Vivarium Build

[Styx]

I have some vivariums to build for my Uroplatus and some people wanted progression photos so I am actually taking them! I have one to build for my U. Henkeli, one to build for some U. Sikorae, and one to build later for my frogs.

This is a 24" tall x 18" deep x 18" wide Exo Terra, all clean and ready to go.

Pile o' Stuff

Malaysian Driftwood in the tank for pondering.

At this point I'm not sure what I'm doing with what wood. Since I have three vivs to build, I am not really sure what is going where. I like the Malaysian driftwood as it is in there, but I'm not 100% sure I like it for my Henkeli. So... pondering.

 

[Rylee]

Pile o' stuff lol. Cool!

 

[Styx]

Decided I liked this design, so I am going ahead with the build. Added some more wood from a couple different stores in town.

Step 1 was actually to glue down that big chunk of wood as much as possible with some silicone. After that I sprayed it with foam, and filled up the back with foam. This is a heavy piece of wood and I don't want it pulling off the back.

A few hours later, I set and sprayed some of the cork and one more piece of wood. The wood on top is just propping up the piece on the left, and isn't in. This is an entire can of foam. Tomorrow I will put in some more wood pieces. First, I want that left piece to finish curing so I can put in the wood that is holding it up.

 

[Josh2]

Looking awesome so far! Can't wait to see some new photos of the next step

 

[Styx]

I accidentally deleted the photos I had of the tank with all the wood in pre-mossing. So... here's the next steps. lol

Tank is mostly mossed up. I attach dried moss by applying black silicone to the foam, then pressing the moss into it before it skins, so I work as quickly as possible. This is over the period of three days about, since I work in sections.

The tank is now all covered in moss. Once this latest batch of silicone and moss had cured, tomorrow I will remove the excess moss and look for any bare patches that need to be redone.

 

[Styx]

Okay, so the background is finished and the tank is now hauled inside and in the rack.

Put down the first layer of the false bottom. Cutting this stuff is a nightmare and I had no idea how to do it so I mostly just winged it (and scraped my hands up a lot).

Window screen in.

And now the hydroballs (hydroton, leca balls, whatever) are in. There's also some pieces of feather lite and lava rock stuff in mixed in there - leftovers.

Last but certainly not least the soil. I'm use a mix of ABG, tree fern, lava rock, orchid bark, cypress chips, and worm castings. I have some horticultural charcoal and some sand somewhere, but I forgot to get it. Hopefully this is good enough.

 

[Rylee]

Nice! I couldn't do that, it'd horrible!

 

[Commotiion]

That's looking amazing!

 

[Styx]

Thanks.

 

[Styx]

All done, plants in.

 

[Rylee]

So cool!!

 

[Caleb C]

Can't wait until the plants grow out more

 

[Styx]

Me too Caleb.

I just found out it's too small though. *facepalm* Soooo I guess a different species is going in it. The henkeli will live in it until I build another, bigger, vivarium.

 

[Caleb C]

That's too bad, I guess you have to get more geckos

 

[Styx]

I'll just put my Sikorae in it.

 

[Geckomaster743]

Wow, Styx thats an Amazing DIY! You got some skill
Though looks like that Sikorae is going to enjoy that new cage. Bravo!

 

[Styx]

Thanks.

 

[rainydays]

Really nice work.

 

[maverickgrl79]

very cool!

 

[Styx]

Thank you.