Make your own viv?

[Kerry1968]

I have a query.

I have an unused tank that is approximately 30"x12"x12".
I would like to make it into a vertical vivarium, but I'm not sure if it's actually possible.

I need a high humidity viv, with a little ventilation. I need a lot of climbing area as this will be for my crested gecko and in the future I might turf him out to another viv and use it for a tree frog.

My thought is, if I block off the bottom 6 inches with a piece of something (perhaps wood) siliconed in, then put some glass runners on this I could then have sliding glass doors. Then on the top more runners with a space above with mesh for ventilation. I am trying to work out if sliding doors would work as the whole width is only 12 inches, so I would have very narrow doors. Perhaps try to hinge a glass door in some way?

I've never done this kind of thing before and wonder if I am going into the realms of fantasy with this idea!

The size of the tank would be just ideal for a vertical, jungle type habitat though.

I would really welcome your input on this, thank you.

[Ra]

In the simplest, you could put small legs oon the bottom, and silicone on about a 3 to 6 inch high peice of glass or plexiglass (don't use wood) and then get a screen top with a door, they usually come with cjips and will clip on, or you might find a sliding screen top. Then you can make the opening the side access port.

[into]

I currently use a tank turned on it's side for my quarantine tank, but I have yet to work out the open part of it. Right now I'm just using a piece of eggcrate cut just right to keep her from getting out.

[adawinters]

Argh! I was JUST reading a post on how to do what you're describing, but I can't find it now. I'm pretty sure it was on www.vivariamforum.com . Maybe you'll have better luck finding it. They have a lot of great, DIY ideas, and the DIY door has come up more than once. The designs I've seen involve a glass/plexiglass piece that's a few inches high and sealed to the bottom of the opening. Then, screen/plexiglass pieces that are hinged on, or else sliding plexiglass doors. With a tank that's higher than it is long, it might be easier to go for the hinged door than the sliding, but I don't remember specific "how-to's" off the top of my head. I wish I could help more.

[SludgeMunkey]

In the simplest, you could put small legs oon the bottom, and silicone on about a 3 to 6 inch high peice of glass or plexiglass (don't use wood) and then get a screen top with a door, they usually come with cjips and will clip on, or you might find a sliding screen top. Then you can make the opening the side access port.

Those self adhesive pads designed to protect your furniture from vases and lamps and so on make great vivarium legs.

[Kerry1968]

Thanks everyone, I'll give it a go.

[SludgeMunkey]

I have a query.

I have an unused tank that is approximately 30"x12"x12".
I would like to make it into a vertical vivarium, but I'm not sure if it's actually possible.

I need a high humidity viv, with a little ventilation. I need a lot of climbing area as this will be for my crested gecko and in the future I might turf him out to another viv and use it for a tree frog.

My thought is, if I block off the bottom 6 inches with a piece of something (perhaps wood) siliconed in, then put some glass runners on this I could then have sliding glass doors. Then on the top more runners with a space above with mesh for ventilation. I am trying to work out if sliding doors would work as the whole width is only 12 inches, so I would have very narrow doors. Perhaps try to hinge a glass door in some way?

I've never done this kind of thing before and wonder if I am going into the realms of fantasy with this idea!

The size of the tank would be just ideal for a vertical, jungle type habitat though.

I would really welcome your input on this, thank you.

This is such a feasible plan, I challenge you to do it!

One of the best parts of the vivaria hobby is working with what you have to get amazing, functional results. I have built them out of unused storm windows before...anything you can think up is possible. And if as you do it it does not seem to be working out as planned, do as I do- malebovinegastrointestinalexcretia your way through it!

[Kurt]

And if as you do it it does not seem to be working out as planned, do as I do- malebovinegastrointestinalexcretia your way through it!

Oh, taurocopro your way through!

[adawinters]

Oooh. I found the page I was thinking of. It wasn't on vivarium forums after all:

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/car...ical-tank.html

[Kerry1968]

Thanks for the link, I'll have a look later. In the meantime I've signed up for Vivarium forum and there's some good ideas for making vivs backgrounds etc there.

[adawinters]

That site really is great inspiration. I've got designs popping around in my head for a day when I have more time/space to set up some new tanks.

Oh, yes. That day will come... Mwah ha ha ....

[Ra]

Oooh. I found the page I was thinking of. It wasn't on vivarium forums after all:

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/car...ical-tank.html

By far the coolest DIY front opening vertical terrarium I have ever seen. Totally awesome. I have a 25 gallon aquarium that I found, I'm gonne clean it up and make one of these with it.

[Iceni]

Sorry for the slow response Kerry1968 I've been on holiday for a few weeks and only just read your PM.

The vertical viv can be as simple or as complicated as you want. Simple is always better. Sliding doors ect can be a pain especially if your attaching things directly to glass.



A few pointers that may help you out.


Firstly look at the open side of your tank. If it's a smooth finish with no lips, plastic runners ect then you can work things out from a base level.

If you have plastic screen hangers Or lid lips they can generally be removed with a screwdriver and a little force as in most cases there slid on or silicone'd in place.



Sliders can come in a variety of styles, The most basic are the type you see on a typical Vivarium. But they Come in unmatched pairs. One set will have less of a lip for the bottom of the tank. This is so you can slide the glass upwards and remove the glass with a typical viv. These runners whilst been cheap may not be ideal as they may fall out sideways on a vertical viv. So you need to think about keeping the glass over at the short side with some form of spacer whilst the tank is in normal use.


The alternative to that would be to use 2 long or 2 short runners or to use an oversized door so the glass can never fall out. Be warned tho this will mean you have to Silicone the runners in place with the glass in position, and the glass will be non remove-able.


using sliding glass also means you have to allow for ventilation and water retaining meaning the glass will already have a reduced sliding distance.

This design has the potential to become very complicated very quickly. And the more steps you have to take the more chance you have to make a unfixable error.



The More basic tank would be simple to get hold of 2 lengths of 28 inch glass that are about 3 inches wide. Or hard plastic. Then glue those about an inch into the inside of the tank. This would give you a firm base to start making the design i did. With a sheet of acrylic as a water retainer, then wooden ventilated door. This solves the majority of the problems with ventilation and doesn't become overly complicated.






A final idea may be to glue in a nice thick water retainer. 1/2 inch thick acrylic or something similar, then screw or glue a set of hinges to it and have a second acrylic/wooden (well ventilated) door attached to that. making a door that opens out and down like a cargo bay door, Then glueing stoppers in the top of the tank made out or clear acrylic with heavy duty rare earth magnets in them. Simple adding some stainless steel to the top edge of the door would make the tank auto locking.