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Exoterra xl x-tall 36x18x36 build log

18K views 47 replies 11 participants last post by  shibbyplustax 
#1 ·
Ok so pretty soon im going to start construction of my third and largest vivarium on an exoterra xl x-tall 36x18x36 tank. Im planning on doing a false bottom with a gs background and a waterfall/small stream. I already picked up the tank and have most of the materials i need so i will put together a mock up of my layout to try and see how it will work later this week. Ill post pictures when i do to get some feedback/advice before i start on the real build.

Anyway i figured for now id let you guys know what to expect and ask a few Qs in the mean time. I was considering getting some auratis for this tank when complete and prehaps getting a few long tailed grass lizards since it is such a tall enclosure and theyd be in a different niche in the tank. I also was considering if it would be okay to house my two anoles in it instead but dont think that would work becuase anoles are alittle more aggressive then ltgl. Maybe it would work cause the encloser will be so high and have the auratis on the bottom and the two anoles will spend most of their time on top. Any input on this?

Also my local reptile store has a display tank set up with a couple of different types of dart frogs, longtailed grass lizards and pygmy chameleons in the same tank. They said they always do fine in there and it is the smaller version of my tank(24x18x24), is this okay? I know you shouldnt mix stuff but i always see that tank there and all the animals seems to be healthy Would i be able to have a set up like this without problems?

And thats about it so ill post some pictures of my plans when i temporarily set things up and ask for some input before anything is permenant.
 
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#2 ·
Chances are that they are one of the grassland Takydromus (grass lizard) species and the humidity of a dart viv would be too high...thats just problem one, I'll let others point out the rest. What species of anoles do you have? Why not set up different tanks for each species you are interested in working with? That way you can enjoy them all without all the associated risks of a multi-species tank.
 
#3 ·
Yea that is what i was planning on doing. I am planning on builidng another smaller tank for my two green anoles. I am just very set on getting dart frogs but feel as though it is a wast for this tank since it is so tall. Maybe i should get something else for this tank and maybe in the future buy a less vertical tank. I feel as though it would be alot less humid towards the top of the tank since it has a mesh lid though so maybe thats why the grass lizard was doing well
 
#4 ·
It may be a little drier at the top, so it's possible that's why they are surviving. I used to do all kinds of mixed-species tanks and just got tired of losing animals, so now I keep single-species tanks. The turning point for me was catching a jade tf eating an adult crested gecko (my first baby!), and decided then that I was done mixing. I'm sure there are some herps that would love a tank that size, maybe some larger treefrogs...Polypedates dennysi comes to mind. Maybe even a large group of thumbs...I'm sure someone with thumb experience could recommend a good group frog (maybe vents?). Good luck with your tank, that's a great size to work with, I can't wait to see it finished!
 
#5 ·
After doing some research i feel as though the humidity and temperature for those animals wouldnt so much be an issue. Im not saying im going to do this but i feel it would work in this tank because the dart frogs require a humidity level of around 80% and temp in the high 70s. The long tailed grass lizard requires around 70% humidity and a basking spot in the 80s and cool spot in the 70s. The pymgy chams require around 70% humidity and around 70 degree temp. The humidity towards the bottom of the tank can be kept down becuase of my water feature and fogger and the lower humidity in the top can be controled through the vented top and get more circulation. The lower higher temps can be controled via under the tank heater and higher basking spots can be controled with a ceramic heater at the top and lower temps in the middle of the tank and on the cool side. I would also seed this tank before hand with isos and springtails and constantly be throwing in crickets in all elevations of the tank so their will be an abundance of food. I feel as though there woulnt be much interaction between the different species if i only put one or two of each and they all have there own territory. This is just my take on this so if anyone has anyother opinions please chime in.
 
#6 ·
If you have to mix, I would suggest researching Polychrus sp. lizards. I have some housed in a 36" tall vivarium that are doing very well with mint terribilis. They are a very slow moving, deliberate genus that acts very similarly to old world chameleons. Here's a video:

‪joshsfrogsvideos's Channel‬‏ - YouTube

I know many people overseas keep anoles in with dart frogs in larger vivariums, but I have no experience doing so.

Before you decide to mix, I would strongly suggest taking your time and doing proper research. it's not an easy task to meet the needs of multiple species with different husbandry requirements in one vivarium.
 
#7 · (Edited)
yea its not at all a deffinate plan for this tank but i was just trying to discuss the logistics of those being housed together. if i was ever to decide to mix however i would make sure i do as much research as possible and record the parameters of every niche of the tank before even considering looking into housing multiple species in this enclosure.

btw what is the common name of the Polychrus sp. you are talking about and is it a common reptile to find? planning on waiting till the long island reptile expo in october to purchase any inhabitants.

also im having trouble putting up the pictures of my materials anytime i try to upload a picture it just keeps saying uploading please wait but never uploads
 
#8 ·
You will most likely put some effort into hunting down Polychrus sp. Common names include, bush anoles, monkey tail anoles, prehensile sharp-nosed anoles, and various combinations of the like. They are not easy animals to find, but make very interesting captives - well worth the effort of setting up a vivarium just for themselves, IMO.
 
#12 ·
They are a true canopy lizard. They need a basking spot in the low 90s, and UVB. I've found the main issue is that they come in horribly emaciated. 1-2 soaks in lukewarm water a day and offering a wide variety of feeder insects seems to help - mine particularly like hornworms. They also need to be kept at a pretty high humidity with good ventilation. I keep mine in an enclosure with a full screen top and a humidifier, as well as a misting system.
 
#14 ·
im sick and tired of these muh fu#*in' hijackers on mah muh fu#*in' thread. haha just kidding. lol feildnstream when you say KS what does that mean?

anyway back to my build

I started yesterday buliding my false bottom and i like the way its comin out so far. i plan on having either two or three pumps/ filters in my tank for water features/water movement.

my plan is to have the main waterfall in the back left corner and have another drip wall type thing made with mopani wood to the right of that on the land portion goin down almost to the base of the main waterfall. i am unsure of what i am going to make the main waterfall out of at this point, i was thinking of using some of the rock background the tank came with or maybe a peice of wood or even Greatstuff or a combo of the above. any ideas on this one?

The peice of circular bark you see by the waterfall area will be used at the base of the fall to house my filter and pump discretely there but still allowing easy access. The main waterfall will be run off of a small submersible filter i have and the drip wall thing will be just a small pump that i still need to purchase. The water is pretty much going to go in a big counter clockwise circle around my whole tank. in order to have a current in the small stream going from the back waterfall to the front right of my tank i will use great stuff foam to seal on my sloped beach until i reach the far right of the tank where the false bottom has a little cut out in the beach slope. i will try to make this so the water can really get through to under the false bottom until it reaches the area to the right with the cut out. i will then have a 10 gallon stingray elite submersible hidden under the false bottom trap door to the right and have the outflow pointed towards the filter for the waterfall. this way there is a countinuous current of water going counter clockwise through the bottom of my tank. any one see any possible problems with this?

if you are having trouble picturing this in my photos let me know and i will use the paint program to try to better illistrate the water flow.

i also included some pictures of the mock up where some of the wood is going to go in the GS background. i am going to try and incorperate the styrofoam rock background the tank came with into the GS backgound to give it some more shades and dimensions.

more pictures to come tomorrow after i start working on it some more after work later tonight. i will probably get to a better mock up stage tonight so i can here some comments/critisism before the plans for this project are more concrete.

anyway let me know what you think so far and please let me know any worries you might have about my set up.feel free to comment good or bad so i can get as much input as possible so i can make the best habitat for my animals.

once again sorry for the crappy pictures my gf's camera was dead when i was ready to take pictures and the lighting in that rooms sucks. dunno why they keep comin out crappy tho i have a droid and usually pictures come out great but i have been in a rush everytime iv been taking pictures tho. Expect better pictures in the future hah.

Thanks for reading/replying

-Sean
 

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#15 · (Edited)
another couple questions id like to add.

1. anybody know of a good way to make the transistion between the falsebottom and my pond/stream area look real natural? i was thinking i would just take the little riverbank i made with the eggcrate at fill it with some great stuff, paint it and silicone some rocks and sand on there. i feel as though it is just to steap to use gravel or sand or anything and will just run down the bank and leave the top part exposed

2. i was considering using either clay or some sort of concrete now instead of the GS background. any input on how much easier or harder this is and if it will stand the test of time better then great stuff. i am really torn between these two because i think if done right clay looks alot better but i have never tried this method. also i didnt think about the added weight this will add on my tank. it already takes two people to move it and is pretty heavy and i still have to move it from my construction room to my bedroom after its done. keep in mind this is a very big tank so the amount of clay or concrete i would have to use would be rather large.

3. what really made me want to do this was the thread of martys re build on the corner tank. that concrete background came out AMAZING but i dont have an airbrush to paint it that good. even if i did pick one up though iv never used it and am afraid i will not be able to get the affects marty did. has any else ever used an air brush? is it easy to use?

4. if i were to scrap the GS background idea and use either clay or concrete which would be better? i think depending on how their done they both look just as good but theres two things holding me up from making a decision. concrete seems like it would last longer but will be harder to work with. clay seems to be easier to work with and i dont have to go through the whole curing process but seems as though it would deteriorate faster. what do you guys think?

5. another thing im worried about is keeping the tank ventilated but at the came time keep the himidity up. whats the best method for this?

6. also i didnt get a response for my lighting question so ill post again. do you think a dual strip 36" flourescent will be adequate for lighting in this beast? i have a 20 gallon single strip laying around that i can also use if need be. any input would be great
 
#16 ·
another couple questions id like to add.

1. anybody know of a good way to make the transistion between the falsebottom and my pond/stream area look real natural? i was thinking i would just take the little riverbank i made with the eggcrate at fill it with some great stuff, paint it and silicone some rocks and sand on there. i feel as though it is just to steap to use gravel or sand or anything and will just run down the bank and leave the top part exposed
I always thought using peat covered great stuff looks the best when transitioning. If you use enough and do it right, it's very natural.

2. i was considering using either clay or some sort of concrete now instead of the GS background. any input on how much easier or harder this is and if it will stand the test of time better then great stuff. i am really torn between these two because i think if done right clay looks alot better but i have never tried this method. also i didnt think about the added weight this will add on my tank. it already takes two people to move it and is pretty heavy and i still have to move it from my construction room to my bedroom after its done. keep in mind this is a very big tank so the amount of clay or concrete i would have to use would be rather large. I always loved the look of Drylok rock walls, it's much more natural and withstands more than great stuff.

3. what really made me want to do this was the thread of martys re build on the corner tank. that concrete background came out AMAZING but i dont have an airbrush to paint it that good. even if i did pick one up though iv never used it and am afraid i will not be able to get the affects marty did. has any else ever used an air brush? is it easy to use?
I'd use a cheapo 1$ paintbrush, and go to home depot, buy a bucket of GREY Drylok sealant, and give about 3 coats of it on the Styrofoam "rocks". That's how he did it!

4. if i were to scrap the GS background idea and use either clay or concrete which would be better? i think depending on how their done they both look just as good but theres two things holding me up from making a decision. concrete seems like it would last longer but will be harder to work with. clay seems to be easier to work with and i dont have to go through the whole curing process but seems as though it would deteriorate faster. what do you guys think? Please make a drylok rock wall. It's much stronger and attractive than clay, but it's a bit more expensive (30-80$, depends).

5. another thing im worried about is keeping the tank ventilated but at the came time keep the himidity up. whats the best method for this?

6. also i didnt get a response for my lighting question so ill post again. do you think a dual strip 36" flourescent will be adequate for lighting in this beast? i have a 20 gallon single strip laying around that i can also use if need be. any input would be great
Of course!
I hope this helps!
-William
 
#17 ·
Thanks johnnyrocks. I was thinking about doing the peat covered GS to transistion to the water so im glad to hear we are on the same page.

As for the drylock method i have done this before so i was thinking about going a different route but that gave me a good idea of drylocking the rock background that it came with so that its grey instead of tan colored. I have some extra drylock laying around too so that will work out. I was planning on cutting out some of the background and incorperating it into my foam background. I think i will end up just sticking with the great stuff and peat moss.

As for the build marty made i think we are thinking of two different people because the one im talking about used habacrete to make his background and it came out awsome. In fact now that i think about it, it was on a different site all together haha. It was on dartfrogz.com, heres the link 90 Gallon Rebuild - *pic heavy* - Dart Frog Forum on Husbandry and Habitat Information . If you get a chance go there, if you are not a member and cant see the pictures, join. Im tellin you its worth it, this tank came out so good.

Thanks for the reply
 
#18 ·
Yes i'm a member on that board, but I like this one a bit better. Marty is on here too, and I got mixed up with another person that did a 90 corner tank with drylok and rock wall. I personally think marty could of done clay because his BG looks just like it, and habacrete, IMO, is almost impossible to get, and is WAY overpriced. Good luck though and i'm looking forward to more!
 
#20 · (Edited)
Yea i was unaware of how hard habacrete is to get a hold of, i guess i can forget that idea.

Thanks for the info on screen vents but the tank i have already has some vents in the front and a screen top. Maybe i should have been more specific. My concern is keeping the humidity up in this well ventilated tank. I was going to put glass on top of the screen to hold in humidity but am worried there wont be enough air circulation. If i use a fan to either suck out or blow in air on top will thatnjust suck all the humidity out? Will the only way to accomplish this be to put a fan inside the tank?

As for which board is better? I deff think this board is the best i posted the same stuff on other boards but have gotten little to no response. This site is much more informative also
 
#21 · (Edited)
When deciding on a background, keep in mind how hard it will be to take out. Clay should be the easiest to remove if you change your mind, say you decide to totally switch gears and make a collared lizard tank. GS can be easy to remove as well. I don't have any experience with concrete or epoxy backgrounds, but it seems that they may be harder to remove. With a tank this cool (and expensive) you don't wanna get halfway done and suddenly start regretting your decision. Why not try an easier, more removable background first...if you don't like it just rip it out and try again. Just some ideas...Good Luck!
 
#23 ·
What I did to cover the weedblock/screen is I coated it heavily with silicone and pressed some peat moss onto it. it looks fairly decent...just wish I would have used brown instead of clear.

How do you plan on making a barrier so your substrate doesn't fall off into the water?
 
#24 · (Edited)
i have already put the weedblocker on top of my false bottom so the substrate wont fall through and if you take a look at the picture in my previous post, i let the eggcrate on the sides of my false bottom go up alittle higher then the top of the false bottom. i will cover this up with greatstuff to conseal it. This will act as alittle lip so the substrate doesnt fall into the water as my animals crawl in and out of it. i used greatstuff on the sloping banks to hide the egg crate. now that i think of it , it was kind of pointless to have used eggcrate on the sides of my false bottom because i just covered them up with greatstuff anyway. i could have just used styrofoam for the sides and skipped that whole step. anyway now that i did that the foam expanded alittle more then i wanted and it doesnt fit in my tank anymore:eek:. i guess im going to have to carve it up alittle. anyone know if carving the greatstuff that will be submerged will have an effect on its strength? i know that when you carve the skin off it is no longer closed cells. i am going to seal it with silicone reguardless but i wanna know if it may just fall apart after being underwater for a while.
 
#25 ·
by the way i forgot to take pictures last night of my progress so i can upload them at work today, so sorry about that. I will take pictures before i start working on it today so you guys can see what i did yesterday and upload yesterdays and todays progress when i get to work tomorrow.
 
#26 ·
:mad:Ugh so i guess i wont be posting new pictures of my progress tomorrow cause im re doing another false bottom. The foam expanded to much and it didnt fit in my tank so i carved but it looked like crap so i decided to scrap it. Im going to make the sides and river bank of my false bottom out of styrofoam this time so its easier to work with. I have friday sunday and possibly saturday off so i can get some real progress done. Came off to a rought start but expect pictures of some progress by the end of the weekend.
 
#27 ·
Ok so i guess this is an update on the progress i did this weekend. I made a new false bottom but this time the sides of it are made of styrofoam. I found it easier to work with and got some good rock effects using drylock and paint. I then sealed the side banks with silicone and sprinkles some sand and gravel here and there. I used a piece of eggcrate and weed blocker to make the entrance for water underneath the FB and not to allow animals there. One concern with this is that it might get clogged if some algae or something grows in there what do you guys think? I was thinkin even if that happened i can rip it out and replace it with fikter sponge or something.

Another thing i got done is one of my water features. I used sprayfoam and some of the background the exo came with. I also used styrofoam to make a cave under the waterfall that can be viewed from the side of the tank. I also used styrofoam to make the pool atop the waterfall. I will be testing this tomorrow to see if the water flows where i want it to. After i got the waterfall into the shape i wanted i painted (so if i miss a spot with peat) the greatstuff and siliconed some coco/peat mix. I am going to make another water feature using the piece of mopani you see resting on the waterfall in the pictures.

After i see if the waterfeatures will work will start on the background. I plan on putting a few pots in the wall and came up with the idea of glueing some corbark on them before putting them in the GS background. I got some airline tubing and covered with silicone and peat and IMO looks more realistic the the vines you buy in per stores. I will incorperate these into the background and also use them as drainage for background pots. I will also put a decent sized pot on top of the bark pictured in the right corner in the tank. I will be painting the outside of the tank by the FB and GS background to make it more pleasent looking.



Also, I want to included a airstone to keep my water oxygenated for fish, can i put it under the false bottom? I would thing the oxygen that may come up through the substrate above would help plants planted their but thats my opinion. What do you think?

Anyway feel free to give me some suggestions or comments and let me know if you see anything that could be problematic.



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