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Forest of Endor build

18K views 87 replies 37 participants last post by  Sticky Fingers 
#1 · (Edited)
Man! There are a ton of fantastic looking vivariums on here!

This will be my third vivarium. Though, I haven't posted the other two on here.
The vivarium in question is an 18x21x31 50 gallon column. It is to feature a recreation of the planet Endor, or California redwoods depending on how you see things.

There will be 5 "trees" made of 3/4 PVC that reach near the top of the vivarium, and will host epiphytic plants to hang down. The main feature being a canopy. Cork bark will be attached to the pvc via silicone or
"mud", followed by many vines. There will also be cork bark "platforms" and "bridges" to the different platforms surrounding different levels of the "trees". I was going to add cocohuts for a more ewok-esque feel, but they are too big to utilize properly, so instead I will silicone some film canisters onto the PVC by the platforms. The ground floor will be covered in moss and ferns, etc.

There will also be a few decorations that may include a funeral pyre made of twigs and lego Star Wars characters. Deal with it.

Oh yeah, and the fauna. It will be featuring 9 R. Variabilis.

Lighting is still uncertain. I had been considering one of those 10-20W LED floodlights everyone is raving about.



Not the final positions of the wood, and there will probably be more as well.


 
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#5 ·
I don't know if you remember micro machines from when you were a kid, but I had a forest of endor set and the characters were all so tiny hence the name micro machines lol but they were extremely detailed. Maybe you could use those because they would be proportionate to the viv build.
 
#8 ·
Thanks for the encouragement everyone. I intend on really taking my time with this tank and making it into something that I can really be proud of. There are some high standards on this forum too!



I actually have a few giant tubs of them in my basement from when I was a kid, for when I have kids eventually. Unfortunately they are all mostly the standard military kind, BUT I do have an Endor playset (The one where the logs roll down the hill, etc. I will try to scavenge them out and see.
 
#20 ·
Seriously?!??!?!

Why has no one brought up speeder bikes? How cool would it be to see your frogs zipping around the terrarium at high speed?



I also found a link with more information about how to set up your terrarium on wookieepedia.


Endor - Wookieepedia, the Star Wars Wiki

It goes great detail about the ecosystem of Endor and also demonstrates the enormous amount of free time star wars fans have.


-B
 
#22 ·
Again, I really appreciate the attention people are giving this. It has greatly up'd my enthusiasm to put this together.

I also found a link with more information about how to set up your terrarium on wookieepedia.

Endor - Wookieepedia, the Star Wars Wiki

It goes great detail about the ecosystem of Endor and also demonstrates the enormous amount of free time star wars fans have.
-B
I've already ripped that along with any and every resource I have come across :) I even found myself going back through a few of the books and reading through some of the sections when they visited as well as scoured up some old photos from Disney of the Endor stuff they have. Since Endor pretty much resembles the redwood forests, the original conception was based on some photos from there.

If I had more space to work with I would most certainly implement a small mountain range. I may get a picture of Endor and have Kinkos or someone blow it up hi-res if I can, and use it as a poster for the BG, depending on how cheesy it turns out.

The only issue I have run into so far is securing the PVC enough to withstand the weight. I am just using silicone. I am hoping the pea gravel and substrate will be a great benefit to securing it, as well as placing some dirt or mud down the middle of the tubes.

I am going to hit the build hard this weekend, though I am waiting on a few things in the mail still. Once everything is in place, I will start looking at little decorations and what not to make it interesting. Even I am unsure on what this will turn out like.

Creeping fig may be my number one choice of "canopy" plant. I had considered Philodendron, but the leaves are just too big and it would make it look very disproportionate. That and fig requires almost 0 media to grow.
 
#21 ·
I remember learning spanish as a kid, of course you learn all the bad words first lol, but I remember watching star wars and when the ewok poked at leia with the spear and said very clearly the word CHOCHA!! hahahahaha I about died laughing lololol! Go look up the word "chocha" and then watch that scene in return of the jedi and be prepared to laugh your socks off because he clearly says the bad word!
 
#25 ·
This is going to be the catalyst for future awesome theme vivs! I guess we need to start a Star wars series vivs.. First the Moon Forests of Endor, next will be the bog swamps of Dagobah ( maybe the X- Wing crash scene with Yoda, Luke and R2), finally we can even do a desert viv of Tatooine (Scene of your choice lol). Thank you for starting an awesome and creative build/thread!!!
 
#29 · (Edited)
Starting with the bad news, I went to about 4 different garden centers, along with lowes and home depot, and nobody had creeping fig :( TONS of other ivy, but no fig. While part of me wants to just slap some pothos in there, I just feel the creeping fig would do the best for scaling. I am also considering doing selaginella for the canopy. And peperomia... So many good options.



Dagobah was next on my list (in a 35 gallon), but I encourage others to do a rendition :)

I have concerns about this too. The bond between the silicone and the very low surface area on the end of the PVC will be rather limited. You could consider using a PVC cement, and/or Weld On 40 to attach the bottoms of the PVC pipes to a sheet of flat PVC Sheet, PVC, Gray, 1/16 In T, 12x12 In - Plastic Sheets, Film, and Flat Stock - Plastics - 1YYF9 : Grainger Industrial Supply The sheet could either be siliconed to the bottom, of just left loose and the substrate will be holding it down some.
I agree. I was having issues, but I think I got it solved now. I took some 2" to 3/4" coupler, grinded them down, and voila! I also drilled some very small holes in the bottom for the silicone to reach up into and fill for added stability (I think :p ) It took a lot more force than anything will ever be exerting onto it for it to come loose.

 
#28 ·
See this is the thing about coming on an american forum,you're never quite sure whats going down,some of the really weird stuff eventually makes total sense.
I'll give you an example: stuff your frogs in a test tube,box 'em in a polybox used to carry organs for transpnt robbed from the local hospital (hopefully the guy got his kidney ok:eek:) then pop them in another box with a cryo phase 22 panel,and they can be sent all over america and come bouncing out the other side all hunky dory.
Now i've got Jon exercising his frogs using laser technology,buddy can't you just give then abit less dust on the ff or blow them in there. Ahh well, you guys always inpsire me however weird it gets,mind some of the rock throwing i don't really understand ,but then I'm a simple guy who thinks this all about frogs:D
So to the op,yup it sounds a bit strange this one,but i've learnt that strange things here are not always what they seem,good luck with your build mate,think hard work slow,i hope it turns out awesome
regards from blighty
Stu
 
#30 ·
Drilled holes in the bottom of the pvc to prevent water buildup in the tubes.
Begun gluing canopy wood in their respective places. I'll do about half now and the rest when everything is in place for mobility. Going to put in base layer and substrate today. Waiting on cork bark from NEHERP, then I will silicone that on, make the bridges, etc. The mud will be put on after that is complete and I will start planting the ferns and what not.


 
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