My First PDF Build Log

[buggerdtp]

I'll use this to keep track of my progress as I attempt to build my first terrarium. I'm using a 20H tetra tank. I just picked up a bunch of materials for the background (not all of the materials, though), and I've made some progress on my false bottom.

I'll be attempting this sort of background:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fk0ahajh71c

I have a mask and eye protection that I will certainly be wearing. Here are my materials to work with right now. I have cut the 1.5" foam to roughly fit the terrarium, but will use the wire brush to slim it down and make some interesting carvings. I'll be using Titebond III instead of Silicone to attach materials to the foam.

I've ordered a 30mm diamond coated glass drill bit and a 1/2" bulkhead to drill the bottom of my tank for drainage. I called everywhere in Minneapolis and NO ONE would cut the tank for me. It is not tempered. When that arrives, I'll give it a go!

This will be a major work in progress and will take a while for me to complete. I'm sure I'll have many questions along the way.

Cheers!

[deranged chipmunk]

Looks like you are headed in the right direction. Drilling the tank is not hard, just take your time.

[buggerdtp]

I made a bit of progress today. My 30mm diamond coated glass drill bit came in the mail yesterday. As I said before, I could find no one in Minneapolis to drill my tank, so, with no previous glass drilling experience, or hardly any drilling experience at all, I gave it a go. Whats the worst that could happen?

After setting everything up, I was surprised at just how easy glass drilling is. The hole came out pretty well with only a little scratch on the outside where the bit slipped a little, but nothing the bulkhead doesn't cover up.





I then drilled holes in the bottom of the PVC that will be holding up my egg crate false bottom so water doesn't build up inside the PVC pipe. I then used some aquarium silicone to attach them to the bottom of the tank.



Next, I wanted to add a ledge to what will eventually be my background. I cut a piece of styrofoam and attached it to my styrofoam background (that will eventually be worked with a wire brush drill piece) using Great Stuff.



After this is done drying, I'll attempt the wire brush drill method to create a textured background. Not sure I'll get to it this weekend or not. I hope I will have a little time to work on it!

[Mentat]

Congrats on your first drilled tank; that is the hardest part of build, so take your time and have fun . If that larger cell styrofoam does not react well to wire brush sculpting; go to hardware store and get the pink extruded polystyrene (XPS) rigid foam insulation (R10) used in the video.

[DigitalPunk]

Can't wait to see how the foam turns out! I am going to sculpt my next background from foam, but I have a different method I think I am going to try. Failing at it is part of the process. Keep us posted!

[buggerdtp]

I carved out one of the side walls and it was a complete disaster. The styrofoam I'm using isn't great for this, and I made the mistake of trying to do it in my kitchen. Looked like it snowed in my apartment! This is the biggest mistake I've made so far (will be cleaning up tiny styrofoam pieces for a while). Looks like I'll have to pick up the other insulation.

The final piece does look pretty good, though. If it wasn't for all the little styrofoam pieces coming off all the time and making a huge mess, it might be worth it.

[deranged chipmunk]

Nice job on drilling the tank. Bad call on the styro. Been there, done that lol Remember, we learn from our failures and turn those lessons into successes

[Mentat]

I carved out one of the side walls and it was a complete disaster...

Had the feeling it was not going to work... but not turn out that bad !

[buggerdtp]

I mean, the final product looks pretty good, but it just creates a giant mess. I'll be getting the other insulation to try. Although it is about 10x as much as I paid for this cheap styro! I'm sure that won't be my last mistake. I am having a lot of fun, though!

[deranged chipmunk]

I mean, the final product looks pretty good, but it just creates a giant mess. I'll be getting the other insulation to try. Although it is about 10x as much as I paid for this cheap styro! I'm sure that won't be my last mistake. I am having a lot of fun, though!

Fun is the important thing!!

[DigitalPunk]

Ouch bummer. Lesson well learned it seems Thanks for learning this and sharing it with us all!

[buggerdtp]

Back in business! I got some of the rigid foam insulation and ditched the Styrofoam. This stuff will hold up much better and makes much less of a mess. I cut the pieces to the relative size I want, GS'd in the ledge I wanted and now it is drying. Once dried, I'll work on wire brushing the foam to carve out a nice background. I think I'm only going to do the back of the tank and one side, leaving the front and the other side open for viewing.



I picked up this 1" rigid foam insulation from Home Depot in a 2'x2' slab for ~$5.50. They had their 1" 4'x8' sheets for $18.00, however this wouldn't fit in my car and I surely don't need that much insulation (yet). I went with 1" over the 2" used in the video because I only have 12" depth in my tank and want as much ground space as possible.

I've heard that this type of foam can leach harmful chemicals into the environment and cause endocrine system problems. I have yet to actually see anyone who has had a problem with this (if you have, please reply!), and since I'll be covering the entire thing in Titebond III mix, I can't imagine there will be any problem.

More when I get the carving done!

[deranged chipmunk]

I never heard of that foam leeching chemicals. I guess I'll put that in the mental file with frogs drowning, speculated, but never proven. Lol

[DigitalPunk]

I have never heard of that before and theoretically if you completely coat it in some form of grout or plaster material and then coat that in a water resistant sealer you have effectively blocked any leeching plans it had.

[deranged chipmunk]

In theory, yes. But in a high humidity environment like a dart tank, you would be truly amazed at the places water vapor can get into, including behind the background. So I can see the validation of the theory.

[buggerdtp]

I read about polystyrene leaching chemicals on the dendroboard forum. But, I have yet to see any evidence that it affects reptiles in terrariums when they are properly sealed. As I won't have any standing water in this build, and as I have a false bottom that will quickly drain the majority of water that gets down there, I really don't think this will be an issue. But, I've been wrong before.

Anyway, I went ahead and carved my background once the GS dried. It turned out alright for my first try (or second if you count the failed styrofoam experiment). Since the windchill is about -40, I had no choice but to do it in my apartment and make a mess, again. It wasn't as bad this time, and it vacuumed up quickly this time.



My next step is to get it siliconed into the tank. I'm going to have to do some cutting of the material as it doesn't quite fit. I'll also have to GS the meeting point of the two boards to ensure it is completely sealed. Then I can put the TBIII and coco fiber mix on. I'll probably GS in a few plant holders as well.

Anything else I should worry about before moving forward?

[deranged chipmunk]

Nope. Looks like you're good! It looks really good.

Dendroboard, ugh, don't get me started on them. Lol

[buggerdtp]

So after a while of no progress, I finally got some supplies and went at it. My major hold up was that I realized if I were to silicone in the background foam, my false bottom wouldn't fit in the tank. Therefore, the false bottom needed to be all ready to go before siliconing in the background. However, that meant my bulkhead had to be installed first and because it sticks out of the bottom (will be drilling holes in the back/sides of future tanks), I had to get a stand with a ledge so that the tank could be supported without the bulkhead resting directly on the ground. I found a stand, installed the bulkhead, dropped in the false bottom. I then put some newspaper on top and taped up the sides so that when I silicone in the background and add the TBIII/Coco fiber it won't get everywhere.



My next step was to fit the background in and silicone it down. However, I realized it would be difficult to get the tops of the background covered without making a huge mess if I siliconed it in first. So, I went ahead and mixed up some TBIII/coco fiber and slathered it on the top edge of the background. I then pressed in added coco fiber and let it dry. I had never mixed this stuff up before and it wasn't the easiest to apply. I think it might have been a little too thick, and the top was very thin, so getting it to stay on without getting everywhere was a chore, but it worked.



After about 6 hours it felt really hard and dry (there is almost no humidity in my apartment in Minnesota right now, probably helped the drying process). I haven't shaken off the loose fiber yet, I'll do that tonight.

A couple questions: 1) How do you spread the silicone on the tank to get it completely covered so that when looking at it from the outside of the tank, it looks black. I got the GE Silicone II Black, just need to know how to easily spread it around.

2) I want to add a plant holder or two on the background before I cover it with TBIII/coco fiber. I plan on using GS to secure it to the background, but how do you deal with drainage for those holders? If I GS the entire thing in, water won't drain from the bottom. If I drill/poke a hole in the bottom, there will be some GS that isn't coated in TBIII/coco fiber and will be too small of a hole to get in there. Does that matter? Do I even need drainage for these holders?

Thanks!
Dave

[DigitalPunk]

For the draining - Use a Straw. Put it in place and then great stuff the pot to the back ground leaving the end of the straw exposed. Trim it back once the GS is all dried and you will have yourself a hole for water to train out without exposing the foam.

I think your tank looks great so far!

For the silicon I just wore rubber gloves and smeared it all over the back. Once you put the background against it and it dries you won't be able to tell if it was even or not, because the background will block all the light.

[Mentat]

Make sure the "GE Silicone II Black" you are using is 100% silicone and not the type for doors and windows that has toxic anti-mildew chemicals added .