]

Last work done for the day on the Terrarium. Tomorrow starts the long process of covering the whole thing in Titebond III and Cocoanut fiber. I have opted not to mix moss with it for the health and safety of our froggies.

We got the 2nd stick in place. Not where we originally had planned for it to go but I think I like the look it is giving. We mounted it to one side so it over hangs the cage like a tree branch. As you can see we again used our superior skills to hold it in place while the foam hardened.

We put some extra foam hear and there on the sides to give the terrarium a bit more rugged texture. We let that sit and harden for an hour or 2.. not sure exactly how long. I surfed the web some and watched the rest of Bourne Ultimatum.

Next we started to foam in a path for the water to make it from the wall to the hole. It was about now that I wished we just made the hole up against the wall. The foam kept collapsing on itself. We also ran out of foam halfway through this and had to run out to HD to buy another can. We also got some small stiff bristle brushes to try and use with the Titebond III tomorrow.

Here is a pic of the Terrarium upright and one of the hole leading back into the false bottom. For a depth of view reference there is about 6 - 8 inches between the back stick and the back of the terrarium.

Tomorrow we will begin caving on the foam and the Titebond III. Later tonight I will lay it on its side and put some more around that lone stick it is looking pretty weak.

It is all starting to come together. The hard part is not rushing it now.

[DigitalPunk]

Pretty Major issue with the build this evening. I went in to look at it one last time before bed tonight (That was 3 hours ago) and saw that the spray foam application on the bottom was a half baked bad idea at best. I realized that the foam "collapsing on itself" as I mentioned earlier was actually the foam oozing through the egg crate and filling in the false bottom space. So I made a command decision (wife was in bed asleep) to remove the false bottom and start cleaning up the mess I made.

Using rubber gloves I pulled all the spray foam off the top of the egg crate and surveyed the crime scene. I decided my only option was to cut the egg crate along the back wall and remove the section most heavily effected. After the egg crate was removed I spent the next hour and a half scrapping the glass on the bottom of the Terrarium to remove foam and foam residue. It was less than awesome. But I got it mostly done tonight. Here is what it looked like midway through the scrapping. Oh and a picture of the pile of stuff I pulled out with the discarded egg crate.

I measured the piece I removed and cut a replacement piece from what I had left over. I tried to test fit it and realized the best way to get it back in without risking any further damage was to cut it in half so I could more easily re install it.

I needed to wait for more of the residue to dry so I went and checked on my "Custom Vine" to see how it was doing. The glue is completely dry which was at least some good news for tonight. I measured the vine and then measured the terrarium. I had a vine long enough for 2 or 3 of my terrariums so I cut a section of it out and then spent the next 30 mins holding it in various spots. I came real close to not putting it in at all, but decided that Roy and June could use one more thing up in the top of the Terrarium to monkey around on.. At the very least it would give June a higher perch to poop from and try to hit the water bowl.. I am not sure she has pooped anywhere but in the water bowl so far lol. (just a note: when she does poop I remove the water immediately, clean the bowl, and replace it with fresh water).

So I set about spray foaming the vine in. I won't have pictures of it in the tank till the morning. I am just killing time now waiting for the one side I secured with foam to cure enough so I can turn the tank and lock the other side in. Then I am off to bed.

Nearly didn't share my failure in this thread, but Hey I figure it is all part of the Terrarium customization experience. More updates tomorrow.

[flybyferns]

Paul,
It looks wonderful! Enjoy your build. I bet there will more
Thanks for a great thread!

May I :
2 little tips
live vine idea--- if you purchase a dark color poly rope ( say 1/2" or less in diameter)...pull the inner cotton out of it.
Boil it. Using a crochet hook...you can pull the moss and wet sphagnum moss through the weave.
It's work beautifully ! Once they fill in the vine is beautiful and strong! You might even get the sphagnum to start to grow.
There are some photos of these in my albums.

instructions ( sort of )
http://www.frogforum.net/dart-frogs-...moss-vine.html

recent photo of one growing:
http://www.frogforum.net/beginner-di...tml#post209924

Your wood: I would sand those sharp edges and points. Red eyes are not the sharpest tool in the shed
There will be an uncontrolled leap from a startle - you don't want any injuries Ouch

Best, Lynn

[DigitalPunk]

Lynn,

That is a really good idea! I will have to play around with that and see if I can't make it work!

Thank you!